Need recommendation for micro bookshelf speaker

[Spirit84]

I am hoping that some o the speaker experts would have some ideas about the following scenario:
In my Family Room - 14.5'W x 18.5'L x 8'H - I have an AV unit in front of the TV. On either end of the unit there is a small door
with mesh grills on the door. Behind each door there is a room for a small speaker. These speakers would be for music listening only as
I have a soundbar on top of the unit which I use for TV sound.
The issue is that the speakers would have to be quite small:
Maximum size: 7"W x 10"H (the depth is not an issue as there is a large cavity).
I listen to mostly acoustic, jazz and vocal music so the midrange and top end are my primary focus. Because of the necessary small size
the bass will be what it will be. I am not going to be blasting in this room - I am more interested in a design that is really smooth sounding.
I don't care about the look of the cabinet whatsoever because the doors will hide the speakers: even plywood would be fine.
At this size requirement I am thinking that a DIY kit may be in order.
Also: in my mind I am wondering whether a 2 way (tweeter and woofer) or a single driver full-range would be the ticket.
Since I am not going to spend a lot on the cabinet I would like some really musical drivers.
I am thinking maybe $500.00 for the drivers for the pair plus the wood would be my budget.
Any advice as what kind of design I should be looking at and also where to look online would be very much appreciated.

 

[Another Bob]

A common theme you will find on this site that applies here is that implementation matters more than components. I've designed and built a fair number of speaker systems (as a hobbyist, not professionally), and have found that to be true. It's less a matter of finding "musical drivers" than it is about finding drivers that are well matched to each other, developing the appropriate crossover, eliminating cabinet resonances, etc. And while DIY speakers are a lot of fun and very educational, my experience has been that even with fairly sophisticated computer modeling and measurement tools you are unlikely to get a better sounding result than what is available commercially. In any case, your performance will be limited by having the speakers inside a cabinet with mesh grilles, which will almost certainly generate some fairly significant response anomalies.

 

[Ron Texas]

Look at Audioengine. They make both active and passive speakers. Some are very small. Prices are reasonable.

 

[Spirit84]

A common theme you will find on this site that applies here is that implementation matters more than components. I've designed and built a fair number of speaker systems (as a hobbyist, not professionally), and have found that to be true. It's less a matter of finding "musical drivers" than it is about finding drivers that are well matched to each other, developing the appropriate crossover, eliminating cabinet resonances, etc. And while DIY speakers are a lot of fun and very educational, my experience has been that even with fairly sophisticated computer modeling and measurement tools you are unlikely to get a better sounding result than what is available commercially. In any case, your performance will be limited by having the speakers inside a cabinet with mesh grilles, which will almost certainly generate some fairly significant response anomalies.

These are very fair comments and I appreciate the input. I am trying to educate myself as much as I can in order to pull the trigger on "something".
I realize that I am not dealing with the best situation but having some music to listen too is better than having nothing.
I assume that there must be some kind of micro kit available that would satisfy my needs.

 

[astr0b0y]

Almost an inch too tall but may be worth contacting the owner, Dave, to see if he can do a custom height by adding depth http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/luna/luna.html

 

[Spirit84]

Almost an inch too tall but may be worth contacting the owner, Dave, to see if he can do a custom height by adding depth http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/luna/luna.html

Good idea! I think I will give him a call. does he make good sounding stuff?

 

[astr0b0y]

I think so, but as an owner of their speakers I am biased - the RAAL ribbon tweeter does sound fantastic to me for vocal content. I do know they are quite open to customising cabinet sizes and shapes within he constraints of required internal volume.

 

[wadec22]

someone on this site recommended these to me. I bought the zero's for my desktop. the one or one encore look like they are exactly 10" tall.... so not sure if they will work or not.

https://vanatoo.com/
http://noaudiophile.com/Vanatoo_Transparent_One/
http://noaudiophile.com/Vanatoo_Transparent_Zero/

best small speakers I've ever owned. those reviews are very much like this site, he does a plethora of measurements.

good luck!

