Desktop speaker suggestion

[psychokiller]

Hi all!
Any suggestion for a couple of small speaker with decent sound but quite compact to be placed on a small and cluttered desktop?
Speakers could either be passive or active, with a little preference over passive, but really need to be compact.
Was thinking about a couple of Cambridge Audio Minx 12 https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/eur/en/range/minx but I am a bit disappointed by the frequency range spec.
I understand that given such small size the use of a subwoofer becomes almost mandatory but wish the community opinion about any small desktop speaker an audiophile might appreciate.
Thanx in advance!

 

[q3cpma]

Nobody knows what small means if you don't give dimensions. As usual, I'll recommend Genelec and Neumann if you want good nearfield speakers.

 

[psychokiller]

Fair enough.
Cambridge Audio Minx 12 are 78 x 78 x 85mm (3.1 x 3.1 x 3.3”) that is really minimal, and I would say that to me the constraints are (H x W x D) 170 x 100 x 100 (or 6.7 x 4 x 4”): there is anything "audiophile" in this size without buying crap multimedia pc speaker?
Genelec probably has something in this size (or little larger) but actually costing an arm and a leg. Will have a look at Neumann.
If there are any other suggestion I will be very grateful.
What about JBL Control One, although a bit above the constraints I mentioned?
Thanx

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

do you wanna put the speakers on the desktop ?, i have my speakers on the stands and my desktop free

 

[psychokiller]

do you wanna put the speakers on the desktop ?, i have my speakers on the stands and my desktop free

Yes, on a small desktop: no space for any floorstand around the desk. I have a 22'' display on the desk, the speakers will be a few cm to the sides of the display. Genelec G One would probably be a great option, but at around €500 for a couple I would like to save some money and get something cheaper for the kind of casual listening I will use the speaker for. And also avoid crappy pc speakers.
The whole setup will use a Raspberry Pi with PiCoreplayer, Topping D10 DAC, Atom Amp (for headphone/IEM listening), a power amp if required for passive speakers, and the speakers I am looking for.

 

[muslhead]

A budget would help you get responses

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Yes, on a small desktop: no space for any floorstand around the desk. I have a 22'' monitor on the desk, the speakers will be a few cm to the sides of the monitor. Genelec G One would be a great option probably, but at around €500 for a couple I would like to save some money and get something cheaper for the kind of casual listening I will use the speaker for. And also avoid crappy pc speakers.

hmmm.. i don't think any speakers gonna sound good with that space, they can easily cancel and more, maybe headphones or not ?
you need at least 1 meter of distance of each other, and that's the min distance

I had my speakers ( kef r300 ) at 1.2m and i got mid bass cancelation but at 1.8m they sound much better and the cancelation is minimal

 

[psychokiller]

Budget: anything below €500 (roughly USD 600) for a couple will be interesting, around €300 or little less (USD 350) would be best option.
Regarding distance, desk is around 1.8m so I can put the speakers near edges so cancelation can be mitigated.
The whole setup will use a Raspberry Pi with PiCoreplayer, Topping D10 DAC, Atom Amp (for headphone/IEM listening), a power amp if required for passive speakers, and the speakers I am looking for.

 

[LTig]

Pity, no Genelec or Neumann for this budget (at least not new, maybe an older used Genelec 8010).

 

[psychokiller]

Pity, no Genelec or Neumann for this budget (at least not new, maybe an older used Genelec 8010).

Genelec 8010 would also require XLR and I wish to use the Atom Amp, so RCA input would be a better option. I can find Genelec 8010 for €250 each so the €500 budget would be for those (or better Genelec G One). Would like to spend quite less.
Seems there is nothing between crappy PC speakers and portable studio monitors like Genelec.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

what about something like adam a3x?

 

[psychokiller]

what about something like adam a3x?

Nice speakers, but quite above the size I can use on the desktop.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Nice speakers, but quite above the size I can use on the desktop.

btw if you put a speakers on the desk u gonna need to use this thing or something like that

 

[psychokiller]

btw if you put a speakers on the desk u gonna need to use this thing or something like that
View attachment 137229

Yes, I will definitely use some kind of support/foams for any speakers: thanx for the reference.

 

[psychokiller]

These small multimedia monitors would be a good option https://eve-audio.de/index.php?page=SC203 but they are active and also have internal DAC with USB and optical input, and I would not use those inputs given the setup I wish to use both for feeding the headphone amp (Atom Amp) and the speakers.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Yes, I will definitely use some kind of support/foams for any speakers: thanx for the reference.

Adam t5v is a bit smaller than a3x, or its too big ?

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

this speaker from q acoustic is small too but its passive

 

[psychokiller]

Adam t5v is a bit smaller than a3x, or its too big ?
View attachment 137230

Sorry, but at 179 x 298 x 297mm those are huge for my desk.

 

[psychokiller]

this speaker from q acoustic is small too but its passive
View attachment 137231

Small, nice and probably sounding great, passive is not a problem, but way above the size constraints for me, both in height and depth.
Probably laws of acoustics does not allow what I am asking for.
At least not below €500

 

[Shazb0t]

I would suggest a coaxial bookshelf or other speaker that has a point source like dispersion pattern to avoid the drivers not summing properly if you're too close.