|
I finally plugged in my Audioengine HD3s. Verdict: these are definitely way better than the logitech whatevers I was using. However, I do find myself missing out on the bass a subwoofer could give me, since I listen to a lot of heavy metal. Any suggestions for a nice subwoofer to match? I guess I could try and re-use the subwoofer I had before. hmm edit: here's an imgur album of the back of the HD3s and the logitech bass I have. There's not any way I can hook up the HD3 or my PC to output to the sub, I assume? IIRC the Logitech was set up with PC plugs that went into that... VGA-looking connector, and then the others are actually outs. Jinnigan fucked around with this message at 21:45 on Jan 6, 2024 |
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 21:37
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 23, 2024 17:46 |
|
|
I'd go for something like this instead... https://audioengine.com/shop/subwoofers/s8-powered-subwoofer/
|
|
#
?
Jan 6, 2024 22:43
|
|
|
trying to stay under $200 so i guess my only resort is used subs. what do you guys think will be the least waste of my money? "good enough for heavy metal, for a year or two until my budget comes back around" is where i'm aiming for Klipsch SW-450 for $140 JBL Sub ES150P for $150 Bose Companion 3 Series 2 for $20 ok this is pretty out of my price range but i just saw this guy selling an SVS SB 2000 for $450. im going to email him and offer $300 and see what happens. jesus christ edit: "I won't do anything less than $400 as I've already been offered that." well, fair enough. i took some measurements and this is way too much sub for under my little computer desk though. rip Jinnigan fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Jan 8, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 18:17
|
|
|
Jinnigan posted:trying to stay under $200 so i guess my only resort is used subs. what do you guys think will be the least waste of my money? "good enough for heavy metal, for a year or two until my budget comes back around" is where i'm aiming for That Bose is a complete POS, not even worth $20. The other two look more or less equal and fine for PC speaker subwoofer.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 18:28
|
|
|
Jinnigan posted:trying to stay under $200 so i guess my only resort is used subs. what do you guys think will be the least waste of my money? "good enough for heavy metal, for a year or two until my budget comes back around" is where i'm aiming for For a few more options: The Polk Audio PSW10 is good, but it's 250USD. Monoprice has decent stuff too at all sorts of pricepoints. e: Wait for a sale on the Polks CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK fucked around with this message at 22:14 on Jan 8, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 21:37
|
|
|
CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK posted:For a few more options: The Polk Audio PSW10 is good, but it's 250USD. Monoprice has decent stuff too at all sorts of pricepoints. drat, these used to be $99 
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 21:40
|
|
|
CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK posted:For a few more options: The Polk Audio PSW10 is good, but it's 250USD. Monoprice has decent stuff too at all sorts of pricepoints. the PSW10 is 100% not worth $250. It’s maybe fairly priced at half that during every other major seasonal sale, and usually there’s something way better priced down to $170-250 that makes it not worth it If you can afford $250 for a PSW10 you’re better off 1) saving up another $100 for one of polk’s $350 subs or similar 2) saving up another $200 for an SVS or similar 3) waiting for a sale and getting a $350 sub for $200
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 21:48
|
|
|
If Outdoor Speaker Depot has any of their Trevoce subs on sale still, they're a great shout. Sealed boxes with two passive radiators and user-controllable DSP via iWoofer built into the amp. I paid well under $200 shipped for mine and its brilliant paired with my Fosi SP3 on my desk. I split the output of my Atom Amp+ to the speakers and sub for volume control.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 21:55
|
|
|
KillHour posted:drat, these used to be $99 Yeah I think I picked up a PSW10 on sale for $100 about a decade ago. Parts express typically has a few Dayton Audio subs that might fit the the bill: https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-SUB-800-8-80-Watt-Powered-Subwoofer-300-627?quantity=1 https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-SUB-1000-10-100-Watt-Powered-Subwoofer-300-628?quantity=1 https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-SUB-1200-12-120-Watt-Powered-Subwoofer-300-629?quantity=1 I've had good experiences with the brand in the past. Having had both the PSW10 and now SB-2000 Pro, it's worth saving up for something SVS IMO.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 22:51
|
|
|
KillHour posted:drat, these used to be $99 They’re $129 on Black Friday, etc. OP’s best bet rn for something <$400 is to check A4L.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2024 22:59
|
|
|
Pulled the trigger on a refurbished/used Audioengine S8, sold by ebay seller "audioengine-factory-outlet," for ~$180 shipped. It probably performs similarly to the JBL ES150P being sold on facebook, but the smaller size matters to me and it should be an easy hookup with speakers. I'm sure as long as it actually works, anything will sound miles better than my old hunk of junk. drat. Jinnigan fucked around with this message at 05:24 on Jan 9, 2024 |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2024 02:14
|
|
|
My Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 have served me well for 20+ years but I think they are ready to be retired. Sounds like something is wrong with the sub and all the connections are pretty shoddy from wear and tear. Size is an important factor and I want to stay around the same size as the current ones (8.5 x 4.2 x 5.7"). I'd be connecting them to an ADI-2 DAC. Mainly to be used for listening to music when I'm tired of wearing headphones all day. Not too sure on the budget yet, ideally something that laststhe next 20 years. Bonus points if it doesn't have a volume knob or any inputs on it, since they won't be needed anyways. Also if it doesn't have any big holes in it that will collect cat hair. Most of the active monitors I'm seeing are a bit too big for my desk. The Genelec 8010A & 7040A seems like a high end option that meets all the criteria, not exactly easy to pull the trigger on at that price point though. What are some others to look at?
