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Best small passive speaker for scientific setup

oversky

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Hello,

I am studying sound engineering and currently doing research on 3D audio. At the university we have a wonderful audio dome based on Genelec One's for this purpose. However, it is often occupied or only available in small time slots. I have a decent room at home and would like to build a small 3D setup myself for my work. For starters, it should be a classic 7.1.4 setup. For this I need affordable, small, passive speakers in the best possible quality. I know DSP very well, so corrections in the frequency range are no problem. Everything that can not be influenced with DSP, such as radiation pattern, resonances, etc. should be technically as good as possible.
Do you have any practical recommendations for me?
Many thanks already!
Find and consult the one who build the audio dome in the university.
 

jhaider

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Do they have to be full range?

Otherwise perhaps have a look at KEF KHT-3005 or KHT-3005SE. You may be able to pick up a set or two for not too much.


For a very small room these are really, really good. I had some thought of making “baby Waveforms” with KEF 3005 eggs atop bass bins. If nothing else they’d be great height speakers.

I also second Q100, especially if you can EQ. Outstanding polars and fixable on axis response. The current Qx50 generation seems a step down to me - stamped steel baskets rather than cast alloy, for example.

Revel M55XC or JBL Control X might be good fits as well. Not coax but well controlled dispersion and rugged.
 

Chrispy

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Hello,

I am studying sound engineering and currently doing research on 3D audio. At the university we have a wonderful audio dome based on Genelec One's for this purpose. However, it is often occupied or only available in small time slots. I have a decent room at home and would like to build a small 3D setup myself for my work. For starters, it should be a classic 7.1.4 setup. For this I need affordable, small, passive speakers in the best possible quality. I know DSP very well, so corrections in the frequency range are no problem. Everything that can not be influenced with DSP, such as radiation pattern, resonances, etc. should be technically as good as possible.
Do you have any practical recommendations for me?
Many thanks already!
How will you deal with room differences in your comparison to the uni setup? What is the uni room setup? What are your sources and processing?
 

uwotm8

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Voting for Q150 too. Pack of JBL 3 series will hiss you out from your room:p
 

AnalogSteph

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Given that EQ won't be an issue, I might also consider something like Klipsch R-50M. They may be a bit narrow in the directivity department (depending on how small the room actually is) but the entire treble and upper midrange seems to be nice and flat, you just need to correct a midbass bump and lower-midrange trough by the looks of it. I imagine there's actually a fair few inexpensive speakers with decent directivity... a decent-sized waveguide is usually a good sign.
 
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