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Tough choice : desktop speakers

Baguette said:
But I'll have to pay attention to
https://www.reddit.com/r/ADAMAudio/comments/1kup6do/d3v_psa_for_anybody_wondering_about_that_muffled
Click to expand...

Idk if I'd put too much faith on an isolated incident on reddit. The internet hate machine has fully mobilized about the tweeter gate so the redditors are probably stirred up and motivating their reasoning. I'll listen to my pair tomorrow and see if I can detect problems with orchestral music and the same track, try it on both mac and PC, and report back.

Edit: I have confirmed the behavior on this specific track on Mac OS, below what I would consider moderate-low listening volumes at 0.7m listening distance, and have found it in some classical recordings where you can hear things like arm movements during silence. My solution has been to place speakers slightly further from me. I don't think this will affect my enjoyment of the speaker since I purchased it for listening to music while working and wouldn't have noticed unless direct comparing on that specific track, but if you are listening frequently to movies or playing games at low volumes, it may occur on different program material. YMMV.
 
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Gatordaddy said:
Idk if I'd put too much faith on an isolated incident on reddit. The internet hate machine has fully mobilized about the tweeter gate so the redditors are probably stirred up and motivating their reasoning. I'll listen to my pair tomorrow and see if I can detect problems with orchestral music and the same track, try it on both mac and PC, and report back.

Edit: I have confirmed the behavior on this specific track on Mac OS, below what I would consider moderate-low listening volumes at 0.7m listening distance, and have found it in some classical recordings where you can hear things like arm movements during silence. My solution has been to place speakers slightly further from me. I don't think this will affect my enjoyment of the speaker since I purchased it for listening to music while working and wouldn't have noticed unless direct comparing on that specific track, but if you are listening frequently to movies or playing games at low volumes, it may occur on different program material. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your feedback. This problem irritates me.
I don’t understand why Adam Audio doesn’t fix this issue when a solution was provided by a redditor.
I am more undecided than ever (I listen to a lot of classical music).
 
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@Baguette, LSX II installed and working. Since I haven´t measured the response in room, I´ll stay with use elements and a couple subjective takes.

-They work perfectly fine in the streaming section. If possible, keep then connected to the internet with an RJ45 cable. Once added on Google Home, the configuration process was super quick.
-USB is surprisingly picky. I had to try 4 different cables till the PC recognized them. Once that happened, the way to use them is quite straightforward. USB is prefereable to Aux analogue if hooking up a PC.
-Updating the firmware is tricky. It may look like it´s taking forever. Do not worry about exiting the APP and retry if it has been going for a while.
-They are compact compared to other LS speaker, but still not super small. They are hefty for their size, so set them in a firm surface.
-The capacity of these speakers to generate low frequencies, given the size, is quite nice. They still need a subwoofer to get full range.
 
Vacceo said:
@Baguette, LSX II installed and working. Since I haven´t measured the response in room, I´ll stay with use elements and a couple subjective takes.

-They work perfectly fine in the streaming section. If possible, keep then connected to the internet with an RJ45 cable. Once added on Google Home, the configuration process was super quick.
-USB is surprisingly picky. I had to try 4 different cables till the PC recognized them. Once that happened, the way to use them is quite straightforward. USB is prefereable to Aux analogue if hooking up a PC.
-Updating the firmware is tricky. It may look like it´s taking forever. Do not worry about exiting the APP and retry if it has been going for a while.
-They are compact compared to other LS speaker, but still not super small. They are hefty for their size, so set them in a firm surface.
-The capacity of these speakers to generate low frequencies, given the size, is quite nice. They still need a subwoofer to get full range.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your feedback, I’m glad to see they suit you.
 
Gatordaddy said:
Idk if I'd put too much faith on an isolated incident on reddit. The internet hate machine has fully mobilized about the tweeter gate so the redditors are probably stirred up and motivating their reasoning. I'll listen to my pair tomorrow and see if I can detect problems with orchestral music and the same track, try it on both mac and PC, and report back.

Edit: I have confirmed the behavior on this specific track on Mac OS, below what I would consider moderate-low listening volumes at 0.7m listening distance, and have found it in some classical recordings where you can hear things like arm movements during silence. My solution has been to place speakers slightly further from me. I don't think this will affect my enjoyment of the speaker since I purchased it for listening to music while working and wouldn't have noticed unless direct comparing on that specific track, but if you are listening frequently to movies or playing games at low volumes, it may occur on different program material. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Have you installed the firmware update (presuming we are talking about the Adam Audio D3V here) to see if it addresses the issue? I haven't noticed the issue with mine, but I installed the firmware update as soon as I had them hooked up.
 
kyuu said:
Have you installed the firmware update (presuming we are talking about the Adam Audio D3V here) to see if it addresses the issue? I haven't noticed the issue with mine, but I installed the firmware update as soon as I had them hooked up.
Click to expand...
Yes this is with up to date firmware. You'd really have to go out of your way to recreate the effect with a combination of low listening levels, roughly 10db under the playback volume I use for critical listening and very specific program material. Who knows if its all units or only some units.