 

[amirm]

https://vanatoo.com/

This was going to be my suggestion. Very clever design and sounds way better than one imagines. The ones I have heard were active though.

 

[LightninBoy]

Assuming active speakers are acceptable, there are a lot of smaller studio monitors that would fit. I think you would want to avoid a rear port design and go with either front ported or sealed. Here's a candidate ....

https://www.guitarcenter.com/KRK/Rokit-Powered-5-Generation-3.gc

 

[bigx5murf]

I've owned quite a few pairs of tiny speakers. Energy take 5.2, realistic minimus7, optimus lx5, fluance ss6

The best ones I've had were monitor audio radius 90, jamo c601, sony ss-cex1, and philips mcd702.

 

[restorer-john]

You may be able to squeeze in a pair of Dali Zensors. They are an amazing little speaker. 6 year warranty too.

https://www.dali-speakers.com/loudspeakers/zensor/zensor-1/

I have a pair of Zensor 1s which I got just for fun. Check the dimensions, but you may need to look at the Zensor Pico.

https://www.dali-speakers.com/loudspeakers/zensor/zensor-pico/

https://www.dali-speakers.com/loudspeakers/zensor/

this is a cool factory tour

 

[Willem]

My favourite small speaker is the Harbeth P3ESR that I use as a desktop speaker. However, it is too big for you, and well beyond the stated budget. For our bedroom I recently bought a set of the discontinued Q Acoustics 3010 mini monitors, and these would fit. I paid the equivalent of $200 a set. I am really pleased with the sound. It is rear ported and I needed to plug the port to avoid boom in my location, and I also reduced the HF output a bit with the Chromecast Audio tone control. After all that, it is very easy to live with and it looks very elegant with a white lacquer finish in my case. The slightly larger successor model, the 3010i, may just fit. I have no idea if these are marketed in the US, if that is where you are.

 

[Phineas Newborn Jr.]

Can't do better for the size than with these -
A/D/S/ L200 or L300 micros

Vintage, but excellent, and 1/4 of your budget.

 

[Panelhead]

My personal small monitors are Blue Sky System One. But it is a three unit 2.1 with sub, like 100 pound sub. The active monitors are Class A/B. Small too.
Several friends brag on Klipsch Sixes. I have never really listened, but they do look pretty with real wood cabinets.
This is not stereo speakers but my wife, son, and daughter have Marshall all in ones. My son has a Stanmore, the other two are Acton. The file quality is a limit on Sonics, they stream from their phones.

 

[soundwave76]

I recommend Genelec active monitors with DSP room correction. Once you've experienced the room correction, you will NEVER go back. They come also in many sizes and colors.

https://www.genelec.com/studio-monitors/sam-compact-studio-monitors

 

[Panelhead]

The latest version of Blue Sky Monitors includes DSP also. Have not seen them, they are 3K. And sell at Guitar Center. Not many 3K monitors from unknown companies get stocked.
They definitely raised the bar, they were made in China and a third the cost. Now made in California and high dollar.
Lot of great options. If active is desired I like going to Guitar Center and seeing what they have. All are connected.
I went in one time to restring a guitar. Saw a Blue Sky Ev02 system NIB for 169.00. They could not move them at 700.00. Seen other better known speakers cheap too. They sometimes mark them way down to get rid of.

 

[SIY]

This was going to be my suggestion. Very clever design and sounds way better than one imagines. The ones I have heard were active though.

They are indeed active. And accessible via Bluetooth which makes installation even easier.

Link to my review. They sound remarkably good, period, much less "remarkably good for the price." I just packed them up for our impending move, and they'll continue to be a staple for listening in my lab.

 

[SMc]

NHT SuperZero. 2-way acoustic suspension. 9"H X 5"W. Good price now at Amazon.

 

[JRG1488]

Edifier rt1700 Review and frequency graphs here: https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=131553.0 .