Suggestions for a 10 year old child bedroom system

[restorer-john]

Stop treating him like a kid: Think, in a few years, he's going get opiniated about everything and those cheezy speakers you are thinking to gift him will be great chat starter with his buddies.
Shop with him for a pair of 'heirloom' speakers that you'd be proud to own yourself.
Better yet, take him out/go audition some speakers together and have him make his own decisions (w/tutelage by YOU).

He's a 10 year old.

"heirloom" speakers are not a good idea. For the simple reason he'll blow the crap out of them by the time he's 15.

The speakers I gave my boys were decent, but not spectacular, modern floorstanders with plenty of bass, indestructible drivers and about 70 clean watts per channel from amplification. Supplemented with a couple of 150W and 200W subwoofers each.

They managed to play 'music' at astounding levels when doing backflips on their respective beds and shaking the whole house. The speakers survived, but the beds didn't. LOL.

 

[AlfaNovember]

Would a TV soundbar be suitable? Many can receive bluetooth, come with a remote, and wall-mount for zero footprint. Effectively a bigger, mains powered instance of the Flip concept.

 

[MCH]

Thank you guys for all the suggestions.
I am going to order the Audioengine A2+
The USB input, Bluetooth in the box and pre outs (thinking subwoofers) win this time:
The USB input will allow us to plug a RPI streamer, of which I have a few spare, and give him access, if he wishes, to the server where all my cds are and to radio stations etc. apply EQ...
A side project will be to 3D print the stands to his taste. The ones from audioengine are way too expensive here.

I believe this solution can keep him going for a few years, and if he becomes a music lover, we can take it from there.

As a side note, I am surprised how many decent (at least on paper) active monitors options are available at the 300 eur price point. That + a dongle and you are good to go. Amazing.

Unexpected plus: manual says it can play two sources simultaneously(?) (videogame+music). Let's see how that works, I am not very convinced.

 

[MCH]

.Unexpected plus: manual says it can play two sources simultaneously(?) (videogame+music). Let's see how that works, I am not very convinced.

Received the Audioengine. Unfortunately they don't play two sources simultaneously. Bluetooth is given priority over USB.

This was an unexpected feature, but now I kind of would like this possibility (game + music). How do gamers do this? Excuses for my ignorance, and I know there are games that allow to chose the music, but I would like to know if there is something else I am missing.

 

[Berwhale]

Received the Audioengine. Unfortunately they don't play two sources simultaneously. Bluetooth is given priority over USB.

This was an unexpected feature, but now I kind of would like this possibility (game + music). How do gamers do this? Excuses for my ignorance, and I know there are games that allow to chose the music, but I would like to know if there is something else I am missing.

One of the reasons I've kept my son on my old Creative Labs speakers is that they crudely mix the main and aux inputs. The main benefit is that he doesn't have to switch inputs when moving between the PC and the Xbox/Switch (connected to aux via HDMI audio extractor). But it also means he can play music from his PC whilst playing the Xbox or switch.

So to answer your question: You either need to play both the game and the music on the same source (and rely on mixing at the source) or you need some sort of hardware mixer.

 

[just1n]

I wouldn’t spend half that much.

UltimateEars Boom series, Google Nest Speaker, or maybe these open box.

A2+ Wireless Speaker System (Open Box) — Audioengine

A2+ Wireless Speaker System (Refurbished) | Audioengine | The A2+ premium powered speakers with high-fidelity stereo sound connects to your music in seconds from any app or device. The ultimate Bluetooth mini home music system that’s perfect for your desktop or smaller spaces.

audioengine.com

 

[pseudoid]

This was an unexpected feature, but now I kind of would like this possibility (game + music).

If the gaming is done on a WindowsOS machine, there is that "System/Sound/VolumeMixer" (@ TaskBar or Settings), which allows you to readily do this, including individual VolumeControl sliders for each hardware and/or app that may be running in the system....

