[AppleheadMay]

I am looking for some advice on a nearfield desktop setup.
Actually, I don't know what qualifies as nearfield or not.
 
This is going to be for my desk.
My desk headphone setup is like this: iMac connected via usb to two Dac's each feeding two headphone amps.
My desktop speakers for the moment are B&W MM1, active computer speakers with built in Dac connected via USB.
I want to replace those with a more serious setup, a nearfield setup let's say. I am 3ft away from the speakers and they are 2.5ft apart.
I have a pair of B&W CM1's lying around and was thinking of getting a W4S Mint (inetgrated amp with USB dac), connect that to the iMac via USB and drive the CM1's with it.
 
What do you guys think of that setup? Any advice/tips?
 

 

[vvanrij]

For nearfield setups, be sure to also look at studio monitor options. I have a firewire DAC connected to my iMac, connected to KRK VXR8's. Adam, Genelec and Dynaudio also offer wonderful speakers.

 

[soke]

Hey applehead,
 
I'm posting to tell you I can't send you a PM!
Mail me at sokehxc at gmail.
 
And by the way,,,,,,
 
Get some Focal CMS 65 and end your journey

 

[AppleheadMay]

Hehe, wondered where you went. Messed up the PM system?

 

[sridhar3]

Depends on your budget.  KRK and Mackie if you're going budget.  Mini Maggies will probably fit the bill under $2k.  If you're going all out, check out the Klein & Hummel O 300 D.  Focal and Genalec make good stuff too.

 

[dyl1dyl]

It really depends on your budget. For a great value option, I'd go for the M-audio bx5d2, for something higher, the Adam audio a5x or a7x, for something higher, the mini maggies and if you want to go above $2000, then there are lots of amazing monitors that you can consider like the Klein and Hummel.

 

[Headzone]

Genelec 8020's are some serious nearfield speakers. For the same price there is KRK VXT4 but they are plastic and made in china. (Though who cares, pick the one which sounds better.)

 

[AppleheadMay]

All interesting options, I checked them all out.
The Mini Maggies are not for me, I have cats, of the way too spoiled variety.
As for budget, I don't want to go above €1500, but I see that gives me a lot of options from the monitors you all mentioned.
 
But what I am a bit worried about is how the sound of these pro monitors compares to an amp with consumer speakers.
Won't they bee too clean and analytical compared to the CM1's for example? Or will hifi speakers sound weird in a nearfield setup?
The setup would be used for music listening, I'm not a pro nor do I need to mix anything.
I do have a pair of CM1's, so adding the W4S M-Int would cost me €1200.

 

[not_sure]

Be careful on classical Adam's, Dynaudio's, ATC, Genelec, PMC, APS, KRK etc. Don't buy it blindly. Important thing is on these smaller nearfields it is not big sound, you have to find one which will suit their tonal character to you which is not easy find. For price I would recomend you Swans M200mkIII it is not bad and then go for studios during year and try listen a lot nearfileds and perhabs you will find what you look for.

 

[vvanrij]

 
Quote:

Genelec 8020's are some serious nearfield speakers. For the same price there is KRK VXT4 but they are plastic and made in china.

What a ridiculous argument. ABS is not the same as plastic.... http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug08/articles/krkvxt6vxt8.htm
 
Both the 8020's and VXT4 have small woofers, and miss a lot of low end (66Hz-20kHz (+/-2.5dB), great speakers both nonetheless, but you might want to look at both of the bigger brothers (VXT8, GENELEC 8130 APM, GENELEC 8040 etc.)
 
Anywho, be sure to listen to monitors before buying, they all say that they are producing a perfectly flat response, but there is still a lot of difference between them. Be sure that you can also listen to them for longer periods (not too cold, sibilant etc.). They can be picky with bad recordings, definitely more picky than normal hifi speakers. But with HQ recorded audio they really shine.
 
Also an interesting read: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Jun02/articles/monitors.asp
 
 
 

 

[AppleheadMay]

Quote:

 

What a ridiculous argument. ABS is not the same as plastic.... http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug08/articles/krkvxt6vxt8.htm
 
Both the 8020's and VXT4 have small woofers, and miss a lot of low end (66Hz-20kHz (+/-2.5dB), great speakers both nonetheless, but you might want to look at both of the bigger brothers (VXT8, GENELEC 8130 APM, GENELEC 8040 etc.)
 
Anywho, be sure to listen to monitors before buying, they all say that they are producing a perfectly flat response, but there is still a lot of difference between them. Be sure that you can also listen to them for longer periods (not too cold, sibilant etc.). They can be picky with bad recordings, definitely more picky than normal hifi speakers. But with HQ recorded audio they really shine.
 
Also an interesting read: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Jun02/articles/monitors.asp
 
 
 

Thanks for the link to the SOS article, seems to be just what I need. Just printed it out, will read the article this afternoon with some music and cans.
For those interested, there is also a part 2 to this article here.
 
 

 

[DaveBSC]

Event Opals are amazingly good studio monitors. Hi-fi speakers are generally not designed for use in nearfield environments, although some work fairly well in that application. I know that 6moons raved about the Anthony Gallo Stradas on the desktop.
 
http://6moons.com/audioreviews/gallo10/strada.html

 

[AppleheadMay]

I decided on going with hifi speakers and an integrated amp, connectuivity being one of the reasons.
I ordered de W4S MINT dac/amp and B&W XT2 speakers. I'll probably add a small sub later on.

 

[Theogenes]

I'd be interested to hear any impressions you have of your W4S mINT! I have a W4S setup now (STP-SE preamp and SX-500 monoblocks), and I have been nothing but impressed with their products thus far. I'm curious to see how the mINT stacks up! Thanks in advance for any opinions you can share!

 

[AppleheadMay]

Sure, remind me again in about 3 weeks or so.
I just got word from the distributor here and he sent me the tracking info from W4S to him.
It seems like the Mints have been going back and forth between The Netherlands and US customs for some reason.
So I'm still waiting ...