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Desktop Active Speaker Recommendations

q3cpma

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Its about spending money wisely and like the sound of a speaker, that is subjective.
Sorry if I seem a bit obnoxious (well, I am a little bit), but we're just saying "spend more to spend less" in regard to quality. If you can get something with an overwhelmingly superior build quality, quality control and engineering just by stretching your budget by 20%, I won't be the only one to say that it'd be a loss not to do so; especially if you're not lacking in resources.

Furthermore, since you want a first impression of active monitors, getting something with crazy hiss (which the JBL/Kali can suffer from) would wrongly ruin your opinion of them. A bit like someone who never read a book and who tries Fifty Shades of Grey then vows to never read fiction again, passing by some gems like Dune or Journey to the Center of the Earth in the process.
 

FeddyLost

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I have never owned an active speaker so i would like to start off by spending less than $600-800 for the pair in case its not my cup of tea.
Don't you have any chances to listen something better before purchasing?
You can get "wrong" experience with cheap monitor speakers. They might be flat on-axis, but absolutely not euphonic at all and disappoint you on long run.
I'd recommend you to audition something better in some studio to properly understand what good monitors can deliver. It's really cheaper and safer than buying out something without listening.
Personally i can recommend you PSI speakers despite their cost because they are best balance between hi-fi and studio surgery i've heard in "not cheap but still sane" price range.
If you have more hi-fi options available, you can look at some new powered KEF speakers. They are compact and have very decent performance but i had no chance to audition them for long time...
 
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muslhead

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Sorry if I seem a bit obnoxious (well, I am a little bit), but we're just saying "spend more to spend less" in regard to quality. If you can get something with an overwhelmingly superior build quality, quality control and engineering just by stretching your budget by 20%, I won't be the only one to say that it'd be a loss not to do so; especially if you're not lacking in resources.

Furthermore, since you want a first impression of active monitors, getting something with crazy hiss (which the JBL/Kali can suffer from) would wrongly ruin your opinion of them. A bit like someone who never read a book and who tries Fifty Shades of Grey then vows to never read fiction again, passing by some gems like Dune or Journey to the Center of the Earth in the process.
I get it and appreciate your input. Just being obnoxious in return. Fair is fair right?
I am not that fixated on price or size but the wife is so a smaller, less expensive pair will fly under the radar since its on my desk in my office :)
 
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muslhead

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Don't you have any chances to listen something better before purchasing?
You can get "wrong" experience with cheap monitor speakers. They might be flat on-axis, but absolutely not euphonic at all and disappoint you on long run.
I'd recommend you to audition something better in some studio to properly understand what good monitors can deliver. It's really cheaper and safer than buying out something without listening.
Personally i can recommend you PSI speakers despite their cost because they are best balance between hi-fi and studio surgery i've heard in "not cheap but still sane" price range.
If you have more hi-fi options available, you can look at some new powered KEF speakers. They are compact and have very decent performance but i had no chance to audition them for long time...
Yah, i need to get out and listen but options are limited at this time where i live.
I have 3 ls50s (not for desktop) and the wireless/powered versions are WELL beyond what i want to spend.
 
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q3cpma

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I get it and appreciate your input. Just being obnoxious in return. Fair is fair right?
I am not that fixated on price or size but the wife is so a smaller, less expensive pair will fly under the radar since its on my desk in my office :)
If you're ready to try a less known brand, there's Eve audio with their SC203 ($650/pair) or SC204 ($850) model:
https://www.eve-audio.de/index.php?page=SC203
On-axis and 30° off-axis:
EveAudio_SC203_FreqResponse.png

Distorsion (orange: 2nd, green: 3rd):
EveAudio_SC203_Distortion.png


https://www.eve-audio.de/index.php?page=SC204
EveAudio_SC204_FreqResponse.png

EveAudio_SC204_Distortion.png
 

FeddyLost

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need to get out and listen but options are
So, try to audition Dynaudio bm5 mk3 or Adam A5x/ARTist 5. They fit in your budget even brand new and you can get a lot of used offers and youtube comparisons due to their popularity.
Both models are ok for "desktop sound reinforcement" in 1 m triangle and more or less tolerable for few hours at 80 db rms.
But anyway you'll have to check them by yourself because they are different. Especially Adam's AMT folded tweeter with all sparkle, glaze and stuff...
 

wgb113

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Yah, i need to get out and listen but options are limited at this time where i live.
I have 3 ls50s (not for desktop) and the wireless/powered versions are WELL beyond what i want to spend.