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2024 08:52
|
|
|
fletcher posted:My Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 have served me well for 20+ years but I think they are ready to be retired. Sounds like something is wrong with the sub and all the connections are pretty shoddy from wear and tear. Size is an important factor and I want to stay around the same size as the current ones (8.5 x 4.2 x 5.7"). I'd be connecting them to an ADI-2 DAC. Mainly to be used for listening to music when I'm tired of wearing headphones all day. Not too sure on the budget yet, ideally something that laststhe next 20 years. Bonus points if it doesn't have a volume knob or any inputs on it, since they won't be needed anyways. Also if it doesn't have any big holes in it that will collect cat hair. Most of the active monitors I'm seeing are a bit too big for my desk. The Genelec 8010A & 7040A seems like a high end option that meets all the criteria, not exactly easy to pull the trigger on at that price point though. What are some others to look at? Audioengine, if you don’t need them to look/sound “professional”
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2024 13:16
|
|
|
fletcher posted:My Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 have served me well for 20+ years but I think they are ready to be retired. Sounds like something is wrong with the sub and all the connections are pretty shoddy from wear and tear. Size is an important factor and I want to stay around the same size as the current ones (8.5 x 4.2 x 5.7"). I'd be connecting them to an ADI-2 DAC. Mainly to be used for listening to music when I'm tired of wearing headphones all day. Not too sure on the budget yet, ideally something that laststhe next 20 years. Bonus points if it doesn't have a volume knob or any inputs on it, since they won't be needed anyways. Also if it doesn't have any big holes in it that will collect cat hair. Most of the active monitors I'm seeing are a bit too big for my desk. The Genelec 8010A & 7040A seems like a high end option that meets all the criteria, not exactly easy to pull the trigger on at that price point though. What are some others to look at? iLoud Micros, I have a pair and I highly recommend them. Actual 50hz output measured with a Umik-1 and REW.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2024 13:22
|
|
|
Those both look like great options that fit the criteria. Do the iLoud Micros have a slight edge in terms of sound quality? The hole at the bottom being slightly larger seems easier to clean cat hair out of compared to the Audioengine A2+. The S8 sub seems to be the right one to pair with the A2+. What sub for the iLoud Micros RCA connectors though?
|
|
#
?
Feb 2, 2024 02:33
|
|
|
A friend of mine got the iLoud Micros while I was visiting last month and from what I could tell of testing with my usual suite of songs, they’re solid for a smaller pair of desktop speakers (though not small). I think the standard use case wouldn’t pair them with a sub.
|
|
#
?
Feb 2, 2024 08:25
|
|
|
Jinnigan posted:I finally plugged in my Audioengine HD3s. Verdict: these are definitely way better than the logitech whatevers I was using. However, I do find myself missing out on the bass a subwoofer could give me, since I listen to a lot of heavy metal. Any suggestions for a nice subwoofer to match? I guess I could try and re-use the subwoofer I had before. hmm In my case it was some small wireless home theater sub I got at a Goodwill for like $10, drat thing fought me at every step. Wasn't hard technically or anything, but I hoped to use as much of the original stuff as possible and just kept failing as I tried to hack little by little, vs just swapping the guts from the start.
|
|
#
?
