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Monitors for right up against the wall

hvbias

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I was doing some digging for Behringer 2301A that @Bjorn mentioned in the JBL LSR thread. I need active monitors that can be used right up against the walls. These have the ports on the front which is why I was thinking about them. I do like that they fared well in a blind test against the Orions, those were speakers that I consistently thought sounded very good (never exceptional, never bad) at hifi shows.

Unfortunately I couldn't find any official measurements on the Behringer except for this link: http://dtmblabber.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-of-polar-graphs.html

Open to all suggestions. Anyone know what Behringer's customer service is like?

Thanks.
 

andreasmaaan

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The Behringers are not bad all-round speakers IMO. They are well-behaved, with a pretty neutral tonal balance and no obvious flaws apart from lacking clarity and resolution.

A friend has a pair that I might be able to borrow to measure, although that will take a couple of weeks/months I think...

EDIT: please scrap everything I just said! This friend has the 1031A. My bad...
 
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maty

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http://noaudiophile.com/Behringer_Truth_B2031A/

IMG -> http://noaudiophile.com/Behringer_Truth_B2031A/Behringer_Truth_B2031A_Off_Axis.jpg

IMG -> http://noaudiophile.com/Behringer_Truth_B2031A/Behringer_Truth_B2031A_DSP_Correction.jpg

[ Corrected Listening Impressions:

With the grillless tweeter and 29Hz bass extension this speaker is surprisingly not that different than it was for most music. Bass is a little less punchy and instead deeper. Music is a little more clear, and a little more smooth, and a little more refined. Still the tweeter is the weak link on this speaker, and unless you want to try and DIY a soft dome into the speaker or add some felt to the wave guide I don't this you can fix it. The bass response is still super clean and beats any budget subwoofer I've used in the past. Not only that, midbass clarity is not compromised by the added extension. Even in movies the bass is smooth and understated, not a rumble clusterfuck that you get from floppy bass cannons. ]
 

AnalogSteph

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B2031As seem to have a bit of a midbass hump (and some hiss as common in inexpensive monitors, plus potentially some sample variation in hiss / hum), but the waveguide and active crossover result in very good dispersion. A deserved classic in the Behringer portfolio. Probably best used at medium distances of 1.5 to 2.5 m (5-8'), maybe a bit closer but not super close.
 
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hvbias

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http://noaudiophile.com/Behringer_Truth_B2031A/

IMG -> http://noaudiophile.com/Behringer_Truth_B2031A/Behringer_Truth_B2031A_Off_Axis.jpg

IMG -> http://noaudiophile.com/Behringer_Truth_B2031A/Behringer_Truth_B2031A_DSP_Correction.jpg

[ Corrected Listening Impressions:

With the grillless tweeter and 29Hz bass extension this speaker is surprisingly not that different than it was for most music. Bass is a little less punchy and instead deeper. Music is a little more clear, and a little more smooth, and a little more refined. Still the tweeter is the weak link on this speaker, and unless you want to try and DIY a soft dome into the speaker or add some felt to the wave guide I don't this you can fix it. The bass response is still super clean and beats any budget subwoofer I've used in the past. Not only that, midbass clarity is not compromised by the added extension. Even in movies the bass is smooth and understated, not a rumble clusterfuck that you get from floppy bass cannons. ]

I like this reviewer, he has a great sense of humor :D

Seems like there are pros and cons between it and the 305. Resolution is one I would be interested in knowing more about.

Edit: after reading the LSR305 review I am thinking the newer 305MKII is probably the way to go as its short comings should be easy to fix with some DSP. So making the effort to re-arrange my desk to give them some space may be worth it.
 
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maty

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Edit: after reading the LSR305 review I am thinking the newer 305MKII is probably the way to go as its short comings should be easy to fix with some DSP. So making the effort to re-arrange my desk to give them some space may be worth it.

Hummm... I think it is not a good idea if you listen very good recordings. TV, films and modern commercial music OK.

JBL LSR305 MKII's are out!

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=155153.0
 

mshenay

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I like this reviewer, he has a great sense of humor :D

Seems like there are pros and cons between it and the 305. Resolution is one I would be interested in knowing more about.

Edit: after reading the LSR305 review I am thinking the newer 305MKII is probably the way to go as its short comings should be easy to fix with some DSP. So making the effort to re-arrange my desk to give them some space may be worth it.

I'll be honest I just shoved my 305 MKii's against a wall and I'm decently impressed with how they sound, actually I find them a lot more even in the smaller room than when I had them in my larger space

45585048_2309119252645116_8382744411863252992_o.jpg
 

SIY

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I've tried the Kali LP-6s against the wall, using the built-in EQ adjustment. Worked a charm.
 
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hvbias

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I ended up going with the LSR 305 MKII pulled about 8 inches from the front wall. So far I've only used them to listen to piano recordings and they sound very good, certainly capable of digging deep resolution wise with nice accurate tonal balance. They aren't realistic with producing loud fortissimos but that is pretty much to be expected given I'm not using a subwoofer with them and their limited volume output.

I'm using a prototype ESS DAC with JRiver to control the volume, the hiss is definitely noticeable with no music playing.

I've certainly spent way more on headphones that far under delivered, these speakers are a great value. My one complaint about HD650 and HD660S is they can sound a bit boxed in the treble, these speakers sound open and greatly reveal any surface noise from 78 transfers to digital or hiss from early 1950s tape formulation. Though it's not as bad as my big Harbeths which have a bump in that problematic region.

I should have mentioned in the OP that these are for computer use which is why I wasn't looking to spend Kii/D&D type of money. I have them on either end of a 35" UW monitor.
 
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hvbias

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I bought the 306 MKII as well since they were so cheap. Cheekily repackaged the 305 to look like they were new and will be gifting them to my dad :p

I've been listening to the 306 in my living room, (in a more optimal setup with subs) and I get why the M2 are popular if they sound like bigger, more dynamic/better extension version of these LSR series. Anyone that tells you audiophile speakers are more refined (I own Harbeths) is just holding a grudge, I've been listening to Chopin's Mazurkas (Wasowski), Bach's Partitas for violin (Martzy), Well Tempered Clavier (Samuil Feinberg), Klemperer Mahler S2, Mravinsky's Tchaikovsky, etc as well as Szell conducted (bold, dynamic, great structural integrity to the symphonies) symphonies of Beethoven and Mahler and they are superb. Lucchesini's pianissimo and contrasting sforzandos on Op. 31/2 sound much better with better bass extension and some room for the speakers to shine.

Fortunately with the beastly size of the AW3418 these 306 still don't look out of place on a computer desk.
 
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