Advice please: Wall mounted setup for Home Gym/ Music Room £1000 budget

[JakeK]

I've come across another monitor that may be a better option and measures well. It has the advantage of having an unbalanced input as well so compatible with more budget DACS/preamps.

Adam T8V Studio Monitor Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Adam T8V active monitors (speaker). It was kindly sent to me by the company a few months ago. I was surprised at the very low cost of these speakers at US $299 (each) considering that they are DSP speakers with dual amplification. This is one...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Trouble Maker]

Just an FYI about the 30xP, and I imagine possible other monitors, you can 100% use unbalanced with them. I was concerned/confused about this point too, as I was looking for quality but inexpensive speakers for the garage, but didn't want to spend more $ on some balanced DAC than the speakers. The 305Ps have a switch on the back to change the input gain to be appropriate for either typical balanced (4V) or unbalanced (2V or less). You just use an unballanced 1/4" (TS) and not a ballanced 1/4" (TRS). I drive them straight from my phones headphone jack with this cable with 0 issues. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078575KSJ/
It's possible they could go louder with a device capable of higher voltage like a quality DAC, but I don't need any more volume out of them. And assuming the 'basic' DACs have the features you need, you can get a good unbalanced one for around $100.

The back panel image of the swtich is on page 11 of the owners manual, and they are a few other notes sprinkled throughout about the input gain/sensitivety switch.

https://www.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw2311769a/pdfs/JBL_3_Series_MKII_Owners_Manual_English.pdf

 

[JakeK]

I tried holding a carboard box about the right size in the places I might mount a monitor speaker and with how much they would stick out from the wall I feel like they need to be overhead and pointing downwards so as not to risk banging my head or shoulder on them. This then puts them quite close to the ceiling and I might not be happy with how that affects the sound.

I spotted an immaculate used pair of the Dali on-wall for £350 so I've gone ahead and ordered them. I'm considering sending one to Amir for measurement as I don't think he has ever reviewed this type of speaker.

 

[JakeK]

I've got the Dalis up on the wall and temporarily wired with some very thin surround speaker cable and a low powered mini-t amp. They sound good. Better than I expected. The rear ports that are designed for wall reinforcement work well and the bass is well extended for the size of the speaker. Mid-range and treble sound clear and neutral to my untrained ear. They play loud for the low power I'm using as well, no doubt also boosted by being on the wall. That is if I stay between the speakers and off-axis as intended. The on-axis sound is not so good and that's the main flaw.

I think they may be better placed wider than I have. I put the screws in 500mm (1ft8") from each corner on the shorter wall which is 3mtrs (10ft) long as I thought it best not to be too close to the corners. Should I put them 200mm (8") in which puts them almost right in the corners?

 

[Tom C]

There may be other considerations, but the two I think of off the top of my head are:
1. Boosted bass from corner placement. Only you can decide in your room if you prefer this to your current setup.
2. Reflections from the side walls will potentially degrade the stereo imaging. Absorbers on the wall can mitigate the effect. Dr Toole has mentioned a mirror can be used to help determine the placement of the absorber. The position of the mirror is adjusted to where an observer at the listening position can see the speaker, then the absorber is placed at that position.

 

[JakeK]

Thanks for all the advice! I'll have to test out different speaker positions later. For now though I need to get on and finish the ceiling before messing around with the sound as the ceiling will of course make a difference. At least I can listen to music in decent quality while I work! I'll also need to improve the amp etc but that comes later.