[audiofil]

Epos ELS-3. Incredible mini-monitors, I loved mine and still miss on some of their magic.

 

[Nardin]

What is your maximum H, W, and D + your spending limit. Additionally, define decent in your terms i.e. "gotta be better than any computer speaker".

 

[Ymer]

Wow, I'm overwhelmed by the number of responses. Didn't notice I had received so many.

So, explanation:

I'm gonna use these speakers with my computer. They'll be my only speakers for a year, maybe more. I have a stereo setup with Energy C-3 bookshelf speakers, but I'm not taking them with me.

They'll be used mostly with my computer, but yes, I want better than desktop speaker quality. I want to be able to listen to music decently. Most desktop speaker sets have problems and holes through the frequency range. I just want them to be small, neutral and able to reproduce anything I throw at them. They will be powered by an integrated amplifier and the source will be either a decent soundcard or a DAC.

The Energy RC-Mini (http://www.energy-speakers.com/v2/pr...ge.php?id=315#) are pretty small at 7-1/2". About that size or smaller would be great.

Up to 400 Euros is fine (unless there are 1000-2000 euros 7" or smaller speakers that are able to replace my bookshelf system ^_^).

Hope it's clearer now.

Thanks

 

[classicalguy]

"I want better than desktop speaker quality."

You want a speaker smaller than a desktop speaker to sound better than a desktop speaker? Does that make sense? Small speakers involve compromises. The smaller, the more compromises. Of course, it's possible for a really good small speaker to sound better than a mediocre bigger speaker, but you seem to be looking for a tiny speaker that has no compromises. I don't think you're going to be happy with the result. No small speaker is going to be able to produce bass properly. Physics stand in the way.

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicalguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif "I want better than desktop speaker quality." You want a speaker smaller than a desktop speaker to sound better than a desktop speaker? Does that make sense? Small speakers involve compromises. The smaller, the more compromises.

There are a few compromises you make when going to a small speaker.
- dynamics/volume
- bass depth and output
- efficiency that comes from a larger/ported cabinet

As long as you concede those compromises, there is no reason that you can't find a good very small speaker that sounds good otherwise, offering good mids and highs.

I'd highly suggest the Energy RC-Mini, it has a highly refined sound, better than average bass output for its size, and excellent tonal balance.

 

[audiofil]

A pair of minute ESI Near active monitors (I'd recommend the near05 experience model) and a balanced soundcard (EMU perhaps) could do excellently for a modest price.

 

[]|[ GorE]

Those BOSE cubes sound way better than those Gallios.And,thats only because the Acoustimass system uses active equalization and does it good.Those Gallios get blown away.

 

[wisehybred]

B&W M-1's!! Gotta love the design as well. I own 6 of them and they are top quality, and very heavy for their size

 

[Ymer]

I didn't say I wanted better quality than that of desktop speakers with smaller speakers, I said I wanted decent stereo sound from small bookshelf speakers. Desktop speakers aren't usually 8".

As long as they make a decent stereo presentation, I don't care about having to make a few compromises. I know I won't have the best of bass responses, but as long as it can reproduce a piano properly...

I guess the RC-Mini are the best option thus far. The smallest of the bunch anyway.

Now here's a question... the specs says the useable bass response only goes down to 85Hz. That means anything below that will not be there and the sound will just be hollow or that those frequencies won't have the punch they with system that go lower than that? 85Hz seems pretty high.

Although I didn't mention before, the spekers will be powered by the B output of my Rotel RA-01 integrated amplifier. I'm getting an amp upgrade later this year, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wisehybred /img/forum/go_quote.gif B&W M-1's!! Gotta love the design as well. I own 6 of them and they are top quality, and very heavy for their size

But those are intended for a multichannel setup, all I want is stereo 2.0

Thanks everybody

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ymer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now here's a question... the specs says the useable bass response only goes down to 85Hz. That means anything below that will not be there and the sound will just be hollow or that those frequencies won't have the punch they with system that go lower than that? 85Hz seems pretty high.

Basically, yes, you won't hear any frequencies below 85Hz and the sound will be something "thin". That is just the limitations of a tiny speaker. Tiny bookshelf speakers are really meant to be paired with a sub. You can use the boundary effect (putting them near a wall) to help the bass to get a few more Hz extension in the bass.

 

[phergus_25]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpdriver /img/forum/go_quote.gif Basically, yes, you won't hear any frequencies below 85Hz and the sound will be something "thin". That is just the limitations of a tiny speaker. Tiny bookshelf speakers are really meant to be paired with a sub. You can use the boundary effect (putting them near a wall) to help the bass to get a few more Hz extension in the bass.

some kind of ornate "walls" like with pics on them or something could be used as a simi corner loaded situation, which would add to the bass even more

 

[chesebert]

Harbeth HL P3ES-2
305 x 188 x 198mm

great speaker, awesome bass, floor shaking (I am not kidding

IMO the bass is no worse than spendor s5e atleast not by much. extremely usable bass down to 40hz.

 

[SebastianS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gz76 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh, and don't worry patrox89, I laughed!

So did I

to answer the OP, Monsoons?

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif Harbeth HL P3ES-2 305 x 188 x 198mm

One can get plenty of nice and full sounding bookshelf speakers in that size class - but that's ~ 4 inches higher than the ~ 7.5 " he'd like...

Ymer: Unfortunately I don't know those Energy RC-Minis, but they sure look like a serious construction worth auditioning. Nevertheless, if you have a chance to, I'd also recommend to check the good old JBL Control One, which are about the cheapest decent construction in that format one can get, and the Mission M30i/M31i (better the latter, due to the bigger mid-/bass-woofer), which are also decent constructions with good price/performance. Both the JBLs and the Missions are ~ 8 " in height.

And as others have already mentioned: You can't really expect low bass in that size class - i.e. the response will roll off steeply below ~ 70 Hz. The missing low bass extension isn't that much of a problem, though - especially as the human brain has this nice feature of filling in the missing fundamentals from audible harmonics (even better so, if the source material is already well known). In case of acoustically problematic rooms or placement options, that kind of reconstructed low bass can actually be a smarter solution than having to deal with nasty resonances by real low bass response - and it's definitely much less annoying than the usual dip in the upper-bass/low-mids, one usually finds in common pc-speaker and other sub/satellite systems in which the mid-/bass-woofers and cabinet size of the satellites are just too small.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Pibborando]

I heard the RC-Mini's in a local show room and they were pretty nice sounding. Pretty airy and sparkly in the highs. They were paired with one of Energy's subs though, so I don't know how they'd sound on their own. Even with the sub I liked the sound of the C-500 floorstanders better. Just bigger and fuller. I've got the Energy C-9s and they're even better, but they are also BIG even for floorstanders and you want tiny bookshelves. Space be damned, there's no way I'm not taking these C-9s to college with me though!

Anyway my point is the RC-Mini is a fine choice and with the addition of a nice sub down the road you could have a great sounding full range system.