The Audio Engine A2 in red are super cute. The Silverlines are like the Clairaudient — if I can find cheap, wow — what a deal. Otherwise, way too much. The Q acoustics look neat, new to me. The Tukans look very tempting too. Rear ported, so I'd hope they don't need too much distance from the wall.
Yes, dJones — that Ascend's the one. Thanks for correcting the link!
The Optimus Pro LX-4 looks interesting too. I'll look at how to mod them. That tweak approach can really take one a lot further, I read.
Had not heard of ERA's before. Look interesting.
Sony bluetooth? Sound good?
Thanks for the many suggestions. I'm halfway tempted to ditch my Adcom stuff and go minimal somehow.
Oh, and the LS50s -- seem to big for a desktop based on the photos I've seen... |
Thanks, Kacomess. I know I was very pleasantly surprised by the audioengine DAC I got. Good company. I’ll look into the Vanatoo, too. I like the name. I’ll look at the A5, b_limo!
I also noticed some Totem Dreamcatchers. I like Totems.
The one hesitation I have with powered speakers is that I like all the $$ to go into the speaker itself, not the connections. I do have some reasonably good power and that inclines me to have a speaker that is passive. But maybe that's outmoded thinking for this application. |
I have to add -- reading the reviews of the AudioEngine and thinking more about some suggestions here to clean up the desk area -- the Audioengines are enticing. I could be persuaded to give that Adcom stuff to my kid... |
Many more good suggestions — thanks!
Wharfdales have a down-firing woofer — that’s helpful to know, because the rear of these speakers need to be about 1-2 feet max from a wall.
Will look at again at M Audio and Audioengine.
@axpert: environment: small office, about 11x14 150 sq ft., 7.5 ft. ceilings; nearfield listening, 2-3 feet, speakers to ears; speaker rear to wall would be 1-2 feet max. Type of music preferred, classical, jazz, but rock too. I.e., varied.
Go listen to a lot? In the time of social distancing? No. I am content to buy a good speaker or find a good value based on reviews or used. This is for listening to music at a desk. I can’t get wrapped up in comparisons, though trying 2 pairs could be fine. I can learn to like a lot of things for office listening.
Why do people sell speakers? Many reasons. Doesn’t worry me. Speakers are a very stable technology, so this seems a very low-risk purchase.
Let me add a detail that may be helpful. A friend lent me some Paradigms once and the Minis were too big and the Atoms were the right size.
Dimensions here made a difference. Viz.,
PARADIGM MINI
H 13.4 x W 8.3 x D 11.4
PARADIGM ATOM v.6
H 10.6 x W 6.7 x D 8.7
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Lots more good suggestions. No one has tried the Ascend speakers? Hmmm.
One thing is certain — I really am hoping for a real speaker, not just a "computer speaker." It seems that's possible, but there are a number of computer speakers thrown into the mix here, so I'm not sure where the line is for people between "real" and "computer." Perhaps that's too subjective to even wonder about.
The Peachtree interest me -- however, I do I have a (somewhat older, but still $500 new) peachtree DAC.
As much as the Totem Rainmakers appeal, I did find that 14" height is just a bit big for 2-3 ft. nearfield.
The pressure is mounting for the Vanatoos; might be coming in for a serious look.
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Clairaudients are awful...well, that might explain why they can be found for $450 or $550 online.
Would love to find Rogers, Spendor, Harbeth in this price range...a bit of a challenge! And KLH, too!
So, let me let one small confession slip... I presently have some small Pinnacle PN5+ speakers which are a good size and sound ok. I just figured these are pretty mediocre compared to what folks are saying here. And...the company is out of business, too. But maybe there’s a tweak there or I just have something better than I think I do. They were never expensive speakers but... |
Thanks so much. I'm not ambitious to build for desktop. I am open to de-cluttering. The idea of a bi-amped speaker for desktop was something I would have thought overly- fancy for that application, but there you go! |
Very tempting! Have to think on it, b limo! |
Johnblue sounds intriguing |
I don't see LS50 for less than 700 dollars...will look at Monitor. |
Adam and Eve, eh? What -- no Noah or Job or Methuselah speakers? |
Great suggestions. Thank you both!
"Radio Shack = Realistic" I think. If not, please correct. |
Tannoy is powered. Not a problem but since I have power, is there another Tannoy you like that is passive? |
Is size of concern?
* Yes. It will be 3 feet away in a small room. Otherwise, the desk is reasonably big.
