[linuxworks]

maybe try a sealed speaker design? (do they still make those?)

 

[Armaegis]

Try sticking it on a bookshelf or even the floor first to see if it's the connection to the desk that's causing the bloated bass.

 

[fjf]

The best way to avoid the midbass hump many small hifi monitors have is to use professional monitors. Those are flat and usually sound very good. I only use professional monitors at home. The Adam a7 is a good example. Not very big, yet it sounds great as nearfield monitor; I have them as computer speakers. If you have the room, the are very accurate and flat. The yamaha monitors are also quite decent (hs80m, hs50m, msp7, msp5, depending on your budget). If you want fullrange, just add a sub.

 

[Bones13]

But you are spoiled by your headphone gear.

 

[akwok]

Okay, after fooling around with the speaker placement (moving the speakers really apart from each other, and slightly toe-ing them in), they now sound awesome.

I guess speaker placement is a biggie! Still a lot of tweaking to do though.

 

[noinimod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok /img/forum/go_quote.gif Okay, after fooling around with the speaker placement (moving the speakers really apart from each other, and slightly toe-ing them in), they now sound awesome. I guess speaker placement is a biggie! Still a lot of tweaking to do though.

The A5s sound best when they're properly mounted on a stand. If you don't have one, then try some ghetto solutions to decouple them from the desk, like thick phonebooks.

 

[St3ve]

Active monitors really do offer great value for money. My yamaha MSP5As, which are by no means anything too special, have been used almost every day for the last 4ish years. I think they sound fantastic, and are probably the best VFM purchase I think I ever made. Just ordered some of those Aurelex mopad isolators as a little treat for my old friends. In terms of speaker placement, I tend to just use the ol' ear-level height and equilateral-triangle placement.

 

[akwok]

I'm thinking of saving up for some Dynaudio BM6As, and I really see no need in the future to go back to headphones ever again. The imaging even with these $300 speakers is amazing!

 

[kimragone]

Try to raise the Audioengine so the tweeter is ear level. That will make the sound a lot more balanced.

 

[julius_the_cat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm thinking of saving up for some Dynaudio BM6As, and I really see no need in the future to go back to headphones ever again. The imaging even with these $300 speakers is amazing!

My son has a pair of BM6As on his desktop. Bass down to 41 hz. Detail one would expect from mixing monitors, but fun to listen to. I think these are the sweet spot in the Dynaudio powered monitor line, a significant step up from the BM5As which he had before.

 

[Mad Max]

Anyone directly audition the BX5a vs. MR5?

Also, more impressions on the Yamaha HS50M would be nice.



My impressions:

I heard the BX5a at Guitar Center along with the HS50M, but I listened to the MR5 and Rokit6 G2 next to each other at a Best Buy. The KRKs were excellent, but the MR5 had much better highs and was utterly flat from bass to highs. The KRKs I enjoyed, I liked their warmth and the mids were rounded and a bit forward. I noticed then that I had been ignoring the sound stage because the MR5's sound stage caught my attention when I switched over to them. Good accuracy, but the sounds were fuzzy around the edges. No congestion with complex music at all. Both boasted very good clarity all throughout, especially in the mids, and a decent amount of detail. The area was wide open and huge, which I think helped me get better acquainted with each of the monitors. They didn't sound quite as good at another best buy where the area was more closed-in and crowded.

At Guitar Center I heard a variety of monitors, and the MR5's again but they were very dark and muffled. I guess they were damaged or lacking much burn-in.
I liked the BX5a's soundstage and the highs and the overall sound seemed to be as good as the KRKs and MR5s but I think the M-audio's highs were a bit better than the MR5's which I heard at Best Buy. I got a chance to listen to the Yamaha HS50M and HS80M and I was very impressed with the sound (especially the HS80M), but they had an overall coconut-milky-white sonic color. I couldn't decide whether I like that or not. The area was crowded, so I'm sure I didn't hear how the speakers can sound balance-wise. The BX5a's weren't as loud as the rest of the speakers. There were also BX8a's, Rokit8s, Rokit5s, KRK VXT4s and VXT6s, and I forgot what else but they all had problems with blown woofers, punched-in tweeters, lacking burn-in, etc. except for the HS80M, which left me speechless, lol.

I'd say the HS50M, BX5a, MR5, and Rokit6 were all pretty close to each other in refinement, perhaps the KRKs lagging behind the rest just a bit. All had balanced sound where I heard them and tight, fast, and clear bass just the way I like. The BX5a's lacked a bit of clarity in the bass compared to the rest. none of them sounded thin or lacking anything else. I can't comment as to the depth of each monitors' bass, but none seemed to lack too much. also, my source: I used my portable rig and a pair of RCA interconnects plus adapters each time. I used my portable amp as preamp. I checked their tone controls and set them to zero before plugging in my portable rig. They all had a relatively directional sound except the KRKs - I didn't need to aim the speakers at my ears with the Rokits. The BX5a's were far apart, so I'm not sure as to whether they are as directional as the others. At each location, I'd squat down to where they sound best to my ears, and that was with the top of the woofers at just below ear level for the Rokit6s and MR5s. The BX5a's sounded best with the tweeters at ear level and the Yamahas with the top of the woofers right at ear level.

Before you think of bashing me, I am a n00b to speakers [of quality]. lol

 

[sawdin]

I've been researching desktop speakers for myself. Have you looked at the powered Swan 200 MK II? They are $249 from The Audio Insider. I have not heard them, but from reading reviews, Swan speakers seem to have a better reputation than Behringer and M-Audio (and Audioengine also). The KRK's might be too expensive, the smallest powered one is the KRK 5, which sells for $300/pair.

Good luck.

Swan M200MkII

 

[jonhapimp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sawdin /img/forum/go_quote.gif The KRK's might be too expensive, the smallest powered one is the KRK 5, which sells for $300/pair. Good luck. Swan M200MkII

120 for one(each) here
KRK RP5G2 Powered Studio Monitor

 

[akwok]

I've decided that I want to upgrade to the Adam A7s. Now... anyone have a pair for sale?

I've grown to love the Audioengines, but I just want something more high end. The imaging on them is pretty spectacular already, and I wanna see how good it can get in the $1k range.

 

[sawdin]

Not sure if I missed something, but you started the thread looking for speakers under $300 and are now in the $1,000 range. Looks like a case of the upgrade bug, for which there is no known antidote except a disapproving spouse!

Best wishes and look forward to a review when all is said and done.