Personal experiences with small ~4" desktop speakers and subs?

[617]

KH 80 DSP seems like the perfect fit to me. They’re expensive, but you’re not going to find better engineering. I’d been using them for a while…until yesterday actually. I just swapped mine for a pair of KH 120 II. I’m not sure they will stay. They look so much bigger on the desk. There are also always used 1st gen KH 120.

If you want serviceable and a lot cheaper, and are willing to use a small amp, what about the KEF E301 new, or in used the older KEF 3001SE eggs, Tannoy Arena eggs, Paradigm Millenia, or the baby PSB (name escapes me).

KH80 seem like a nice option. It is very small.

Just checked and interestingly my past (3 year ago) desktop MMM measurements show also a slight peak around 5 kHz:

View attachment 319483

I don't have the measurements at the ready, but mine exhibit a huge peak, but only in one speaker.

 

[snackiac]

I have a KH80 LCR setup with two SVS 3000 micros (integrated with Audyssey XT32), and I loved it enough to get a stereo KH80 + KH750 + MA1 setup for my office. It finally feels like endgame to me after going through Ascend, KEF, and Elac.

 

[warpdrive]

Have you considered something like the Vanatoo line? They have some DSP controls built-in, and reach pretty deep for their size (passive radiators)

 

[Miguelón]

What did you finally get?

I’m arriving to final of 30 days Thomann free period with 8030 and 8020, and still doubt.

For my subjective point of view 8020 is a better choice for casual listening and enjoying, it has more “fun” bass and some points of shining low highs, but is less linear than 8030. In room response since to be better (probably because smaller driver) but have no measurements.

8030 is an excellent monitor with better FQ response and LF, but is more complicated to fit and have to turn “desktop” dip switch that make so dry.

Probably I will go to 8020d pair, and add a 7040 sub in the future, since I have to take a decision this week all opinions are wellcome!

 

[feitaishi]

I have a KH80 LCR setup with two SVS 3000 micros (integrated with Audyssey XT32), and I loved it enough to get a stereo KH80 + KH750 + MA1 setup for my office. It finally feels like endgame to me after going through Ascend, KEF, and Elac.

is there a huge different from svs3000 to kh750 setup?

 

[snackiac]

is there a huge different from svs3000 to kh750 setup?

It's pretty hard to compare. The KH750 setup is better sounding to me (more bass detail primarily), but the environment and what they're optimized for is so different I don't think it means much as a data point. One is near field in a small room, and sounds perfect in like a 2 foot radius around the listening spot, while the other is in a larger open area and sounds good across the sofa.

 

[Standalone]

Good afternoon everyone. I have a pair of LSR305 for my computer. I've measured them before, and my particular pair have some response abnormalities, so I was thinking of upgrading to something else.

I recently added and mostly integrated a fairly high end 10" subwoofer in a sealed enclosure with a 250W dsp amplifier. Adding this subwoofer has really created delightful sound, with beautiful tuneful bass going as deep and as loud as I could want in this space. I have another driver, so I may build a dual opposed unit or perhaps locate it somewhere else in the room, but space is at a premium, and I am happy with the one for now.

I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with both inexpensive powered speakers such as the jbl 305 or Kali LP6 compared to slightly higher end, but smaller solutions, in a smaller form factor. I'm looking at units like:

• The iLoud MT and MTM speakers, which are tiny
• Small but higher end options like Genelec 8010, Neuman kh80
• Adam a4 speakers
• Maybe the KRK v4

I am not looking for, nor do I need a super 'accurate' speaker, but something free of major resonances and offering some kind of HF/LF/desk bounce adjustment would be nice. High output is not necessary, I listen from about 2 or 3 feet away at my desk, so I'm wondering if these would work well. I am wondering if I should go down this path or get something like the Kali in-5, which costs less, but offers a 3 way design and greater output potential.

I'm late to the party and a new member here, but I thought I'd respond.

My first studio monitors was a used pair of KRK V4. I upgraded to JBL LSR308 powered monitors. The 308's are much better than the 305's, based on my in-store listening tests, which were fairly thorough listening tests as far as Guitar Center experiences go. So my comparison may not be exact, but I have spent a lot of time with my V4's.

The V4 is a great speaker. I mixed my jazz standards / bossa nova group's studio work on them, and lots of live church pipe organ music as well as rock projects. They are a more solid, higher quality build than the JBL's and that robustness always seemed to translate to a evenness and clarity. They were never fatiguing, and suited my preference for a speaker that has warmth and accuracy in balance. The JBL 8" have a similar characteristic at what I felt was a wider stereo field and a more open experience while mixing. I'd imagine that the V4's would be more directional than the JBL's with their sort of horn loaded tweeter arrangement, and given what I just read about them in a review on this forum. AuidioScienceReview of JBL LSR 308

Anyway, my demo of the 305's and the V4's happened in the same listening room at my local GC, but with a few years in between.

 

[skillzmcgavern]

I use the V4 for my nearfields; they go great with a JBL LSR310S if you like a sub with it. Haven’t used any room correction or EQ but they have various options for that onboard. Very detailed mids, and the least fatiguing monitor I’ve had.