I need speakers for my computer

[PhastPhil]

My wife and I recently got a new Dell Inspiron 530. This computer does not come with speakers from Dell. When it was ordered, the speakers that are compatible with this computer were all out of stock according to the person at Dell who took the order.
I've looked at the speakers on the Dell site, and I am unable to determine which speakers are compatible with my computer, other than the Bose speakers. One set of the Bose speakers are really nice, but at $ 250 are more than I want to spend right now. The $ 99 Bose speakers sound lousy, and have no sub-woofer. I listened to them at a local Bose outlet store.

Can anyone recommend a decent sounding set of speakers with a sub-woofer that is compatible with my computer, and cost around $ 100 give or take ? Part of the problem with finding compatible speakers seems to be the Vista operating system and 64 bit technology.

Thanks,
Phil

[Fourth Horseman]

My wife and I recently got a new Dell Inspiron 530. This computer does not come with speakers from Dell. When it was ordered, the speakers that are compatible with this computer were all out of stock according to the person at Dell who took the order.
I've looked at the speakers on the Dell site, and I am unable to determine which speakers are compatible with my computer, other than the Bose speakers. One set of the Bose speakers are really nice, but at $ 250 are more than I want to spend right now. The $ 99 Bose speakers sound lousy, and have no sub-woofer. I listened to them at a local Bose outlet store.

Can anyone recommend a decent sounding set of speakers with a sub-woofer that is compatible with my computer, and cost around $ 100 give or take ? Part of the problem with finding compatible speakers seems to be the Vista operating system and 64 bit technology.

Thanks,
Phil

As long as you're outputting sound from your computer via normal audio output jacks (ie. the color coded audio jacks on the back of the PC) and not via a USB port, then the operating system you are running will not matter.

Were you looking for speakers that hook up via USB, or do you intend to use a regular audio output jacks? If the latter then your options are very wide. I like Logitech's speakers. They have several different kits of varying prices.

[Thunderace]

bose companion 2 series II at target online or stores $99.99, they sound very rich,going to buy another set for my son for his mp3 player in his room. highly recomend!!

[PhastPhil]

My wife was the one who hooked everything up. The speakers hooked up via an audio jack. Then when she tried to use the speakers, a window popped up recognizing the speakers, but said those speakers are incompatible with the system. So she called Dell, and the rep told her the same thing. The Dell rep said we need to have speakers that are compatible with the Vista operating system and 64 bit technology. The speakers we have are Boston Acoustics, and are about 6 years old.

[Aren Jay]

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[Fourth Horseman]

My wife was the one who hooked everything up. The speakers hooked up via an audio jack. Then when she tried to use the speakers, a window popped up recognizing the speakers, but said those speakers are incompatible with the system. So she called Dell, and the rep told her the same thing. The Dell rep said we need to have speakers that are compatible with the Vista operating system and 64 bit technology. The speakers we have are Boston Acoustics, and are about 6 years old.

The computer has no way to know that speakers are even plugged in if you use the regular audio jacks. By that I mean the jacks that look like 1/8" headphone jacks.

If the computer popped up a message when the speakers were plugged in then it must have been hooked up via USB, a thin, rectangular jack. You can go either way, but if it was me I'd dump the USB speakers and pick up a set that hook up via the 1/8" jacks. That way you don't have to worry about driver software or any of that.

In fact, I run Vista Ultimate 64bit on my gaming rig and that's how I've got mine set up and the computer is none the wiser. All works great with 5.1 surround sound.