[Kawai_man]

Ive been reading about the many positives of using a active speakers over passive speakers and Im interested in trying out a set ( BTW I dont mean regular powered speakers which are just passive speakers with built-in amps I mean active speakers which have active crossovers and built-in amps )

I wanted some recommendations on some active speakers preferably from people who have used them. I will be using them for watching movies and playing music on my computer, they'll be connected to my music hall tube DAC, my room is 14x13x10 just incase that helps

What I would like for these speakers is:

They should sound great at low volume, I will be about 6-8 feet away from them and I mainly just listen at low to medium volumes.

Under 400, ill be buying used.

It would be great if they could be run off a battery like a high capacity SLA or lithium battery, so maybe something that uses an external power supply so that way I can disconnect the power supply and use a battery for each speaker.


thanks in advance

 

[islewind]

Don't expect to find much that is battery operated. In your price range, consider Behringer, Mackie, Tapco, KRK as possibilities. Do some searching on those brands for a start.

 

[wgb113]

Kawai Man,

I can't recommend anything for your budget but I did want to comment on the active speakers route you're taking.

I recently decided to put together a simpler HiFi system using my computer, a DAC/Preamp/HP Amp combo, and a pair of active speakers as well as headphones.

I haven't been this excited about listening to music I've heard a thousand times before since I got my first bit of HiFi gear and it's sounding better than I've ever heard it so far. There's something to the simplicity of such a system. Keep us posted on how you make out.

Bill

 

[Kawai_man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by islewind /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't expect to find much that is battery operated. In your price range, consider Behringer, Mackie, Tapco, KRK as possibilities. Do some searching on those brands for a start.

Yea Ive been searching a liitle bit and Ive only found some Genelecs which are way over my budget that use external power supplies. I dont expect to find many that can be run on battery but maybe someone hear knows of a set around 400.

Quote:

Kawai Man, I can't recommend anything for your budget but I did want to comment on the active speakers route you're taking. I recently decided to put together a simpler HiFi system using my computer, a DAC/Preamp/HP Amp combo, and a pair of active speakers as well as headphones. I haven't been this excited about listening to music I've heard a thousand times before since I got my first bit of HiFi gear and it's sounding better than I've ever heard it so far. There's something to the simplicity of such a system. Keep us posted on how you make out. Bill

Cool it definitely seems the active route is the best way to go. My current set-up right now consists of a trends 10.1 t-amp run off battery and tekton single driver speakers.

This is nice set-up but theyre not good for watching movies and not all music sounds good due to the limitations of a single driver speakers but at the same time there is a clarity especially in the midrange that you get with these single driver speakers that is amazing. I would hate to sacrifice that by getting a regular 2-way speakers that will give me a more full range sound but also sacrifice that clarity that single driver speakers have with theyre sound sucking crossovers.

Getting active speakers seems to be the best alternative with no compromise since they have active crossovers instead. I would be cool to be able to run them off battery because my t-amp when run off battery sounds really nice almost like a tube amp, Im thinking there would be a similar improvement with active speakers.

Bill how are the 12l speakers I noticed in your sig? How do the do at low volumes?

 

[wgb113]

I've only had the Quads for a week but so far they're sounding really good. They have dual rear ports so I have to figure out how far from the wall they sound their best but at low to moderate volumes they sound good.

They bring me back to my first serious HiFi setup, where I find myself wanting to listen to everything I have again. I'm very happy with them so far. The imaging is amazing.

Bill

 

[Kawai_man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wgb113 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've only had the Quads for a week but so far they're sounding really good. They have dual rear ports so I have to figure out how far from the wall they sound their best but at low to moderate volumes they sound good. They bring me back to my first serious HiFi setup, where I find myself wanting to listen to everything I have again. I'm very happy with them so far. The imaging is amazing. Bill

I saw some quad 11ls that were under my budget at agon I was about to make an offer but I did some research and asked some questions first and these actually are the passive versions lol.

Anyway Ive been reading alot and I actually want to try something else first before trying the active speaker route. Ive been reading about connecting an active subwoofer to my setup and I found I can add an active subwoofer by splitting the rca output from my DAC with a y-cable so I can connect one set into my t-amp and the other set into the sub , this should cause no real loss in quality, so ill get the benefit of using single driver speakers and ill get the benefit of using a sub.

Ive boiled it down to these specifications that I want for the subwoofer

1. Active
2. Class D amplification
3. adjustable crossover frequency, so I can match the sound to be more seamless with my speakers
4. Small size , I dont need alot of bass or really loud bass, I think maybe a 6" woofer should do

I guess ill have to start looking , if anyone has any comments (maybe Im going about connecting a sub wrong?) or recommendations for a sub they would be appreciated.

 

[wgb113]

If you stumble down that road and are still unsure, keep in mind that you can get a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 8.2 Pro for @ $350/pr and they're basically the Quad 12L active without the fancy cabinet.

Good luck in your search!

Bill

 

[Kawai_man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wgb113 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you stumble down that road and are still unsure, keep in mind that you can get a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 8.2 Pro for @ $350/pr and they're basically the Quad 12L active without the fancy cabinet. Good luck in your search! Bill

Thanks, if the active sub route doesnt woprk out ill definitely look into those, I read little bit about them at the audiogon forum and your right they are almost exactly the same.

So far the only sub Ive found with the specifications I need is the nuforce w1.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I love my Mackie HR624 active monitors. Very clear and accurate, but also smooth all across the spectrum. Very neutral, I've never heard any headphones that can compare in terms of neutrality. They're not fatiguing at all in the highs, and the mids are beautiful, but they're not colored warm like many speakers are.

I haven't heard many other monitors, but remember doing some comparisons at guitar center or something, and I didn't feel that the other models they had came close. But this was 5 years ago or so.