For 120$, in the US.
Amp:
Lepai LP210PA 2x30W + 60W 2.1 Channel Mini Plate Amplifier TPA3118
Woofer:
Dayton Audio DC250-8 10" Classic Woofer
FR for the rest:
Peerless by Tymphany TC7FD00-04 2-1/2" Full Range Paper Cone Woofer 4 Ohm
The amplifier needs a power supply, recycle an old laptop supply for free, around 19v should be good.
Scavenge some shelves or other building material leftovers, buy some wood glue and screws.
The TC9 is on backorder, therefore I suggest the TC7 instead. There are other options but I am not very knowledgeable about other alternatives in this price bracket, important bit is smooth and predictable response.
Build the sub into a sealed enclosure around 1-2 cu.ft. if space is cramped, if you got space and materials make a proper vented box to get some deeper bass. Make some small boxes for the FR's and just make a hole in the back to get the cable out, zip ties on the in and outside so it's locked in place, maybe some silicon sealant if you're a perfectionist hunting down leaks.
Don't pay money for cables, there's usually lots around that could be easily recycled.
Should get you landed at 103.26$ and orders over 99$ are free shipping, some money left over for glue and screws if you need it.
If you want to upgrade, everything gets pricy fast, but there are some restocked Faital 3FE25 that can be had for 10$ each:
RESTOCKED FaitalPRO 3FE25 3" Professional Woofer 8 Ohm
Get two of these woofers at 28$ each:
RESTOCKED Dayton Audio RS225-8 8" Reference Woofer
The upgraded version is 126$ sans materials and PSU, but a significant upgrade IMO.
Put the woofers in a dual opposing mounted box for force cancellation and hook them up in parallel. Same amp and general advice.
If you need help doing sims for an enclosure I am sure someone will jump on it pretty fast here.
Amp:
Lepai LP210PA 2x30W + 60W 2.1 Channel Mini Plate Amplifier TPA3118
Woofer:
Dayton Audio DC250-8 10" Classic Woofer
FR for the rest:
Peerless by Tymphany TC7FD00-04 2-1/2" Full Range Paper Cone Woofer 4 Ohm
The amplifier needs a power supply, recycle an old laptop supply for free, around 19v should be good.
Scavenge some shelves or other building material leftovers, buy some wood glue and screws.
The TC9 is on backorder, therefore I suggest the TC7 instead. There are other options but I am not very knowledgeable about other alternatives in this price bracket, important bit is smooth and predictable response.
Build the sub into a sealed enclosure around 1-2 cu.ft. if space is cramped, if you got space and materials make a proper vented box to get some deeper bass. Make some small boxes for the FR's and just make a hole in the back to get the cable out, zip ties on the in and outside so it's locked in place, maybe some silicon sealant if you're a perfectionist hunting down leaks.
Don't pay money for cables, there's usually lots around that could be easily recycled.
Should get you landed at 103.26$ and orders over 99$ are free shipping, some money left over for glue and screws if you need it.
If you want to upgrade, everything gets pricy fast, but there are some restocked Faital 3FE25 that can be had for 10$ each:
RESTOCKED FaitalPRO 3FE25 3" Professional Woofer 8 Ohm
Get two of these woofers at 28$ each:
RESTOCKED Dayton Audio RS225-8 8" Reference Woofer
The upgraded version is 126$ sans materials and PSU, but a significant upgrade IMO.
Put the woofers in a dual opposing mounted box for force cancellation and hook them up in parallel. Same amp and general advice.
If you need help doing sims for an enclosure I am sure someone will jump on it pretty fast here.
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I have the Dayton 8" woofer that KaffiMan mentioned. I like it quite a bit, but be mindful that an appropriate enclosure is rather huge for a typical computer system. I think my box is around 1.5 cubic feet. If I were building a 2.1 computer system, I'd design it around whatever small desktop speakers that fit my needs (There are a ton of small designs to choose from), and probably the 5" or 6" Tangband subwoofer in a small ported or passive radiator configuration. That sub will fit under the desk much better than the giant box required for the 8" Dayton.
