[Tadgh]

So to anybody reading up till this point, thanks for taking an interest in helping me!
 
I've figured out that I probably want a sub, you're welcome to try and convince me otherwise. I'm buying an SW150, and I'm looking to spend 300 Euro on a pair of passive loud speakers to be amped by an SMSL SA-50. Any relevant solutions, discussions, or arguments are welcome! I have a fairly ecliptic music taste, listening to all kinds of rap, trap, classical, metal, indie, techno, vaporwave, reggae, jazz whatever else (a lot really, I'm missing a lot), and LOVE a nice looking pair of speakers.  

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Improvement upon a pair of Diamond 9.1s, getting 10.1s or 10.2s or a pair of MA BX2s.

 
If you can find a 9.2 on the cheap then go for it; otherwise, get the 10.2. The less frequencies you need to assign to the sub, the less challenges you'll have integrating the sound together, even if it's just a matter of 10hz to 20hz range (in the scale of a sub frequency range, that's a lot). 
 

 
Well the idea of the sub is not kicking strong bass at all, it really is just to totally cover the spectrum, I listen to a lot of rap, but mostly lyric based. Think everything from old Easy-E (actually somewhat treble heavy) to 2pacalypse and similar politically motivated rap (vocal heavy) and similar to Snoop Dogg (think R&B) to very bass heavy stuff (The Bones soundtrack for example, mostly not even bass in the guitar/picking/twanging sense, more bass gradients and the like).

 

I listen to that kind of rap with Grados instead of Beyers, since the vocals are better emphasized. Chances are that in a properly set-up system where the sub isn't set to provide a lot of bass deliberately skewing the overall response of the system, you would not notice a huge difference over not having the sub running (or not having one), provided you use large enough speakers.

 

Snoop Dogg though would need a subwoofer - that track with Pharell has a lot of resonating bass drums. It's not a hard kick in an ACDC soundtrack, but pounded on with hand-held mallets.
 

 
I'd like to think that I'm cultured and all, but come on, who doesn't like a little Cadillac with their large rimmed wheels and hydraulic suspension?

 

I'm one to think of extremely large rimz as an impractical waste of money - for one, thinner rubber means the expensive alloy rims are more vulnerable to potholes and the like. Similarly I'm not a fan of drifting, especially the Initial D racing kind of way - why waste rubber sliding around a corner when you can just cleanly hit the apex without the tail sliding out? 

 (I know people who think I'm all "too old" because of that)
 

 
Okay thank you, not being versed in the way of decent speakers I've been a little unclear on the difference between active monitors and passive loudspeakers, but what I can tell you is that I have headphones for being right up at my PC, as I'm on Teamspeak a lot playing games with friends it's highly unlikely that music appreciation will be had at such ranges, hence why these would be at the front of a room with a TV - so I could appreciate music in a relaxing not at my desk area, and so I could appreciate it to an extent all over one room and hear it all over the house. Hence my decision.

 

In any case just make sure you take into account my previous points about how large the space is going to be. If you can't use a large enough space speakers designed specifically for nearfield use are going to be better with your head at that close distance than passives that were engineered with some of the evaluations and measurements taken farther from the speakers. And again, "nearfield" means that is "designed to image well and have its best response at nearfield sitting distance," not "can't hear it unless you're sitting right next to them."

 

We use active monitors as patio speakers since you only haul two pieces (two speakers, amp for both built into one cabinet as in the Swans or one amp into each as in the KRK) instead of three (speakers+amplifier), although if we had ideal set-ups it would be an HT in the living room with Zone2 passive speakers in the patio.
 

 
Is that a sub-woofer under that desk?

 

Looks like it. My ideal home office though would just be the laptop, a DAC with a preamp output or an audio interface (except I really don't like how distracting pro audio gear look), and those Genelecs (or the larger ones).

  ...and LOVE a nice looking pair of speakers.  

 
I'd say save up for an Aurum Cantus - the more expensive lines are made to look like actual instruments. Not just a glossy black paint and then calling it "piano black," they really stain the wood where needed and paint it like how a real piano would be painted.


 
 
And then there's Duevel:

 

[Tadgh]

   
If you can find a 9.2 on the cheap then go for it; otherwise, get the 10.2. The less frequencies you need to assign to the sub, the less challenges you'll have integrating the sound together, even if it's just a matter of 10hz to 20hz range (in the scale of a sub frequency range, that's a lot). 
 

 

I listen to that kind of rap with Grados instead of Beyers, since the vocals are better emphasized. Chances are that in a properly set-up system where the sub isn't set to provide a lot of bass deliberately skewing the overall response of the system, you would not notice a huge difference over not having the sub running (or not having one), provided you use large enough speakers.

