[argonil]

Hi you beautiful audio connoisseurs! I'm a novice hoping to find the right PC speakers for my desk. I've read reviews and watched "Top 10" lists but they all conflict with each other and I suspect that some of them are basically paid advertisements, so I wanna ask the real enthusiasts.

I think I should go for a set of 2.0 speakers, because if I had a subwoofer then I'd have to fit it below my PC desk, and the last time I did that I could barely hear it with my head above the table. If I stepped back then it was audible but not while sitting in front of the PC, so it seems better to go with 2.0 stereo in my case.

It's to be used for a bit of everything: Gaming, small-time audio productions and mixes, and listening to all sorts of music, from rock & metal to dubstep to melodic trance with angelic vocals, and everything in between. Therefore, it needs to have a balanced sound profile. I take it that a balanced sound profile is not necessarily the same as a studio accurate one? Accuracy is great, but a good listening experience is what matters the most.

They need to be compact enough that I can fit them on my desk next to my screen. Something like 15 x 20 x 20 cm should be alright.

I'm fine with spending up to $500 on the system. Give me all your recommendations and I'll look into each of them.

Bonus points if you also recommend headphones with the same sound profile and price range, but speakers comes first.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Looking at reviews in this price range (mostly from Erin's Audio Corner and ASR, didn't parse Stereophile due to their lack of a proper search engine), I'd probably go with the ADAM Audio T5V. Comes out to $400 a pair, though you'll need a balanced DAC and I'm not sure if you have one.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/adam-t5v-review-studio-monitor.18122/

If you don't have a balanced DAC and that firmly puts you over budget (the best affordable one I know of is the Schiit Modius E), then I'd probably get the Vanatoo Transparent Zero+ which doesn't need a DAC. The original Transparent Zero measures very well for the price, and I had a good experience with it years ago.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...anatoo-transparent-zero-speaker-review.13717/

As for a headphone, for a closed back I'd for sure go with the AKG K371 (and some simple EQ to fix its boosted sub bass and one 3.8 KHz dip that's easy to fix). For an open back, the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro just came out and looks promising so I'd wait for reviews on that before buying anything.

 

[HiFiWar]

AudioEngine A2+ or A5

 

[argonil]

Looking at reviews in this price range (mostly from Erin's Audio Corner and ASR, didn't parse Stereophile due to their lack of a proper search engine), I'd probably go with the ADAM Audio T5V. Comes out to $400 a pair, though you'll need a balanced DAC and I'm not sure if you have one.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/adam-t5v-review-studio-monitor.18122/

Aren't all computer sound cards equipped with a DAC? My motherboard has a Realtek ALC1220 chip which is one of their better chips, and it's isolated from system noise on my motherboard. I hear it's quite alright. Not like the old days where computer chips were a crime against Apollo that could send you to Tartarus

 

[Rhamnetin]

Aren't all computer sound cards equipped with a DAC? My motherboard has a Realtek ALC1220 chip which is one of their better chips. I hear it's quite alright. Not like the old days where computer chips were a crime against Apollo that could send you to Tartarus

Actually, I didn't notice that those ADAM Audio T5Vs have unbalanced inputs, unlike my ADAMs. So indeed you'll be fine as is. A Schiit Modius E would make for a noticeable future upgrade, but not something you need now.

 

[spittis]

If you're even remotely serious about production and mixing, I'd argue that most (descent) nearfield active studio monitors fitting your budget is fine, e.g. Adam or KRK (if you're in the EU check out thomann.de). For that budget definitely go with an unbalanced monitor and use your on-board audio, you probably don't get any benefit from balanced anyway.

What is way more important is figuring out optimal speaker placement and room acoustics, and do treatment accordingly. That will have a much bigger impact on the sound than anything else, and is obviously very beneficial for enjoying music as well.

A couple of links to get started:

https://www.genelec.com/monitor-placement

https://www.acousticsinsider.com/blog/smart-acoustic-treatment

 

[argonil]

I've been looking into your suggestions and the Vanatoo Transparent Zero is said to be much better than the AudioEngine A2+. I saw there's a new version of them called Vanatoo Transparent Zero PLUS; I assume it's just a refresh with some minor improvements and no downsides. I'm considering getting those due to their versatility and ease of use; I could bring them anywhere and they'd work out of the box. I like that you can angle them so that they point towards your ears.

The ADAM Audio T5V seem less versatile but as far as I can tell, their sound is better. They're also larger. I think I'd need some accessories for them, such as a speaker wedge to angle them properly. I'm tempted to just go with the Transparent Zero but perhaps I'd regret not going the extra mile for the superior listening experience. Hmm.

 

[argonil]

I decided on the Adam T5V and found that my PC doesn't seem to have the two L/R inputs to connect the speakers, so I will need a DAC regardless. Makes it kind of expensive but I'm still considering it. I had the Schiit Modius E recommended to me but its frequency response only goes up to 20 kHz whereas the speakers go up to 25 kHz; that doesn't sound ideal. I will also need to buy cables.