I've got a Fosi Audio BT30D that I use to power my desktop speakers and a passive subwoofer that I have under the desk. The Fosi is perfect for this. I like this form factor better than the plate amp that KaffiMan pointed out because I can easily reach all of the adjustments and volume without reaching around to the back of a speaker or going spelunking under the desk to adjust. Otherwise, it should be more or less functionally the same.
I've got a Fosi Audio BT30D that I use to power my desktop speakers and a passive subwoofer that I have under the desk. The Fosi is perfect for this. I like this form factor better than the plate amp that KaffiMan pointed out because I can easily reach all of the adjustments and volume without reaching around to the back of a speaker or going spelunking under the desk to adjust. Otherwise, it should be more or less functionally the same.
2.1 kit based on 2030A is about USD 3 here.
3 inch regular speakers, about USD 2 for a pair, and the 4 inch woofer was about USD 2.
Transformer USD 2, 12-0-12 3 Amps. about 19 V, easily substituted by laptop supply.
Pots and wires extra.
This kit uses a 4558 to filter the bass and drive the single woofer, stereo is from the other 2 chips.
I have one, I did not like the excess bass, which resulted in it being turned down, otherwise OK with the feed from FM module, and also with my cell playing through it via Bluetooth...the FM module, about 150 cents, also can play USB, SD cards and bluetooth.
Big speakers as sub woofer...look in car scrap yards, you might find something good.
Even the small speakers from cars can be put in new boxes and used as the stereo speakers.
Way below your budget.
Have fun
3 inch regular speakers, about USD 2 for a pair, and the 4 inch woofer was about USD 2.
Transformer USD 2, 12-0-12 3 Amps. about 19 V, easily substituted by laptop supply.
Pots and wires extra.
This kit uses a 4558 to filter the bass and drive the single woofer, stereo is from the other 2 chips.
I have one, I did not like the excess bass, which resulted in it being turned down, otherwise OK with the feed from FM module, and also with my cell playing through it via Bluetooth...the FM module, about 150 cents, also can play USB, SD cards and bluetooth.
Big speakers as sub woofer...look in car scrap yards, you might find something good.
Even the small speakers from cars can be put in new boxes and used as the stereo speakers.
Way below your budget.
Have fun
No better advice than the Kaffiman's for the hardwares.
no better than those hardwares at this price, just the wood working may increase the budget imo and has to be seen as a potential hidden cost.
I don't know if the little Faital could be used open baffle to minimise that as they have certainly a little more efficienty and profit of the front wall reenforcement if the son's desk is in front of a wall.
no better than those hardwares at this price, just the wood working may increase the budget imo and has to be seen as a potential hidden cost.
I don't know if the little Faital could be used open baffle to minimise that as they have certainly a little more efficienty and profit of the front wall reenforcement if the son's desk is in front of a wall.
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Have you decided which driver to use yet?
I like hornresp, but something like winisd or equivalent would work ok I guess.
For a quick sim, I sometimes use speakerboxlite which is an online tool:
dayton dc250 speakerboxlite - Google Search
Just click the 1st link, then click "design box".
Under "enclosure" you can choose sealed or vented and then automatically can calculate for "max flat amplitude" (scroll a little down).
It looks quite good sealed in ~32l.
In 80l vented it seems to go down pretty low but that comes with its own problems, depending on room & neighbours.
You could go vented and if its too "boomy" just put a sock in the vent.
I´d say going sealed would be plenty as most "kids" when they talk about bass, rather mean that kind of bass around 100Hz.
dayton dc250 speakerboxlite - Google Search
Just click the 1st link, then click "design box".
Under "enclosure" you can choose sealed or vented and then automatically can calculate for "max flat amplitude" (scroll a little down).
It looks quite good sealed in ~32l.
In 80l vented it seems to go down pretty low but that comes with its own problems, depending on room & neighbours.
You could go vented and if its too "boomy" just put a sock in the vent.
I´d say going sealed would be plenty as most "kids" when they talk about bass, rather mean that kind of bass around 100Hz.