help picking new speakers

[TheAnomaly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Operandi /img/forum/go_quote.gif The RS-1 is probably a really good speaker (whats with the gold tweeter though?) and it is pretty compact. The main issue I could foresee is you are dealing with a 6.5" woofer pretty big baffle in a nearfeild configuration. These are probably ideally meant to be used on stands with a fair amount of open space. If you use them in too near of a nearfeild position you'll have timing issues due to distance between between the woofer and tweeter relative to your listening position.

yea, i'm definitely considering stands. alternatively i was thinking about plunking them down on some $40 mopads on the desk itself, but that might cause reflection issues, so i haven't committed to that plan by any means. i'm expecting a good 4' from my listening position for the speakers, with a separation of about 7-8', so that is admittedly nearfield, but i *think* it should be ok...right?

also, out of left field, what do you guys think about X-Statik in a room my size (bedroom, heh)? they are high efficiency and large enough to not need stands. i'm only concerned that they're too big for comfortable placement. do you guys think it would/might be more in line with what i want in terms of sound quality (detail-focused, dynamic, all-arounder)? or should i just play it safe and stick with a bookshelf.

i'm reluctant to actually make a decision because i haven't heard most of what i'm interested in, but AV123 has a good tryout situation for their speakers, and i'm somewhat willing to just go for it at this point.

 

[spyderx]

I use a Citypulse DAC connected to my iMac. It drives a Jolida 102b tube amp (with JJ & TungSol tubes) driving a pair of Usher S520. That's my office/desk setup. Love it. Downside is space and head of the tubes. But man, they really smooth out the Ushers and have an amazing warm sound. I even liked the Usher better than the B&W CM1 in a nearfield setup. Mainly because of the front port for spacing from the walls.

It's loud, clear, totally resolving, has amazing bass for its size. Even the wife comments about about great it sounds.

Now, it's not quite as resolving as my living room rig, but it's pretty damn close in a lot of areas (and about 1/6 the price... Benchmark/BAT/Totem setup)

I've posted this before:

 

[Operandi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif yea, i'm definitely considering stands. alternatively i was thinking about plunking them down on some $40 mopads on the desk itself, but that might cause reflection issues, so i haven't committed to that plan by any means. i'm expecting a good 4' from my listening position for the speakers, with a separation of about 7-8', so that is admittedly nearfield, but i *think* it should be ok...right?

The listening distance is largely relative to size of the speaker. For something like the Monitor Audio speakers you were looking at 3' probably isn't ideal but would probably be ok. Because they use a large 6.5 woofer the distance between the tweeter and woofer is relatively large and your going to need more room (distance) for the sound from the two sources to sum together. Again coaxial and full range drivers bypass this issue completely (hence my KEF recommendation).

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif also, out of left field, what do you guys think about X-Statik in a room my size (bedroom, heh)? they are high efficiency and large enough to not need stands. i'm only concerned that they're too big for comfortable placement. do you guys think it would/might be more in line with what i want in terms of sound quality (detail-focused, dynamic, all-arounder)? or should i just play it safe and stick with a bookshelf.

Uhhh.. that wouldn't work so well (cool looking speaker though). Floor standing speakers in general are meant to fill larger rooms. Open baffle designs having even more demands on rooms size and placement, they need a large room and lots of space between walls and your ears.

 

[TheAnomaly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Operandi /img/forum/go_quote.gif The listening distance is largely relative to size of the speaker. For something like the Monitor Audio speakers you were looking at 3' probably isn't ideal but would probably be ok. Because they use a large 6.5 woofer the distance between the tweeter and woofer is relatively large and your going to need more room (distance) for the sound from the two sources to sum together. Again coaxial and full range drivers bypass this issue completely (hence my KEF recommendation).

i was thinking hard about KEF, too. full range drivers aren't really an option for me, i don't think, because my listening habits would probably overload the smaller sized full-range that would be feasible for my room placement. i'm mostly thinking of the john blue audio art JB3 when i say this; it was a well received speaker, and i'm sure when it's combined with the KingRex T20U it makes for a great, modest sized and priced system. the only problem is i'm afraid its bass will be too weak, and that it'll get utterly inundated and confused when i try to play heavier rock or classical pieces with it. if my listening habits consisted of solely ...Norah Jones...and cello pieces, it would probably be a great little speaker.

Quote:

Uhhh.. that wouldn't work so well (cool looking speaker though). Floor standing speakers in general are meant to fill larger rooms. Open baffle designs having even more demands on rooms size and placement, they need a large room and lots of space between walls and your ears.

yea i was kind of thinking it was a bad idea

oh well. the speakers i'm considered now are mid size and upper mid size bookshelfs. i'm mostly thinking of the MA S1, the KEF iQ1/3, the B&W 686/685, the Ascend Sierra-1, the Onix Ref 1, etc. any of these would probably be feasible, right?

 

[jung]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif i think i am *nearing* the end of my speaker quest as well. i'm leaning towards the icon + S-1 combo, along with the velodyne VX-10 to round out the bass. or possibly some other combo involving the JB3 or maybe the KEF iQ1, and the kingrex or the icon. i'm really attracted to the icon because it functions as a preamp and a headphone amp as well as a dac and speaker amp.

Another option about the same price as NuForce Icon for DAC + headphone amp + speaker amp, E-MU 0404 USB + Sonic Impact Tripath Amp.

I use KEF iQ3 on a 48"x30" table, with blu-tac. Between them is a 24"x12"x5" stand. Below the stand are audio stuff. On the stand is a CRT. My laptop is in front of the stand.

6" 2-way is not too large to me. If I want anything smaller, or if I want to use a subwoofer, I'd get 3" single driver.

 

[Operandi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif yea i was kind of thinking it was a bad idea oh well. the speakers i'm considered now are mid size and upper mid size bookshelfs. i'm mostly thinking of the MA S1, the KEF iQ1/3, the B&W 686/685, the Ascend Sierra-1, the Onix Ref 1, etc. any of these would probably be feasible, right?

I'm not familiar with some of those; I pretty much stopped looking at commercial designs when I decided to build my own (note build not design). The B&Ws should work really well, and the KEFs (which I've been pushing as though I own their stock).

I think the key is find a fairly small design that has a compact baffle where the tweeter center is close to the woofer center. So probably speakers that use 5.25 woofers, like the Ushers in spyderx's example.

BTW, spyderx nice setup

.

 

[spacemanspliff]

spyderex needs to mod those 520s. I think partsexpress has a kit and I know that there is a company up in chicago? that mods them. really brings out more of the sound.

Having my X-LS pair in nearfield is an issue. I have to sit pretty far back to get the full image. Close up, it is a bit of a muddle. Not bad for games but for music? No.

The Ref 1 are outstanding speakers but do tend to be very neutral. Just fyi. My speakers are more "fun" and have a bit more range. This is especially true in the lower octaves.

The x-statics might work but yeah, you need a good sized room. If you do not mind putting the desk in the middle of the room......