Suggestions for front ported small active monitors? (moved to parent forum)

[sejarzo]

Moved to the main Speaker, etc. forum.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

What is your preference for "small?" What's your price range? If you prefer a bright sounding monitor, the Yamaha HS8 and Adam A7X are my go-to recommendations. If those suit your preferences, I recommend either. Andertons in the UK is the cheapest place to buy them. You'll just need to remember to switch the voltage selector (if applicable) to 110V and get a US AC power cable like one for $4-$5 off of Amazon.

 

[sejarzo]

My apologies. Just after posting this, I realized I was in the sub forum re reviews and testing.

I need something much smaller for computer desk use. Thanks anyway!

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Though I personally have never heard them, the Vanatoo T0's get good reviews and they seem to be a fairly safe recommendation. I bet if @amirm contacted Vanatoo (*wink* they're very open, responsive, and friendly folks when I last contacted them), they would send him a pair of the T0's and T1E's to test and resolve yours and others' curiosity surrounding them.

 

[q3cpma]

I hope you read https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...speakers-active-or-passive-up-to-1500€.10827/ and https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/new-speakers-advice.10613/
tl;dr Genelec 8020D or Neumann KH80DSP if you can afford it, Yamaha HS7 or Adam T5V otherwise

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Genelec 8020D

You can also get the Genelecs at a deep discount at Andertons if you end up going that route.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/genelec-8020d-two-way-active-studio-monitor-(each)

 

[Wombat]

You can also get the Genelecs at a deep discount at Andertons if you end up going that route.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/genelec-8020d-two-way-active-studio-monitor-(each)

Is there a front port version?

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Nope, not even in the upper echelon of their product line:
https://www.andertons.co.uk/search?categoryId=&storeId=10151&catalogId=3074457345616676668&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=24&searchTerm=Genelec&authToken=-1002%2CXZvf36sLiPiYegUJrwTEpYgBzE92SYyViFqNTYY0v8k%3D&#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&facetLimit:&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

That’s why I would also recommend the Adam A7X over it. That said, Genelecs are used, if I am not mistaken, at Sony Pictures, Pixar, and LucasFilm in the mastering process of all their blockbuster hits. The reason? I can only assume their ruler flat response. That said, the A7X is no slouch, either.

 

[Wombat]

I haven't heard these but they fit the OP requirement.

https://www.tannoy.com/Categories/T...onitoring/REVEAL-402/p/P0C46#googtrans(en|en)

Sound On Sound - also the bigger 502 model.

Size on desk:

A price: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1024204-REG/tannoy_8001_7680_reveal_402_4_50w.html

 

[sejarzo]

Thanks for the replies. I knew of the Tannoy but came up empty on finding a local vendor to audition them.

And again, apologies for posting in the wrong forum. I need something with no more than a 4 or 5" woofer due to space limitations that were noted in my original post, since moved.

 

[matt3421]

KH 80 DSP?

 

[sejarzo]

KH 80 DSP?

I'd probably love them but they are out of my price range now.

 

[LeftCoastTim]

I'd probably love them but they are out of my price range now.

How can you call yourself an audiophile if you haven’t purchased gear that’s totally outside of your price range? ;-)

 

[Koloth]

This is something that has only just come out on the market, I'm not aware of any trustworthy reviews yet, but to me they check a lot of boxes:
Coaxial (which imho is especially beneficial in near-field), a brand with a ton of experience with that technology, decent sized woofer, great pricing and very good looks compared to the other active options of that size.

Tannoy Gold

Hell, maybe we could convince Amir to have a look at them for his measurement database?

 

[sejarzo]

How can you call yourself an audiophile if you haven’t purchased gear that’s totally outside of your price range? ;-)

That's what I did back when I was single and/or healthy.

My man cave/home theater/office/whatever is in the basement. Unfortunately, it has rather low ceilings, and a post in the middle...ergo, setting up a home theater was challenging because the post forces a highly asymmetrical arrangement and there are lots of reflections to deal with. No matter how much treatment I put up, or EQ I applied (a couple of different room correction systems) it never sounded good enough to justify the cost.

