Can someone suggest a good speaker system?

[Jeff Hurchalla]

It sounds like you need an amplifier, either a headphone amp or stereo amp for speakers (which usually have a headphone jack). With headphones I've been personally using a JDS Labs "altoids amp" which is pretty inexpensive. As with almost all this stuff, there's lots of options that would get the job done well.

[DRC88]

Just checked out the JDS Labs "altoids amp" and all great reviews....and only $60. I'll definitely be ordering one. Thanks for the info.

Just ordered the amp.

[Jeff Hurchalla]

You may want to request customization for your headphones if you didn't already - I think it's primarily a benefit if you have headphones at 32 ohms or less, and otherwise not a particular advantage (http://www.jdslabs.com/faq.php?page=cmoy). Hope you like it- my friends always get a kick out of the enclosure.

[DRC88]

Thanks Jeff. I'll let you know how it works out. Looking forward to the appearance.

[Ranger]

I like my KRK's works for me

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I have the 8" KRK's

[DRC88]

Received the JDS Labs amp and it makes a huge difference with the old Sony phones by cleaning up the sound and allowing quick and easy volume control. The Altoids case is just too cool and I can smell hints of peppermint while playing.

I also picked up a set of Sennheiser HD280 Pro phones and the clarity/balance is fantastic and don't need the amp. Plenty of volume. Actually, the amp makes GAS Basic through the 280s sound too bright and a bit thin. Still considering a couple other phones in my price range... Sony MDR5706 and AT ATH M50.

[Jeff Hurchalla]

If you need sound isolation where you won't hear as much outside noise and where you won't be creating a distraction for people around you, those may be good choices. I don't really have a lot of experience with closed design headphones, as I've mostly assumed (right or wrong) that if my goal was best sound quality that I'd need an open back design, but that closed back was the only way to have isolation with fairly good quality. The two headphones you listed are closed designs and I'd personally go for an open design since you've got a good closed design in the HD280. Of course if isolation is important to you, the open designs are definitely not the answer, and those two phones may be quite good for what you need. If it's just a matter of price, an open design that's not so expensive as the 600s I use is the sennheiser hd558 - supposedly it has a lot of the quality of the 600s that I find amazing, while about half the cost.

[DRC88]

Thanks again, Jeff. Because of the environment in which I practice, I like the closed design but with enough openness I can still hear well enough to be somewhat aware of my surroundings...just in case. If I were in a quiet studio environment, I'd go for the open design since many have sung the praises of the sound quality.

Not one to be satisfied trying only one product, I picked up two more phones today, Sony MDR5706 and AT ATH-M50s just to compare with the Senn HD280. For the virtual piano environment, the Sony MDR5706 immediately stood out over the other two. For an open design, I'll definitely check out the Senn HD558.

[bernard22]

I've discovered a very good solution quite by accident. I'd been playing my Yamaha keyboard through its onboard speakers w/0 GAS, which actually sounds pretty good itself, decided to open GAS and forgot to turn the keyboard speakers down which I had set at about 8.5. The mix of the Altec Lansing speakers and keyboard speakers took me by surprise, with bold powerful sound, clarity, depth and dynamics. At first I didn't know why it sounded SO much better, then realized what happened. Amazing sound with good volume and no distortion since I can set the Altec Lansings a bit lower in the mix but still retain that great GAS sound.

i have problem with old altec lansing speakers, after 5 minutes of midi playback the sound is crackling, any suggestions?

Bernard