 

Snoop Dogg though would need a subwoofer - that track with Pharell has a lot of resonating bass drums. It's not a hard kick in an ACDC soundtrack, but pounded on with hand-held mallets.
 
 

I'm one to think of extremely large rimz as an impractical waste of money - for one, thinner rubber means the expensive alloy rims are more vulnerable to potholes and the like. Similarly I'm not a fan of drifting, especially the Initial D racing kind of way - why waste rubber sliding around a corner when you can just cleanly hit the apex without the tail sliding out? 

 (I know people who think I'm all "too old" because of that)
 
 

In any case just make sure you take into account my previous points about how large the space is going to be. If you can't use a large enough space speakers designed specifically for nearfield use are going to be better with your head at that close distance than passives that were engineered with some of the evaluations and measurements taken farther from the speakers. And again, "nearfield" means that is "designed to image well and have its best response at nearfield sitting distance," not "can't hear it unless you're sitting right next to them."

 

We use active monitors as patio speakers since you only haul two pieces (two speakers, amp for both built into one cabinet as in the Swans or one amp into each as in the KRK) instead of three (speakers+amplifier), although if we had ideal set-ups it would be an HT in the living room with Zone2 passive speakers in the patio.
 
 

Looks like it. My ideal home office though would just be the laptop, a DAC with a preamp output or an audio interface (except I really don't like how distracting pro audio gear look), and those Genelecs (or the larger ones).
 
I'd say save up for an Aurum Cantus - the more expensive lines are made to look like actual instruments. Not just a glossy black paint and then calling it "piano black," they really stain the wood where needed and paint it like how a real piano would be painted.


 
 
And then there's Duevel:

Due to a change in budget, and arrangement with members of my family (again, I know, things are a little up in the air xD) I've decided on the Zensor 3s, which will go in a medium double bedroom for a few months, then into a 4x7m room later on down the line, which I imagine would be their more optimal application. 
 
I'd really like to get into some more exotic headphones, growing to love my MDR7506s, and will soon be modding them with some nice Velour earpads the Grados really do sound wonderful, I've been watching their cult following for a long time! Might get a pair of AKG K550s soon actually.. Also for bassy Snoop, check out the Bones OST (Co-produced and rapped in by Snoop), try "The Legend of Jimmy Bones" and "These Drugs" - they're brutal, even the introduction track has a funky little bass line I imagine would slay on a good sub
 
It's not that you're too old mate, it's that you're kinda missing the point! I mean, I live in a rural area, to me, ever lowering the suspension on the car is a terrible, horrible idea - as would be driving any old US Muscle car. In fact my family exclusively own cheap Japanese 4x4s - reliable, high up, and 4x4. Even if I were living in the city with an unlimited budget, I'd get a nice Merc sedan. If I  were racing, I'd buy a much more substantial and balanced car. But I'd still love an old hydraulic caddy, not because it'd be useful or comfortable - because I associate it with clout and pimpery, and I think they look fantastic, it'd pretty much be a total ornament, good paintjob, soft-top, lowered suspension, hydraulics, the whole lot. I'm under no illusions, I'd hardly be racing the thing about, but ******* I'd be proud just driving the thing about. It looks nice, and that in itself has a huge amount of value. I mean there are people who race in old AC Cobras, it's the same thing here.
 
Yeah I getcha, thanks, my undestanding is a lot better now and I'm a lot more confident I can pick a pair of speakers for my needs. If it were always gonna be a bedroom dealio, I'd buy a pair of active monitors, but it's gonna be a 2m distance soon at minimum, and I'm just gonna assume that the Zensors will do that well for me when properly positioned and configured, because I would be REALLY surprised if they couldn't!
 
I'm primarily a system builder, paid sometimes but mostly hobbyist, and I really have to agree. If spending my own money on equipment has shown me anything, simple and elegant are pretty much the two most important features in any piece of kit, not even that far behind function. I'm rebuilding all of my setup (so I'm talking about audio here, but I'm buying three new monitors to update my dual setup, rebuilding my PC in a new chassis with a theme and aesthetic in mind), so all of it will match, there's gonna be no damn primary colors or gaudish kit, the most extravagant piece of the lot will be those Zensors - the rest is all aluminium  (grey and black), red walnut, dyed red pine, and black. It was the selling factor for me on a Steinberg UR22!
 
On a side note, I have some serious envy for that big bad word of a sub right there, for balanced listening I'd probably keep it pretty much off, but could you imagine turning that thing up to it's limit and just bouncing the bassline of some dubstep or trap on that? It'd pretty much be a stationary rollarcoaster, and that sounds pretty fantastic to me.
 
