Active stand mounted speakers

[roog]

My stereo system currently incorporates fairly large floor standing speakers with conventional multi box amplification. My missus, who likes the stereo has made a reasonable observation that it is visually a bit over powering for our living room.

So it pains me to say that I am beginning to look for a replacement system, but on the other hand this presents an opportunity too.
I am thinking of active speakers with at most one box front end. I may ditch the Hi-Fi rack.

Speakers seem to be the biggest obstacle, so I am looking for active stand mounts that don't take over the living room

I would be happy with Neumann or Genelec powered monitors but I fear the 'studio look' isn't going to be acceptable to my missus, which is a shame but probably fair enough.

So I am looking for ideas for stand mount speakers which are 'Active' and the incorporation of DSP is attractive to me, but not essential.

Budget could stretch to £5k, maybe, it depends on whether I can sell my current gear for reasonable money, HiFi has got really expensive since I last bought it!

Cheers

 

[Doodski]

the incorporation of DSP is attractive to me, but not essential.

The incorporation of DSP is critical these days... It is a major advantage.

 

[JustJones]

Kef LS60 are floor stand but are not huge and wouldn't take anymore real estate than small stand mount. The LS50 wireless 2 is stand mount.

 

[roog]

The incorporation of DSP is critical these days... It is a major advantage.

Yup, I do agree, I just thought this might be limiting. Danish Buchardt Audio do something that might fit the bill. Or perhaps I can spray paint a studio monitor matt white?

The other here in the UK is Meridian, been making active speakers for a long time. My issue is they they seem to promote a closed 'Meridian only' system.

 

[roog]

Kef LS60 are floor stand but are not huge and wouldn't take anymore real estate than small stand mount. The LS50 wireless 2 is stand mount.

Yes I agree, I heard them when they 1st come out, I was at the HiFi dealer listening to a NAD M33 and they were in the room so I thought I should give them a try.

I liked them.

My worry is that as 1040mm floor standing speakers my missus may not think they are taking up less space, I agree with you they take up no more floor space than stand mounted speakers and the white ones I saw more or less disappeared in the room.

I showed her some LS 50's many years ago, she didn't like them! She is 'tough to please' Ideally she wants a small bluetooth speaker that sounds like my current large floor standing speakers.

 

[Doodski]

My missus, who likes the stereo has made a reasonable observation

Perhaps i can spray paint a studio monitor?

LoL... The last time I had a missus issue with aesthetics of the tri-amplified tower speakers the missus gave in because it sounded fantastic...LoL.

At a minimum you should plan for DSP based PEQ so that you can setup your room and gear. That will afford you many more choices and probably cost you less too.

 

[Gregm]

Yup, I do agree, I just thought this might be limiting. Danish Buchardt Audio do something that might fit the bill. Or perhaps I can spray paint a studio monitor matt white?

The other here in the UK is Meridian, been making active speakers for a long time.

Meridian is expensive, unless I am (much) mistaken. I like the Buchardt and they don;t take up to much space visually, but I don;t think you can snap them up for 5k. Used maybe?

 

[roog]

Meridian is expensive, unless I am (much) mistaken. I like the Buchardt and they don;t take up to much space visually, but I don;t think you can snap them up for 5k. Used maybe?

Thank you @Gregm You may be right on both counts, I am just starting to think this through after yesterdays comments/ultimatum from my missus.

Used is fine, but they are quite few and far between in the UK.

 

[Count Arthur]

I now have active monitors, but if I were to use passive speakers, I thought about using a pair of small, mono power amps, something like Hypex or Purifi, and hiding these behind the speakers, so that I would have a similar effect with only a small DAC and the speakers themselves visible.

 

[roog]

LoL... The last time I had a missus issue with aesthetics of the tri-amplified tower speakers the missus gave in because it sounded fantastic...LoL.

At a minimum you should plan for DSP based PEQ so that you can setup your room and gear. That will afford you many more choices and probably cost you less too.

Cheers for your 'uplifting message' @Doodski I currently use my RME-adi-2 fs DAC for PEQ, it works very well I could continue to use this I guess. I suppose I was hoping to go the whole hog and make the HiFi chain as simple as possible for my missus and loose the RME from the chain.

She copes with the current HiFi 'bits an bobs' but would prefer a bluetooth speaker like interface with the big sound of the current set up.

 

[roog]

I now have active monitors, but if I were to use passive speakers, I thought about using a pair of small, mono power amps, something like Hypex or Purifi, and hiding these behind the speakers, so that I would have a similar effect with only a small DAC and the speakers themselves visible.

Agreed @Count Arthur as others have said I could create more options this way, I guess I'm taking the opportunity to make the stereo a simpler experience for others, but especially my missus.

I can't blame her really, she has put up with the 'string of boxes' for quite some time, Its easy enough to power up, (still lots of switches), but still asks me to shut it down once she's done listening for fear of bricking my DIY Rpi streamer thing!

 

[JustJones]

You say you want make to it simpler to use and eliminate boxes. The only speakers I know of that will do that are the LS60 floor stand, JBL 4329P needs small stand, Dutch 8c, the new Kii7, LS50 wireless 2, Dynaudio Focus 10, Sonos various models all stand/bookshelf. I know there are other WISA speakers you might check . The studio monitors you mention, Genelec, Neumann and even the Buchardt A10 will need some kind of external box as a source.

 

[Mal]

I showed her some LS 50's many years ago, she didn't like them! She is 'tough to please' Ideally she wants a small bluetooth speaker that sounds like my current large floor standing speakers.

LS 50s do a look a bit bulky and top heavy! KEF LSX? Maybe you could hide a sub somewhere unobtrusive... or fetch it down when she and the neighbours are out...

 

[JiiPee]

Take a look at the new Sonus Faber Duetto. SF speakers usually have a high wife acceptance factor.

 

[Klonatans]

In the UK you have a a manufacturer of powered professional monitors called Unity Audio. As far as I know they source drivers from Elac, offer basic and DSP versions and the speakers are better looking than average studio ones. I haven't seen any measurements though.

 

[JustJones]

Forgot about the Cabasse Rialto which is Wifi, ethernet and Bluetooth.

RIALTO : first Cabasse wireless Hi-fi system in a bookshelf format

RIALTO: these elegant & compact speakers deliver optimal listening pleasure, whether in Hifi mode or to enjoy precise and dynamic sound on TV.

www.cabasse.com

 

[Purité Audio]

You say you want make to it simpler to use and eliminate boxes. The only speakers I know of that will do that are the LS60 floor stand, JBL 4329P needs small stand, Dutch 8c, the new Kii7, LS50 wireless 2, Dynaudio Focus 10, Sonos various models all stand/bookshelf. I know there are other WISA speakers you might check . The studio monitors you mention, Genelec, Neumann and even the Buchardt A10 will need some kind of external box as a source.

Thorbjørn’s SBs.1 are extremely compact with real poke but you do need a sub, the mains, co-axial mid/treble and dedicated mid bass by design only extend to 80Hz I use them with one of his ‘pizza box’ subs which I have tucked away out of slight.
Just add a Wiim streamer.
Keith

 

[Silver Bodgie]

https://www.puriteaudio.co.uk/post/ascilab-loudspeakers A6B, don't think they're available outside Korea just yet though hopefully soon

 

[Purité Audio]

I have very high hopes for those, just can’t quite be certain of ETA.
Keith

 

[roog]

Thanks for the suggestions, there are few in here that I either forgot about or didn't know existed :0)

I suppose I could manage a sub too.

Cheers

Edit: Just looked ouch! some of those are expensive.