Bookshelf speaker advice

[Luke Sparkes]

Hello guys,

I am looking to buy speakers for my desk for the price range of 300£. The only speakers that I've looked up are the Focal XS 2.1 which cost 420£. I have read reviews about them and really want to buy them but the exceed my price range.

 

I already have an M-Audio Firewire Solo sound card so I would someone to help me find speakers that are as good as the Focal's but without a built-in sound card.

 

I listen to Jazz, Classical Rock and Soul mostly and all of my files are lossless format. I want speakers that can play my lossless music with perfection. Difficult really with my price range.

 

If it really makes a big different I would spend up to 400£.

 

Thanks in advance,

Luke

[mayhem13]

Do you have an amplifier or would you prefer self powered speakers/monitors?

 

Monitors do offer some flexibility with bass management on a desktop and are often designed for nearfield use.

[Audio_ELF]

Pro-audio suppliers (such as Active Studio Monitors | Production Room) are a good place to look for such speakers - just be aware most are priced individually.

 

Perhaps the KRK RP6G2 or Genelec 6010A.

 

Eloise

[Music Matters]

Tesi 242 2 vie, da scaffale - Scheda Prodotto - Indiana Line

[spdif-usb]

According to Steve Guttenberg, you could actually even save $201...

 

Emotiva's astonishing desktop speaker | The Audiophiliac - CNET News

[obt_man]

Have you considered Audioengine A5+ speakers? They are within your price bracket and perform well.

[tne]

I am in the same search mode for great sounding monitors for my system in China (where I live most of the year) for my MacBook Pro / Nuforce uDAC system here. The new Focal XS Book looks interesting, but I would like to hear some opinions about how they sound. The list cost is $399. I tested the Audioengine 5+ while I was back in the US recently and they seemed a bit light on the bass (albeit they had just been received by the audiostore and had never been turned on until I requested the demo).

 

The Emotiva airmotiv series looks very nice, particularly the airmotiv6 which has the nice feature that it has switchable 220V/110V power input (thus I can use here and in the US). While I believe these are manufactured in China, I cannot seem to find a Chinese distributor and the thought of having them shipped from the US is a concern due to customs, time delay, potential damage, etc.

[mav52]

Here the a company that might be the manufacturer for this Emotiva speaker

 

? - QMS Q4? - Soomal.com

[kumakuma]

I am in the same search mode for great sounding monitors for my system in China (where I live most of the year) for my MacBook Pro / Nuforce uDAC system here. The new Focal XS Book looks interesting, but I would like to hear some opinions about how they sound. The list cost is $399. I tested the Audioengine 5+ while I was back in the US recently and they seemed a bit light on the bass (albeit they had just been received by the audiostore and had never been turned on until I requested the demo).

 

The Emotiva airmotiv series looks very nice, particularly the airmotiv6 which has the nice feature that it has switchable 220V/110V power input (thus I can use here and in the US). While I believe these are manufactured in China, I cannot seem to find a Chinese distributor and the thought of having them shipped from the US is a concern due to customs, time delay, potential damage, etc.

 

I have the Airmotiv6's and just love them. Definitely not light on bass.

 

As mav52 indicated, QMS is the manufacturer although there seems to be differences between the two product lines:

 

Emotiva Pro airmotiv4 Loudspeakers Review

The Emotiva Lounge - Are these Airmotiv's?

[tne]

thanks, mav51 and kumakuma.

i will look around to see if i can find a store to demo or a dealer here (in Shanghai).

[Luke Sparkes]

thanks guys for the reply. The Emotiva's sound very interesting; and are a hell of a bargain. Yesterday I found out that my friend has the Focal and when I listened they sounded amazing. So crisp, so gentle. So I went and bought them And probably exactly what I need for a tiny student accommodation room. Because I study film and sound production, I will have in mind the Emotiva 6's for future studio speakers. thanks

[mav52]

thanks guys for the reply. The Emotiva's sound very interesting; and are a hell of a bargain. Yesterday I found out that my friend has the Focal and when I listened they sounded amazing. So crisp, so gentle. So I went and bought them And probably exactly what I need for a tiny student accommodation room. Because I study film and sound production, I will have in mind the Emotiva 6's for future studio speakers. thanks

 

one good thing about Emotiva, if you don't like them you can send them back (Emotiva offers a 30-day, no questions asked, hassle-free returns policy, except for clearance products)

[tne]

With the Focal XS 2.1, the connection appears to be though USB. Are RCA inputs present as well?

Where does the digital to analog conversion take place?

[Luke Sparkes]

My Focal just arrived. They do have miinijack output as well as usb. The DAC takes place in the soundcard which is integrated with the speakers.

[tne]

one more quick question about the focal xs 2.1

is the internal DAC capable of 24/96 or 24/192 ?

[spdif-usb]

The Emotiva's sound very interesting; and are a hell of a bargain.

Well, IMO practically everything that has Emotiva's name written on it is a hell of a bargain. Because I live in Western Europe, due to shipping expenses, duty fee and insane tax I ended up paying double the normal price for my XPA-2 power amp that I bought just under a year ago... but I feel that it was a hell of a bargain no matter still (and quite shockingly so :grin: ).

[Blake]

one more quick question about the focal xs 2.1

is the internal DAC capable of 24/96 or 24/192 ?

 

no