Desktop Speakers ~$2000 (Active & Silent)

[Bengineer]

The Abacus looks good. The 906 would cost a mint by the time it lands in Australia.

So C-Box 4 hiss is basically zero?

 

[panther]

Had some Acoustic Energy AE1 actives and man they were i to my ears. Mine developed an oscillating noise though and had to go back. I got cold feet on actives due to that but I’m kinda regretting not giving another pair a shot.

 

[Bengineer]

They were good. Had some tweeter hiss, not huge, but enough. LS50W II was silent

 

[Recluse-Animator]

For near field coax speakers are always the best choice.

I don't know anything about their hiss.

Fluid Audio FX50 / FX80 / FPX7 / CX7
Kali IN-5 / IN-8
Presonus Sceptre S6 / S8
Kef LS50 Meta
APS Coax
KS Digital C5 / C8 / C88 / C120
Danley Studio 2
DMAX Audio Super Cube 5
Genelec

Speakers that are not coaxials, but acts like a point source;

ME Geithain
Reflector Audio

 

[Buck Dutt]

The Abacus looks good. The 906 would cost a mint by the time it lands in Australia.

So C-Box 4 hiss is basically zero?

With the gain on the speaker set to max level I literally can't hear anything with my ear up against either driver—mine are dead silent. If I understand correctly it has to do with the fact that there is no DSP, no class D amps or anything;something about how the amps are built helps with this (from the product page with auto translate):

 

[Buck Dutt]

For near field coax speakers are always the best choice.

I don't know anything about their hiss.

Fluid Audio FX50 / FX80 / FPX7 / CX7
Kali IN-5 / IN-8
Presonus Sceptre S6 / S8
Kef LS50 Meta
APS Coax
KS Digital C5 / C8 / C88 / C120
Danley Studio 2
DMAX Audio Super Cube 5
Genelec

Speakers that are not coaxials, but acts like a point source;

ME Geithain
Reflector Audio

According to the research I did some of those above speakers do have audible hiss: all the KS Digital models, DMAX Super cubes, APS Coax, all of the Kali models (but this might not be so true for the v2 models). Not sure about the others.

 

[3125b]

I would suggest the Focal Alpha 65 Evo. They are the quietest monitors I‘ve had, can‘t hear any hiss from more than 30cm distance in my setup and I‘m very sensitive to it. They might struggle some with EMI shielding, but I‘ll have to do some further testing on that in the future.

 

[thewas]

I would suggest the Focal Alpha 65 Evo. They are the quietest monitors I‘ve had, can‘t hear any hiss from more than 30cm distance in my setup and I‘m very sensitive to it. They might struggle some with EMI shielding, but I‘ll have to do some further testing on that in the future.

According to some users they are quiet though due to automatic noise gate which can be a problem with some genres:
https://www.amazona.de/test-focal-alpha-80-evo-sub-one-nahfeldmonitor-und-subwoofer/ (page in German language)

 

[3125b]

According to some users they are quiet though due to automatic noise gate which can be a problem with some genres:

Definitely not the case with my pair.
The only "clicking sound" is the switching on/off of the automatic standby (after 15 minutes of inactivity) that can be turned off with a switch in the back (although it works fairly well so I use it).

 

[Avp1]

Seems like hiss is a common thing in new cheap monitors. This is not like it used to be:
I do have old pair of cheap M-audio BX5 - hiss is only heard withing 1/2 foot from tweeter. Another pair of desktop speakers is again old Fostex pm0.4 - hiss only heard if ear is within 2" from tweeter.

I also have big ATC main monitors - hiss is only heard within 1 feet from tweeter or 1/2 feet from midrange driver, which is inconsequential for 9 feet distance from listening position. I used to have large passive speakers driven by Bryston amp - hiss was heard within 4" from tweeter.

 

[AudioJester]

Kali IN5 with Topping EX5. No hiss, even with my ear right upto speaker

 

[dshreter]

KH80 is inaudible at 80cm. Not sure if it’s different from KH120 as KH80 is a DSP speaker. KH150 would be worth looking at too

 

[HarmonicTHD]

KH80 is inaudible at 80cm. Not sure if it’s different from KH120 as KH80 is a DSP speaker. KH150 would be worth looking at too

I am also didn’t like the hiss when idle of the small Genelecs and got the KH80 instead. The KH80 and KH150 are the newer models and both with DSP. I would think the KH150 are also hiss free.

 

[AudioJester]

I am also didn’t like the hiss when idle of the small Genelecs and got the KH80 instead. The KH80 and KH150 are the newer models and both with DSP. I would think the KH150 are also hiss free.

Just tested my KH120 which is connected to an old Yamaha AVR. No hiss.

 

[daftcombo]

8030 for the Genelec. They usually quiet?

My 8030C are not quiet neither. A bit of noise audible at 1m in a quiet room when the ear is directer towards one speaker.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Just tested my KH120 which is connected to an old Yamaha AVR. No hiss.

The OP apparently detected hiss with the KH120. I can’t tell, I never had them.

 

[paudio]

I've never heard hiss from my iLoud MTMs and they have amazing bass extension at lower volumes. I am in Canada so I am running them at 120V. They do have grounded power plugs so if you want to use 3.5mm Y cable to 1/4" you need to have ground isolator. I use an Apple dongle dac ($10) + ADUM4160 ($15) ground isolator. Works great.

 

[lowkeyoperations]

The OP apparently detected hiss with the KH120. I can’t tell, I never had them.

Yeah, but I and others on this thread have experienced the opposite. I think gain staging may be an issue.

KH120s are very quiet and better than the competitors at that price.

 

[panther]

Other active I had the Adam A5x I could not hear on my desk at all. The T5v I could hear the slightest hiss but it did bug me. Yamaha HS5 I also could slightly hear. I seem to remember hearing a slight hiss from Audioengine A5 and Vanatoo t0.

 

[dominikz]

I'm another owner of KH120A and I also get no audible hiss from mine at any reasonable listening distance. If I put my ear right into the waveguide against the tweeter I can hear some hiss.
Previously I had JBL LSR305 that had audible hiss at ~80cm listening distance in the same setup.