* Where will you place them?
* On either side of double 24 inch monitors
Whats your source going to be?
* Computer audio |
Wow, those Clairaudients look amazing. Thanks to others for the suggestions. A lot to search out, but that's what evenings are for! Anyone have an opinion on these: www.CBM-170 SE pair (B-STOCK) $248.00 ascendacoustics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=BSTOCK |
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Thanks for the many additional ideas. I like the idea of a very efficient speaker, if only because I’d be curious to try driving it with a small tube amp someday rather than my Adcom. I agree about the Atoms. Dull. The JBL and that Vanatoos still sound interesting. There really is too much out there!
These are too much, but the seem like a good, more expensive desktop option— Decware Trapeziums |
The one question raised for me about speakers like the ELAC B 6.2 is whether they'd be much of an improvement over my old Pinnacle PN5+. Indeed, reading about them makes me wonder whether I've been wasting everyone's time here -- don't flame me for saying that!
http://www.audioreview.com/product/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/pinnacle/pn5.html
It's just that they're so old and perhaps mid-fi that I was thinking that maybe big advances had happened since, well, 1988, and I could easily best these things with even something well under $500.
However, if you were to say to me -- "Dude, you've got no reason to be unhappy with those speakers" -- I would slink away and just move on! So...anyone care to shame me? I can take it! |
@aburn -- thanks a lot!
I do have to say, I am getting pretty exhausted with marketing hype. From the Vanatoo copy for $359 dollar desk speakers:
"The speakers reproduce music exactly the way it was recorded, with solid bass, clear midrange, and sparkling highs."
FFS. |
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@lancek Wow, those JVC speakers are $37, used! As for Omega -- is there more than one Omega or is that just this company? https://omegaloudspeakers.com/ |
@schubert Good to know. Everything on their product page says "sold out" and there is no notice about when things will be back in production. It would be hard to guess what the fate of that company is. |
The NHT sounds interesting. Their website suggests 100 wpc for amps and the speakers are 85 db. I have a 60 w amp but won’t be listening that loudly...hmmm. I have heard and like the Atoms.
In both cases, these choices don’t seem all that much better than my Pinnacles. I was hoping for a next level speaker. Perhaps too much to ask. |
The pinnacle speakers are disappointing but they are not so terrible that I might not keep them for home theater surround. They are decent but not great. I am hoping that for focused and near-field listening I can do better with a newer speaker as described in the original post — but I don’t think I can do better if the replacement speaker is at or below the price-class of the pinnacle speakers. That is why I keep returning to them as a metric.
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NHT and KEF -- really thinking about them. @b_limo http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/pinnacle-pn5-plus--452.html$149 in 1986 = $350 today. Of course, look at some ELAC speakers at the lower price points; many say these are doing a far better job than their peers. I don’t know what was said about Pinnacles at the time. Also: some repairs. Woofer replaced on both; one from Pinnacle, the other from a Dayton audio woofer which fit. Tweeters original. |
You’re killing me, man. Thinking thinking... |
@canibefrank -- it's great to talk about options in audio when the constraints and functions are fairly defined.
@superultramega
Here’s an indication about size of speakers and distance from wall for ports —
Here’s an example of TOO LARGE:
PARADIGM MINI H 13.4 x W 8.3 x D 11.4
Here are examples of GOOD SIZE:
PINNACLE speaker dimensions:11.37 H x 6.75 W x 6.5 D
PARADIGM ATOM H 10.6 x W 6.7 x D 8.7
I think front ports would be helpful. I find it hard to get them more than 8” from their walls.
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Is the R series much better than the he q series? |
Thanks, guys. The NHT sound interesting. 125 responses to a $500 or less speaker. You’re overthinking this My Man Maybe I already bought some speakers. Maybe I just like to watch the monkeys dance. |
@freediver
Thanks -- I’ll search around. Just need to *not* be too big.
@verdant The Scansonics HD M5 BTL looks interesting — a front firing port? That’s what my setup needs. But I cannot see it anywhere for sale. |
Those mentions of Dyn excites remind me how much I loved the Dyn evoke 10. I know some are older models, but how do they differ? What did Dyn change in the bookshelves, to your knowledge?
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I never said I wasn't one of the "monkeys"!
Please -- I meant that in jest, all. It's a half-smile, half-smirk at the kind of fun these discussions provide. I do learn from them, but there is kind of a circus-like energy!
Peace! |
