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Active Speaker Recommendations for USA (by @sweetchaos)

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"Active/passive Speaker Recommendation" vs "Speaker Review and Measurement Index". Questions:

1. The score is for studio work or audiophile listening? ...there are tons of info about how different are the preferences when is about music producing versus audiophile listening. Is there a trend for experienced ones to go for monitors instead of expensive nice looking gear/hi fi sound when is about pure listening experience? (there is no indication about what is that score for...).
2. All speakers also have a score preference with a sub added. How should we interpret that score? For audiophile listening, can it beat a speaker only score, just because is lower?
3. Is it useful this measured score when we pick our "best speakers" just for audiophile listening? (ex: why we don't see Genelec 8010a in the Recommendation list, despite their 8 score/+sub?)
4. Just for audiophile listening, what speakers perform better(with or without a sub) than Genelec 8010a with 8 score (with a sub), in the same price range? (or same, but different subjective criteria). I would appreciate some subjective attributes in reviews, along with the score, like imaging/soundstage, and others that count.
 

dfuller

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1. The score is for studio work or audiophile listening?
The score is mostly farfield (2m or greater) domestic listening focused - however good studio monitors often fulfill the requirements remarkably well.
All speakers also have a score preference with a sub added. How should we interpret that score?
Think of it as removing the LF extension bit from the equation. That's not exactly what happens, but close enough.

why we don't see Genelec 8010a in the Recommendation list, despite their 8 score/+sub?)
8010As even with a sub are woefully underpowered - they run out of steam quite fast even in a desktop listening situation.


Just for audiophile listening, what speakers perform better(with or without a sub) than Genelec 8010a with 8 score (with a sub), in the same price range?
I'd rather the Kali IN-5s or Focal Alpha 50 Evos around that price. They don't score nearly as high, but the Olive score is flawed as it doesn't take dynamic capabilities into account.
 

jae

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Anyone in south carolina?

 

mmi

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The score is mostly farfield (2m or greater) domestic listening focused - however good studio monitors often fulfill the requirements remarkably well.

Think of it as removing the LF extension bit from the equation. That's not exactly what happens, but close enough.


8010As even with a sub are woefully underpowered - they run out of steam quite fast even in a desktop listening situation.



I'd rather the Kali IN-5s or Focal Alpha 50 Evos around that price. They don't score nearly as high, but the Olive score is flawed as it doesn't take dynamic capabilities into account.
Do you have 8010s? Running them at the level they distort in a desktop setup would basically give you hearing damage fairly quickly.
 

Ra1zel

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Rooting for GGNTKT M3 to break 8.0 barrier
 

Trell

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Where is the non USA thread ? Can’t find it

 

posvibes

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All hail @sweetchaos, great job, a koala stamp from me and much thanks for this table.

I really like my LSR305p mkii's although I use a variation of Pierre's EQ by using his settings but with the HF trim at -2dB. I can't remember where I saw it but Pierre had a eq setting for the Adam T5v's that put it way up their with a 6.9 preference score so I am sorely tempted, but I suspect I would be advised to go another price class up to make real gains in fidelity, so as ever I will probably just prevaricate a while longer.
 

marses

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All these monitors, the ones has no knob, how you can control the volume easily?
 
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BDWoody

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All these monitors, the ones has no knob, how you can control the volume easily?

You would need to control volume externally with a DAC with volume control, preamp, AVR, etc. Your computer could also control volume if you connect to the analog output.
 

Roddy

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I got the 308p mkii at a steal 2nd hand, but they're 2ft from my head and I can hear them hissing when they're on. I can't imagine owning the mki, without the autosleep feature. Wish I could set what time they went off.

The hissing annoys me, but if I have to spend $3,700 to see a real upgrade, I think I'll live with it. At least till I become a 'real' audiophile. Worst comes to it, they'll go in a living room.
 

posvibes

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All these monitors, the ones has no knob, how you can control the volume easily?
I am honing my telepathy skills and it is not going well as I need complete silence in order to get it to work.
 

chang

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The score is mostly farfield (2m or greater) domestic listening focused - however good studio monitors often fulfill the requirements remarkably well.
I was under the impression that most of these monitors are recommended for near field, not far field?
 

posvibes

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I was under the impression that most of these monitors are recommended for near field, not far field?
I have listened predominately to studio monitors for the last two years or so, jbl lsr305's Adam T5v's and now Kali lp8's in my living room at a distance of ca 3m. I don' listen blaring loud but sufficiently loud for most musical types and presentation to be satisfying.

