[Oktyabr]

  hi.
Any experience of swan M 100 Bluetooth desktop speakers?
Is it worth purchasing? Regards,

I have no experience with any desktop bluetooth speakers.  I always figured it was much cheaper to use wire when possible, rather than pay for a chip to do it for you.

 

[kiranjoshi7]

Hi, 
@ oktyabr, Thanks a lot.
Shall update regarding my purchase for sure.
Regards, 

 

[cel4145]

hi.
Any experience of swan M 100 Bluetooth desktop speakers?
Is it worth purchasing? Regards,

The best bluetooth speakers typically perform worse than the best wired speakers. The bluetooth technology is part of the cost.

 

[kiranjoshi7]

Thanks a lot.
Among active speakers, which is to pick up?:
*Swan M200MKII  (Higher cost)OR
*Swan D1080 (affordable)
Is SQ difference between two is very significant?
Regards,

 

[cel4145]

Thanks a lot.
Among active speakers, which is to pick up?:
*Swan M200MKII  (Higher cost)OR
*Swan D1080 (affordable)
Is SQ difference between two is very significant?
Regards,

That's a relative question based on listener preference. Only you could make that determination.

Personally, I would go with the higher model. The Swan M200s have an excellent reputation for being a good desktop multimedia speaker. However, if they are in the same price range for you, I would go with the JBL LSR305s.

 

[Oktyabr]

The JBL's are also a speaker I would like to hear one day but they look awful large for desktop or very near field.  

These are also an interesting speaker I'd like to know more about, that I stumbled across while doing a bit of research for this thread...  The original Micca MB42 was love/hated by various reviewers and the improved version, the Micca MB42x seemed to have fixed most of it's problems with the addition of a real crossover (including a zobel network) but also seems impossible to find these days.  While looking for another source I stumbled across the exact same speaker except in a *powered* version.  At $100/pair these might be worth checking out too, and with Amazon's money back guarantee I might just have to audition some:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXAEPDC?tag=mygapa-20

 

[cel4145]

The JBL's are also a speaker I would like to hear one day but they look awful large for desktop or very near field.  

They are studio monitors designed for near field use.

 

[Oktyabr]

They are studio monitors designed for near field use.

Near field in a studio is rarely as close as most people would put them in a "desktop" application, hence why I said "very near field".

How closely any "near field monitors" are designed to the intended purpose is debatable but the "golden triangle" formula is golden because it seems to be the norm...  Same distance apart as they are from your ears, same height as your ears and far enough away from your head that you can not distinguish the sound from one driver from the other (it should sound like one speaker, not two speakers in the same area). Further, if they are closer to your ears than any of the walls (or other large, reflective surfaces in the room) you are then technically in "near field".  A triangle five feet on a side is pretty popular as far as "ideal", for most such monitors.  There used to be a rule of thumb about calculating the minimum distance based on the distance from the center of the tweeter to the center of the woofer too but with newer wave guide technologies (and horns) this one sort of got thrown by the way side.  Last but not least these should be placed in such a way that early reflections are minimized, ie, on stands, suspended from the ceiling, or at the edge of a surface, not on a flat surface with a large, radiating expanse out in front of it (like flat on a desk?)

Mostly the JBL interests me... and worries me... because out of all the speakers I've read about in this thread so far, they may actually be the closest to a real studio monitor, rather than a great choice for smaller rooms and/or on a desk.

 

[xedjflowx]

  Near field in a studio is rarely as close as most people would put them in a "desktop" application, hence why I said "very near field".

How closely any "near field monitors" are designed to the intended purpose is debatable but the "golden triangle" formula is golden because it seems to be the norm...  Same distance apart as they are from your ears, same height as your ears and far enough away from your head that you can not distinguish the sound from one driver from the other (it should sound like one speaker, not two speakers in the same area). Further, if they are closer to your ears than any of the walls (or other large, reflective surfaces in the room) you are then technically in "near field".  A triangle five feet on a side is pretty popular as far as "ideal", for most such monitors.  There used to be a rule of thumb about calculating the minimum distance based on the distance from the center of the tweeter to the center of the woofer too but with newer wave guide technologies (and horns) this one sort of got thrown by the way side.  Last but not least these should be placed in such a way that early reflections are minimized, ie, on stands, suspended from the ceiling, or at the edge of a surface, not on a flat surface with a large, radiating expanse out in front of it (like flat on a desk?)

