Dali Lektor 6 for HTPC

I have got the DALI LEKTOR 6 for my HTPC recently. The LEKTOR front baffle features a silky matt dark grey finish with edge-mounted aluminum snap locks to secure the front grilles. All drivers are mounted with concealed screws, lending a timeless, minimalistic appearance. The 28 mm (1.1”) soft dome tweeter incorporates a powerful ferite magnet system. This innovative driver provides enhanced power handling - continuously and instantaneously - as well as lower power compression, for a more open, vibrant high end.

The pair of 6.5” mid/bass units incorporates lightweight coated woodfiber cones, low-loss suspensions and semi-shielded, double-magnet motors for a highly saturated magnet system. The cone drivers utilize inverted dust caps for improved phase response and structural integrity.

As far as the sound quality is concerned, nothing much to complain for this price range. I use the LEKTOR 6 as my front speakers and shift the original tiny front speakers to become the Presense Speakers with the Yamaha 7.1 setup. However, this setup has a flaw as the center speaker is a bit weak if compared with the LEKTOR and upgrade in future is essential.      

ProMedia 2.1 Wireless iPod/Computer Speaker

Want dynamic, room-filling sound from your laptop or notebook without any wires tying you down? Meet the ProMedia 2.1 Wireless, a powerful speaker system that lets you enjoy your iTunes, Internet radio and more from anywhere in your room—wirelessly.

• USB wireless transmitter streams audio up to 30 feet away
• Robust 2.4 GHz wireless technology provides interference-free performance
• Same award-winning sound as the original ProMedia 2.1
• Easy plug-and-play design, no router or installation software required
• Use Apple’s Remote Application to wirelessly control your iTunes

If you use your laptop or notebook to listen to music, watch movies or play games, but want to get away from your desk and still enjoy true-to-life sound, the ProMedia 2.1 Wireless computer speakers are for you. 

The ProMedia wirelessly “talks” to your computer via a USB wireless transmitter. All you have to do is plug the transmitter into your computer’s USB port and you’re ready to move around your room and still experience the big, powerful sound that’s made Klipsch an industry leader. It’s that simple—no router or installation software is required.

The transmitter can stream audio wirelessly from your computer to the ProMedia up to 30 feet away. Plus, its robust 2.4 GHz wireless technology won’t interfere with other wireless devices, such as cordless phones, so nothing stands in the way of you and amazing sound. (source: http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/products/promedia-2-1-wireless-overview/)

THX certified Altec Lansinc MX5021

For those who are on a tight budget I would like to recommend this excellent alternative to a high-end home audio system, i.e. Altec Lansinc MX5021. This may be the only THX certified 2.1 speakers in its price range.

Yamaha RX-V663 + HTPC

After one year of searching I finally got my very first receiver hooked to my HTPC, it's a Yamaha RX-V663. I chose it over other similar models simply because it has a smaller foot print and (is said) generates less heat. There is quite a number of reviews on this receiver on the internet so I won't write much about it.

I use a Yamaha NS-P110 which is a 5.1 for my system. I hook the RX-V663 to my computer with a optical cable and it sounds great in a 10x20 room. But I could not get it run on a HDMI cable as it looks like having a handshake issue (Answer.Com: An exchange of signals between two devices when communications begin in order to ensure synchronization) with the on-board graphics card. In short, It sees the computer as a DVI device but not a HDMI Device. Just FYI, the manual is silent on anything related to the hooking of the receiver to computers.

Besides that, it works fine and I love it very much.