I finally accepted the fact that no matter what gear I put down here in the "big system" it simply would never satisfy me. Thus I bought a pair of HD600s in 2006 and never looked back. I've always found that rather inexpensive USB DACs sound nearly the same as expensive ones. I was an early adopter of the E-MU 0404 USB, then the ODAC, tried the MF VDACs but always returned them LOL and now run a Topping D30. Very capable headamps have always been pretty inexpensive. I still use my CKKiii, a DIY built by one of the respected guys on head-fi, with super low output impedance, purchased for under $200. Bought a Magni, didn't care for the cheap volume pot (the CKKiii has an Alps Blue Velvet.) I rarely buy any new cans, as one can find lightly used ones on head-fi so inexpensively that I almost always let someone else take the hit on the purchase of new gear.

After cataract surgery, I ended up with two detached retinas and something called anomalous correspondence (my eyes send incongruent images to my brain so I don't have normal binocular vision and depth perception.) Adaptation to that has been a long process, which forced me into early retirement--another reason for a tighter budget. I don't bother to watch the 60" screen down here any more because it's actually less of a (literal) headache for me to watch them on my 24" PC monitor, and I can't be more than 30" or so from it because I use special glasses even for that. That's why I need something rather small that fits easily on a desk and works within a tight triangle.

 

[sejarzo]

This is something that has only just come out on the market, I'm not aware of any trustworthy reviews yet, but to me they check a lot of boxes:
Coaxial (which imho is especially beneficial in near-field), a brand with a ton of experience with that technology, decent sized woofer, great pricing and very good looks compared to the other active options of that size.

Tannoy Gold

Hell, maybe we could convince Amir to have a look at them for his measurement database?

That was why I included the new coaxial Fluid FX50 in my original post that I moved. Unfortunately while it seems as if it was announced nearly a year ago, it still has yet to ship to dealers here.

 

[LeftCoastTim]

That's what I did back when I was single and/or healthy.

My man cave/home theater/office/whatever is in the basement. Unfortunately, it has rather low ceilings, and a post in the middle...ergo, setting up a home theater was challenging because the post forces a highly asymmetrical arrangement and there are lots of reflections to deal with. No matter how much treatment I put up, or EQ I applied (a couple of different room correction systems) it never sounded good enough to justify the cost.

I finally accepted the fact that no matter what gear I put down here in the "big system" it simply would never satisfy me. Thus I bought a pair of HD600s in 2006 and never looked back. I've always found that rather inexpensive USB DACs sound nearly the same as expensive ones. I was an early adopter of the E-MU 0404 USB, then the ODAC, tried the MF VDACs but always returned them LOL and now run a Topping D30. Very capable headamps have always been pretty inexpensive. I still use my CKKiii, a DIY built by one of the respected guys on head-fi, with super low output impedance, purchased for under $200. Bought a Magni, didn't care for the cheap volume pot (the CKKiii has an Alps Blue Velvet.) I rarely buy any new cans, as one can find lightly used ones on head-fi so inexpensively that I almost always let someone else take the hit on the purchase of new gear.

After cataract surgery, I ended up with two detached retinas and something called anomalous correspondence (my eyes send incongruent images to my brain so I don't have normal binocular vision and depth perception.) Adaptation to that has been a long process, which forced me into early retirement--another reason for a tighter budget. I don't bother to watch the 60" screen down here any more because it's actually less of a (literal) headache for me to watch them on my 24" PC monitor, and I can't be more than 30" or so from it because I use special glasses even for that. That's why I need something rather small that fits easily on a desk and works within a tight triangle.

I’ve recommended the JBL Bar Studio to friends and family. It’s about $120, compact, and puts out good sound and good volume. I think they sound very good for the price, and my family/friends are happy with it.

The next up in sound at lowest price is the JBL 305p, but you’ve ruled that out I think.