[Max598]

My littledot does have a preamp outputs but can that be hooked up to the speakers directly? And will my mk3 be powerful enough to drive them?  That would be very convenient because then I could save about $100 on a reciever and be able to get better speakers.  Also does anyone know where some places are that I can go to audition speakers?

 

[juman231]

Quote:

My littledot does have a preamp outputs but can that be hooked up to the speakers directly? And will my mk3 be powerful enough to drive them?  That would be very convenient because then I could save about $100 on a reciever and be able to get better speakers.  Also does anyone know where some places are that I can go to audition speakers?

That would depend on the speakers. Active speakers (such as the audioengine 5 and rokit series speakers) have their own amplifiers inside them, so the power of the mk3 is of little concern. In this case, mk3 only acts as a volume control. But for passive speakers that do not have their own amplifiers, you'd definitely need some speaker power amplifiers. 
 

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

My littledot does have a preamp outputs but can that be hooked up to the speakers directly? And will my mk3 be powerful enough to drive them?  That would be very convenient because then I could save about $100 on a reciever and be able to get better speakers.  Also does anyone know where some places are that I can go to audition speakers?

No, you will need to connect the preamp outs to a power amp, then connect the power amp to the speakers.
 
I came in to recommend the PSB Alpha B1 bookshelf (link goes to Stereophile's review.  I bought these for my parents a few years ago because they wanted better speakers for TV/movie watching.  I've given them quite a few listens and have been pleased with them.  These are popular speakers and for a good reason, too.  I agree with the linked review.
 
You're in luck for an audition, as well.  If you can get to Garden Grove, pay a visit to DMC Electronics.  I bought the pair for mom'n'dad there and they were good to me.  They will give you an audition, as well.
 
As for a power amp, take a look around the used ones at Audiogon.  Personally, I'd dig a little bit and spring for something like an Adcom GFA-555.  Designed by Nelson Pass and one of the best deals going for a power amp.  You might consider some of the NAD power amps, too.

 

[HeatFan12]

 
Quote:

My littledot does have a preamp outputs but can that be hooked up to the speakers directly?  Yes, to powered speakers, no problem at all.
 
And will my mk3 be powerful enough to drive them?  You are not driving them with the pre-out of the MKIII, they have a built-in amp (powered speakers).  The pre-amp acts as a volume control.
 
That would be very convenient because then I could save about $100 on a reciever and be able to get better speakers.  It's also very convenient as well for headphones since you stated you love your headphones.  Using the MKIII in that fashion gives you both without changing or disconnecting anything.
 
Also does anyone know where some places are that I can go to audition speakers?  Sam Ash, Guitar Center etc.

Like juman and others stated earlier (below).
 
Powered speakers do not need an amp, they have one built-in.  You can connect portable players (Ipods etc...), cd players, DACs etc. directly to them.  In your case, you would connect your DAC to the MKIII (DAC RCA output to MKIII RCA input).  Then you connect the pre-out of the MKIII to the speakers...Voila...You can listen to your speakers or headphones without changing anything.
 
I have three headamp/pre-amp combos connected this way to my A5s & KRK RP6s.


Quote:

That would depend on the speakers. Active speakers (such as the audioengine 5 and rokit series speakers) have their own amplifiers inside them, so the power of the mk3 is of little concern. In this case, mk3 only acts as a volume control. But for passive speakers that do not have their own amplifiers, you'd definitely need some speaker power amplifiers. 
 

 
 
 

 

[Max598]

Wow so I guess powered speakers are probably my best bet.  But in this price range how do you guys think powered speakers would sound as opposed to a speakers with a reciever?

 

[sml1226]

I've never heard any of the higher rated powered speakers, but in my experience, it's easier to get a good sound with passive speakers and a decent amp.

That way would also let you swap out speakers if you decide to upgrade or go for a different sound later on, as long as your power requirements don't change too much and overtax your receiver or amp with higher requirements in some area.

 

[cheezies]

Quote:

Funny how differently each of us hears things! To me, the horns on Klipsch speakers don't sound harsh or difficult to listen to at all. Instead, they sound perfect, removing what I perceive to be a couple big, fat stuffed pillows between me and the speaker when listening to studio monitors that have rolled off, "smooth" treble. Yuck.
 
This just illustrates how important it is for the OP to audition different brands himself before buying, if at all possible. You don't necessarily have to try out every single model, but just listening to some Klipsch models vs. more conservative, flat-response brands like KRK should give you some direction.

I agree with ounwx. To add to the "personal preference" factor, I use all Klipsch gear for my home theater (RF82, RC62, RS52, RSW10D) and they sound wonderful. Sitting on my couch (about 10 feet away) the horns are just right for me.
 
For my computuer desktop, with the Klipsch RB61 bookshelves, electronic music sounded excellent, even better than the Rokit RP5's (which I replaced the RB61's with). But since I listen to a lot of different music, I accepted this trade off and got the RP5's. A lot of female Korean artists (e.g. BoA) sounded too bright for me on the RB61's, I think a tube amp would've really helped.
 
While I like do like bookshelf speakers, for a computer desktop, I prefer studio monitors. I find them easier to position for optimal sound (however, the sound may not fill the room as much), and you save space since you don't need a large receiver. If you have multiple sources (e.g. game console, CDP), a receiver is really useful for switching inputs.