Newbie | New system recommendation - 2.1 active vs passive speakers for music listening

[Jollac]

Hi guys,

please help me choose right option to buy new 2.1 speakers.
As a newbie I spent a lot of time researching information and still I'm not decided which way I could choose to best result, although I believe every option will be sounds good.
First thought was buy active speakers, but more I found out more I can't do decision if active or passive system.

Here are my current options:

Source is linux laptop with lossless music (FLAC).
Listening distance is 5 meters from speakers. Small room (size 25-28 square meters?).
Original budget is 1400€ (including VAT 21%)

1) Active 2.1 Speakers

DAC - Topping D50 III
Yamaha HS8 white + Yamaha HS8S subwoofer
(or JBL 306/308 + JBL LSR310s or something from Kali, doesn't matter right now)

Pros
+ price (1400€ + cables)
+ simple setup
+ USB DAC, probably better option for DAC but can I really hear different vs DAC used in passive option with same speakers?
+ can purchase in my country

Cons
- a lot of cables (USB from laptop to DAC, 2 cables from DAC to SUB, 2 cables from SUB to speakers, 3 power cords, ...)
- possible hiss and hum from active speakers/subwoofer (I don't like it, even it is audible only without music).


2) Passive Speakers + Active subwoofer

There is more variant for DAC/amp
a) Topping D50 III + Amp with balanced input and SUB output - amp from SMSL (or SMSL DAC/Amp combo?) or AIYIMA but no option has good review here and probably need to buy from other country (shipping cost and warranty)
Or please recommend subwoofer with balanced input and balanced output to Topping PA5 II ... but will sound signal on output still same as on input?
b) Wiim Amp Pro or Wiim Amp Ultra - used only as DAC/Amp combo. No USB input for DAC. 460€/612€ and need to buy HDMI Arc extractor also (55€ ?)
c) integrated Amp like Yamaha R-N800A - highest price (1070€ in my country)

2 variants for speakers
a) ELAC DBR62 + ELAC DS103-BK subwoofer - price 920€

b) AsciLab F6Bs + SVS SB-1000 subwoofer - price 1342€ (807€ + 535€) + shipping. No possibility to hear AsciLab speakers before I buy them (blind purchase) and shipping from France (cost + warranty).

Pros
+ I hope for better sound but really?
+ probably hiss and hum free?
+ your advice?

Cons
- price above original budget - no problem increase for good reason but there is significant increase of price up to 2600€
- blind purchase in case of AsciLab from France, but why I'm thinking about it?


For example passive combo Elac + Wiim is for same price as active option... But I have no preference option.

Truth is that now I am lost. Can you please help me?

Thanks a lot!


@ moderator:
I don't know where is my original post, maybe something goes wrong, But in case it was deleted - please send me message why and what I can do better. Thank you
EDIT: Original thread appeared again so I edited it and can be deleted as duplicate (please keep this thread as current). Thanks

 

[l_lama]

Listening distance is 5 meters from speakers. Small room (size 25-28 square meters?).

This room is not small for any country with prices in Euro
Anyway, if you want to be 5 meter from speaker, the speakers should be 5 meters far from each other.
Your listening position and speakers should form a triangle with all equal sides.
Sure some deviations are possible, but you most probably will lose any stereo when you are 5 meter away, but speakers are just 1,5 meters from each other.

Assuming 5 meter between speakers and you (with laptop), the path will long, as you can't just lay the cable on the floor in the middle of the room. So you will either need long USB cable (maybe 10 meter long) - it is surprisingly pricey. Or use balanced cables for analog signal (from DAC at your desk to active speakers), or long and thick speakers cables from amplifier at your desk to speakers.

5 meter requirement looks very troublesome, whether you can make some sketch explaining your room floor plan with points available for speakers installation. For 25 sqm, I think 2.5 meters will be quite good distance for speakers.

Also please clarify about HDMI - do you please TV integration?
If you want speakers on your working desk, go with some monitors on the desk (you'll need large desk for anything with 7" speakers, so consider special stands behind the desk for Yamahas). There should be something else for TV if TV is not right in the meter behind your desk.

For TV - you can go with any AV-receivers like Denon X3700H (pre-owned) and pair of passive speakers. Receiver's amplification capabilities are limiting you speakers selection, but there are still a lot of options. This rig comes with very decent room correction and has pre-amplifier outputs with not bad measurements (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/denon-avr-x3700h-avr-review.15031/), so you can later get power amp if necessary.
And it will be the best possible TV integration expirience.

Integrated solution with HDMI from Yamaha, Denon or Rotel are not cheap, not exactly awesome and has limited upgrade capabilities.

 

[Jollac]

Room itself has cca 20 square meters (3,7 x 5,2), rest is L-shaped open kitchen. But yes, equilateral triangle is not my case.
Source laptop is not with me on sofa (my position), so length of digital cable (USB, HDMI or optical from laptop to DAC/Amp) is not problem.
I plan to place DAC/Amp close to speakers so analog signal cables (balanced in case of active way or passive speaker cables from Amp to main speakers + Sub) length will be up to 2 meters (also it is distance between left and right speaker), no more.

@HDMI
I don't own TV and have no plans to change that.
HDMI I mentioned only in case I will use Wiim Amp Pro/Ultra as DAC/Amp combo in passive way as Wiim has no USB DAC input.
So no need to deal with AV receiver...

Right now I need to choose between active or passive option.
In case of active I have idea how to continue (described in original post).
In case of passive there is more additional questions like ELAC DBR62 vs AsciLab F6Bs speakers, which subwoofer, which Amp )

If I can get significantly better sound from passive option I can prefer it, especially if it can be hum/hiss free.

 

[l_lama]

I had a chance to test Yamaha HS (including subwoofer) at retailer few years ago, it did not impress me from bass perspective.

The active speakers you've mentioned are near-field monitor. This literally means, that it's deign assumes you are close to them, in fixed sweet spot, so room reflections has smaller impact and also that you are listening them at reference level of loudness adjusted by SPL meter.

For 2meters+ there are mid-field monitors, albeit for much more money even entry-level. Maybe pair of EVE Audio SC307 could fit your budget on sales, ribbon tweeter should forgive some positioning inaccuracy, so you'll have must broader area of 'best possible' sound.

Make sure speakers are lifted on your ear level (required stands cost money).

I like idea of active speakers for entry-level setup, it makes you free from hesitation about compatibility and under/oversizing of components.

My previous searches pointed me to Klipsh (Fives, Sevens), KEF (LSX, Koda) and Active Energy.
Klipsch and AE were funny at listening room, had no experience with KEF, but there are plenty of good feedbacks.

At least Klipsh has sub out, I think SVS SB1000 Pro sub with it's built-in DSP and mobile app could be a good pair.

Fun is much more important than measurements.