I wish I had started down this road a lot,lot earlier than I have, and I hadn't thought that these types of monitors could only be used in the near field that's not true but I suppose very dependent on how loud you listen. I can't imagine how anyone uses the lp8 in a near field monitoring application at full throttle?

Beg, borrow or steal a pair and try them for yourself.
 

chang

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I have listened predominately to studio monitors for the last two years or so, jbl lsr305's Adam T5v's and now Kali lp8's in my living room at a distance of ca 3m. I don' listen blaring loud but sufficiently loud for most musical types and presentation to be satisfying.

I wish I had started down this road a lot,lot earlier than I have, and I hadn't thought that these types of monitors could only be used in the near field that's not true but I suppose very dependent on how loud you listen. I can't imagine how anyone uses the lp8 in a near field monitoring application at full throttle?

Beg, borrow or steal a pair and try them for yourself.
Great to hear. I'd be about 4m away, and usually listen at low to moderate levels. I know you fall out of reference range this far away, but wondering how much of a difference it would make.

Haha, same here... the 8's look massive.

Think the 5's would be good enough in our situation?
 

abrxxx

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Do you have 8010s? Running them at the level they distort in a desktop setup would basically give you hearing damage fairly quickly.
I have them also. I can confirm they are bl**dy loud!
 

posvibes

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Great to hear. I'd be about 4m away, and usually listen at low to moderate levels. I know you fall out of reference range this far away, but wondering how much of a difference it would make.

Haha, same here... the 8's look massive.

Think the 5's would be good enough in our situation?
Yep, the 8's are massive, if Kali had some kind of offering for detachable grilles for strictly decorative purposes as an accessory you might find more of these in living rooms, I am thinking of making a pair with some kind of ornamental silk, because they are pretty ugly if one is not audio oriented.

Even at 4m you might have to give the 5's a little more welly that would still be ok for my personal hearing habits. For me I am satisfied to have the music perform in front of me, I don't need to be engulfed or surrounded or in the midst of it, if you know what I mean, plus I have neighbours and the 5's go deep enough or at least give the illusion of that kind of depth. If you read @amirm 's review they are pretty toppy with a bright treble that he and others have provided some very valuable PEQ settings to knock that down.

I am reluctant to say get them and that they would be good enough in your situation, but at low to moderate levels and that is how I would describe my listening levels they did they job very well. But as I said if you can get a pair to listen to and check it out for yourself I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
 

chang

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Yep, the 8's are massive, if Kali had some kind of offering for detachable grilles for strictly decorative purposes as an accessory you might find more of these in living rooms, I am thinking of making a pair with some kind of ornamental silk, because they are pretty ugly if one is not audio oriented.

Even at 4m you might have to give the 5's a little more welly that would still be ok for my personal hearing habits. For me I am satisfied to have the music perform in front of me, I don't need to be engulfed or surrounded or in the midst of it, if you know what I mean, plus I have neighbours and the 5's go deep enough or at least give the illusion of that kind of depth. If you read @amirm 's review they are pretty toppy with a bright treble that he and others have provided some very valuable PEQ settings to knock that down.

I am reluctant to say get them and that they would be good enough in your situation, but at low to moderate levels and that is how I would describe my listening levels they did they job very well. But as I said if you can get a pair to listen to and check it out for yourself I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
My thoughts exactly! Haha. Definitely interested to hear how the grille turn out. The 8's would take over the room and like you said, with the way we listen to music, the 5's could be plenty powerful.

Feel the same way about the music. A nice clean, articulate, and fun listening experience would be all that's needed. I have a dsp (no idea how to use yet) so I'm hoping I can dial them in.

Do you ever reach the limiter when cranking them?
 
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