[techboy]

Aktimate Mini+ for instance makes short work of any Wharfedale Diamond bookshelf or any Monitor Audio BX bookshelf regardless of the amp used. And I have heard these combinations. Monitor Audio BX2 plus a quality amp means at least 500 pounds. And Aktimate Mini+ at 350 pounds is still better. Airmotivs which you get for around $400 are better than $300 Wharfedales with $300 amplifiers.

So, although their are good passive speakers around, but the best powered ones are usually very good and very close, and often better at the same price point.

But that depends on the individual situation.

And I am only talking of retail prices.

 

[cel4145]

Aktimate Mini+ for instance makes short work of any Wharfedale Diamond bookshelf or any Monitor Audio BX bookshelf regardless of the amp used.

Aktimate Mini+ are way out of the OPs price range. The OP is looking for a speaker set in the £200 range, and I'm not interested in rehashing the whole general passive vs. active argument with you.

 

[techboy]

I was just talking of the sub 500 pounds price range.

For a little more than his budget he can get Aktimate Micro or Emotiva Airmotiv 4 or Swan bookshelves.

 

[cel4145]

I was just talking of the sub 500 pounds price range.

For a little more than his budget he can get Aktimate Micro or Emotiva Airmotiv 4 or Swan bookshelves.

There are passive speaker setups that can compete in the sub £500 range. And there are active studio monitors one should consider in that range as well.

Meanwhile, the OP is in the UK. Airmotiv's would be VERY expensive to ship.

 

[techboy]

If you need to get an amp and speaker both for 350 pounds then nothing comes close. Even at 500 pounds there arent many options.
 
I have tried many options and discussed at length with others. Aktimates are extremely difficult to better under USD 1000 with a passive setup. You can get a different sound signature, but you cant beat it outright.
 
And it compares reasonably well with entry level Adam Audio and Genelec speakers. So unless you have at least USD 1000 to blow on A3X\A5X which wont be used as a home hifi setup with MP3 and youtube, you dont have too many choices.
 
Adam Audio A3X is better but not by that much. And it isnt suitable for average quality MP3s, CD Rips or youtube, thus instantly removing it from a potential home setup.
 
The same goes for Genelec.
 
All other monitors are worse off than those two brands.
 
You can certainly match Mini+ in 500p or USD 1000, but you would end up in a similar league, you wont beat it by a huge margin, no matter what path you choose Some speakers in this price range will indeed beat it by some margin, but most would lose badly

 

[techboy]

By CD rips I mean 360p CD movies.

 

[cel4145]

If you need to get an amp and speaker both for 350 pounds then nothing comes close. Even at 500 pounds there arent many options.

Yeah. Yeah. Someone always swear this or that active/powered monitor is better than everything else.

I've demoed lots of equipment in the under $500 USD range (based on prices we have here). My Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SEs with a $75 t-amp sound better to me than all the active monitors I have heard. For instance, while the Airmotiv 4s have a little bit better sparkly bright highs that some may prefer, the Ascend tweeter is smoother (SEAS tweeters are known for outstanding quality in dome tweeters) , and the driver is much more resolving with better transient response. While the Airmotivs may have a more linear response in the midbass, the Ascends is more textured and refined.

But I will acknowledge that someone else might like a different sound signature speaker better. Which is the problem with making such statements when one gets up in price with speakers. It's like hearing people swear that one mid-fi headphone is better than all the rest.

In the ~ $1000 price range, these Philharmonitors and a $200 amp can compete with any other speaker out there. Doesn't mean that someone will like them BETTER than another speaker at the same price, but they do compete in class.

 

[Miracles]

The Pioneer BS22 is a $100 bookshelf speaker that sounds really good IMO. Pair that with a decent and cheap T-amp (Indeed TA2021 or a Topping TP21 for example) and you have a really nice setup. There's better options for your budget, but if you ever need a cheaper pair with a cheap amp, there you go.
 
Also speaker placement is important, so watch out for that.

 

[Vague]

Between
Aktimate
Ruar
Emotiva
Swan
You can't go wrong with any, especially the first three are just excellent with Ruar being the best.

What brands are available in your country? Do you get PSB Alpha PS1? That is a step up from A5.

Don't get the PSB Alpha PS1 here. 
 

Aktimate Mini+ are way out of the OPs price range. The OP is looking for a speaker set in the £200 range, and I'm not interested in rehashing the whole general passive vs. active argument with you.

"The OP is looking for a speaker set in the £200 range" Thank you.
 

I was just talking of the sub 500 pounds price range.

For a little more than his budget he can get Aktimate Micro or Emotiva Airmotiv 4 or Swan bookshelves.

Not spending more than £200! Would be great if you could recommend something in my budget...
 

  The Pioneer BS22 is a $100 bookshelf speaker that sounds really good IMO. Pair that with a decent and cheap T-amp (Indeed TA2021 or a Topping TP21 for example) and you have a really nice setup. There's better options for your budget, but if you ever need a cheaper pair with a cheap amp, there you go.
 
Also speaker placement is important, so watch out for that.

Thanks buddy i will check it out.

 

[Currawong]

It is pushing the OP's budget, but I wonder how much the Emotiva Airmotiv 4s can be had once they've landed in the UK, especially if you can get them on sale. The main downside to them is that they don't do deep bass (below 50 Hz) but that is the same for most bookshelf-size speakers. Other than that, I plugged the rear ports with some foam to reduce the rear port turning my desk into a giant mid-bass subwoofer, since it is up against a wall. However they were good enough to easily show the differences between better or worse equipment used with them.

 

[cel4145]

Other than that, I plugged the rear ports with some foam to reduce the rear port turning my desk into a giant mid-bass subwoofer, since it is up against a wall.

That makes sense since the ports need room to breathe. But did you know that also (a) raises the tuning point, thus making the speakers roll off in bass earlier (so instead of 50hz extension, might only be 60hz extension now), and (b) makes the driver work harder, thus reducing the amount of bass it can produce before you overdrive it?

 

[cel4145]

Thanks buddy i will check it out.

Here is a review of the Pioneer SP-BS41-LR. They are excellent speakers for the money if you can find them in the UK

Also, Cambridge Audio is closing out their S30s (new model is being released). They are as good as the Pioneers.

 

[Vague]

Here is a review of the Pioneer SP-BS41-LR. They are excellent speakers for the money if you can find them in the UK

Also, Cambridge Audio is closing out their S30s (new model is being released). They are as good as the Pioneers.

 
They seem good.

 

[Vague]

Mostly listen to Heavy metal, classical, rnb and dance but saying that i don't want anything bass heavy.

 

[cel4145]

Cambridge Audio S30s probably will have a little more bass output on the low end than the Pioneers, but I would not describe them as bass heavy speakers.

However, the S30s are a little more sensitive than the Pioneers. All other things being somewhat equal in your decision making, I'd go with the S30s because you'll get a little more volume output with the same amplifier power. Not a bad thing if using t-amps in case you ever want to fill the room more loudly with sound.