Bookshelf speaker pairing with SMSL DA-9?

[Tagore]

I have the DA-9 and want to upgrade my speakers. I currently use some 20 year old onkyo speakers (from a full midi audio system), and have been looking at the Dali Spektor 2s or the Wharfedale 12.1s.
I have space constraints so can't really go bigger than these.
I hope to get something neutral, laid back while still with reasonable top end treble extension. I am sibilance sensitive so don't want to go too bright and exciting and am concerned I need to be careful in what I pair with a Class D.
Thoughts appreciated.
I can go upto around USD600/700 or so.
Hope I am posting this in the right section of the site.

 

[RickSanchez]

Another approach to consider with your search is to set your speaker budget at $500/$600. Then:
1) spend $100 on a UMIK1 calibrated measurement mic.
2) install and learn how to use REW

With that you get the benefit of EQ’ing the speakers to your room and your listening position. After that you can EQ further to your specific preferences. You still need to find quality speakers that measure well, but you’ve opened yourself up to more speaker options (looks, output power, etc.) in your price range.

 

[Walter]

Another approach to consider with your search is to set your speaker budget at $500/$600. Then:
1) spend $100 on a UMIK1 calibrated measurement mic.
2) install and learn how to use REW

With that you get the benefit of EQ’ing the speakers to your room and your listening position. After that you can EQ further to your specific preferences. You still need to find quality speakers that measure well, but you’ve opened yourself up to more speaker options (looks, output power, etc.) in your price range.

If the OP is using a computer as his source, I agree completely.

 

[Walter]

I have the DA-9 and want to upgrade my speakers. I currently use some 20 year old onkyo speakers (from a full midi audio system), and have been looking at the Dali Spektor 2s or the Wharfedale 12.1s.
I have space constraints so can't really go bigger than these.
I hope to get something neutral, laid back while still with reasonable top end treble extension. I am sibilance sensitive so don't want to go too bright and exciting and am concerned I need to be careful in what I pair with a Class D.
Thoughts appreciated.
I can go upto around USD600/700 or so.
Hope I am posting this in the right section of the site.

If I were buying without the opportunity to test at home first, and was not using a sub, I'd go for the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 at $599. You might also look at the Elac DBR-62 and the Polk R200. If you'll be using a sub, or just don't care much about bass, then the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 or Polk R100 will probably be fine. (Note: if you have room for a small sub, the 12.1 + Elac SUB1010 will cost a litle less that the 12.2 by itself (in the USA), and probably provide better bass if you can get the integration right.) Based on the test here of the Dali Spektor 1, I would not expect the Spektor 2 to be competitive with the other speakers I mentioned.

 

[MarkWinston]

Trust me on this one... the Diamond 12.2 I have paired the best with my DA-9 despite trying it with other more expensive and powerful amps like the Rotel pre/power combo I have. The R200 dont perform as well as the 12.2s with the DA-9. Skip the 12.1, go straight for the 12.2 or even better, 12.4 which I just bought and expected to arrive in a week from now. Mids, mids, mids, mids for days. And when real low notes come in, you will be searching for a hidden sub. Just make sure you are using a good DAC and youll enjoy music for years to come with this little system

 

[Tagore]

Thank you all. I run DIRAC on a couple of setups, so am easily sold on REW. Will look into it.
Otherwise it would appear I have a range of viable options on speakers.
Am now looking at the Wharfedale 12.2s or Elac Unifi 2.0 DB 5.2 (am itching to hear / try the combined tweeter / midrange). My debate presently is around power - the Elac's are 85db, the Wharfedales 88db. The Elac specs indicate 6 ohms, and recommend amp power of 40-140w. Wharfedale 8 ohms, amp power recommended 20-120w.
Need I be concerned about the ability of the DA9 to comfortably drive the Elacs? I don't listen beyond moderate volumes most of the time, while would like some headroom.

 

[MarkWinston]

You should be able to drive both with ease and the speakers should distort before the amp reach clipping levels, at least for the 12.2s. Just for reference, Im getting 95db average at 3 meters with the DA-9's volume at 45. I push it to 48 - 50 and the 12.2 will start bottoming out.

 

[Berkut]

Hi, coming late to the party. I was looking for a good monitoring system for a « B-studio », and had a an old professional Sony SRX-700P « video switcher » from yesteryears for which I was looking for a decent pair of speakers to replace the old crappy Sony bookshelves from the 90s. Ran into a guy next valley who sold a pair of KEF IQ10 (very small ones, but very small studio too) for a bargain (the beautiful Applewood ones !). Front-ported, so no problem to have them near a wall, nice connectors (can bi-amp them if you’re into that). Pointed right at my chair with their uniQ concentric drivers (earlier generation), ‘bout 1m and 60 degrees appart, they sound just great in this room. Did not notice much sibilance, although with a very clear top-end (what KEF is known for I guess) harsh material « might » sound overdone. Not with good recordings though (I do casual recording for 50% of the time). I improved the low end with a second-hand Focal Cub^2, and did the EQ manually (on the Sony) with a phone app called dBmeter (highly recommended). Then I saw the DA-9 and told myself : why should you stay with .1% distortion (at best, need to keep volume low on that Sony beast), when .0..01 % is possible. What could possibly go wrong for that price ? Well nothing to complain about so far, and plenty loud for my use (enough for soft ambiance when dining outside with the window open). My next move is indeed to room-eq the whole combo and apply findings to my RME ADI-2 DAC FS and let it handle the eq. You can find the frequency response of the IQ10 on the net to give you an idea (obvious interaction between the front port and UniQ). An audio guy is using them on YouTube for home studio gear reviewing (Julian Krause), with a class D NAD and seems cool with them, while at the same time very much into Measurements of all other gears reviewed. Oh, and the Bluetooth fonction comes in handy too, especially when all my music gear is connected (nice to have both XLR and RCA). Second Hand KEF IQ10 (or 50...), second hand sub, DA-9, plus good eq-ing DAC and a bit of Room EQ-Wizard, I think it’s a winning combination ! Hope that helps anyway !

 

[Berkut]

KEF iQ10

KEF's new iQ10 truly is a shelf mounter; it is small at 301mm high, 175mm wi

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk

Maybe the IQ-30 which is a bit larger would probably suit you more if you’re in a bigger room, and further back, but the 10 is by no mean a bass-shy satellite, it only needs the lower frequencies. I’ll get back to you once I have done my REW calibration properly.

 

[Tagore]

Thank you all for the inputs. In the end have happily gone down the PSB route and found some second hand PSB Alpha B1s. Very easy to drive, relatively flat frequency response and non-fatiguing and also a fraction of the cost of new models. To my ear at least, they pair well with the DA-9. Icing on the cake has been setting them up with Dirac using the DDRC-24.
Incidentally in the process I tried the DA-9 with the Dali Spektor 1, Oberon 1s, PSB Alpha 3, 5s, and also Imagine XBs.