[racer11]

what are they? i want to try out the ones from sonus faber, martin logan, and several others. so far, my top choice is the kef ls50. demoed it at store and i almost died. you gotta hear it if you havent 

 

[mistersprinkles]

KEF LS50 is god-like in the sub $2000 speaker category. They sound too good to be true for the asking price. 
 
I'd be happy with the half-as-expensive KEF X300A's as desktop speakers personally. But the LS50s do mop the floor with them.

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

You can get genuine studio near field monitors for significantly less than the hi-fi grade equivalents. The pro audio suppliers have been doing it for longer as well so they have the design and reliability issues covered.
 
5" is a decent compromise size. They go low and loud enough for domestic listening and don't take up that much space (once you get used to them on your desk). You should be looking for a min of 60Hz (+/-3dB) and an SPL ~100dB.
 
Top of the range, money no object, impress the clients type models from such as PMC and ATC can cost up to $5,000 pair.
 
Back in the real world you don't really need to spend more than $1,000-$2,000 for something truly excellent. Currently the most raved about model is the Neumann (Klein & Hummel) KH120. http://www.neumann-kh-line.com/neumann-kh/home_en.nsf/root/prof-monitoring_studio-monitors_nearfield-monitors_KH120A Don't take my word for it. Do a search and read the reviews. They are universally embarrassingly good.
 
The KH120 are active monitors (i.e. they have an active crossover and a separate amp for each driver) so they would cost more or less the same as the KEF LS50 by the time you have added an simple stereo amp. 
 
If you wanted to save a little money look at similar sized models from Adam, Eve, Focal, Genelec and Dynaudio. 
 
Adam and Eve also make a slightly smaller (4") models which I can recommend if you want to save a little extra space.

 

[WildStyle-R11]

Well I don't have a desk(I use obutto r3volution) and I recently ordered me some speakers, Anticipation is killing ME! They Are Cerwin Vegas XLS 215. Kef was on the list too somewhere, but I listen to every single music genre out there and so I needed something bit more different.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I want the Focal Alpha 50 first, but may upgrade to the KEF LS50 later.

 

[cel4145]

These: http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM2/srm2.html

With this: http://www.rythmikaudio.com/F12.html

And then an amp yet to be determined

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

 
PMC Two Two 5. Transmission lines for the desktop. What's not to like. Except the $5,000 cost!
 
https://pmc-speakers.com/products/professional/active/twotwo5
 
My humble contribution towards gearporn of the week.

 

[enkidu]

   
Quote:

These: http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM2/srm2.html

With this: http://www.rythmikaudio.com/F12.html

And then an amp yet to be determined

Definitely the best bang (and boom for that matter) for your buck, although I might swap a SB13-Ultra (http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/sealed-box/SB13-Ultra) for the F12 cause I think it looks better. I think you could drive the SRM2's + F12 off a Schiit Ragnorak: just send both single end outputs to the F12 and let it do the low-pass. Oooh, that would be pretty sweet.
 
 I'm a fan of big empty desks and the Sierras, though gorgeous, are not what you could call svelt. My personal choice for a dream setup would be a pair of KEF T301's, possibly on custom desktop clamp mounts with a *slight* up tilt for the desktop stage, assisted on the low end by an SB-2000. Driven with a Schiit Ragnorak sourced from a Yggy, both mounted on custom under desk racks with inset power controls on the desk. Hmm, I wonder how difficult it would be to rewire the volume dial of the Rag on top of the desk. Probably a hellish wiring job and completely unsanctioned by Schiit. Heck Jason & Co would probably schiit if they saw someone do that to their flagship box . But heck, as long as I'm wishing for a pony, might as well make it pink.
 

 
BTW, my HT is an oldish Yamaha receiver + 5xCMT-340S, no subwoofer yet. Am thinking about getting an SB-1000 or SB-2000 for a "small" sub to complement them. The SB13-Ultra seems like it would never pass muster with She-Who-Must-Be-Kept-Happy, even though the piano black version looks great. At my desk, I'm currently running a pair of DT Inclines (which I absolutely love), but am mulling getting a sub to help out with the low end, either an SVS SB-1000 or a Kanto Sub8 to keep things within budget (both money and size). It seems kinda crazy to get the SB-1000 which would cost more than the speakers + M2U+M2U put together. But then again, I guess we're all touched in the head.

 

[Snurt]

Know what i have for computer speakers right now?
 
A pair of Klipsch RF-83's. i Used to supplement them with a pair of Elemental Designs A7s-750's and a pair of Emotiva XPA-1's. But not i just have the RF-83's and a Marantz NR1604 to drive em.
 
