[tdaniels903]

Just got back to America and had to sell my JBL LSR308's before I left to go overseas to make space. I'm in the market to buy speakers again, but can't decide if I should stick with studio monitors or bookshelf speakers. I'll mainly use these for gaming and listening to music. I mainly listen to Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, and Rock. Maybe occasionally hooking them up to my TV. I own a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for my audio interface. Here are my choices so far (feel free to add your own).
Studio Monitors:
Airmotiv 5s
Adam A5X
Audio Engine A5+

Bookshelf:
Emotiva B1
Elac B6

My budget is $500 or less

 

[winders]

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-jbl-lsr30x-powered-speakers

 

[PurpleAngel]

Just got back to America and had to sell my JBL LSR308's before I left to go overseas to make space. I'm in the market to buy speakers again, but can't decide if I should stick with studio monitors or bookshelf speakers. I'll mainly use these for gaming and listening to music. I mainly listen to Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, and Rock. Maybe occasionally hooking them up to my TV. I own a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for my audio interface. Here are my choices so far (feel free to add your own).
Studio Monitors:
Airmotiv 5s
Adam A5X
Audio Engine A5+

Bookshelf:
Emotiva B1
Elac B6

My budget is $500 or less

Monoprice 5" studio monitors, $170.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=605500
Basically they are re-labeled M-Audio BX5 studio monitors (older version?)

 

[tdaniels903]

Monoprice 5" studio monitors, $170.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=605500
Basically they are re-labeled M-Audio BX5 studio monitors (older version?)

Is there any benefit of getting the studio monitor over bookshelf? I know studio monitors play the audio more accurately to the way they sound, but what's the benefit of bookshelf speakers minus surround sound systems.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Is there any benefit of getting the studio monitor over bookshelf? I know studio monitors play the audio more accurately to the way they sound, but what's the benefit of bookshelf speakers minus surround sound systems.

My take on studio monitors is they are about getting the best detail out of the audio, feeding that audio to one person, sitting close to the monitors.
Where as separate amplifier and unpowered speakers are more about filling a room with audio.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Just got back to America and had to sell my JBL LSR308's before I left to go overseas to make space. I'm in the market to buy speakers again, but can't decide if I should stick with studio monitors or bookshelf speakers. I'll mainly use these for gaming and listening to music. I mainly listen to Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, and Rock. Maybe occasionally hooking them up to my TV. I own a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for my audio interface. Here are my choices so far (feel free to add your own).
Studio Monitors:
Airmotiv 5s
Adam A5X
Audio Engine A5+

Bookshelf:
Emotiva B1
Elac B6

My budget is $500 or less

The passive bookshelf speakers will require an amp, whether an integrated amp or a dedicated power amp that can work with your 2i2. Powered monitors will just plug right into the 2i2's preamp outputs. Plus they're more likely to be better tuned for nearfield use anyway.

 

[tdaniels903]

My take on studio monitors is they are about getting the best detail out of the audio, feeding that audio to one person, sitting close to the monitors.
Where as separate amplifier and unpowered speakers are more about filling a room with audio.

Thanks. That helps a lot. I might pull the trigger on those LSR305's on massdrop. Seems too good to be true

The passive bookshelf speakers will require an amp, whether an integrated amp or a dedicated power amp that can work with your 2i2. Powered monitors will just plug right into the 2i2's preamp outputs. Plus they're more likely to be better tuned for nearfield use anyway.

I think I'm going to stick with studio monitors for my PC. Whenever I decide to do surround sound for my TV then I'll go passive speakers. Thanks.​

 

[genclaymore]

Yea the JBL 30X's would be an very good choice if massdrop still have the drop going on, if not you can usually find an pair of JBL 305's on amazon for an good price and some times ebay.

I don't know what your source will be. But if it's an sound card with 3.5, then you will need to get an Dual XLR to single 3.5mm cable, If it's an RCA output then you will need an XLR to RCA cable for both speakers.

I personally been using my JBL 305's for an set of desktop speakers, They are near-field speakers which means it be best if you angled them towards your head, if you can't you can still use them in normal position for the time being. Evidently you may want to have them at ear level later on if you can't do that now.

 

[winders]

Yea the JBL 30X's would be an very good choice if massdrop still have the drop going on....

3 days left at $279.99 compared to $449.99 retail.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I made a little review on A5+ if you're still considering!

 

[womwomwom]

Just be aware that some active speakers do have a fair amount of self-noise. The amount you can tolerate is up to you but I feel the JBL LSR305 has too much to be tolerable in a quiet room at night.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Just be aware that some active speakers do have a fair amount of self-noise. The amount you can tolerate is up to you but I feel the JBL LSR305 has too much to be tolerable in a quiet room at night.

By self noise you mean hiss when they are at a loud volume, or something else?

I noticed a hiss coming out of virtually every speaker in the low and midrange areas, as long as they were turned pretty loud (?)

 

[ProtegeManiac]

By self noise you mean hiss when they are at a loud volume, or something else?

Some active speakers have an audible hiss even when using all XLR connections due to a number of factors:

1. The amps are biased for power to prevent clipping (despite nearfield use), and just compare the board and power supply of those amplifiers to say a Class A/B (let alone Class A though most of it is the heatsink) hi-fi amp with comparable power output.

2. You're sitting closer. Even the best speakers with not too high sensitivity nor low sensitivity (ie the amp isn't cranked up but the speaker isn't doing what an SE535 tends to do on most things they get plugged into) plugged into the best amps out there (well OK maybe less likely with First Watt amps and the like) will have an audible hiss if you're close enough.

3. Chances are these are used in a studio environment, or even in a home environment, will be a rather quiet room that due to their proximity to the walls, might have acoustic treatments that also help block some ambient noise but can't absorb the electronic noise emanating from it unless you target that frequency specifically.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Some active speakers have an audible hiss even when using all XLR connections due to a number of factors:

1. The amps are biased for power to prevent clipping (despite nearfield use), and just compare the board and power supply of those amplifiers to say a Class A/B (let alone Class A though most of it is the heatsink) hi-fi amp with comparable power output.

2. You're sitting closer. Even the best speakers with not too high sensitivity nor low sensitivity (ie the amp isn't cranked up but the speaker isn't doing what an SE535 tends to do on most things they get plugged into) plugged into the best amps out there (well OK maybe less likely with First Watt amps and the like) will have an audible hiss if you're close enough.

3. Chances are these are used in a studio environment, or even in a home environment, will be a rather quiet room that due to their proximity to the walls, might have acoustic treatments that also help block some ambient noise but can't absorb the electronic noise emanating from it unless you target that frequency specifically.

Thank you! This comes in really handy, since my experience with speakers is still growing

 

[theveterans]

My setup: Bifrost Multibit (Coax input) -> Saga (unbalanced RCA to 1/4" TS) -> Yamaha HS8S (XLR to 1/4" TRS) -> Yamaha HS7 at 2 feet distance from my ear has ZERO amp hiss whatsoever. That setup sounds better than CA Andromeda IEM that I have. However, if you don't like how a relatively flat response active monitor sounds, you won't enjoy active studio monitor listening.