If you like the LS50 sound would you consider a pair of LSX? I've seen them go in your price range second-hand.
 
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muslhead

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If you're ready to try a less known brand, there's Eve audio with their SC203 ($650/pair) or SC204 ($850) model:
https://www.eve-audio.de/index.php?page=SC203
On-axis and 30° off-axis:
EveAudio_SC203_FreqResponse.png

Distorsion (orange: 2nd, green: 3rd):
EveAudio_SC203_Distortion.png


https://www.eve-audio.de/index.php?page=SC204
EveAudio_SC204_FreqResponse.png

EveAudio_SC204_Distortion.png
nice, thanks.
I saw these referenced on another forum talking about studio monitors but failed to look into them.
OMG I have a weakness for ribbon tweeters.
The focal alphas were highlighted too as good options
 
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muslhead

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If you like the LS50 sound would you consider a pair of LSX? I've seen them go in your price range second-hand.
they are on the list but am thinking of trying something new (and the reason to spend less)
 

q3cpma

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nice, thanks.
I saw these referenced on another forum talking about studio monitors but failed to look into them.
OMG I have a weakness for ribbon tweeters.
The focal alphas were highlighted too as good options
Measurements for the Focal Alpha 65 and Shape 65 here:
https://www.soundandrecording.de/equipment/focal-alpha-65-nahfeldmonitor-im-test/
https://www.soundandrecording.de/equipment/focal-shape-65-studiomonitore-im-test/

The Alpha isn't very good and the Shape is decent, but too expensive compared to Genelec/Neumann.
 
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muslhead

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Berwhale

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I purchased the JBL 305p MKII shortly before lockdown, they sounded great apart from the hiss from the tweeters which was too obtrusive at the distance I sit from them. They were also too big for my desk, so I sent the back. I then purchased a pair of Tannoy Reveal 402's which i'm happy with after EQing them. However, being 4" monitors, I think I need to buy a sub and i'm now considered adding a Fostex PM-SUBmini 2, although this is only a 5" sub, so i'm wondering how much bottom end this is really going to add.
 
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muslhead

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I am currently using some Klipsh 3.5" speakers with a sub. Much like the Fostex you mention. Not much bottom end but its not too bad.
 

GD Fan

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The Genelec 8010 model seems a perfect fit - within budget at $700/pair and a great potential launch pad for the future upgrade. Like them? Move up to 8030 or 8330. Don't like them? Be done with Genelec and upgrade elsewhere.
 
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LTig

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The Genelec 8010 model seems a perfect fit - within budget at $700/pair and a great potential launch pad for the future upgrade. Like them? Move up to 8030 or 8330. Don't like them? Be done with Genelec and upgrade elsewhere.
For 60 € more you get the 8020 (at Thomann).
 

ng411s4

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In the last month, I bought a pair of JBL 306P Mk ii speakers specifically for desktop use.

Unfortunately, I could not recommend them for this application, although, as always, YMMV. I found that listening from a distance of about 70cm (or 2 feet) at the levels I like to use (high 60dB to low 70dB, so not as loud as many people like, probably), the tweeter "hiss" (speaker self noise) was completely unacceptable to me.

I have many recordings made with a Revox A77 tape machine and these all have tape hiss that should be audible (it isn't objectionable normally, but you should be able to hear it). With the 306p on the desktop, I couldn't tell which recordings had tape hiss and which did not, as the speaker self noise was significantly louder. Also, the speaker self noise hiss seems to me to have a slightly "gritty" quality that makes it more objectionable than old fashioned tape hiss.

So, the 306p speakers have been moved to serve as "room speakers" (standard stereo setup). In this application, I am listening from a distance of about 2 meters (6 feet) or more, and the self noise is nearly inaudible and (to me) completely unobjectionable.

The sound quality (in my opinion -- feel free to ignore this!) is very good indeed when used this way, and would be very good whatever the things cost. Considering the price, the value for money is remarkable.

As the self noise is fixed at a constant level, how objectionable it is depends on how far away you listen and how loud you like to listen.

I think the Yamaha HS7 speakers have much lower self noise and also have a quite different (more neutral) frequency response than the HS5s. This is just from looking at data, though -- I have not heard them. Also, they may be too large for desktop use, as you mentioned. For my desk, the 306ps were on the edge of being too big (on on the edge of the desk, too!).

At the risk of mentioning the inappropriate, I am likely to buy some Neumann KH 80 DSPs for the desk eventually (if I can find some way of buying them where I live ... but that's another story). The combination of low self noise and otherwise excellent sound quality seems to involve spending 3 or 4 times more than the 306ps, unfortunately.

