Help me find near field wall mount powered monitors - mid price, <10" deep

[ClosDeBen]

That mid-price part rules out the easiest choice of Genelec and of course they have nice looking mounts (granted the mounts are $100 each so as much as a low-end speaker). I need the wall mount due to tight desk space and large displays. I also likely need 10"max unit depth. I'd prefer to stay < $600/pair but saving cash doesn't help if I end up struggling to mount it in the space. Size rules out the Adam T5V and Kali LP-6. Also seems I'll have a tougher selection if I want them pointing slightly down peaking over my displays. Lots of monitors have a slight wedge shape pointing up. I need the opposite.

I could optionally use a sub if that'll help with my options. The JBL 305P are just small enough to fit I think. Anything come to mind ?

 

[AurekV]

If you don't need super SPLs and could use a sub then I would go with tiny Genelecs. I have found them great for space constrained situations I have a pair of G Ones but the 6010, and 8010 are quite similar. You could also go with something like the iLoud MTM if you could figure out how to mount them.

If you're going to buy Genelec and their mounts (and are in the US), they are usually cheaper from Thomann than from US retailers.

Can you take pictures of the setup to provide more context?

 

[ClosDeBen]

There's about 10" behind the monitors to the wall. Blue tape is the studs. Moderate to low SPL would be fine. Any best small Genelec ? For low SPL, do I lose much going down in size ?

 

[ClosDeBen]

@AurekV I see a message on their site saying Thomann won't ship Genelec to the US. Is there an alternate way to get them ? You're right they have far better pricing.

 

[HooStat]

Try Canada. StudioEconomik.

 

[AurekV]

You can look around to other non-US sellers of the Genelecs but the same restriction may apply to them as well, I didn't see that the last time I looked so I'm guessing it's new.

It seems like it might be more expedient to just buy the iLoud MTMs if you are not going to be going real loud as they are cheaper in the US and have a 3/8" mic thread (the European standard) built into the bottom of them making them relatively easy to mount like the Genelecs while providing better performance than at least the G One/6010/8010. They also have room correction that you may or may not like but is worth a try.

The big disadvantage of any speaker in this size class is SPL, especially at bass frequencies. The reviews of the iLoud MTM and Genelec 8010 reflect that. The same is actually somewhat true for the 305P, though not quite as much. The iLoud MTM looks to have distortion related to the amplifier at 96 dB, a limit at high frequencies you might hit if you were using them with a subwoofer and listening loud.

All that said, at the sort of distances you are going to be listening I am happy with my G Ones and I also listen at a moderate SPL (which I take to mean not more than 85 dB at 1M).

As far as bass extension/bass SPL goes it depends on what sort of audio content you listen to and how much LF content it has and how low it reaches. For some material having a system that reaches down to 40 Hz (which requires either 8" monitors or sub(s)) can make a significant difference. I would say generally something like the iLoud MTMs would be satisfying but they can't do miracles with a lot of sub basses, artillery fire, or pipe organs.

I also see that you have a standing desk which might play into this if you are going to be raising it up potentially getting it in the way of the speakers.

If you can fit the 305Ps and can figure out a way to mount them that isn't too much trouble and actually aims them at your ears properly (they definitely need to be put upside down) then I might go with those simply based on their very affordable price which would allow you to just save some cash and buy other useful things like a sub and/or measurement mic for doing room correction.

 

[AurekV]

I realized I didn't mention the Neumann KH80 but it is of course an exceptional speaker that has a first party mount and probably some other mounting possibilities as well. They can be had for around $700 a pair B-Stock it seems, close to the iLoud MTM. It looks like they have better distortion performance as well, indicated by Neumann's (actually accurate) measurements. You'll get more useful low end out of these than the iLoud MTM, any of the Genelecs I mentioned previously and probably the 305Ps as well.

It is also possible to buy the 8020s used for around $700 a pair but they seem to be a bit worse (less linear) and don't have the built in DSP (assuming you have something that can run iPad apps to control it). Though as a plus they have extremely durable aluminum chassis.

 

[ClosDeBen]

I'd read in the past that the 8030 was a sweet spot model. I love the Genelec for it's mounting options. I saw the A5X also has mounting threads.

I was trying to imagine a side clamp wall mount holding 305P's or something of similar size. The aesthetics of chunky wall-mounted boxes outweigh the money saved so I have to rethink budget. I'll make some cardboard boxes to put in place and see what they look like tilted toward my head before I go that direction.

 

[AurekV]

It is the 5 inch 2 way in the lineup, so that is typically the best middle of the road option for use without a subwoofer and output for medium distances (say up to 2m). The 8030 also looks to have better directivity and on-axis FR than all of the rest of the 80XX series but not by a great deal.

In nearfield at the listening levels you describe a 4" 2 way can suffice, something like the KH 80 being just as good as the 8030 (and also having good first party mounting options) with the bit less output and bass extension that its size entails. Even a 3" 2 way can work well with a sub. My prefrence is always to use a sub when using speakers smaller than something like my 708Ps (which can get real extension down to 40 Hz, and I even use subs with those) but that is dependent on the sort of content I listen to.

You could get a pair of KH 80s and even a cheap sub like the Dayton Audio SUB-1200 and get better results out of the system than the 8030s for less money.

 

[ClosDeBen]

Thomann does sell HEDD 05's or Eve SC205's to the US. The Hedd's are pricey but less so overseas. Both have good mounting options. I'll check KH 80's too. I saw a few comments questioning the SC205's reliability. Would suck to have to send them to Germany for service.

 

[AurekV]

I would caution against either the HEDD 05s or the Eve SC205s. In the only seemingly decent measurements of the HEDD 05s here they show much worse directivity than comparable Neumann or Genelec speakers, and in fact anything else mentioned here with exception of the Eve SC205s perhaps. Though I haven't been able to find measurements of the Eve SC205s I would imagine that because they don't have a waveguide for directivity control on the tweeter they are likely to have even worse off axis (directivity) performance than the HEDD 05s. If you want something with a ribbon tweeter (which I don't really see much unique benefit for, though of course there are good speakers with them) then I would look at the ADAM T5V (reviews on ASR) but only if you can apply EQ to shelf down its exaggerated high frequencies.

 

[ClosDeBen]

Shame on the Hedd's and Eve measurements. Thanks though. Good to know.