 

[Berwhale]

If the gaming is done on a WindowsOS machine, there is that "System/Sound/VolumeMixer" (@ TaskBar or Settings), which allows you to readily do this, including individual VolumeControl sliders for each hardware and/or app that may be running in the system....

Ear Trumpet is a nice little app that gives you direct access to the mixer from the taskbar...

 

[DMill]

Based on these suggestions I sure wish I was 10 again. I think my first system was an Elton John album (Don’t shoot I’m the only Piano Player) and $50 turntable with built in amp and speakers for my big Christmas present. I suspect they’d like an iPhone15 more if you like spoiling them.

 

[CapMan]

Edifer - active, Bluetooth, optical input , cheap, sub out, loud enough.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

There are some very decent small Bluetooth speakers with TWS in the $40 - $100 each range. Anker, Tribit, JBL, etc. Edifier for a little more would be good. They would be much better than the RCA 45 changer plugged into a modified table radio that I had.

 

[Trouble Maker]

Some of these have 'mixers' on them, but I have no idea how flexible they are.
A kid could find these form factory and lights fun/cool too.

Party Speakers

JBL brand

www.jbl.com

I can imagine myself as a kid lugging around a small to mid size one of those, or one of these in their case to a friends.

IK Multimedia - iLoud Micro Monitor

iLoud Micro Monitor is the smallest studio reference monitor in the world

www.ikmultimedia.com

 

[MCH]

If the gaming is done on a WindowsOS machine, there is that "System/Sound/VolumeMixer" (@ TaskBar or Settings), which allows you to readily do this, including individual VolumeControl sliders for each hardware and/or app that may be running in the system....

From wht I can gather, game happens in a Nintendo switch, music comes from smartphone/YouTube

 

[DTTOM37]

As a way to use the single entry modus of the Audionegines, you may connect a BT pre amplifier like the BP50 from Arylic, which is actually available for 79$.
I wouldn't expect a WIIM-like performance, as it is a multifunctional pre-amp for the Bluetooth generation ... kind of BT switchboard

The BP50 has line out, coax/Toslink out, sub out and BT transmitter mode, while also having BT receiver mode, line in, phono in, optical in, HDMI Arc, USB inputs for PC and disk drive. It's wireless free and no ethernet. Comes with remote control and IOS/Android control app.
Actually, the cores of the unit are the analog-digital and the digital-digital converters, which convert all the input signals in either 16/48 for digital or Bluetooth 5.2 codecs like aptX/SBC/AAC. The AKM9023P DAC chip doesn’t help performance wise and the specs with 95dB SNR with 0,05% THD+N on the analog outputs looks disappointing compared to todays DACs. I would assume that the phono pre amp performance is the limiting baseline for that.

I have tested the functionality matrix exhaustive during the last week, and I may conclude that the device lives up to its promises, but hasn't any sota performance to show, thus it sounds quite ok for the pricepoint. It was tested in conjunction with a Rega Planar 3/Airpulse active speaker/Anker BT boombox/ BT IEMs/ WIIM Pro/ SMSL D-6/ 2018 Philips Smart TV and analog frontend with Sabaj A20A into B&W 805s. with XTZ subwoofer. It simply works. But could be overkill for a 10 year old, for 12 years however ...;-)

Small flaws are:
- volume output controls all analog and digital outputs simultaniously
- no manual choice of BT codec and codec downgrading if 2 BT devices are connected
- The GO app is still in a developing stage and sometimes need a restart, but has a rich bouquet of functionality to play with (xover for SUB and EQ ) for devices at that price level
Perhaps mixing this with an RPI for wireless access o your network ressources may cover all your needs?

There is a thread about the B50 amplifier here, which may have most of the BP50 functionalities (not all)

Arylic B50

I recently acquired the Arylic B50 Bluetooth Stereo Amplifier with built-in audio Transmitter/Receiver. The B50 features 50W x 2 at 24V into 4ohms & 30W into 8 ohms. That may not sound massively impressive but it drove my Dali Oberon 5's (rated at 6ohms up to 150W) with ease. What surprised me...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Best, Tom