Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First, I am not an audiophile. I am an average bloke who just wants to enjoy his music. So that you can better see where I am coming from, my previous experience with speakers is thus: 1. Altec Lansing ATP3 computer speakers that I paid $100 for a long time ago. Altec Lansing ATP3 3-Piece Speaker System 2. Logitech 5.1 Z-5300e surround sound computer speakers that I paid around $150 back in 2004. Logitech Z-5300e THX-Certified 280-Watt 5.1 Surround Sound PC and Gaming Speaker System 3. Sony HTCT100 sound bar. I paid $300. Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Subwoofer - Black (Discontinued by Manufacturer) 4. Soundfreq SFQ-01W back in 2011 for $150 in my attempt to save space. Soundfreaq SFQ-01W Sound Platform Bluetooth Wireless Speaker (White) I recently quit coffee, quit alcohol, quit everything fun so needed something to take my mind off of them. After an OCD amount of research, I narrowed it down to two contenders. The JBL LSR305 and the Vanatoo Vanatoo Transparent One Powered Speakers (Black, Set of 2). I was torn, but I finally decided on the JBL LSR305. I will explain why in a bit, but first... WOW. I have been missing out! It has breathed new life into old songs. Music never sounded better. If I had to explain the sound quality and my reaction in one word, it would be "CLARITY." Everything sounds so CLEAR. Also, the stereo imaging on these are insane. Position them correctly and sit at the right spot, and it is like the speakers disappear. And the sound seems to be coming from somewhere right in front of your forehead. Simply awesome. As for the bass, it is not bad. It is clean and tight. It will not bring your house down, you will not feel it too much (just some) on your chest, your neighbor's will not complain but it is still not too bad. For example, as I am writing this review I have music playing through these speakers and I can feel the vibrations on my desk. To my untrained ears, it is respectable. WHY DID I BUY THE JBL LSR305 AND NOT THE VANATOO TRANSPARENT ONE Like I said, I was torn. They both have glowing reviews. If you google "LSR305 vs Vanatoo" you will find a Reddit post from someone who has compared both speakers preferred the JBL LSR305 because it sounded "livelier, more 3D and a lot clearer." This review swayed me the most. The LSR305 does not have a USB port so I had to purchase a USB DAC for $100. But even with that added on, it was cheaper by $163. You can save more ($233) if you go with a cheaper $30 DAC. The cost breakdown is as follows: LSR305: $230 (speakers) + $40 (Stand) + $100 (DAC) + ($7) cables = $377 Vanatoo: $500 (speakers) + $40 (Stand) = $540 Finally, the Vanatoo comes with a USB port so you would not need an external DAC for it. The only problem is that the volume knob is on the back of the speaker. I learned that for best audio quality, you want to keep the volume maxed out on the software and control it on the speakers, because the way volume is adjusted via software is that it lowers the bit depth of the audio, thus reducing quality. I positioned the speakers out of arms reach, and it would have been super annoying to have to walk over to the speakers to control the volume. LSR305 also has the volume knob on the back, but using an external DAC means that I can control the volume directly on the DAC that sits on top of my desk. You can also add an external DAC to the Vanatoo but it would be redundant and it would add more to the cost (plus a waste), not to mention that you would be negating one of the cooler features of the Vanatoo (that it does not need a DAC because it does not do the digital to analog conversion). HOW TO SET THIS UP TO WORK WITH YOUR COMPUTER As a newbie to stereo monitors that are not tailor made for your computer, it took me some effort to figure out what I would need to buy to get this to work with my computer. I hope I can help someone save time and effort by listing everything you need to get up and running. 1. These speakers of course. 2. An external DAC with a USB connection. A DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) converts the digital signal coming out of your computer to an analog one for the speakers. Your computer already has one (in the sound card), but it is probably not as good as the external ones. It is also very convenient to be able to control the volume using a physical knob on an external DAC. I purchased the Scarlett Solo (Focusrite Scarlett Solo Compact USB Audio Interface), and it is great. It looks awesome, and the feel of turning the volume knob oozes quality. It also as an input for a microphone if you are into recording, a port for instruments like the guitar, and a headphone port. This is the best DAC at around $100 that I could find. There are cheaper options like the $30 Behringer UCA202 (Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface) with glowing reviews. Audio quality wise, you should see similar results with both. I just went with the more expensive Focusrite because of its looks and the nicer volume knob. You connect this to your computer using the provided USB cable, then go into the audio settings in the operating system and select the audio output device to the external DAC. 3. Buy this 1/4" to RCA cable (Hosa Cable CPR202 Dual 1/4 Inch To RCA Cable - 6.5 Foot). I bought the 6.5 foot one. You just need to buy ONE. It comes with 2 cables that are attached, but you can split them apart easily. You hear a lot about balanced and unbalanced cables, but you do not need balanced cables because 1) the DACs listed here do not support it and 2) unless you are running cables that are like 25 foot long, you will not get the benefits of it. 4. You will want speaker stands (VideoSecu 2 Heavy duty PA DJ Club Adjustable Satellite Speaker Stand MS07B M99) because you want these speakers at ear level for best results. You can also place them on your desk and prop them up under something if your desk is big enough. These stands are affordable, height adjustable, tilts and rotates, and simply works. One caveat is that it's not super stable. It works fine for me on hardwood floors and on carpet if I place weights on the base. But if you have small kids prone to knocking things over, then I would look for something else. After everything is set up, try searching for a song called "Lean On by Major Lazer & DJ Snake Featuring M0" and play them on these speakers. You WILL be WOWed if your previous experience with speakers is like mine :) Update 4/4/2016: I've been using this in a room that measures 13 feet x 13 feet x 8 feet high. I've since moved this to my living room (I live in a 2,000 square feet townhouse so my living room's not huge, but it's definitely bigger than 13'x13'x8'), and I think it actually sounds better in a larger room. So much so that my wife wanted me to leave it in the living room, which meant that I was in the market for new speakers. The Vanatoo Transparent One Powered Speakers (Black, Set of 2) was the other speaker I was considering when I originally purchased the JBL, so it was a good opportunity to try it out. I have A/B tested the two speakers, so if you're debating between the JBL LSR305 and the Vanatoo T1, then see my Vanatoo T1 review at the link below where I compare it against the JBL LSR305. My Vanatoo T1 review: http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R28CEN53DQO31N/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0080K2KUK