Tiny Apartment Speaker Recommendations?

[seta]

If it's my apartment - I would go for a sealed-box (can place closer to walls), powered, bookshelf speakers. And if my budget allows, I will go for an ATC SCM10A.

 

[johnkent3]

Try to find a pair on audiogon...or step up the 140. You will never turn back! As long as you feed them a good signal...seems you need a dac...

[fishnchips]

My recommendation would be the Neumann KH120s, with the new HiFace Two. This keeps the budget to three figures but will still need a decent DAC and a decent means to control volume. No need for amps though, and no need for a full preamp either.

[AudioDoctor]

a pair of Sennheiser HD800s and a good tubed headphone amp?

[goldenpiggy]

My room is almost identical in size and I'm thoroughly enjoying a setup with a medium-sized pair of active studio monitors. I'd suggest starting there based on your equipment, environment, and listening tastes.

 

Adam

Dynaudio

Mackie

Genelec

Tannoy

 

These are all much more than "computer" speakers, they are used in recording studios and have many of the traits you state that you are looking for, all with different flavors.

 

Bill

 

I'm a big proponent of powered studio monitors -- great bang for the buck, very accurate and flat freq response (which may work for some and not for others), lots of dB for the size, and generally very well built and reliable. I've gone through quite a few pairs since the original Made in USA Mackie HR824's.

 

The one thing I would like to point out is most of these 8" 2-way monitors were designed for near to mid-field monitoring. When you mix, you generally employ near-field monitors placed very close to the engineer, sometimes right on the mixing board. You have mid-field monitors which are from arm's length to a few feet away. Then you have far-field monitors which are most like traditional home stereo speakers.

 

What's the significance of this? IMO, the 8" woofers simply cannot behave like a point source. At low freq (say below 100Hz) this doesn't matter -- not much is directional. At higher freq, sound is quite directional but the 8" woofers simply cannot "throw" or project as far. If you are familiar with horn loaded high freq transducers you know what I mean. In active 8" 2-ways, the woofer is often crossed over as high as 1.6Khz to 2.5Khz. In a small room or at few feet's listening distance this works great -- directivity does not yet come into play. In a larger room or at longer listening distance, I often find that midrange presence is a bit lacking due to dispersion -- the 8" woofer simply cannot perform as well in terms of a point source when compared to 3" - 5" midrange drivers. Mid freq does not throw as far as the baffle-loaded high freq from the tweeter. So sitting say 20ft away, what was once a very flat freq response at 6 ft could seem to be missing something or dropped off. Of course active equalization, a feature on many active studio monitors, can solve this problem. Room correction EQ or manually EQ (with RTA and accurate mic) could do the same.

 

All our listening tastes and environment differ... just something to keep in mind with 8" 2-way active monitors and larger listening space. I highly recommend auditioning in your environment before committing (that is, make sure you can return the monitors if it doesn't work out.)

 

Cheers,

JR

[dalethorn]

Stereophile has a sensational writeup on mini-Maggies. They're made for desktop use, $1500 USD, but they describe use off the desk as well.

[mftech]

Try the Focal Solo Be6 active monitor, I never heard so much sound quality at low level, I prefered them to the ADAM.

[AudioExplorations]

This looks interesting!

 

http://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=252:kefs-killer-compact-monitor-the-ls50&catid=88:features&Itemid=314

[jhwalker]

This looks interesting!

 

http://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=252:kefs-killer-compact-monitor-the-ls50&catid=88:features&Itemid=314

 

Must . . . keep . . . credit card . . . in . . . wallet . . .

 

Yes, sounds *very* interesting! Amazing what they're coming up with these days

[jhwalker]

One I haven't seen mentioned much here is the tiny MartinLogan Motion 4. I recently put together a home theater system using these as both fronts and surrounds (matched with a Motion 8 as the center), but I've been *very* happy with the sound in 2-channel mode. The sound is very crisp and clean, with extended top and solid bottom (though only down to about 70kHz, as these are *really* tiny). I pair them with an old MK subwoofer from the Dark Ages (shhhh, don't tell anyone).

 

Here's a link to a good review:

http://www.tonepublications.com/review/the-martinlogan-motion-4-2/

[AudioDoctor]

Must . . . keep . . . credit card . . . in . . . wallet . . .

 

Yes, sounds *very* interesting! Amazing what they're coming up with these days

 

Don't we all feel like that far too often...

[jky999]

AudioEngine for total budget speakers

Gallo Strada's with W4S ST250 (my current office combo)

ATC SCM16A's (actives which I used to have in the office).

 

The Stradas are pretty amazing for small speakers. You can get them used for abt $1,200. I've also heard good things abt the Genelecs and Adam actives.

[gldadis]

Hsu HB1 Mk II - simply amazing, and they work fine close to walls. Easily driven by receivers or integrateds. I tried them and am enjoying a broad and deep soundstage that's very true to the real thing.

[crazy4cans]

I live in a fairly small apartment. I've been using the Mackie HR824 as my main speakers for a while now.