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Powered speakers for living room

Thelo80

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Hello! Hope you can help me find a powered speaker for my living room. The listening position is 3m from speakers. The room is 17x17 untreated.
Right now my equipment is:
TV headphone jack to Motu M4 with FIR filters for room correction on linux minipc with Audioengine A5+ and SVS SB 1000 sub
On my journey to find a better set up, I have tried at home the following monitors:
  • Adams T7V: the bass was not very defined and the mids were too forward.
  • Behringer B2031a: the bass was fantastic, very detailed and define (much better than the 8040 I tried later) but the voices were awkward, harsh. The highs were very detailed and defined. They are cheap and a real upgrade from the Audioengine A5+ but very very ugly.
  • Genelec 8020 and 8040: I tried first the 8020 and the sound small, bass was not there. After a week with them, I started to develop a ringing in my left ear. But I thought it was related to spring allergies. After 4 weeks the ringing disappear. 5 months after that (and testing the Adams and Behringers in between with no ear issues) I tried the 8040 and the ringing started again. The 8040 sounded great: it had the bass and sonic presence that I was looking for but as soon as I started listening to them the ringing grew in volume. For what I have read here and in other forums, I think my left ear is very sensitive to the aluminum tweeter, but not to titanium with damping tweeter of the Behringer.
So now I am looking for other options. KH150 could be a suitable candidate due to its woofer size but paying $1,750/each with a DSP capability that I do not need is the reason to ask. KH120, smaller but cheaper would be my next trial when the ear heals completely.

Thanks
 

Dj7675

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JBL 708P, or even the 705p. The 705 output and bass it can put out seems to defy physics. Build in DSP can help with speaker or room correction as well without outboard DSP as well.
 
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Thelo80

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Thanks. 708p is too bulky but 705p is a good candidate. Have you listened to 705p?
 

Dj7675

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Thanks. 708p is too bulky but 705p is a good candidate. Have you listened to 705p?
Yes, I have listened to both the 705 and 708. They are both very dynamic and both have excellent bass. The 705 when I was testing it, I had to make sure my subs weren't on. It is a speaker that the output and the amount of bass is quite surprising.
 
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Thelo80

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Yes, I have listened to both the 705 and 708. They are both very dynamic and both have excellent bass. The 705 when I was testing it, I had to make sure my subs weren't on. It is a speaker that the output and the amount of bass is quite surprising.
Thanks
 
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Thelo80

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I found more candidates without aluminum tweeter:
Ikloud precision 6
KH120
Jbl 705p
Dynaudio Lyd 7
Dynaudio bm6
Adam a7v
 

BDWoody

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Thanks. 708p is too bulky but 705p is a good candidate. Have you listened to 705p?

I'll give another recommendation for the JBLs. I have both the 708P and 705P, and I am still amazed by how good they are. Especially for their size, the 705Ps are pretty remarkable.
 

Sokel

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For an untreated environment and 3 meters distance I would choose the most downsloped FR and the most powerful/big drivers ones (amongst equals of course)
(the 17X7 is feet or meters?)
 

Mal

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  • Genelec 8020 and 8040: ... started to develop a ringing in my left ear... I think my left ear is very sensitive to the aluminum tweeter, but not to titanium with damping tweeter of the Behringer.
I get ringing (tinnitus) in left ear from Senn HD 650 headphones. Interesting that v. high quality equipment is causing the problem in both our cases. Could powerful high frequencey response, and/or high coherence in the sound waves be causing the problem - a laserbeam-like effect? I get on very happily with KEF LSX. I watch a lot of TV with them and the voices are good, least awkward or harsh that I've heard from any speaker, in the same ball park as the Senns for tonal agreeability, and (of course) more spacious - and no tinnitus. They have aluminium tweeters. But how can aluminium be the problem? It's vibrating air that's the problem, and not all aluminium tweeters vibrate the air in the same way, as amir's graphs show.
 
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Thelo80

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For an untreated environment and 3 meters distance I would choose the most downsloped FR and the most powerful/big drivers ones (amongst equals of course)
(the 17X7 is feet or meters?)
Sorry 17ftx17ft
 

Elitzur–Vaidman

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You might also want to consider the 706p. They're a nice compromise between the 705p and 708p. I managed to get my pair for ~$200 total
 
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Thelo80

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I get ringing (tinnitus) in left ear from Senn HD 650 headphones. Interesting that v. high quality equipment is causing the problem in both our cases. Could powerful high frequencey response, and/or high coherence in the sound waves be causing the problem - a laserbeam-like effect? I get on very happily with KEF LSX. I watch a lot of TV with them and the voices are good, least awkward or harsh that I've heard from any speaker, in the same ball park as the Senns for tonal agreeability, and (of course) more spacious - and no tinnitus. They have aluminium tweeters. But how can aluminium be the problem? It's vibrating air that's the problem, and not all aluminium tweeters vibrate the air in the same way, as amir's graphs show.
I have the HD598 and listing to them is a not possible with ear ringing after a while.
I was the only one with ear ringing with the genelecs. Wife and daughter does not have any issue and looked at me as if I was crazy. My septum is deviated, and I don't breathe very well through my left nostril, and that Eustachian tube is smaller and very often clogged.

More cases:
Monitor Audio uses aluminum tweeters:

More on genelecs:
 

BDWoody

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You might also want to consider the 706p. They're a nice compromise between the 705p and 708p. I managed to get my pair for ~$200 total

Do you mean the 306P? I don't know of a 706, and it sure wouldn't be $200.

The '3' series is excellent, I have a pair of them as well, but they aren't 7s.
 

NiagaraPete

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Genelec 8020 and 8040: I tried first the 8020 and the sound small, bass was not there. After a week with them, I started to develop a ringing in my left ear.
Genelec has several filters, did you try those?
 

jae

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Sierra-LX is a good non-powered alternative at only $1500

May very well be able to get this and a decent power amplifier for significantly less for equal or better performance. KH150 is great but a price leap.
 

Mal

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Have you tried reducing the treble using DSP in the genelecs? Using the basic DSP on the KEFs I chose the "active room" option which tamed their sound, and perhaps made them less liable to start the ringing... Moving to "expert" level I see this means a treble trim, i.e. treble reduced by 2DB, and 'phase correction on' - I don't know what that means.
 

Digby

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I had 8030c and found the high mids/treble a bit forward (max dip setting, either -2db or -4db?) compared to B2301A (-2db), the bass was definitely lacking too. Bass notes I knew were present in the music were absent on playback.

If you are concerned with bass (and by what you've said, I think you are) I think the 708P is probably a fine suggestion and the Neumann KH150 might be an even better one. These are two speakers I'd like to hear myself.

BTW are you putting them on a desk on or stands. If stands, consider passive floorstanders too.
 
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