Powered Speaker Recommendations

[findog3103]

Hello,

 

wondering if anyone has a recommendation for powered desktop speakers with music supplied by Airport Express for a room 8 ft by 14 ft.

 

Thanks.

 

[jdjaye]

Lots of people like the Audioengine powered speakers, though I can't say I have heard them personally. Steve Guttenberg of CNET likes them, and he has a pretty good ear.

 

http://store.audioholics.com/product/1819/24/audioengine-a2-powered-multimedia-speakers---black

 

Here's the CNET top powered speakers list:

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-pc-speakers/?tag=mncol;pm

 

You might also give the Bose $100 speakers a try from Best Buy - at least you can return them easily if you dont like them.

 

Enjoy

 

[Panelhead]

I replaced a pair of Quad 11L active monitors and a Final Sound S220 sub with a Blue Sky Exo 2.1 system. It has a volume control and accepts RCA and XLR inputs.

Guitar Center was blowing out the original series for 169.00 while waiting for the new series with the smaller sub.

I have heard the Audioengine speakers, both the A2 and the A5 at RMAF. They are very good sounding, amazing for the price. But the Exo system is even better. It let's you dial in the sub, and has a volume control. It really has bass, which the others only hint at.

I doubt if the new Exo is available for less than 200.00. But they should be close to the A5 in price.

 

George

 

[Shibboleth]

I have been wowed by all the new Adams: my system is currently completely 'Adam-ised': A3X in the little 'background music' system and S3X-H (truly fantastic) in the proper computer audio system in my listening room. I auditioned many of the Focals (up to and including the almost equally fantastic Beryllium Twins) and both AudioEngines, but the I couldn't live without sheer transparency and the resolution of the Adams.

 

They're a bit lean tonally, but even the baby A3X is a star: so much better than the older models whose gratingly bright ribbon tweeter was way OTT. Where else can you get 4x amps and 2x ribbon tweeters for £350.

 

I've also had the AudioEngine A2s and think they're about as much fun as you can have for £150 or whatever they are these days. When you think what the same budget buys you in terms of an amplifier and passive speakers, it's a no-brainer.

 

[findog3103]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I will check them all out.

 

 

 

[Panelhead]

I looked up the Blue Sky eXo and see them on clearance from GC online for 349.00. The newer eXo2 has different monitors and sub.

The overall SQ of the original is very good. I suppose the new one is just as good and the sub is smaller.

 

 

George

 

[bikemig]

The Zvox units get zero consideration here. I know it's just one box but the sound is really pretty good. I used one originally for my home theater which then lost a use when I upgraded my home theater. So I moved the zvox 325 to my office at work; it creates a very nice soundstage. I've paired it with a nuforce icon udac and for less than $400 it is a great office set-up.

 

[Ajax]

 

I personally think active speakers are the way to go for the best bang for your buck for computerised music. It makes a lot of sense to me to combine the power amp and speakers in one box, as it gets rid off several potential nasty variables such as synergy, passive cross over issues and the need for expensive cables. It aslo gives a very neat and compact solution.

 

Depending on you budget I would second an earlier post to audition the ADAM pro range of active monitors - I have the A7s and love them for their transparancy when played through my Benchmark HDR DAC 1. Each driver has its own amp.

 

They are around US$900 and have balanced and RCA inputs and a remote for volume control and have recently been superceded by the A7X. There are also the A5s at around US$500.

 

I also own Akimates, a combination of Epos speakers driven by Creek amplifiers, at US$400 they are very good value. 5 stars from What hifi etc etc.

 

Check out:

 

http://www.adam-audio.com/en/pro-audio/products/a7x/description

 

http://www.aktimate.com/

 

 

Just google these two speakers and you will see all sorts of reviews and comparisons with others. Good luck.

 

[audiofool]

I would recommend what Mark Knopfler uses in his studio - ignore the low price.

 

NHT M00's

 

http://www.nhthifi.com/Pro-Users

http://www.nhthifi.com/NHT-M00?sc=12&category=1213

 

[drlung]

With powered speakers as there are few places that have them available for audition. Personally I have had experience with 3 pairs of powered speakers and it depends on how much you want to spend.

My office uses nht moo's with their sub. It's is very good. My desk at home has dynaudio m 15 with a velodyne sub. Somewhat better. I also have a par of audio engine 2s with their sub which for the money is good but can't touch the dynaudio. Both of the desktop systems use benchmark Dacs and Dell Pc.

 

However when I send my iTunes through an audio engine wireless to my Conrad Johnson pre amp and then to my ayre amp through my Thiel 2.4 speakers, wowee, it's an unbelievable difference

 

So that's my opinion.