I had a home cinema with Monitor Audio, then Adam Audio, but the old rule of "size is the main restrictor of speaker design" left me with the "sub-par" RF-83's as the best option when i did frequency response readings of my room.
 
 
Want to know my dream for a desktop?
 
The biggest active Emotiva's or Adam Audios i can get. As prefabricated desktop speakers...

 

[cel4145]

BTW, my HT is an oldish Yamaha receiver + 5xCMT-340S, no subwoofer yet. Am thinking about getting an SB-1000 or SB-2000 for a "small" sub to complement them. The SB13-Ultra seems like it would never pass muster with She-Who-Must-Be-Kept-Happy, even though the piano black version looks great. At my desk, I'm currently running a pair of DT Inclines (which I absolutely love), but am mulling getting a sub to help out with the low end, either an SVS SB-1000 or a Kanto Sub8 to keep things within budget (both money and size). It seems kinda crazy to get the SB-1000 which would cost more than the speakers + M2U+M2U put together. But then again, I guess we're all touched in the head.

I have a pair of CMB-170 SEs and the SB-1000 for my computer desktop setup, and it works great for that.

I would not recommend the SB-1000 for a home theater setup. It's not a high output sub, and then it's not great for good 20hz extension. Convince the wife you need the PB-1000

BTW: The Kanto Sub8 is rated 35 Hz – 175 Hz ± 6 dB, which means likely it is already rolling off by 40hz. Go for the Outlaw M8 for the better extension and likely better max SPL (ported vs sealed design).

 

[enkidu]

I have a pair of CMB-170 SEs and the SB-1000 for my computer desktop setup, and it works great for that.

I would not recommend the SB-1000 for a home theater setup. It's not a high output sub, and then it's not great for good 20hz extension. Convince the wife you need the PB-1000

BTW: The Kanto Sub8 is rated 35 Hz – 175 Hz ± 6 dB, which means likely it is already rolling off by 40hz. Go for the Outlaw M8 for the better extension and likely better max SPL (ported vs sealed design).

Thanks! I was worried about the reach of the Sub8. Outlaw M8 looks like it would be a great match for desk use although the SB-1000 beckons. 
 
No way that the wife would go for a monster like the PB-1000 in the room. Do you think the SB-2000 go low enough for a not-too-loud home theater setup? Or perhaps dual SB-1000 or SB-2000? Thanks for the suggestions. I'm guessing the CMB-170+SB-1000 on your desktop sounds great!

 

[cel4145]

The SB-2000 reaches lower than the SB-1000 and has more output. So yeah. Definitely better than the SB-1000.

However, unless sitting nearfield for a sub (3 feet or so), sub performance is greatly affected by room size and adjacent open areas: the bigger the room volume, the more sub you need.

 

[enkidu]

The SB-2000 reaches lower than the SB-1000 and has more output. So yeah. Definitely better than the SB-1000.

However, unless sitting nearfield for a sub (3 feet or so), sub performance is greatly affected by room size and adjacent open areas: the bigger the room volume, the more sub you need.

Fortunately, the room is pretty small just under 2000 cu ft. so shouldn't be terribly challenging. And if we move to a bigger place, I'll just double up. Thanks!

 

[jologskyblues]

  what are they? i want to try out the ones from sonus faber, martin logan, and several others. so far, my top choice is the kef ls50. demoed it at store and i almost died. you gotta hear it if you havent 

I'm using the KEF LS50 in a near-field desktop setup right now and its totally as you say. I upgraded from the Monitor Audio BR2 and it's completely unfair to compare that to the LS50.
 
Listening to the LS50s up close, these mini monitors just sound so immaculate in near-field. Its almost like it was designed to be used in that setup. I'm running the pair with an HRT Music Streamer III USB DAC, NAD C326BEE Integrated Amp and an SVS SB12NSD Subwoofer.
 
I was keen on getting a pair of active studio monitors for near-field desktop use but unfortunately, the good ones are quite difficult and expensive to source in my country so I got the LS50s instead and I don't regret it one bit even though I ended up going way over budget.

 
A word of warning though, the LS50 is very resolving and will reveal flaws in recordings and the components in the audio chain but depending on your choice of hardware, you can make it sound however you like.
 
Within my price-range, my alternative choices at the time were the Martin Logan Motion 15 and the PSB Imagine B.

 

[cel4145]

Fortunately, the room is pretty small just under 2000 cu ft. so shouldn't be terribly challenging. And if we move to a bigger place, I'll just double up. Thanks!

2000 cubic ft would be a bit much for the SB-1000. It really is best for very small rooms. The SB-2000 would be the better choice by far