Best budget studio monitors 6.5-8 inch at up to $1K a pair?

[voltronic]

Which only matters if you push them hard enough for it to matter. At my listening distance of 1.5 meters at an average of 75dBC, it does not matter.

Also, directivity is better on the IN-5.

I've been comparing Erin's measurements more closely, and watching his video summaries. The thing that concerns me the most about the IN-5 is the 7 kHz region dip. Erin commented that he noticed some missing reverbation in recordings. For the music I record (mostly choral, classical) that's something I am always focused on. But he is extremely positive about the 5's otherwise.

FWIW, in the comments of his IN-8v2 video, a few people asked about which he preferred, and he did say the IN-8.

Either way, what I get will be replacing an old, noisy pair of KRK RP-5 G2 so either of these should be a significant upgrade.

Kali Audio IN-5 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

Kali Audio IN-5 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Kali Audio IN-8v2 (Second Wave) 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

Kali Audio IN-8v2 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

 

[Steve Dallas]

I've been comparing Erin's measurements more closely, and watching his video summaries. The thing that concerns me the most about the IN-5 is the 7 kHz region dip. Erin commented that he noticed some missing reverbation in recordings. For the music I record (mostly choral, classical) that's something I am always focused on. But he is extremely positive about the 5's otherwise.

FWIW, in the comments of his IN-8v2 video, a few people asked about which he preferred, and he did say the IN-8.

Either way, what I get will be replacing an old, noisy pair of KRK RP-5 G2 so either of these should be a significant upgrade.

Kali Audio IN-5 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

Kali Audio IN-5 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Kali Audio IN-8v2 (Second Wave) 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

Kali Audio IN-8v2 3-Way Studio Monitor Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

I took that comment with a grain of salt as in, "I need to have something to say, so I will say this."

What 7KHz dip? The 5 is more linear than the 8 across the spectrum, and there is a narrow shallow difference at 7KHz that is most likely not even audible. Both speakers have a "droop" of sorts beginning at ~6KHz, but my in-room measurements do not show it, and neither do Erin's.


From Spinorama.org:

From Erin's Audio Corner:

 

[voltronic]

I took that comment with a grain of salt as in, "I need to have something to say, so I will say this."

What 7KHz dip? The 5 is more linear than the 8 across the spectrum, and there is a narrow shallow difference at 7KHz that is most likely not even audible. Both speakers have a "droop" of sorts beginning at ~6KHz, but my in-room measurements do not show it, and neither do Erin's.

I was just reporting what he said in the video, but I get your point - the difference between the two at 7 kHz looks insignificant on the graphs. The difference around 13 kHz is much more significant. I wonder if that was actually the reduced reverbation energy Erin was hearing?

I see that Spinorama.org gives a better Flatness score to the IN-5, ±1.8 dB versus ±3.0 dB for the IN-8v2. It looks like that the reason for that is the IN-5 is a bit better behaved from 1-6 kHz or so, but I see that the IN-8v2 is better below 200 Hz. All of these linearity deviations are very small, and might not be noticeable in practice.

 

[mjgraves]

I should buy a pair of Kali IN-5 to be able to do side-by-side listening with my JBL 705s.

 

[Steve Dallas]

I was just reporting what he said in the video, but I get your point - the difference between the two at 7 kHz looks insignificant on the graphs. The difference around 13 kHz is much more significant. I wonder if that was actually the reduced reverbation energy Erin was hearing?

I see that Spinorama.org gives a better Flatness score to the IN-5, ±1.8 dB versus ±3.0 dB for the IN-8v2. It looks like that the reason for that is the IN-5 is a bit better behaved from 1-6 kHz or so, but I see that the IN-8v2 is better below 200 Hz. All of these linearity deviations are very small, and might not be noticeable in practice.

Below 200Hz is so heavily influenced the by the room, that as long as both are well-behaved, small differences are completely immaterial.

 

[JimmyBuckets]

madisound.com search zaph audio kits

 

[voltronic]

Below 200Hz is so heavily influenced the by the room, that as long as both are well-behaved, small differences are completely immaterial.

I was just reporting what he said in the video, but I get your point - the difference between the two at 7 kHz looks insignificant on the graphs. The difference around 13 kHz is much more significant. I wonder if that was actually the reduced reverbation energy Erin was hearing?

