Desktop speakers <500 euro

[Slotenpiloot]

Hi all,

I am looking for a pair of desktop speakers, preferably active speakers and not too big and below 500 euro used/new. Cheaper would be preferable but they still have to sound good

(Probably will still sound horrible compared to the Visaton Concorde MK3 i have in my living room…)

I was looking at the little british monitor (diy package) or the Kali audio lp6. Which of the 2 is better?

I also found a pair of the Kali audio LP6 v1 used for 220 euro, but i am a bit scared of the hiss stories.

Any other advice or recommendations? They will be mostly used for gaming, sub woofer would also be an option for later stages but preferably not.

Thanks!

 

[Doenerkunde]

I was looking at the little british monitor (diy package) or the Kali audio lp6. Which of the 2 is better?

The LBM is a great little speaker, but the tiny three inch midwoofer has it's limitations. The -3dB point of the LBM is 72hz compared to 42hz with the Kali LP6V2. So If you are not size restricted, I'd go with the Kalis on this one.

 

[Roland68]

Hi all,

I am looking for a pair of desktop speakers, preferably active speakers and not too big and below 500 euro used/new. Cheaper would be preferable but they still have to sound good

(Probably will still sound horrible compared to the Visaton Concorde MK3 i have in my living room…)

I was looking at the little british monitor (diy package) or the Kali audio lp6. Which of the 2 is better?

I also found a pair of the Kali audio LP6 v1 used for 220 euro, but i am a bit scared of the hiss stories.

Any other advice or recommendations? They will be mostly used for gaming, sub woofer would also be an option for later stages but preferably not.

Thanks!

From my own experience, and after testing several active monitors up to €1000 each, I recommend the Elac DBR62 with the Topping Mini 300.

I hope they don't come too close to matching the sound of your Concorde MK3s. But there's no reason to have worse sound on your desk than in your living room.

 

[Willem]

The Elac DBR62 is indeed superb, but perhaps a bit large for desktop use. Alternatively and in a much smaller package, how about the Genelec 8010? It is slightly over your budget, but not dramatically so.

 

[Roland68]

The Elac DBR62 is indeed superb, but perhaps a bit large for desktop use. Alternatively and in a much smaller package, how about the Genelec 8010? It is slightly over your budget, but not dramatically so.

The DBR62s are no larger than the aforementioned Kali speakers. Their advantage is excellent transparency and, with this amplifier, absolute silence in the background.

 

[luisfelipe_lfo]

The Elac DBR62 is indeed superb, but perhaps a bit large for desktop use. Alternatively and in a much smaller package, how about the Genelec 8010? It is slightly over your budget, but not dramatically so.

I would recommend Elac Debut 3.0 DB53 or DB63 both sounds superb, cheaper and not to big.

 

[tineared]

I've never heard the Elacs, but I recommend the Adam D3V

ADAM Audio D3V Desktop Speaker Review

ADAM Audio D3V Desktop Speaker Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

 

[VMAT4]

I owned the Kali LP6. And heard no hiss when paired with a Topping DX5 and also when paired with a FiiO K19.

What do you plan to use as a preamp?

 

[3125b]

but i am a bit scared of the hiss stories.

Many cheaper monitors have audible hiss. You should try out how much that bothers you if possible. There are some exceptions like Focal Alpha Evo (that I know myself), but I don't know any other, it's hard to find reliable measurements for most speakers.

Passive speakers and a small amp might be a better option. The hiss level will be imperceivably low with most decent chip-amps.

The aforementioned DBR62 can be a great deal, they're very decent speakers and go for around 300€/pair when on sale, though right now they're a little too expensive imo. Personally, I will always prefer coaxials for near field use, since you can sit up and lean back without a change in sound due to the controlled vertical directivity. Many small 2-way coaxials like KEF Q series definitely profit from a sub, for which you don't have the budget.

 

[Slotenpiloot]

I owned the Kali LP6. And heard no hiss when paired with a Topping DX5 and also when paired with a FiiO K19.

What do you plan to use as a preamp?

Preamp.. nothing really.. Just my computer

I had a look at the Elacs, the white one would fit pretty well with my main speakers

 

[Slotenpiloot]

From my own experience, and after testing several active monitors up to €1000 each, I recommend the Elac DBR62 with the Topping Mini 300.

I hope they don't come too close to matching the sound of your Concorde MK3s. But there's no reason to have worse sound on your desk than in your living room.

I read they require quite a powerful amp, does the topping provide enough amps?

 

[Roland68]

I read they require quite a powerful amp, does the topping provide enough amps?

Definitely more than enough.
On the desktop, anything above 10-10:30 is painful; the entire room (approx. 20 square meters) becomes very unpleasant from the 12 o'clock position onwards.

 

[Slotenpiloot]

Awesome

While searching for the SBR62 on marketplace i only found the UBR62 for 420 euro(used) Would this be a better deal instead of the sbr for 395(new)?

Edit: i will most likely be using a Yamaha RX-S601D reciever for amplification. Because thats what i currently have spare in the house. I can always swap it for a decent stereo amp if it doesnt work out.

 

[3125b]

That's a little more than half the new price, quite good if they work.
They're quite decent as well: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/elac_ubr62/
Obviously they're coaxials, so for me that would be an obvious choice for that price.
They're easy enough to drive, any chip-amp will do. Aiyima (A07 for example) or Fosi Audio (V3 for example, possibly V1.0G if it needs to be really cheap) would be typical options, but there are many more depending on what kind of features you want. The review database here has a lot of possible contenders from various companies.
You don't need any additional features, you can just use the audio output from you computer. If you want to add a subwoofer you can just put that in parallel with the amp, because a better solution, an amp with a high-pass and a sub out, costs more than your budget allows (Aiyima A20 for example).

 

[Slotenpiloot]

That's a little more than half the new price, quite good if they work.
They're quite decent as well: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/elac_ubr62/
Obviously they're coaxials, so for me that would be an obvious choice for that price.
They're easy enough to drive, any chip-amp will do. Aiyima (A07 for example) or Fosi Audio (V3 for example, possibly V1.0G if it needs to be really cheap) would be typical options, but there are many more depending on what kind of features you want. The review database here has a lot of possible contenders from various companies.
You don't need any additional features, you can just use the audio output from you computer. If you want to add a subwoofer you can just put that in parallel with the amp, because a better solution, an amp with a high-pass and a sub out, costs more than your budget allows (Aiyima A20 for example).

Awesome thanks!

I will pick them up when the seller is back from holliday.