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Edifier R1280T or Aiyima A07 + Passive Bookshelf speaker?

Jeromeof

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Hi,
Looking for some advice, haven't got much budget but I want to enable my small working from home area with some decent audio. So looking at the budget end of the reviews here (and on other websites) - it looks like getting either :
1. Edifier R1280T
2. Aiyima A07 + some nice budget passive bookshelf speaker similar in size to the Edifier

So, my beginner questions are:
A) Are these 2 reasonable good options for good quality budget sounds for a small room?
B) If so it is worthwhile investigating a good passive speaker to with an Aiyima A07 or just stick with the Edifier
C) And it is worthwhile to go with separate Amp + Speaker, which bookshelf speaker would people recommend in roughly the same total price range? E.g. Eur150 ($150 or £150)

Thanks
Jerome
 

dfuller

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Neumi BS5s are insanely nice for how much they cost.
 

sweetchaos

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Neither option 1 or 2. The budget is too low.

The cheapest studio monitor I recommend is JBL 305P MKII for 100 GBP/ea from thomann.de
Edifier 1280T's are toys compared to the JBL 305P MKII.

CEA2034.jpg

vs
CEA2034.jpg

Which looks better to you?

Just set the "HF" (high-frequency) dip switch on the back the JBL to -2db, to tame the brightness.
Alternatively, you can use PEQ profiles with EAPO for free, if you have these hooked up to the PC.
 

3125b

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Depending on where you live the Monkey Banana Gibbon Air might be an option as well. Currently 168€ in Germany. They are not terrible (https://www.hifitest.de/test/aktivlautsprecher/monkey-banana-gibbon-air-12140) and offer features like a sub-out and bluetooth that would be valuable in a multimedia use scenario. Plus they don‘t need a balanced input (or line isolator) to avoid ground loops like most real studio monitors would.

For all similar sized speakers you need to realize that of course from 4“ or so woofers you can only expect so much, but a used sub can be had cheap, fitting Elac or Canton etc. of moderate power are usually like 30€. That‘s why I would get active speakers with a sub-out just in case.

If you go the passive route the A07 is a good option. Speakers you can buy used, finding very compact ones for very cheap will be hard though because they only became popular relatively recently.
 

hexinho

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I would recommend the Edifier. Purely because the EQ settings you get from Maiky in this thread stretches your dollar investment way more IMO.

If you want a sub out function, you can consider the Edifier 1280DBs if that is available where you're at.
 
OP
Jeromeof

Jeromeof

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Check these out. Available in EU. 90 euro.

Yes thanks was looking at the passive Lonpoo these as they are the right price and I thought maybe with an a07 would at least be a start! But I didn’t realise they have an active model so will check it out. But other than that tnt review there isn’t allot of “real reviews” but I may go for it

Thanks
 
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DanielT

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Cheap small active speakers:

Conclusions
You are paying so little for a speaker that attempts to follow the path of much more expensive monitors with proper waveguide and balanced inputs. It takes over them with inclusion of volume control, RCA inputs, etc. Bass response is flat and impressive for such a small/light speaker. I wish it did not have the dip in lower treble though. Not sure why that is there if they did measure the speaker.

If you need an ultra cheap, active speaker and can use a bit of EQ, the Edifier MR4 makes a decent option. Just keep your expectations low as far as playback level.



Edifier MR4 Review Studio Monitor Computer Speaker.jpg
 
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Jeromeof

Jeromeof

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Cheap small active speakers:

Conclusions
You are paying so little for a speaker that attempts to follow the path of much more expensive monitors with proper waveguide and balanced inputs. It takes over them with inclusion of volume control, RCA inputs, etc. Bass response is flat and impressive for such a small/light speaker. I wish it did not have the dip in lower treble though. Not sure why that is there if they did measure the speaker.

If you need an ultra cheap, active speaker and can use a bit of EQ, the Edifier MR4 makes a decent option. Just keep your expectations low as far as playback level.



View attachment 172806
Very Interesting alrightt but I can’t seem to get them in Ireland yet ( they are not on Amazon ) !

Interesting that Edifier active bookshelf’s seem to get lots of great reviews as my initial gut feeling was spend the money on the Aiyima A07 and then get the best passive speakers I could for the remainder of my budget 80-100 as I could always swap / sell on the passive speakers later.

But I get the convenience of an active speaker !
 

DanielT

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Very Interesting alrightt but I can’t seem to get them in Ireland yet ( they are not on Amazon ) !

Interesting that Edifier active bookshelf’s seem to get lots of great reviews as my initial gut feeling was spend the money on the Aiyima A07 and then get the best passive speakers I could for the remainder of my budget 80-100 as I could always swap / sell on the passive speakers later.

But I get the convenience of an active speaker !
Contact some suppliers and ask if / when they receive them so you can order.:)
Active speakers... active (potential) buyers. There is nothing that makes traders more hor...than that.;)

Then we turn it around. Make a list of 5-10 active speakers, in your price range, that you can order in Ireland.Ignore going through them, checking to see if tests and measurements have been performed on them. Take only 5-10 active speakers that you can order. I can promise you that you will get reapons if you give these options because many like to give their opinion regarding speakers on ASR.:D

Edit:
Had I been you, I would have bought this instead, 0:45 into the video, the music is turned on. Advantage: you can buy and sell coveted vintage receiver / amplifier (NAD 3020 for example) for about the same price. Disadvantage, of course, old. It may need to be serviced, recaped possibly humming transformers and so on.


