[xerikx]

I currently have Klipsch Pro-Media 2.1's and I'm over the issues I'm having with them -- time to replace.

My current set-up is an X-Fi Elite Pro so I'm wonder what the best speakers would be to go with this? I live in a dorm room so nothing too crazy; I was contemplating the Audioengine A5 - do these support s/pdif?

Any better recommendations?

 

[obobskivich]

uh, are you willing to buy an amplifier/reciever/integrated amp along with speakers? or does it have to be powered/active?

maybe NHT's active monitors, or Genelec's active monitors?

I know Yamaha and M-Audio make a series of fairly affordable monitors, imho the Yamaha's are too bright and forward, and the M-Audio's are too top heavy

 

[xerikx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by obobskivich /img/forum/go_quote.gif uh, are you willing to buy an amplifier/reciever/integrated amp along with speakers? or does it have to be powered/active? maybe NHT's active monitors, or Genelec's active monitors? I know Yamaha and M-Audio make a series of fairly affordable monitors, imho the Yamaha's are too bright and forward, and the M-Audio's are too top heavy

I haven't really decided since it all depends on price at this point (under a G). Moving into the future though, I'll probably have a different system other than my PC

Space wise though, active may be better at this point

 

[I<3SQ]

I'm interested in the same thing, although I currently have even worse speakers than you, Logitech X-230's. I'm torn between buying an amp and running my Infinity L-MPS's or just buying some active monitors. I'm leaning towards the active monitors, some that have bass/treble/volume knobs and well as aux input and headphone jack.

 

[mr56k]

M-Audio AV40s are really nice. You didn't mention your price range but they go for about $149-199 . Really nice monitors. I have a pair of the AV30's on the way that were around a $100.

 

[obobskivich]

m-audio monitors are amazing for their money

the best thing I can suggest is go audition them, most PA stores (Guitar Center for example) will have a studio room where you can play around with active monitors

out of all of the ones I've heard, the Yamaha's probably provided the cleanest sound, but it was still really bright, the M-Audio's were probably the easiest to listen to, but if you end up A/B'ing them to something like, say, a good pair of headphones or if you have a lot nicer system in another room, you'll start to hate them (thats why I ended up not buying)

Genelec and NHT make awesome active monitors, but you pay for it

Mackie's active monitors are built like tanks, and sound pretty good, but they're, uninspiring, is probably the word I'd use

so in the price range, Yamaha or Mackie, M-Audio being a good 3rd (like a close 3rd), Genelec and NHT are awesome, but they're a lot more expensive


you might also look at vintage audio, like an older reciever that only does stereo, but does it fairly well (an older Yamaha, Technics, Denon, HK, NAD, etc) and pick up a decent pair of speakers to go with it (basically what I did, so far I'm loving it, just be prepared to do a little repair work and a lot of TLC with vintage eqiupment)

 

[I<3SQ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by obobskivich /img/forum/go_quote.gif the best thing I can suggest is go audition them

True story

I just saved myself a few dollars by going and listening to them. I was going to upgrade my Logitech X-230's to a set of active monitors but after listening to them I realized that it didn't make sense for me to do so when my stereo system at home and in my car have me spoiled and used to hearing music in a particular way. The flat frequency response just isn't for me, and since i'm not doing any music production at all it's not a worthy investment for me.

 

[obobskivich]

yeah, thats another thing I forgot to mention, and most of the studio monitor lovers probably forget to mention, they're designed to be 100% flat because they're designed for mixing, not jamming out to your tunes

you might wanna look at some of the active NHT's, which aren't designed as studio monitors (at least not solely)

 

[xerikx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by obobskivich /img/forum/go_quote.gif yeah, thats another thing I forgot to mention, and most of the studio monitor lovers probably forget to mention, they're designed to be 100% flat because they're designed for mixing, not jamming out to your tunes you might wanna look at some of the active NHT's, which aren't designed as studio monitors (at least not solely)

That's a really good recommendation I didn't realize; I like a little bass in my music but nothing out of the world, so I think that I'll probably be looking into NHT

