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Small desktop monitors (active/powered)


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I've got a Chord Qutest Dac running into a schiit Valhalla. This has been my desktop system for a while. Working from home and on con-calls all day - thinking of hooking the Schiit Valhalla 2 into powered monitors (to reduce cabling).

 

Any suggestions. Looking for small sized ones - AudioEngineA2+ seem decently sized.

 

Another option would be to get the Schiit Vidar (or a Naim Nap100) and run the amp into something like the Totem Kins - but then they are Totem Kin Mini Plays... but really want to use the dac and preamp I already have...

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You will get lots of recommendations!

I have a pair of the AE 2 from many years ago and they still please me at the computer desk. They were well reviewed by Stereophile and, in use, have a similar sound balance to my (much) more expensive main system.

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I also love the A2s.  If size is critical, they're just right.  But as those who know me can attest, I think the JBL 305s are among the best value in audio.  They sound great, accept both balanced and unbalanced inputs, have useful trim pots, and are quite powerful (2x41W amps in each).  They're often on sale discounted to $100 or less at musical instrument stores - I got one pair for $100 each and one pair for $89 each at Guitar Center.  Both the originals and the second series now on the shelves are excellent, and they're so similar that I couldn't tell the difference between them (I have a pair of each).  They're about twice as big as the A2s, but the SQ is so much better that I'd make room for them.  So I did 🙂

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1 minute ago, bluesman said:

I also love the A2s.  If size is critical, they're just right.  But as those who know me can attest, I think the JBL 305s are among the best value in audio.  They sound great, accept both balanced and unbalanced inputs, have useful trim pots, and are quite powerful (2x41W amps in each).  They're often on sale discounted to $100 or less at musical instrument stores - I got one pair for $100 each and one pair for $89 each at Guitar Center.  Both the originals and the second series now on the shelves are excellent, and they're so similar that I couldn't tell the difference between them (I have a pair of each).  They're about twice as big as the A2s, but the SQ is so much better that I'd make room for them.  So I did 🙂

I have a pair of JBL 305s. I think they are great fun and go very loud for very little money. But I don't think the bass is any good despite my best efforts. I put them on IsoAcoustics stands and drove them with a high quality Chord Hugo DAC and still the bass is very ill-defined. I think they are good value for what they cost, but to me they fall a long way short of 'best value in audio'.

System (i): Stack Audio Link > 2Qute+MCRU psu; Gyrodec/SME V/Hana SL/EAT E-Glo Petit/Magnum Dynalab FT101A) > PrimaLuna Evo 100 amp > Klipsch RP-600M/REL T5x subs

System (ii): Allo USB Signature > Bel Canto uLink+AQVOX psu > Chord Hugo > APPJ EL34 > Tandy LX5/REL Tzero v3 subs

System (iii) KEF LS50W/KEF R400b subs

 

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Another vote for the A2's.  The treble is somewhat soft to me in my system, which is just fine for PC speakers - The opposite of bright and fatiguing.

 

But I really like my HD6s if you swing it.

 

See if integrated Bluetooth is important to you.

 

I probably wouldn't use either pair as studio monitors but for pleasing listening, I like 'em.

 

 

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 Now I'm thinking of doing the Harbeth P3ESRs and the Schiit Vidar.

My son is using the A2s with the Schiit Magi.

I ran the Totem Minis with the NAD3020 but it gets a little fatiguing by EOD. The use case is mostly meetings all day long and the harbeths are supposed to be good for voice...

Anyone try the harbeths with Schiit amps?

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