Hi everyone,
I had an Asus Essence STX audio card that I'd liked, but when I changed my computer for a new one with Win11, the driver kept crashing and was globally not pleasant to use. I decided to go with a Schiit Stack to replace it. I have a no non-sense attitude regarding audiophile gears. If justified I'm okay to pay for quality and something that will last a decade. That's why I purchased Schiit Stack over Topping DX3. Now, I would like to upgrade my PC speaker as well. I used them mainly for low volume and multimedia (gaming, music and movies). I'm in a apartment so I cannot go crazy with the bass. Subwoofer is not needed. I'm in Canada, but I converted everything to USD.
Requirement:
-> Compact. Strong preference for speaker driver between 3 inch and 4 inch.
-> 300 USD budget (400 USD max if it unlocks significantly more interesting products)
-> Near-field listening only. Speaker will be 2-3 inches from the wall.
-> Significant upgrade from existing setup.
-> (Bonus) Something close to the sound signature of the ATH-M50X. They are my main headphone for the last 10 years and I still like them.
Option 1: Schiit Rekkr and a passive bookshelf speaker. I would prefer that option but I seems way more expensive than powered monitor. Rekkr alone is 150USD and good speaker pair, that doesn't require massive EQ, are like 300USD alone (Dali Spektor 1). I've looked for Dayton Audio M402X (100USD) that are looking decent but i don't think it's a good match with the Rekkr low power.
Option 2: Powered Studio monitors. This seems to be the cheapest solution for acceptable quality. I don't really like the idea that the signal will most likely be digitized to apply some EQ inside the speaker... That said, the Edifier MR4 (130USD) seems to be the best bang for the bucks. It seems that Mackie CX-4 or Presonus Eris 4 are inferior to the Edifier MR4 concerning the flatness and bass response. And after that it's a no man's land. Only bigger 5 inches speaker. I saw the Fostex PM0.4 at 230USD but it is not clear if they are worth it or not.
My actual setup:
DAC: Schiit Modi+
Headphone Amp: Schiit Magni+ Heresy
Headphone : Audio-technica ATH-M50X
PC Speaker : Logitech Z213 (Purchased 5 years ago for 20$ in a clearance)
Sorry if this post is too loaded with information or if there is another thread already. I've read a lot of review and forum thread in the past day and the more that I read the more i'm confused.
Thanks for your help.
I had an Asus Essence STX audio card that I'd liked, but when I changed my computer for a new one with Win11, the driver kept crashing and was globally not pleasant to use. I decided to go with a Schiit Stack to replace it. I have a no non-sense attitude regarding audiophile gears. If justified I'm okay to pay for quality and something that will last a decade. That's why I purchased Schiit Stack over Topping DX3. Now, I would like to upgrade my PC speaker as well. I used them mainly for low volume and multimedia (gaming, music and movies). I'm in a apartment so I cannot go crazy with the bass. Subwoofer is not needed. I'm in Canada, but I converted everything to USD.
Requirement:
-> Compact. Strong preference for speaker driver between 3 inch and 4 inch.
-> 300 USD budget (400 USD max if it unlocks significantly more interesting products)
-> Near-field listening only. Speaker will be 2-3 inches from the wall.
-> Significant upgrade from existing setup.
-> (Bonus) Something close to the sound signature of the ATH-M50X. They are my main headphone for the last 10 years and I still like them.
Option 1: Schiit Rekkr and a passive bookshelf speaker. I would prefer that option but I seems way more expensive than powered monitor. Rekkr alone is 150USD and good speaker pair, that doesn't require massive EQ, are like 300USD alone (Dali Spektor 1). I've looked for Dayton Audio M402X (100USD) that are looking decent but i don't think it's a good match with the Rekkr low power.
Option 2: Powered Studio monitors. This seems to be the cheapest solution for acceptable quality. I don't really like the idea that the signal will most likely be digitized to apply some EQ inside the speaker... That said, the Edifier MR4 (130USD) seems to be the best bang for the bucks. It seems that Mackie CX-4 or Presonus Eris 4 are inferior to the Edifier MR4 concerning the flatness and bass response. And after that it's a no man's land. Only bigger 5 inches speaker. I saw the Fostex PM0.4 at 230USD but it is not clear if they are worth it or not.
My actual setup:
DAC: Schiit Modi+
Headphone Amp: Schiit Magni+ Heresy
Headphone : Audio-technica ATH-M50X
PC Speaker : Logitech Z213 (Purchased 5 years ago for 20$ in a clearance)
Sorry if this post is too loaded with information or if there is another thread already. I've read a lot of review and forum thread in the past day and the more that I read the more i'm confused.
Thanks for your help.
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