Need recommendations for a soundbar/speakers for mini

[rgG]

The new mini is great, but the speakers are underwhelming. I would like to add either a small sound bar or some small external speakers. USB or BT is fine. I don't want to spend a lot, say under $50, and around $25 would be even better.
I don't need the sound for watching movies or anything, just general sound stuff. The built-in speakers are pretty weak. I wound up using a pair of earbuds yesterday, when I was watching the Keynote, because it was hard to hear on the mini's speakers.
I want something unobtrusive. Everything is brushed aluminum now, so something that blends in with that would be best.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Robert M]

rGC,

What kind of display is connected to your Mini? I have a Dell display connected to my tower and bought the Dell speakerbar that was designed to with it. Just plain ol' stereo speakers. Nothing groundbreaking by any means but they work well enough for day to day computing and watching youtube videos and such. The bar attached right to the bottom/front of the display.

Robert

[rgG]

Robert M wrote:
rGC,

What kind of display is connected to your Mini? I have a Dell display connected to my tower and bought the Dell speakerbar that was designed to with it. Just plain ol' stereo speakers. Nothing groundbreaking by any means but they work well enough for day to day computing and watching youtube videos and such. The bar attached right to the bottom/front of the display.

Robert

Aluminum 23" Apple Cinema Display.

[Robert M]

rgC,

Ah! I was hoping you'd say you have a Dell or a display for which there is a matching set of speakers.

Robert

[Buzz]

Not sure if/who is still doing it, but back in the CRT days the then big boys of the PC world sold boxed bundles which included speakers, and often the resellers would break apart the bundles, and many time the speakers could be had at some very good deals. Got some great speakers for $15-$20 back then... but no clue what's out there compartively these days. That said, if you're not in too much of a hurry, I have a NIB set of Benwin speakers that are kinda like mini Monsoon flat panel clones that were free after rebate w/ purchase of some Mac system I bought ions ago. Had another set back then that I gave away, and the NIB's have been sitting at FIL's house since I gave them to him to use w/ whatever hand-me-down system I gave him at the time. Never got them set up, as MIL got him a new iMac which had adequate speakers for his needs. Anyway, the NIB Benwins are your for postage next time we visit FIL if you'd like 'em.
==

[WHiiP]

This was my monitor back a few years . . .




The speakers wound up being pretty nice when combined with the little sub woofer in my 6400 . . . :big grin:

I'll see what else might be out there now . . .

[WHiiP]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...24G0P70905

miley-gen013:

[pixelzombie]

For that price I'd recommend cyber acoustics, very good sound for the money.

[Buzz]

WHiiP wrote:
This was my monitor back a few years . . .




The speakers wound up being pretty nice when combined with the little sub woofer in my 6400 . . . :big grin:

I'll see what else might be out there now . . .

Flashbacks to the old beta testing/focus group days... those original AV monitors were one of my favorite projects back then, but IIRC, the moderator for one of the final Apple AV monitor focus groups had moderated a Japanese-beer-made-in-Canada focus group that I had also participated in fairly recently... so, it didn't take much prodding at all to get the guy to break out a couple of cases of beer midway thru the last monitor focus group. The monitor prototypes for the beta test showed promise, but most everybody involved agreed that they needed more, a lot more, work to be ready for prime time. We all got the feeling from the corporate feedback, that some how, some way, an Apple AV monitor was going to market no matter what... it was almost as though Steve was still in control during his exile (except for the beer).

[rgG]

Buzz wrote:
Not sure if/who is still doing it, but back in the CRT days the then big boys of the PC world sold boxed bundles which included speakers, and often the resellers would break apart the bundles, and many time the speakers could be had at some very good deals. Got some great speakers for $15-$20 back then... but no clue what's out there compartively these days. That said, if you're not in too much of a hurry, I have a NIB set of Benwin speakers that are kinda like mini Monsoon flat panel clones that were free after rebate w/ purchase of some Mac system I bought ions ago. Had another set back then that I gave away, and the NIB's have been sitting at FIL's house since I gave them to him to use w/ whatever hand-me-down system I gave him at the time. Never got them set up, as MIL got him a new iMac which had adequate speakers for his needs. Anyway, the NIB Benwins are your for postage next time we visit FIL if you'd like 'em.
==

Thanks for the offer, Buzz, but I will probably pick up something in the next few days.

I am thinking about this soundbar thing.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KUF...ls?ie=UTF8&me=



I know it probably won't give great sound, but for just regular audio, I think it should be OK, and it will be front facing, so that should help. Amazon has a used one, fulfilled by Amazon, for about half price, so I think I might go that route.