Walter
Addicted to Fun and Learning
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- Aug 25, 2020
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Does anyone have experience with any two (or more) of these to compare? Or has tried one and found it unsuitable? I am looking for general use speakers for my desk, which is where I spend most of my waking hours. This includes low level (60-65db) background music as well as 85db peaks when relaxing and watching videos or listening to music. I do no video or audio mixing or production. I prefer to have my desk about one third of the way into the room, facing out, which puts my head 6 inches to 2 feet from the back wall. I will put the speakers on stands with the tweeters at ear height. Once I get a good system, l will change to a more conventional positioning with the desk against and facing the wall if necessary for bass reinforcement or to reduce rear wall reflections. My current room is about 3m x 4m x 3m, but this is a rental house so that could change. The absolute maximum would be about 50 cobic meters. I listen to a mixture of rock, jazz, classical, and metal--absolutely no rap, dance, or electronica. Bass is not a primary consideration, but of course it is of some importance. My hearing stops at around 14kHz.
I live in Cambodia, so my options are very limited. I can buy pretty much nothing worthwhile locally, other than maybe Dali if they are still available and would even be suitable--literally the only options for actual near-field speakers are Edifier (at good prices), Presonus Eris (yuck), Klipsch (limited models) and various Chinese brands that yield no search results in English, weigh next to nothing, and most likely sound hideous. However, once I can travel again I can get the Genelecs for about $900 per pair in Thailand, and the LSX for around $800 if they are still available from Amazon Warehouse in the USA. If buying the A130, I'd probably combine it with an MA12070-based amp like the SMSL AO200 or Loxjie A30, which I can either bring back from the USA or have delivered here from Aliexpress. I need to make a trip to both Thailand and the USA when I can, anyway. The speakers I'm considering are all small and light enough to bring back as insured luggage, especially the iLoud, which can go in a carry-on bag. Most other brands like JBL and Adam Audio are much more expensive in Thailand than the USA.
I use three computer monitors, which means the speakers have to be almost 60 inches (1.5m) apart at their inside edges, with each 36-48 inches (.9m-1.3m) from the closest ear. The latter distance would the more critical, as that is the distance when I am leaning back and relaxing with the volume turned up. If I DO change the room layout to have the desk against the wall, then I'd like to also be able to occasionally listen from the loveseat which will then be about 2 meters directly behind my desk against the other wall. I suspect that might rule out the MTMs due to lack of volume, but I don't really know. I'll be using Linux-based room EQ with the PC as the only source, either via USB, optical, or coax. The room is not treated, and while I am certainly willing to add some basic treatments, it will most likely be limited to a large medium-thick rug and very basic DIY treatment. Walls are invariably plaster on brick. I can't audition any of the speakers in my room, and if buying in Asia, there will be no returns possible except for defects. The closest I could come would be to listen in a hotel room in the USA if I can get deliveries there or at a friend's house, and since I'll probably only be back for two weeks or so, I won't want to spend much time in the hotel auditioning gear.
FYI, due to COVID and other factors, I currently have neither the money nor the ability to travel and purchase any of these right now, but I expect that to change next year and so I am planning vicariously. If I could afford it, I'd buy 8030Cs or Revel M16s + a Buckeye 252 and call it a day, but my max budget is around $1,000. The 8020D + D10S Balanced + UMIK-1 would be the absolute limit at about $1100, and I won't even go that high unless I really feel it will be a substantial improvement over the other options. I might buy a sub later, but that is by no means certain. Good subwoofers are equally unavailable here, and even in Thailand, an LSR310S costs almost $600 and then I'd still have to get it home somehow. No thanks! Sadly, the most likely options are the Presonus Eris Sub8 for $300 or various Klipsch models for 30-50% more than the USA. Neither sounds very appealing. There is also the Edfifier T5 but I have my doubts as to whether even two of them would be worth bothering with.
I live in Cambodia, so my options are very limited. I can buy pretty much nothing worthwhile locally, other than maybe Dali if they are still available and would even be suitable--literally the only options for actual near-field speakers are Edifier (at good prices), Presonus Eris (yuck), Klipsch (limited models) and various Chinese brands that yield no search results in English, weigh next to nothing, and most likely sound hideous. However, once I can travel again I can get the Genelecs for about $900 per pair in Thailand, and the LSX for around $800 if they are still available from Amazon Warehouse in the USA. If buying the A130, I'd probably combine it with an MA12070-based amp like the SMSL AO200 or Loxjie A30, which I can either bring back from the USA or have delivered here from Aliexpress. I need to make a trip to both Thailand and the USA when I can, anyway. The speakers I'm considering are all small and light enough to bring back as insured luggage, especially the iLoud, which can go in a carry-on bag. Most other brands like JBL and Adam Audio are much more expensive in Thailand than the USA.
I use three computer monitors, which means the speakers have to be almost 60 inches (1.5m) apart at their inside edges, with each 36-48 inches (.9m-1.3m) from the closest ear. The latter distance would the more critical, as that is the distance when I am leaning back and relaxing with the volume turned up. If I DO change the room layout to have the desk against the wall, then I'd like to also be able to occasionally listen from the loveseat which will then be about 2 meters directly behind my desk against the other wall. I suspect that might rule out the MTMs due to lack of volume, but I don't really know. I'll be using Linux-based room EQ with the PC as the only source, either via USB, optical, or coax. The room is not treated, and while I am certainly willing to add some basic treatments, it will most likely be limited to a large medium-thick rug and very basic DIY treatment. Walls are invariably plaster on brick. I can't audition any of the speakers in my room, and if buying in Asia, there will be no returns possible except for defects. The closest I could come would be to listen in a hotel room in the USA if I can get deliveries there or at a friend's house, and since I'll probably only be back for two weeks or so, I won't want to spend much time in the hotel auditioning gear.
FYI, due to COVID and other factors, I currently have neither the money nor the ability to travel and purchase any of these right now, but I expect that to change next year and so I am planning vicariously. If I could afford it, I'd buy 8030Cs or Revel M16s + a Buckeye 252 and call it a day, but my max budget is around $1,000. The 8020D + D10S Balanced + UMIK-1 would be the absolute limit at about $1100, and I won't even go that high unless I really feel it will be a substantial improvement over the other options. I might buy a sub later, but that is by no means certain. Good subwoofers are equally unavailable here, and even in Thailand, an LSR310S costs almost $600 and then I'd still have to get it home somehow. No thanks! Sadly, the most likely options are the Presonus Eris Sub8 for $300 or various Klipsch models for 30-50% more than the USA. Neither sounds very appealing. There is also the Edfifier T5 but I have my doubts as to whether even two of them would be worth bothering with.
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