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2.0 Home theater Active Monitors? 1kish

ADoIDo

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Here yet another request for recommendations. Would like to stay around 1k for the pair and I don't mind the used market. Use for PRIMARILY MOVIES, youtube music and music.

My setup is as
12x12x8 open living room
short throw projector
mini computer
behringer umc404hd
adam audio t5v's

Speakers are currently 5 feet away from seating position.

The t5v's are great but I'd like to have something with higher highs and wouldn't mind a tiny bit more in the way of lows. Originally didn't THINK I'd want a 7" driver due to losing a bit in the way of mids? and I'm not going with a sub at any point in time due to room layout limitations. Obviously I don't have a treated room/studio setup so I don't know if extra speaker $$$$ go to waste due to the audio source and a non-treated room.

So far locally I see a pair of a5x's for 400 and genelec 8040's for 1200. I'm not sure what other brands/models I should be looking for/at?

Thanks
 

sweetchaos

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I think you'll do fine with any of these options:

Active Speakers Under US$1000/pair:
RecommendationPSLFXAmplifiers
#1Neumann KH 80 (Amir)6.248150 & 55
#2Kali LP-6v2 (Erin)5.93940 & 40 (Erin)
#3Dynaudio LYD 5 (Amir)5.75850 & 50
WorthyKali IN-5 (Erin)
Kali IN-8v2 (Erin)
5.4
5.3
41
39
80 & 40 & 40 (Erin)
60 & 40 & 40 (Erin)
WorthyAdam T5V (Amir)4.34850 & 20

But honestly, I'd take the used Genelec 8040B's for $1200/pair myself. They retail for US$1175/ea, so you're essentially getting them for 50% off, which is an insane deal.

If you need better vertical directivity than Genelec, Kali IN-5 or IN-8v2 would be my 2nd pick.
 
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A

ADoIDo

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I think you'll do fine with any of these options:

Active Speakers Under US$1000/pair:
RecommendationPSLFXAmplifiers
#1Neumann KH 80 (Amir)6.248150 & 55
#2Kali LP-6v2 (Erin)5.93940 & 40 (Erin)
#3Dynaudio LYD 5 (Amir)5.75850 & 50
WorthyKali IN-5 (Erin)
Kali IN-8v2 (Erin)
5.4
5.3
41
39
80 & 40 & 40 (Erin)
60 & 40 & 40 (Erin)
WorthyAdam T5V (Amir)4.34850 & 20

But honestly, I'd take the used Genelec 8040B's for $1200/pair myself. They retail for US$1175/ea, so you're essentially getting them for 50% off, which is an insane deal.

If you need better vertical directivity than Genelec, Kali IN-5 or IN-8v2 would be my 2nd pick.
Interesting, 3 way Kali's aren't better than the 2 way?

I could probably talk the Genelec down to 1k since they've been sitting for a month. There's also a pair of KH80 for 700 that have been sitting.

If I can get the KH80 down to 500...
 

sweetchaos

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Genelec 8040B's (with 6.5" woofer) projected LFX is 36hz, and preference score of 6.3, which makes it more neutral than Neumann KH80, and puts it on top of the list. Projected by me, since we know the preference score of 8030's and 8050's, so I'm guessing on the 8040's.

Kali IN-8 (with 8" woofer) has LFX of 39hz, so it still doesn't go as deep as 8040's.
So with Kali, you get less neutral speaker than 8040's, and slightly less bass.
But the upside is much better vertical directivity (due to coaxial), and 3-way, which means distortion handling is *in theory* better than 2-way. But our understanding of distortion is much less understood, so I can't tell you definitively that Kali IN-5/IN-8v2 holds an advantage over the 8040's.
It's one of those "You must hear them side by side to understand".

Also, I was in your shoes approx 1.5 years ago, and when the chance of getting Genelec 8040B's came up, I grabbed them for 50% off, used, but completely in perfect condition.

Plus, there was a thread a few months ago, about either choosing new Genelec 8030's or a used 8040's, and majority voted used 8040's.
 
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ADoIDo

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I'll try to beat the guy up on price. Btw is there an older series which would be 8040A? If in fact there is, should it be avoided?

Too bad you didn't give the KH80 an honorable mention at $500. Was hoping they'd get a pass for being best bang for the buck.
 

sweetchaos

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According to Genelec forums, the only difference is the auto-shut-off function (called ISS).

Neuman KH80's have a tiny, 4" driver. Don't expect them to play loud. Think of them as desktop speakers and nothing more.
Nothing like the Genelec 8040B's with their 6.5" woofer, which are more suited for longer distances.
 
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ADoIDo

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So far he's down to $1k for the 8040 but they're 8040A's.

Still wish there were a couple more choices, especially for a simple home theater setup.
 
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