Feb 2, 2024 08:33
|
|
|
fletcher posted:My Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 have served me well for 20+ years but I think they are ready to be retired. Sounds like something is wrong with the sub and all the connections are pretty shoddy from wear and tear. Size is an important factor and I want to stay around the same size as the current ones (8.5 x 4.2 x 5.7"). I'd be connecting them to an ADI-2 DAC. Mainly to be used for listening to music when I'm tired of wearing headphones all day. Not too sure on the budget yet, ideally something that laststhe next 20 years. Bonus points if it doesn't have a volume knob or any inputs on it, since they won't be needed anyways. Also if it doesn't have any big holes in it that will collect cat hair. Most of the active monitors I'm seeing are a bit too big for my desk. The Genelec 8010A & 7040A seems like a high end option that meets all the criteria, not exactly easy to pull the trigger on at that price point though. What are some others to look at? FIIO SP3. Love these little things, they kick assssssss. I split my DAC’s output to a sub and use it to control volume.
|
|
#
?
Feb 4, 2024 21:06
|
|
|
I had heard good reviews of good desktop speakers, that don't take up a lot of space, from here and elsewhere and settled on Audioengine HD3. So I placed an order from my local Amazon store (and as usual had to pay a premium for it). I'm connecting it to my PC for music and gaming using a DAC/Amp thingy - the iFi Zen V2. A week later it arrived, except it didn't. What I got instead was a pair of the Audioengine A5+ "Classic". They're larger than the HD3 and don't come with a headphone jack but my wife told me to try them out first before returning it (I mean, I got more expensive speakers for a lesser price after all). Plugged them in and they sound pretty good. Haven't used a set of speakers in over a decade because I've just been using headphones for music, movies, and gaming. There's no wireless connectivity or Bluetooth and while I would like those features, I think it's also fine if I do without. Forward 2 days later and all of a sudden there's some sort of whiney / pitched noise coming from the tweeters, even when there's no audio source. Read around and apparently it seems to happen. So I got in touch with Audioengine and with a quick reply, which is surprising, they tell me to either return it via Amazon or get in touch with the local distributor to start the warranty process. This was yesterday. So today I turned them on and now it seems fine? There's no white noise-like... noise coming from the tweeters. I'm going to give these A5's another few days of testing, etc. before returning them. So, question - if these current speakers don't work out, what else would you all recommend? I'm constrained by my local Amazon store and so far with a budget of around USD $400 (converted). Based on other recommendations in this thread I've narrowed it down to are: - Kanto YU4 - Edifier R1280Db - The actual HD3 (I think this would be a downgrade now) What would you all recommend?
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2024 19:41
|
|
|
If you can get the A5+ set warrantied and have the bigger speakers for cheaper that’s the way I’d go. Unless you’re space constrained the hd3s are I think going to be a noticeable downgrade.
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2024 22:38
|
|
|
Geek Icon posted:What would you all recommend? Give the Vanatoo Transparent Zero+ a look(if they are available on your local amazon). Both of the Vanatoo powered speakers are very good.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2024 01:19
|
|
|
fletcher posted:Those both look like great options that fit the criteria. Do the iLoud Micros have a slight edge in terms of sound quality? They're really good and have unbelievably good bass that feels like it shouldn't be possible in speakers of that size. The catch is that they will only play so loud before the blinking red light tells you to turn it down. They're using a bunch of DSP tricks after all, and there's only so much amp power available. As PC speakers they go loud enough, but I wouldn't use them as living room speakers. I have mine mounted on some desk mic stands (the speakers have standard mic mount threaded holes) to get them to ear height, I would highly recommend that.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2024 00:39
|
|
|
KozmoNaut posted:They're really good and have unbelievably good bass that feels like it shouldn't be possible in speakers of that size. The catch is that they will only play so loud before the blinking red light tells you to turn it down. They're using a bunch of DSP tricks after all, and there's only so much amp power available. Yup they are endgame speakers if you never need more than their constraints. I actually have them with the -3dB LF switch on because it was putting too much bass by default with the desk lined up to the wall. I also had a few chances to listen to much more expensive speakers like the 705P or the KH120 II, besides their obvious SPL headroom I don't feel I missing anything clarity wise on the iLouds.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2024 02:24
|
|
|
KozmoNaut posted:They're really good and have unbelievably good bass that feels like it shouldn't be possible in speakers of that size. The catch is that they will only play so loud before the blinking red light tells you to turn it down. They're using a bunch of DSP tricks after all, and there's only so much amp power available. I thought you had some Adam speakers. Did you replace them?