 

[obobskivich]

another idea, but it probably blows past a grand, is the B&W CM1's or Polk LSi9's and something like the Firestore Big Joe or an inexpensive integrated amp like the Pioneer Elite or something along those lines

but the speakers on their own are around $900, the Big Joe is like $220, the Pioneer Elite integrated amp is about the same (more power, but not the same quality of power)

View the CM1 at Bowers & Wilkins - The World's leading Hi Fi Brand
Pioneer USA - Elite Amplifiers

idk, that pairing might be a little more than over the top for your budget/needs, it just came to mind, you could probably go with a lot less expensive speakers and that integrated amp (let me qualify this by saying I've never actually played with that amplifier, while I don't doubt its quality, given that most Pioneer Elite branded stuff is pretty good for the money, theres always room for a black sheep in the family)

edit::
just found this on pioneer's website
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...-PM.Kuro?tab=B

aside from being massively inefficient, and the fact that no retailer in the US sells them (so no auditions), it might be worth a gander

 

[wicker_man]

I used to use Logitech X-230 with my laptop until I connected my old Panasonic micro hi-fi and was amazed at how much better it sounded.

I have recently purchased a NAD C370 integrated amp, and am awaiting some B&W 686 bookshelf speakers. At a later date, I plan to add a DAC (possibly Beresford).

 

[Dopefish]

For actual music listening I'd have to put in my vote for some NHT active monitors, their entry-level M-00 speakers can definitely compete within that price range (considering you don't need to pick up an amp). I've tested these hooked up to my E-MU card with TRS and with the XLR add-on and they sound amazing for that price point. I'd say they compare pretty well to my Energy RC-10s (powered by Rotel amp) which would probably be my next recommendation if you're willing to go amped ... there were a lot of retailers blowing these out at bargain bin prices.

As for going really high-end, I've mainly listened to higher-end Canadian brands but I have listened to most of the current B&W models and would have to say that for what you pay, there's definitely other choices out there ... Paradigm being considerably cheaper and Totem being, in my opinion, better.

 

[xerikx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dopefish /img/forum/go_quote.gif For actual music listening I'd have to put in my vote for some NHT active monitors, their entry-level M-00 speakers can definitely compete within that price range (considering you don't need to pick up an amp). I've tested these hooked up to my E-MU card with TRS and with the XLR add-on and they sound amazing for that price point. I'd say they compare pretty well to my Energy RC-10s (powered by Rotel amp) which would probably be my next recommendation if you're willing to go amped ... there were a lot of retailers blowing these out at bargain bin prices. As for going really high-end, I've mainly listened to higher-end Canadian brands but I have listened to most of the current B&W models and would have to say that for what you pay, there's definitely other choices out there ... Paradigm being considerably cheaper and Totem being, in my opinion, better.

Do you have the M-00 and an S-20? Is that overkill? Did you also get one of the PVC's?

 

[I<3SQ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wicker_man /img/forum/go_quote.gif I used to use Logitech X-230 with my laptop until I connected my old Panasonic micro hi-fi and was amazed at how much better it sounded. I have recently purchased a NAD C370 integrated amp, and am awaiting some B&W 686 bookshelf speakers. At a later date, I plan to add a DAC (possibly Beresford).

Yeah man, I can't wait to complete my upgrade, should sound really nice.

 

[wicker_man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dopefish /img/forum/go_quote.gif have listened to most of the current B&W models and would have to say that for what you pay, there's definitely other choices out there ... Paradigm being considerably cheaper and Totem being, in my opinion, better.

Speaker choice is a very subjective topic, I had £300 to spend on some bookshelf speakers and after demoing many speakers including Monitor Audio, Epos, Kef, Quad, Wharfedale and B&W, I felt that the B&Ws sounded the best for my taste in music (heavy & extreme metal, hard rock).

Quote:

Originally Posted by I<3SQ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah man, I can't wait to complete my upgrade, should sound really nice.

Yep, I can't believe how much better my music sounds! What equipment do you have/plan to buy?