Anyways, my opinion is that its a non-issue unless the specific material you regularly listen to results in the behavior being distracting. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to find the behavior unless you are using them to mix/master commercial recordings. I only did so to confirm whether the behavior exists to validate OP's concerns. For my needs the sound these produce is functionally on par with Genelec and Neumann micro-monitors so I'm not going to spend my time fretting about it.
 
Here is my daily work desktop situation:

KEF Q15.2 passive speakers driven by a Loxjie A30 integrated amp with DAC (recommended by Amir a few years ago). Sunfire Super Junior sub in the corner of the room under the desk by my feet. The sub makes a world of difference. I listen to a lot of deep bass music (dub techno, deep house, ambient). But really all kinds of music. I found the speakers on Craigslist about 3 years ago for I think $250 USD in NYC. They were immaculate. Same with the subwoofer. The KEFs are bi-wired with Audioquest wire (nothing too fancy), and the sub is wired with Belden 9497 speaker wire high level input off the Loxjie, not a line signal. I learned that high level is always the best way to integrate a sub, if possible. The source is always my Windows 11 computer USB into the DAC.

Beyerdynamics DT990 Pro 250 ohm open back headphones also running off the Loxjie for when I really need to zero in on something or not be too loud (not often).

Listening is obviously nearfield, with my head 2.5 to 3 feet from each speaker.

I truly love this setup and it makes working everyday much more enjoyable. I really feel like I got lucky with these speakers and the sub. The KEFs are from 2001 I believe. They have a Uni-Q driver and front bass port. I can no longer imagine going to a corporate office with just my Beyerdynamics (I did that for many years with a small headphone amp/DAC). I generally only listen at low to medium-low volume while working. If you can find a pair of Q15.2 (maybe even Q15?) or a Super Junior sub, I highly recommend for desktop use.

Of course, I am always gear-lusting and thinking about what is next. I have 3 sound systems in my house, but I spend the most time listening here due to work. Part of me wants to go all in on a desktop Schiit stack (Saga 2, Modi or Mimir, Gjallarhorn all with Forkbeard), but I feel will I will barely notice a difference from the Loxjie. For the size and price, the Loxjie really is incredible at the low volumes I use.

I would probably see the biggest gain from a speaker upgrade, but I can't find a good compromise of size and port arrangement. I am open to reference models in the $2,000 USD/pair range. I don't want to go much larger than these KEFs already are. A rear bass port is out of the question -- unfortunately I really have to be right up against the back wall in this small office, and also at the side wall so as not to cover up even more of the window (I need my natural light). I want to leave my desk where it is. I placed an absorption panel on the side wall (pictured) and another immediately behind my office chair. I've heard amazing things about Harbeth P3ESR XD for nearfield desktop, but the price is steep and even with a sub, I think I want more bass out of my speakers. If I mostly listened to jazz or classical, maybe those would be awesome, but that's not me. I ruled out KEF LS50 Meta due to the rear port. ELAC ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62 are just too big. ELAC Carina look interesting, but I'm not sure how the downward firing port would fare on my desktop on top of my cinder blocks / angled acoustic treatment pads. I'm sure there are tons of other options that I'm not aware of.

I am open to any recommendations anyone might have for what to think about next.

Cheers
 

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daniboun said:
Check this one perfect for your needs
Wave guide / Excellent directivity

Measurements for speaker Aalto Speakers Aalto 1 EVO

www.spinorama.org www.spinorama.org

600€ pair

Tonality: 6.1
Bass extension: 50 Hz
Flatness: ±1.5 dB
Click to expand...
I assume you mean this one: https://aaltospeakers.fi/en/product/aalto-1-evo/

Looks like a nice compact speaker. How much minimum space is needed behind the speaker to still achieve the benefits of the rear bass port? On my desktop, I could probably arrange for 3-6 inches from rear of cabinet to back wall.
 
scannypack said:
I assume you mean this one: https://aaltospeakers.fi/en/product/aalto-1-evo/

Looks like a nice compact speaker. How much minimum space is needed behind the speaker to still achieve the benefits of the rear bass port? On my desktop, I could probably arrange for 3-6 inches from rear of cabinet to back wall.
Click to expand...
Yes, that one )
In principle, it's a speaker that can be mounted towards a wall or a ceiling, so I don't think it will be a problem
 
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