In getting sound our of my Zotac Linux PC (see earlier post), I thought I’d just use my Bose Computer Companion Speakers. Plug in the mini-plug to the audio out plug and we’re on to other things! I tried umpteen RCA to mini-plugs from the Zotac audio out to the Bose speakers and all I got was bloops, bleeps, and hissing. OK, so I plug-in my iPod ear plugs and I get great stuff. Plug in the same mini-plug to RCA cable in to my iPod and the Bose does what we expect Bose to do: great sounds! Sometimes problems find a way to just disappear, especially when they don’t make any sense so I just put it aside to run some errands.
While in Walmart, I strolled through the electronics department to gaze at new TVs and my eye caught some very small speakers designed for notebook PCs. The ones by HP, called, not surprisingly, HP Notebook Speakers: USB-Powered Mini Speakers, were only $20! So, I thought, this can’t be a bad purchase. After all, I will have lots of new audio outputs in my new shack….so they left with me.
Now, I have a house full of Bose speakers, of one sort or another plus two pair of Bose headphones. I also have a Tivoli Model Two Satellite Radio System in my home office. I didn’t expect much from these 2″ x 1″ (approximately) little guys. I could not have been more wrong!
As I write this, I am monitoring 160 meters via WebSDR de WB4MAK in Atlanta and the clarity is excellent. I have listed to beaucoup podcasts, some of which have considerable bumper music, and other communications traffic via the Internet (scanners, etc.). Incredible value for the price!
The Bose speakers will go back to my Dell Studio PC with the Flex 3000. They will actually input two audio sources so my 2M local repeater channel (W5YD) will probably be the second feed.
The sweet spot on these inexpensive HP Mini Speakers works very well for someone sitting at a desk but not too bad for a “fill the room need”. Perhaps my hearing is going….but these $20 guys are well worth exploring…especially for portable or field ops!