I have had an AIYIMA A07 in the bedroom but sold it in favor of a vintage HK 330C for reasons ... well watch the video and you will understand. What is most aesthetically pleasing? :)
(Not my HK 330C in that video. I'm not the first to figure this out with the 330C)

330C with the right speakers (it's mostly the speakers it hangs on, no matter how amplifier you have) sounds good.:)

But, hey, it's just me, my liking and feeling regarding appearance into the mix. However, this is the beauty of Hifi, you can do and choose what you want (not so stupid to read on tests about various hifi gadgets and theory in terms of what creates good sound).

Regarding amplifiers see:

 
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Jeromeof

Jeromeof

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Contact some suppliers and ask if / when they receive them so you can order.:)
Active speakers... active (potential) buyers. There is nothing that makes traders more hor...than that.;)

Then we turn it around. Make a list of 5-10 active speakers, in your price range, that you can order in Ireland.Ignore going through them, checking to see if tests and measurements have been performed on them. Take only 5-10 active speakers that you can order. I can promise you that you will get reapons if you give these options because many like to give their opinion regarding speakers on ASR.:D
Thanks for this - doing some research over the Christmas period for options available in Ireland (and Europe in general) that recommendations when it comes to a price / sound compromise are obviously very skewed to the US market. So while the reviews are great when used with a US for the recommendation can change the opinion of a given set of speakers. So for me I can get UK / EU based speakers e.g. Wharfdale / Q Acoutics / Dali while US based speakers are maybe 50% more expensive (if available at all).

Anyway - I decided to up my minimum spend for speakers (to Eur200 but no more - otherwise I might be paying for a Divorce :) ) and decided to go for a passive speaker rather than the Edifier - so will use an Aiyima A07 with whichever one I get. Currently the list is as follows:
1. Q Acoustics 3020i - I know the 3030i would be better but its too big for the space (and over the budget) - love the style of these
2. Dali Spektor 1
3. Jamo S 801
4. Cambridge Audio Minx XL
5. Wharfdale Diamond 220
6. Klipsch R-41M (this are slightly over the budget here but a possible stretch as I do like the stye also)

And advise / comments would be appreciated.
 

DanielT

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Wharfdale Diamond 220 I've heard. They sounded good to my ears. Keep in mind that they are at 8 Ohm, relatively low / normal sensitivity 86 dB so you have enough power on your amplifier.

Got a good review:


Have you checked and searched on this page here:


Here is some support and help:

 

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wwenze

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Yea, price/performance at your local dealer is always more important than the number of stars the product received from an overseas reviewer.

I gave a R1280 to my dad so he has something actually somewhat decent to use before he dies of old age, and I won't feel pain about it being mistreated by family members. It is also cheaper than buying amp + passive speaker. Will I use it if my budget is USD$100? Yes / Maybe - I'm not sure about what other budget choices you have access to, I know USA has a lot, but in my country the choices are limited and expensive. Will I use it if I have a well-paying job? Heck no, I will increase my budget as has been recommended by others.

As luck would have it, 4 of the speakers listed have been measured by Amir... but all of them measure funky so I will trust Amir's subjective listening. Turns out the Diamond 220 performed the best either way. My experience with Wharfedale over the years have been good (still owning Diamond 8) so maybe I like their house sound?

Note that some Diamond models can have comparatively less bass (for their size) and looks like Diamond 220 is one of those based on the measurements. But I'm not sure how that translates to actual practice since it has a much more unique bass port implementation. It does have what looks okay-ish max bass power handling so EQ is always an option.

Sidenote: Measured sensitivity is 86.9dB (spec: 86dB) quite high for a bookshelf, since most of them rate themselves higher than measured.
 
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DanielT

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Note that some Diamond models can have comparatively less bass (for their size) and looks like Diamond 220 is one of those based on the measurements.

Sidenote: Measured sensitivity is 86.9dB (spec: 86dB) quite high for a bookshelf, since most of them rate themselves higher than measured.
Are you right, 86.9dB, bookshelf. That was good.:)

More bass = sub, at a later stage, is an option. Preferably multiple sub + EQ. Depends on what level Jeromeof like to put it all on.:)
 

Willem

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I have the Wharfedale Diamond 220s in a secundary system, and they are remarkably good (for measure, my other speakers are Quad electrostats and Harbeth P3ESRs). In the Netherlands they sell for about 150 euros a pair, and sometimes for even less. However, they do like some juice - my personal amplifier suggestion for them would be the 200 euro Yamaha AS201. Their biggest sonic limitation, as Amir also noted, is their limited bass output. What there is is good, but if you want more, you will need a basic subwoofer (which would also add extra amplifier power, of course). Here, the designer clearly opted for quality rather than quantity, which I think was the right thing to do.
 

Yasuo

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Unless you plan to add a subwoofer, don't buy speakers with 4" woofers.
 
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