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Looking for a budget Speaker option for some fairly specific input requirements

Duffking

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Jan 29, 2026
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Hi everyone, I've been doing some research on speakers lately and am unsure what to buy that meets my needs. I'm a hobbyist guitar player and last year I decided to grab an audio interface and some amp sim software for my PC so I have an option to play more quietly than my "real" amp (tube/valve amps tend to need the volume pushed to sound good, unlike sims). Shortly after that, I figured I'd get some budget speakers as a nice middle ground between full size amp and headphones.

Since getting some speakers, I've realised I have a pretty wide range of use for them and have some pretty specific input needs as a result:
  • For my PC/Guitar audio - my audio interface is a Focusrite Solo, so it has only a pair of balanced TRS 1/4 jacks on the back
  • I also wound up using them for my work laptop - HDMI out to my PC monitor, then using the 3.5mm out into the Aux in
  • And then also my games console at my desk, which connects in the same way as the work laptop
The speakers I bought (Presonus Eris 3.5... :facepalm:) without doing much research. They at least work for my connectivity needs, but not for my audio needs. I'm not exactly an audiophile, but I at least know what I don't like about these.
  • They're incredibly boomy in some situations, particularly if I use a pitch shift effect on my guitar to play in lower tunings. They tend to add a fair bit of frequency at ~100-150hz. Which as far as I can tell, is where the Eris have an enormous hump.
  • That's compounded with their seemingly cut mids, which means I'm both feeling like I'm not getting a lot of clarity, and when using them to play a backing track it's hard to actually play along. One of the worst examples for a combination of the above is this song (death metal warning), which just sounds dreadful through these things.
Pretty much the only other positive I can see in them other than the connectivity is they can go loud enough to compete with my amp when I want turn it up a little (not building shaking volume or anything, more like... annoy my wife and dog volume).

So I'm in the market for something else. Needs to go moderately loud, good clarity, ideally not sound too bad if I move around a bit, roughly £250 max, and have the inputs I need. I've looked at the following:
  • Adam Audio T5V - A little pricey, but also the inputs are XLR and not TRS. No 3.5mm input, but it has an unbalanced RCA so I could presumably just split it. No front volume control is a bit of a bummer.
  • Yamaha HS4 - Has the right inputs, but I'm not really seeing much info about these online.
  • Edifier MR3 - Has the right inputs, but seems like it might not push enough volume to compete with my "big" amp
  • Edifier MR5 - Has the right inputs, presumably loud enough, less accurate sound but maybe it doesn't matter for my use a case?
  • IK Multimedia iLoud Micro - Only has RCA or a single 1/8 TRS, so not sure if I can do much there conversion wise
  • Kali LP-UNF - Balanced TRS in and unbalanced RCA in, so I could split the 3.5mm for the RCA I guess. My misgiving is the "ultra" near field - how badly will things start to sound as I move away really?
  • JBL 305p - Would be great but only has balanced XLR/TRS inputs so no good on the 3.5mm
  • Kanto Ora - only has RCA and USB-C input, might not be loud enough
Looking at my list above, the ones that seem to make possible sense are the HS4s, MR5s or the Kalis. I'm leaning toward the Kalis as they seem to be the best speaker of the bunch but I'm concerned about the restriction hearing wise. I don't need room filling sound or anything, but I'm going to move around a bit, sometimes play my guitar standing etc.

I'd really appreciate if anyone could offer any advice - I don't really want to shell out for any converter equipment if I can avoid it.
 
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