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2024 05:47
|
|
|
Vanatoos are what I had decided to go with but then decided to repurpose an old receiver and just buy some bookshelves. So I haven’t heard them but they seem pretty universally praised.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2024 14:45
|
|
|
I have a lot of space constraints because of my workspace so I ended up going with Kanto YU2’s. For their size they’re everything you would ever hope for, obviously would do well with a subwoofer but anything that small is going to suffer on the low end. I was intending to go Transparent Zero but they’re $610 vs $299 for the Kanto and I just couldn’t justify it for my use case. My expensive speakers live in the living room.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2024 15:22
|
|
|
KillHour posted:I thought you had some Adam speakers. Did you replace them? Yeah, that was a while back. My girlfriend moved in and we decided to have a proper setup for movies. Before I just watched everything on my PC, but that doesn't work for two people who want to sit on a comfy couch. I couldn't integrate the active speakers with a receiver in a good way without spending way too much money, so I sold them and used the money to buy a set of Monitor Audio Bronze 2s, a TV and a second hand receiver. Later I replaced the Dali subs with an SVS SB1000, that thing is a beast for how compact it is. I could have used the Adams as PC speakers still, but they were just too big.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2024 23:43
|
|
|
I guess I'll have to be the Adam Stan in the thread then - just picked these up a few weeks back and they even fit into the "finding space for big speakers in a PC setup" theme. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2024 00:14
|
|
|
Baller setup. With all that gear does the volume wheel on your keyboard actually do anything?
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2024 00:56
|
|
|
Arivia posted:Baller setup. With all that gear does the volume wheel on your keyboard actually do anything? software volume control by OS, with how common 32 bit DACs are the bit reduction used for that doesn't affect any fidelity
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2024 01:58
|
|
|
Arivia posted:Baller setup. With all that gear does the volume wheel on your keyboard actually do anything? It's kind of useful in VR since the audio is digital to the headset. But no, not really. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2024 02:10
|
|
|
Ended up getting the iLoud Micros to replace my aging 20+ year old Klipsch Promedia 2.1s. They sound good, but a little underwhelming - I'd say a noticeable but pretty slight improvement over the Klipsch. The thing that might be the deciding factor for returning them is their little feet - they are quite wobbly and with cats roaming my desk on occasion I think they are just going to be too unstable and get knocked off easily. I am interesting in trying something that may be a more noticeable difference in fidelity but also more stable. I want to try the Genelec 8010's but a return to B&H is not as painless as Amazon. Maybe the Neumann KH80 ? Both are probably more than I'd be willing to part with though. Maybe some middle ground in a different option?
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2024 01:25
|
|
|
fletcher posted:Ended up getting the iLoud Micros to replace my aging 20+ year old Klipsch Promedia 2.1s. They sound good, but a little underwhelming - I'd say a noticeable but pretty slight improvement over the Klipsch. If you absolutely cannot size up your R and L I might consider adding the ADAM A4V and A4H to consideration, probably with a subwoofer. Otherwise your best bet for maximizing bang/buck is going to be with increased displacement. If you could fit 5” monitors or bigger that would vastly increase the number of options you have at the <$1000 range and at the <$600 range and you might even be able to get away with not having a subwoofer, though I would always recommend it. Active/self-powered monitors are always going to take up more space than passives because of their onboard electronics and need for heat dissipation/etc along with resonating volume, so there’s also arguably an option to look at 4” and 5/5.25”, etc speakers there. On average a passive speaker is going to be much smaller than an active/monitor speaker with the same sized driver. You’d have to run them off of some kind of receiver or amplifier tho.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2024 08:27
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 23, 2024 17:46 |
|
|
fletcher posted:Ended up getting the iLoud Micros to replace my aging 20+ year old Klipsch Promedia 2.1s. They sound good, but a little underwhelming - I'd say a noticeable but pretty slight improvement over the Klipsch. If you are unhappy with iLoud Micros the KH80 and 8010 also probably ain't gonna cut it too. Best small-sized alternative would be the newly released Kali LP-UNF.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2024 10:59
|
|