I see that Spinorama.org gives a better Flatness score to the IN-5, ±1.8 dB versus ±3.0 dB for the IN-8v2. It looks like that the reason for that is the IN-5 is a bit better behaved from 1-6 kHz or so, but I see that the IN-8v2 is better below 200 Hz. All of these linearity deviations are very small, and might not be noticeable in practice.

Apologies; I misspoke earlier. Erin was talking about a dip from 7-10 kHz. But this dip is about the same in both speakers; not unique to the IN-5.

I think the thing that may have sealed it for me going towards the IN-5 is that the IN-8 has an audible and measurable midbass resonance. That's not too surprising if they didn't add additional bracing in the larger cabinet.

 

[eric tee]

I have promised to look possible options for a new 2.0 system for my friend. In the price category under 1000 euros . Without using Sub. The use would be almost 100% for listening to music, not needing for lowest lows freqs. Aprox in space (non-treated room) 20m2. Does anyone have experience with the Focal Alpha 80 Evo speakers, would be under 800 euros pair in Europe. With my limited skills, I haven't found any really reliable reviews of these.

What I've heard of some Focal's speakers (not 80 Evo) in showrooms and in a one in home environment. The impression has been quite positive.

As far as I understand, Focal has also presented good results in ASR measurements.

I'm a little sorry that I promised to help. Then in the previous decades, my own hobby has been quite small. Currently, I am quite satisfied with listening to music. With enough hardware for me

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I’ve heard about reported hissing from IN-8. Does that also exist on IN-5?

 

[staticV3]

I’ve heard about reported hissing from IN-8. Does that also exist on IN-5?

See Erin's review: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_in-5/

"Hiss: When sitting in the nearfield, approximately 1 meter away, I didn’t experience any issues with noise floor in my living room. When I put my ear next to the speakers, I notice the noise floor. But, in my opinion, this is a non-issue."

 

[Daniel4IEM]

See Erin's review: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_in-5/

Ok cool- very helpful. These would sit less than 1m from my ears on desktop and I’d leave them powered on most of the time so noise floor matters. Thank you.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Ok cool- very helpful. These would sit less than 1m from my ears on desktop and I’d leave them powered on most of the time so noise floor matters. Thank you.

I have a pair of 2nd Wave IN-8s with an IN-5 as the center channel speaker for movies and TV, all of them less than a meter from my ears when I'm at my PeeCee. There's no discernible hiss -- in fact, the fans of the PeeCee, which is also less than a meter away, are the only noise I can hear. As Nat (or was it Charles?) from Kali confirmed, the IN-5 is a "2nd Wave" product and was from the getgo -- this means its electronics use the same newer, lower noise TI silicon used in the 2nd Wave IN-8.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I have a pair of 2nd Wave IN-8s with an IN-5 as the center channel speaker for movies and TV, all of them less than a meter from my ears when I'm at my PeeCee. There's no discernible hiss -- in fact, the fans of the PeeCee, which is also less than a meter away, are the only noise I can hear. As Nat (or was it Charles?) from Kali confirmed, the IN-5 is a "2nd Wave" product and was from the getgo -- this means its electronics use the same newer, lower noise TI silicon used in the 2nd Wave IN-8.

Sweet!
So I’m going to give them a try. Only question is do I get the IN-5 or IN-8?

See my setup in photo- they’d go where current monitors are and I have a svs-sb1000 beneath desk

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Sweet!
So I’m going to give them a try. Only question is do I get the IN-5 or IN-8?

See my setup in photo- they’d go where current monitors are and I have a svs-sb1000 beneath desk

I even have the same subwoofer.

There should be very little audible difference, if any, especially if you connect the sub's built in 80Hz high pass filter between the source and the Kalis. Looking at those stands, I think IN-5s would look better, but that's just me.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I even have the same subwoofer.

There should be very little audible difference, if any, especially if you connect the sub's built in 80Hz high pass filter between the source and the Kalis. Looking at those stands, I think IN-5s would look better, but that's just me.

Ha that’s awesome!
That’s sounds like a vote for the 5’s which is where my head is at anyway