 

[findog3103]

Thanks for all the great information. To clarify, I love my Audioengine 5's very much but for this new room I would just like to have powered speakers with input from an airport express and Mac. I have my main room set up with an Nova and Dynaudio speakers, but for this small room I am going bare bones so I am interested in the best stand alone powered speakers in the

[j20056]

Genelec 8030 or 8040, or anything Genelec makes that you can afford...

 

[wgb113]

You seem to like Dynaudio, what about a pair of BM5AmkII @ $1000.

 

Bill

 

[bixby]

with the crappy analog out of the airport express pretty much anything you throw on that source is going to be limited to say the least.

 

Grab whatever you want in actives it is not going to matter much.

 

[ItemAudio]

Most active (rather than powered) speakers are ruthlessly revealing partners: they're designed to elucidate subtle differences. It's worth auditioning a few models specifically to assess their near/far-field performance: some small monitors don't fill big spaces terribly well. Having said that, I've heard few little active speakers I didn't love.

 

[spacey]

I've just bought some ADAM Tensor Deltas. Run them with a Lavry DA11. Upgraded from ATC-50ASL's & BMM DAC1-HDR.

 

[dBro]

Generally speaking, I would not recommend a powered speaker where the goal is to optimize sound quality. Low-to-mid-priced powered speakers allow us to solve for an efficiency, logistic, or economic issue - And high-end "pro-audio" versions tend to follow the same goals - albeit mostly with a better result; the groundbreaking Meyer HD-1, for example.

 

The nature of the setup, where the amplifier cannot be separated from the speaker, prevents you from testing the quality of either component individually. (And when we can't test, how do we know) In addition, marketing literature and user manuals are under no obligation to reveal the sample depth, sample frequency, amplifier class, and any other measure you might need to make a decision if the components were offered separately.

 

I'm hearing a phase shift and a mid frequency bump. Is it the:

 

A. a poorly designed analog crossover?

B. the low-quality DA converter ahead of the class D switching amplifier?

C. a resonance from the cabinet?

D. EQ software designed to make the speaker sound better?

E. all of the above?

 

If you're optimizing for sound quality I would recommend against a powered speaker.

 

[spacey]

You've completely missed the point of active speakers there dBro. They're many many advantages in going active over passive systems. You don't need to do all the messing around matching components, in/outputs and then trying to connect them with some lossy/altering cable sets. Then you have the biggest benifit of all, active cross-overs.

 

[dBro]

Don't get me wrong, I see the advantages of active systems and have even designed professional editing environments around them. There are some outstanding active systems out there.

 

But for my personal systems I prefer a non-black-box solution that allows me to optimize each of the components. I want to know if the internal amplifier is A, AB, or D. I want to know what equalization might be going on inside the cabinet; analog or digital. I want to know if there's a digital EQ involved, and whether it's 32 bit, floating point, etc.

 

[aswillman]

All great in my experience.

 

I love ATC & you can pick up some 10As on EBay pretty cheaply. They aren't too clinical as some people say - I owned a pair for 18 months & still own some 20As.

 

The Genelecs are wonderful - they were my PC speakers for 2 years. The NHTs prior to this.

 

The Genelecs IMHO were more detailed but ruthless with poorly mastered recordings. NHT were probably my favourites but less trendy!

 

If you get the chance, try all 3 side by side.

 

[spacey]

dBro,

 

all the things you've mentioned are completely available for active speakers. I looked into the spec of the Deltas before i bought them they're exactly what i wanted.

 

Class D for LF/MF and A/B for HF.

Power outputs are correct.

Inputs are via XLR.

Has auto power on/off.

Correct input volts and ohms.

Frequencies are 32hz-50Khz @ -3db.

 

Then the cabinet design is double skinned with sand inbetween the two, are the correct size for my room and are standmounted. Each speaker is 29kg.

 

All the above would be the same for a passive system. IMHO the only difference is the location of the amps, and the active cross-over/s.

 

[dBro]

Spacey - I think you're taking my comments personally and I don't mean to have questioned your speaker selection methodology. There are more than enough options and combinations out there to suit any need.

 

[spacey]

Please don't think I'm getting personal. That's isn't my intention. I'm just mearly trying to point out the facts I've found, which are active speakers/systems are every bit as specific in choice and in some cases offer further advantages and adjustments. If we're talking cross purposes then I understand, as once you've chosen an active speaker there's little way or chance of changing an aspect without a total change. Which to the audio system tweaker, who likes and want to change things/spec regularly, would be a nightmare.