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DancinJack
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:50 pm

The Egg wrote:
Another possibility would be to buy an inexpensive stereo receiver and a pair of half-way decent bookshelf speakers. This will even allow you to add a subwoofer if you so choose.


For me, the biggest issue there is space. I don't really have a great place to put a receiver on my desk. I suppose I COULD make it work if need be.
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morphine
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:52 pm

The Egg wrote:
Another possibility would be to buy an inexpensive stereo receiver and a pair of half-way decent bookshelf speakers. This will even allow you to add a subwoofer if you so choose.

I'm running precisely this setup with an old Sony 5.1 HT receiver.
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localhostrulez
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Thu Feb 25, 2016 5:04 pm

Let me put in a shameless plug for t-amps here. As long as you can deal with their limitations (usually limited to 2 channels, and wattage before distortion is limited), they sound great, they're very compact, and they're extremely energy efficient. I did run my bookshelf/sub setup with an Onkyo 7.1 receiver at one point, but it just wasn't adding anything. Actually, it was noticeably hurting sound quality/clarity, partially because it insists on processing the audio for surround (don't do that, just amplify the darn input and send it to the output, each channel separately). I sure don't notice any clipping with the t-amps either, particularly at any reasonable volume (granted, small to medium size room at home).

My setup with the Pioneer BS22's and acoustic audio sub entails the speakers being at the far edges of the desk (8' in an 11' room), the sub being off to the side, the little amp on my monitor stand (it fits easily), and half a spool of speaker wire to make it work. Sound is clear, it does the job nicely, and bass is only obnoxious if I set it to be.

Little disclaimer: This usually requires you to run the line-level signal through the sub. BE CAREFUL - t-amps tend to use floating grounds, and can fry if you connect them (they're usually not connected for that, only +/- shorts). My particular sub happens to isolate the grounds, so this is fine, but not all cheap ones do.
 
anotherengineer
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:19 pm

Time to resurrect an old thread instead of making a new one.

I am looking into a set of powered speakers/monitors 2.0. I mainly use headphones, but I would like something with a bit more range for listening to uncompressed classical music. Be nice if they had a headphone jack on them for easy access, and screen or mesh or something over the front a must with kids or they will look like swiss cheese in no time. Not looking for high watts/loud, just decent sound at a decent price ($300 ish CND tops)
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_ ... o+monitors
Quite a few, I think the lower range on piano is ~30Hz, so with no sub, I guess I should be looking at something with at least a 4.5" to 6" driver?
I reviewed this
http://techreport.com/review/30771/tr-o ... ff-picks/9
and
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=118434
Some good info.
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ludi
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Sun Jul 23, 2017 11:28 pm

anotherengineer wrote:
I would like something with a bit more range for listening to uncompressed classical music ... not looking for high watts/loud, just decent sound at a decent price ($300 ish CND tops) ... I think the lower range on piano is ~30Hz, so with no sub, I guess I should be looking at something with at least a 4.5" to 6" driver?

27.5 Hz for an 88-key piano tuned to A440, but even 40 Hz is unlikely for any bookshelf speaker or desktop monitor. You typically need about an 8" driver or two 5-6" drivers and a moderately large cabinet to even get to the high 30s or low 40s. On the other hand, how much keyboard music (other than a few pieces written specifically for the pipe organ) spends significant time in the lowest registers? If you can find something that hits 50-55Hz on the low end that would cover most of your needs, and I don't think your budget will do much better than that.
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derFunkenstein
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:04 pm

Don't forget the rumble a string bass is capable of producing. It's such a pleasant, boner-inducing tone that washes over you in the concert halls.
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anotherengineer
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:52 pm

derFunkenstein wrote:
Don't forget the rumble a string bass is capable of producing. It's such a pleasant, boner-inducing tone that washes over you in the concert halls.


lol
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anotherengineer
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:52 pm

ludi wrote:
anotherengineer wrote:
I would like something with a bit more range for listening to uncompressed classical music ... not looking for high watts/loud, just decent sound at a decent price ($300 ish CND tops) ... I think the lower range on piano is ~30Hz, so with no sub, I guess I should be looking at something with at least a 4.5" to 6" driver?

27.5 Hz for an 88-key piano tuned to A440, but even 40 Hz is unlikely for any bookshelf speaker or desktop monitor. You typically need about an 8" driver or two 5-6" drivers and a moderately large cabinet to even get to the high 30s or low 40s. On the other hand, how much keyboard music (other than a few pieces written specifically for the pipe organ) spends significant time in the lowest registers? If you can find something that hits 50-55Hz on the low end that would cover most of your needs, and I don't think your budget will do much better than that.


exactly my thoughts, very little. Just too bad the cnd $ value right now vs the green back :(
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strangerguy
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:07 pm

DancinJack wrote:
To be fair, I think a lot of people are under the impression that boomy, loud response = quality. And it's a fair assumption, unless you do your research and are actually interested in hearing what things should really sound like.

Glad you like them! I agree too, I can't imagine ever owning a X.1 system (again) for computer speakers. No way no how.


I got my pair of JBL LSR305 at $250 promotional price 2 years ago. I don't see why anybody looking for a desktop audio setup shouldn't jump straight to those considering speaker tech advance at a glacial pace unless space is a big constraint or they simply like muddy overpowering bass from a multimedia X.1 sub.
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derFunkenstein
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:46 pm

anotherengineer wrote:
derFunkenstein wrote:
Don't forget the rumble a string bass is capable of producing. It's such a pleasant, boner-inducing tone that washes over you in the concert halls.


lol

You laugh but I'm serious. I love string ensembles.
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morphine
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Re: Active monitors for desktop

Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:05 pm

I bought a pair of KRK Rokit RP8s earlier this year. I would heartily recommend the smaller models, RP5 or RP6 depending on how far your budget stretches or how deep a discount goes.
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