There may be less "professional" options, though. The Audioengine A5+ speakers reviewed recently measured very well and they seem to be around $400 (in some locations) ... no balanced inputs, though ...

I would suggest the speaker self noise specification (unfortunately, often not given by manufacturers) is a critical factor in choosing a descktop speaker. As I have found out the hard way ... :)
 

Kouioui

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I'm using the JBL Mk1 305s along with a 310S sub. No hiss at my listening position, which is between 4-5ft from the tweeters. Only self-noise is if I get within 1ft of them. Using XLR to XLR cables helps, which the 301S supports. I recommend and use room EQ also and the SPL the system outputs cleanly is louder than I can tolerate where I sit. As was mentioned earlier, $500 is doable for refurbs or slightly used as that's what I spent. There are better systems for sure, but not at this price I know of and likely under $1k.
 

maxxevv

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In the last month, I bought a pair of JBL 306P Mk ii speakers specifically for desktop use.

Unfortunately, I could not recommend them for this application, although, as always, YMMV. I found that listening from a distance of about 70cm (or 2 feet) at the levels I like to use (high 60dB to low 70dB, so not as loud as many people like, probably), the tweeter "hiss" (speaker self noise) was completely unacceptable to me.

I have many recordings made with a Revox A77 tape machine and these all have tape hiss that should be audible (it isn't objectionable normally, but you should be able to hear it). With the 306p on the desktop, I couldn't tell which recordings had tape hiss and which did not, as the speaker self noise was significantly louder. Also, the speaker self noise hiss seems to me to have a slightly "gritty" quality that makes it more objectionable than old fashioned tape hiss.

So, the 306p speakers have been moved to serve as "room speakers" (standard stereo setup). In this application, I am listening from a distance of about 2 meters (6 feet) or more, and the self noise is nearly inaudible and (to me) completely unobjectionable.

The sound quality (in my opinion -- feel free to ignore this!) is very good indeed when used this way, and would be very good whatever the things cost. Considering the price, the value for money is remarkable.

As the self noise is fixed at a constant level, how objectionable it is depends on how far away you listen and how loud you like to listen.

I think the Yamaha HS7 speakers have much lower self noise and also have a quite different (more neutral) frequency response than the HS5s. This is just from looking at data, though -- I have not heard them. Also, they may be too large for desktop use, as you mentioned. For my desk, the 306ps were on the edge of being too big (on on the edge of the desk, too!).

At the risk of mentioning the inappropriate, I am likely to buy some Neumann KH 80 DSPs for the desk eventually (if I can find some way of buying them where I live ... but that's another story). The combination of low self noise and otherwise excellent sound quality seems to involve spending 3 or 4 times more than the 306ps, unfortunately.

There may be less "professional" options, though. The Audioengine A5+ speakers reviewed recently measured very well and they seem to be around $400 (in some locations) ... no balanced inputs, though ...

I would suggest the speaker self noise specification (unfortunately, often not given by manufacturers) is a critical factor in choosing a descktop speaker. As I have found out the hard way ... :)
I run the 306p too. But I don't have any obvious hiss at about 3~4 feet.

Try turning down its volume dial 2 notches. Mine is set at around that as I don't need the full power anyway.
 

ng411s4

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I run the 306p too. But I don't have any obvious hiss at about 3~4 feet.

Try turning down its volume dial 2 notches. Mine is set at around that as I don't need the full power anyway.

For me, it's fine at 6 feet, for sure. I mostly had the volume knob at its central position with a balanced XLR source and three "clicks" more with a single ended source. But I tried many volume settings ... :) ... and anything else I could think of ...

However, the self noise is not affected by the volume dial (except on the lowest 2 settings, which appear to be pretty much "no output at all"), nor by the type of connection (balanced XLR, XLR to single ended RCA, or no connection at all).

It is generated by the speaker's electronics and is a constant fixed noise level which is added to whatever the speaker reproduces. The louder things are played, the less significant this fixed noise is. Likewise, the further away the listening position is, the less significant the self noise. And I suppose the more background room noise there is the more the self noise would be masked ... maybe ...

I think these speakers are great listened to from a distance of 6 feet (for me) ... maybe a bit more or less for other people in other environments, But -- for me -- they are not suitable as a desktop speaker listened to from 1-2 feet. Terrific value for money used for a typical stereo setup in a small to medium sized room, though. Probably great for home theatre too.
 
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