I heard that I should ideally have some rubber feet or foam pads to isolate the speakers from my desk. I looked at the IsoAcoustic stands but they're way too expensive for what is effectively a couple of metal rods and a bit of plastic. What a rip-off. Some sources say that acoustic foam does more damage than good and muddies the lows. Perhaps rubber feet is the way to go?

 

[Rhamnetin]

I decided on the Adam T5V and found that my PC doesn't seem to have the two L/R inputs to connect the speakers, so I will need a DAC regardless. Makes it kind of expensive but I'm still considering it. I had the Schiit Modius E recommended to me but its frequency response only goes up to 20 kHz whereas the speakers go up to 25 kHz; that doesn't sound ideal. I will also need to buy cables.

I heard that I should ideally have some rubber feet or foam pads to isolate the speakers from my desk. I looked at the IsoAcoustic stands but they're way too expensive for what is effectively a couple of metal rods and a bit of plastic. What a rip-off. Some sources say that acoustic foam does more damage than good and muddies the lows. Perhaps rubber feet is the way to go?

I've never seen a motherboard without L/R RCA outputs. Are you sure?

As for frequency response, that's a nonissue since hardly anyone older than a young adult can hear 20 KHz, and very few people can hear beyond that. See for yourself. In my early 20s I could hear up to 21-22 KHz, now in my early 30s I can hear up to 17 KHz. Also, hardly any music contains 20 KHz audio to begin with.

For your price range though, you can get an SMSL SU-1 if you really don't have the necessary connectivity. This DAC also already performs beyond the limitations of human hearing, won't be the bottleneck in any system, and it hits way beyond its price range.

Rubber feet are fine as well.

 

[argonil]

I've never seen a motherboard without L/R RCA outputs. Are you sure?

As for frequency response, that's a nonissue since hardly anyone older than a young adult can hear 20 KHz, and very few people can hear beyond that. See for yourself. In my early 20s I could hear up to 21-22 KHz, now in my early 30s I can hear up to 17 KHz. Also, hardly any music contains 20 KHz audio to begin with.

For your price range though, you can get an SMSL SU-1 if you really don't have the necessary connectivity. This DAC also already performs beyond the limitations of human hearing, won't be the bottleneck in any system, and it hits way beyond its price range.

Rubber feet are fine as well.

My motherboard only has 3 RCA outputs: Mic, Line Out, and Line In. Pretty sure Line Out is the only one that can be used for speakers. Line In is for devices which transmit audio to the computer, such as instruments.

 

[Rhamnetin]

My motherboard only has 3 RCA outputs: Mic, Line Out, and Line In. Pretty sure Line Out is the only one that can be used for speakers. Line In is for devices which transmit audio to the computer, such as instruments.

Oh right, you can use an RCA to dual RCA cable to connect the speakers to that.

 

[argonil]

Oh right, you can use an RCA to dual RCA cable to connect the speakers to that.

Ah, I see. The SMSL SU-1 is so cheap though... surely it performs better than my ALC1220 sound chip, so I might just get it anyway. I'm curious about whether it performs worse than the Schiit Modius E though. I somehow doubt it since the SMSL SU-1 already performs so well, but I can't find any direct comparisons. I'm sure I'd be satisfied with it though.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Ah, I see. The SMSL SU-1 is so cheap though... surely it performs better than my ALC1220 sound chip, so I might just get it anyway. I'm curious about whether it performs worse than the Schiit Modius E though. I somehow doubt it since the SMSL SU-1 already performs so well, but I can't find any direct comparisons. I'm sure I'd be satisfied with it though.

Both were reviewed by the same reviewer here and here. But I only name dropped the Modius E because I didn't realize the T5V has unbalanced inputs. Between the two DACs, the SU-1 has a tiny bit of rolloff at very high frequencies, but this is going to be inaudible especially if indeed your ability to hear those frequencies are gone. Neither have close to audible jitter issues, and they have very similar performing reconstruction filters (these are two of the most audible DAC parameters). Everything else is practically the same: THD+N vs frequency is cleaner on the Modius E but that's way beyond audibility.

The main benefits to the Modius E are: 4v RMS balanced outputs for more versatility, made in the US so much easier to service. But if you want a US made elite performing DAC for less than the Modius E, I recommend the JDS Labs Atom DAC 2. Seems like these are back in stock in 2 days.

 

[argonil]

The main benefits to the Modius E are: 4v RMS balanced outputs for more versatility, made in the US so much easier to service. But if you want a US made elite performing DAC for less than the Modius E, I recommend the JDS Labs Atom DAC 2. Seems like these are back in stock in 2 days.

That's okay, I'm from Denmark. I actually heard that Germany has a lot of good hifi equipment, and while I can get it sent to Denmark for cheap there aren't really any reviews to tell me how they hold up, lol.