Mostly the JBL interests me... and worries me... because out of all the speakers I've read about in this thread so far, they may actually be the closest to a real studio monitor, rather than a great choice for smaller rooms and/or on a desk.

Why do you say "real?"

 

[Oktyabr]

  Why do you say "real?"

Because most that are advertised as such seem to be targeted towards exactly what this thread is about.  A perceived idea of what a "studio monitor" is without actually having the capabilities to serve as one.  If you have read any of the reviews on the JBL in question, however, it's VERY flat, which is something a real studio monitor needs to be.  After all, they are intended to be as neutral as possible, so as not to color the sound that is being mixed (in a studio, right?)  The fact is that most people prefer some coloration in the sound reproduction when they are listening to the final product.  And most of the speakers listed in this thread offer that.

In my opinion you only really buy studio monitors because they will help you do a job, usually related to mixing, mastering, producing, etc.  I don't think the OP is looking for such qualities.

 

[cel4145]

Because most that are advertised as such seem to be targeted towards exactly what this thread is about.  A perceived idea of what a "studio monitor" is without actually having the capabilities to serve as one.  If you have read any of the reviews on the JBL in question, however, it's VERY flat, which is something a real studio monitor needs to be.  After all, they are intended to be as neutral as possible, so as not to color the sound that is being mixed (in a studio, right?)  The fact is that most people prefer some coloration in the sound reproduction when they are listening to the final product.  And most of the speakers listed in this thread offer that.


In my opinion you only really buy studio monitors because they will help you do a job, usually related to mixing, mastering, producing, etc.  I don't think the OP is looking for such qualities.

The LSR 305s sound quite good. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone for music listening.

 

[Oktyabr]

The LSR 305s sound quite good. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone for music listening.

I'm quite sure I would like them a good deal.  I may eventually get around to trying them.  Ultimately the best speaker is the one that sounds good to you, no matter what the opinions of others may be.

 

[kiranjoshi7]

I am thinking of getting Swan M200 MK 2. My listening distance in front of desk would be around 3 feet. There is wooden cupboard behind me (behind which is brick wall). Distance between speakers and cupboard would be hardly around 6 feet.
Whether powerful speaker like model of swan would be overkill? Or should I go for speaker with small sized drivers?
Regards

 

[Oktyabr]

I am thinking of getting Swan M200 MK 2. My listening distance in front of desk would be around 3 feet. There is wooden cupboard behind me (behind which is brick wall). Distance between speakers and cupboard would be hardly around 6 feet.
Whether powerful speaker like model of swan would be overkill? Or should I go for speaker with small sized drivers?
Regards

6moons reviewed the M200 MK3 and liked it quite well on the desktop, in a smaller room (7' x 7' I think), saying they behaved even better in that environment than they did in a larger room on stands.  The swans are good looking speakers and I like the fact that the front baffle is tipped back.  On stands this may improve time alignment but on a desktop they are likely to be pointing more *upwards* towards you rather than broadcasting towards your chest...  a GOOD thing!  This tilt should also help minimize early reflections from being placed directly on a large, flat surface.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/swans2/2.html

That said and knowing you are working with a $500 budget I wonder if I wouldn't take a good look at some of the KEF offerings too, primarily because not only are they usually highly regarded for their SQ but also because they use a coaxial driver arrangement, which should technically be much better in a very near field environment.  Might be out of your budget but these looked interesting enough to read some reviews on and hunt down a deal, anyway:  http://www.amazon.com/KEF-X300A-Digital-Speaker-System/dp/B00AXYKF30

After thinking about the KEFs for awhile I think personally I would (actually might do this, for real) take a look at some DIY options using higher end "full range" single drivers like the Mark Audio, maybe something from Jordan, etc.  This of course means you would need at the minimum some wood working tools, premade cabinets, or someone to cut some for you (got any friends with a CNC machine?)  That's probably just for the real oddballs like me though...  I built three different full size floor standing models before settling on the ones I have now!
 

 

[kiranjoshi7]

Thanks a lot for prompt response and suggestion