Whatever about the little speakers there, they don't impress me much but HOLY HELL THOSE DUEVELS - LIFE GOALS. I LOVE THEM. Can you also please explain how the hell they offer forward directional sound? xD They look unbelievably cool, but I'm wondering how on earth that's practical.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
It's not that you're too old mate, it's that you're kinda missing the point! I mean, I live in a rural area, to me, ever lowering the suspension on the car is a terrible, horrible idea - as would be driving any old US Muscle car. In fact my family exclusively own cheap Japanese 4x4s - reliable, high up, and 4x4. Even if I were living in the city with an unlimited budget, I'd get a nice Merc sedan. If I  were racing, I'd buy a much more substantial and balanced car. But I'd still love an old hydraulic caddy, not because it'd be useful or comfortable - because I associate it with clout and pimpery, and I think they look fantastic, it'd pretty much be a total ornament, good paintjob, soft-top, lowered suspension, hydraulics, the whole lot. I'm under no illusions, I'd hardly be racing the thing about, but ******* I'd be proud just driving the thing about. It looks nice, and that in itself has a huge amount of value. I mean there are people who race in old AC Cobras, it's the same thing here.

 
Clout and pimpery is exactly the reason why I wouldn't drive one even if I could afford it 

 I'm more of a stealthy kind of awesome. Like a black Ferrari V12 that I'll park myself (because I wouldn't trust it to anybody else not licensed to work on it) instead of parking at the entrance and just tossing over the keys to the valet. If I needed something to portray "clout" like if I'm President/Prime Minister, I'd look into a totally different mode of transport, something more in the spirit of Jan Sobieski, Alexander, and Nagao Kagetora riding at the head of the cavalry charge than someone in a magnificent carriage.

Nothing says "clout" quite like a floating airfield that can rain death from above surrounded by other floating missile platforms and marine transports

 
Same thing with the Initial D thing - I told my friends that if I ever lived in Japan I would live where the Hakone mountains are within driving distance, but I'd go around the corners hitting the apex, not doing unnecessary maneuvers that will just wear out the rear tyres on an NSX a lot faster. It's about getting the job done, and less about looking "good" in the process. Or rather, my idea of "looking good" is what Hakkinen or Raikkonen would consider "good" and less like what Fast and Furious would call "awesome." I mean, come on, just check prices for 265/45-17 Z-rated sport tyres!
 
 

 
Yeah I getcha, thanks, my undestanding is a lot better now and I'm a lot more confident I can pick a pair of speakers for my needs. If it were always gonna be a bedroom dealio, I'd buy a pair of active monitors, but it's gonna be a 2m distance soon at minimum, and I'm just gonna assume that the Zensors will do that well for me when properly positioned and configured, because I would be REALLY surprised if they couldn't!

 
2m should be enough, just make sure you have at least 1.5m between them so you can still get a wide enough stereo image.
 
 
 

 
On a side note, I have some serious envy for that big bad word of a sub right there, for balanced listening I'd probably keep it pretty much off, but could you imagine turning that thing up to it's limit and just bouncing the bassline of some dubstep or trap on that? It'd pretty much be a stationary rollarcoaster, and that sounds pretty fantastic to me.

 
I'm more inclined to think of an HT set-up as a roller-coaster ride, and more so with a subwoofer like this:

 
Just look at the magnets on those things (car audio version drivers here):

 
 
 
 

 
Whatever about the little speakers there, they don't impress me much but HOLY HELL THOSE DUEVELS - LIFE GOALS. I LOVE THEM. Can you also please explain how the hell they offer forward directional sound? xD They look unbelievably cool, but I'm wondering how on earth that's practical.

 

They don't have any forward directional sound, and that's the whole point. Direct sound out of the front of the speakers means that there's going to be a narrow "sweet" spot where you can properly hear the speakers. A more diffused omnidirectional pattern when properly done can result in a wider sweet spot. With my Pacific Pi10 and practically every speaker I listened to moving off to the side (proportional to the overall distance of course) can mean the sound moves, and the speaker in front becomes a lot louder. I got to listen to the entry level Duevel Planets, and I can stand up and move a couple of seats to the left and right (still within the middle of where both speakers of course) and the position of the vocals remains in the proper spot slightly ahead of the center spot between both speakers.

 

I'd use speakers employing a similar trick

 for HT rooms with a wider seating arrangement, although Mirage omni tech are not as meticulously designed as the Duevels - the shape of those wave guides are critical. At least Mirage wouldn't cost as much, good enough for HT.