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Want a Badass Sound System for Your Desktop? Here Are 2 Ways to Get There

You don’t have to settle for a small pair of computer speakers.

q acoustics m20 music systemTucker Bowe

By Tucker Bowe

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Ever since I moved out of the city and into a house with an actual office, I’ve had enough space to create something that I’ve always wanted: a workstation with a truly killer desktop audio system.

For most people, this pursuit would lead them down either one of two paths: buying a pair of computer speakers or buying a small soundbar for their monitor. Both are easy and relatively affordable, costing you between $40 and $200, but I wanted to do something bigger and better — and I did.

Last year, I was looking for a way to repurpose my old Q Acoustics 3020 bookshelf speakers — which I’d previously with an AV receiver for my TV — when I discovered was the Audioengine N22, a unique powered amplifier specifically designed to turn your passive speakers into bonafide computer speakers. The combination of the two costs a little more than $500.

But not everybody has a spare pair of bookshelf speakers lying around, and they might not want to go through the process and hassle of buying two separate components. For that case, I’ve tested a separate solution: the Q Acoustics M20 HD ($499). It’s an active speaker system — or set of bookshelf speakers with their own built-in amplification and streaming capability via Bluetooth — that plugs directly into your computer.

Both desktop audio systems are similarly sized and the difference isn’t that much: between $500 and $720. And both are hilariously, wonderfully overkill for your home workstation.

Option 1: The Active Speaker System

q acoustics m20 music systemPhoto by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

The Q Acoustics M20 HD is unique amongst active speaker systems because it’s fairly affordable — right now you can grab a pair for less than $500. However, the speaker system is also more limited in its capabilities.

Only one of the speakers has a built-in amplifier, known as the “master;” it also has Bluetooth streaming capabilities, but not Wi-Fi ones. However, it has a wealth of analog inputs, including AUX and USB, which makes it simple to turn into a computer speaker system.

The sound quality of the M20 HD system is generally excellent, producing lucid mids and highs and surprisingly punchy bass, but it’s admittedly not a night-and-day difference from the passive speaker system. This is mainly due to the body of each M20 HD speaker being very similar to the body of the Q Acoustics 3020i — which are updated versions of the Q Acoustics 3020 speakers that I’ve been using.

KEF-LSX-II-LT
The KEF LSX II LT are an even higher-end active speaker system that, as it turns out, make excellent computer speakers … which you’d hope if you’re spending $1,300.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

In my experience, there are two main hurdles with using the M20 HD as your computer speakers. First and most annoyingly, the speakers will go idle if your computer doesn’t play audio for 20 minutes, meaning you’ll have to use the remote or hit the button on the top of the master speaker to wake it up. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s far from ideal.

And secondly, if you want unlock the full potential of the M20 HD as computer speakers, you’ll need to connect them via USB (USB-B, to be exact) rather than AUX — but neither of these cables are included in the box.

I mainly connected the speakers to my computer via the AUX jack (mainly because that’s what I used with N22 desktop amp and bookshelf speakers setup). When connected with via USB-B, the M20 HD speakers are able to play true lossless audio at up to 192kHz.

Option 2: The Bookshelf Speakers and Desktop Amp

q acoustics m20 music systemPhoto by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

Audioengine’s little N22 amplifier is the simple and quick choice for anybody who wants to turn an existing pair of passive bookshelf speakers into computer speakers.

I’ve been using it with my Q Acoustics 3020 ($229) for the last few months, and it works a dream. You just hardwire the speakers into the back of the N22, plug in the included AUX cord into your computer’s headphone port, turn the amp’s power on, adjust the audio settings, and boom — you’re jamming.

How to Turn Bookshelf Speakers Into Computer Speakers
The desktop amp is the perfect way to turn your old bookshelf speakers into killer computer speakers.
Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

Other than the ease of use, the big advantage of using an external desktop amp is that it affords you the flexibility to tinker down the road. You can use it to power pretty much any bookshelf-sized passive speaker so, if you get bored with your current speakers, you can replace them without needing to replace the N22, too.

The main downside of using an external desktop amplifier? It’s an extra component and takes up vital desk real estate — if you have a small or cluttered desk, this isn’t going to help.

Note: Since testing the N22 — which has been around for years — Audioengine has released a new version, the N22 (Gen 2), that looks almost identical but also adds Bluetooth streaming.

Which Is the Best Option (For You)?

When evaluating which is the better desktop speaker system for most people, the answer is pretty straightforward — it’s the latter system with the N22 amp and the passive bookshelf speakers. The difference between the two systems is really close in terms of sound quality, but the amp and speaker system is simpler — and, as Steve Jobs used to say, it just works.

That said, the active speaker system is still damn cool. It’s a versatile setup, and it works well as a standalone streaming system. But the fact that it’ll go idle when you’re not playing music — it’s an energy-saving feature that you can’t adjust — just makes it a little less optimal for home computer use.

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