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best "mini" active speakers for the money..

post #1 of 23
1/27/12 at 7:25pm
Thread Starter 
Basically I have decided its time to move from my old ikick 501 iPod sound dock into something that's a little more "high end".

Don't mistake me, not looking for 1000 plus mini monitors, these speakers will be located on my tool cart in a manufacturing shop..

currently considering

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/produ...roducts_id=121

and as well as

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/speak...-speakers.html

so of the two what do you guys think?

and whatever else you guys would recommend, I am very interested in hearing.

I am mostly a heavy metal, rock listener, but get into blues, and jazz on occasion, thou I am just as likely to be playing some country, and hip hop..

they just need to be an active design, so I can plug iPod, phone ect into...
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post #2 of 23
1/28/12 at 7:03pm
Thread Starter 
168 views, and no comments?
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post #3 of 23
1/28/12 at 7:16pm
you might also look into the nht superpower $400 apair-personally never heard any of them but nht never put out a bad sounding product
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post #4 of 23
1/28/12 at 8:51pm
How about some heavy duty studio monitors with 8 3/4" woofers: Behringer TRUTH B2031A. Or slightly smaller: Behringer TRUTH B2030A.
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post #5 of 23
1/28/12 at 9:02pm
Would the Behringer B1031A be even smaller? Audioengine is another option.
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post #6 of 23
1/29/12 at 3:36am
Emotiva has some out as well.
http://emotivapro.com/

JBL has highly regarded monitors.
http://www.jblpro.com/products/recor...ast/index.html

Dynaudio
http://www.dynaudioacoustics.com/Default.asp?Id=272

and Genelec
http://www.genelecusa.com/

all make good powered speakers.
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post #7 of 23
1/29/12 at 5:24am
M Audio BX5A, $150 - it's been replaced by a newer model so it's discounted

I wouldn't spend big money for listening in an environment where you won't be really be paying attention to the music, there will be other noise, you might not be in the right location, etc.
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post #8 of 23
1/29/12 at 3:41pm
Thread Starter 
How would the m audio stack against the swans?
those I think are the front runners..

anyone heard the two?
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post #9 of 23
1/29/12 at 3:50pm
It may be multiple-choice, but there is only one right answer; the Audioengine A2 speakers.

I have them with my computer, and they are great. See the Stereophile review from a few months ago if you don't believe me. It convinced me, and I'm glad it did.

I use them with a cheap Sony subwoofer (SA-W2500) that I got for $70 to fill in the bass a bit, and that is fine for my small space. For a larger space, the Sony SA-W3000 has twice the power for about twice the money.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiophile34 View Post

Basically I have decided its time to move from my old ikick 501 iPod sound dock into something that's a little more "high end".

Don't mistake me, not looking for 1000 plus mini monitors, these speakers will be located on my tool cart in a manufacturing shop..

currently considering

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/produ...roducts_id=121

and as well as

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/speak...-speakers.html

so of the two what do you guys think?

and whatever else you guys would recommend, I am very interested in hearing.

I am mostly a heavy metal, rock listener, but get into blues, and jazz on occasion, thou I am just as likely to be playing some country, and hip hop..

they just need to be an active design, so I can plug iPod, phone ect into...
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 23
1/29/12 at 10:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by commsysman View Post

It may be multiple-choice, but there is only one right answer

Wouldn't expect any less from the one and only man of commsys
But for a tool cart in a work shop of some sort, you wouldn't be able to discern the nuances of one good speaker to another. M-Audio is good enough, but I saw a bunch of complaints on Amazon about reliability and customer service. Less so with Audioengine or Behringer.
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post #11 of 23
1/30/12 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by commsysman View Post

It may be multiple-choice, but there is only one right answer; the Audioengine A2 speakers.

I have them with my computer, and they are great. See the Stereophile review from a few months ago if you don't believe me.

Well out of all the answers on this thread, the A2 is probably the least correct one. And yes, I did read the 5 yr old review just for the h*ll of it. Considering the area he wants to listen to them in, a bigger active speaker is needed. The M-Audio BX5A is a very good speaker, I had those before I passed them on to my son's computer system.

I can heartily recommend Samson Resolv A5's which I currently listen to...5" woofer, 1-1/4" tweeter and bi-amped for HF and LF in BOTH speakers. For the price of $250, I think these are the best value for your money. But unfortunately you can't buy these at Audio Advisor.
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post #12 of 23
1/31/12 at 7:49am
Thread Starter 
Lol, I don't care where I by them from..

I like the look of the swans, and I do spend a fair amount of time in the shop "alone", so while it does get noisy I also get quality time..

I also like those samsons, but had never heard of them before now.... but at that price that's a damn tough call.

anyone a/b the two? I have to admit I will be buying either without listening to them prior, so I am a "little" nervous..
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post #13 of 23
1/31/12 at 12:45pm
You might want to also consider the Mackie MR-5's. The go for around $150 each and are excellent sounding. They are each independently bi-amped.
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post #14 of 23
1/31/12 at 12:57pm
Harman GLA-55
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post #15 of 23
1/31/12 at 4:50pm
I was very interested in the Emotivas linked above (Airmotivs) so I decided to buy them to see how they sound. The day after I ordered my Airmotiv6s ($799/pr) I came across a link on another forum that showed these speakers are not actually made by Emotiva. They're just rebranded speakers from some Chinese manufacturer called QMS (http://www.qmsaudio.com/ look familiar?)

This wasn't necessarily a bad thing since almost all speakers in this price range are made in China these days, but it is something worth nothing.

Anyways, mine arrived a few days later and I listened to them for about 3 weeks before sending them back for a refund. They do sound nice, the tweeter is not as good as other ribbons I've heard but it was definitely smooth. It never became harsh, even at high volumes with the worst quality MP3s I could find, but it was also lacking in detail. The 6s had a lot more bass than I was expecting, when I had the Airmotivs I also had a pair of 8" M-Audio monitors I was trying (BX8 D2) and the Airmotivs could get almost as low as the much larger M-Audios, though the Airmotivs had a very clear midbass hump that helped them. This was not fast, accurate bass but it wasn't too bad, either.

I'd say the 6s would have been great if they were priced as Audioengine competitors, but I would never pay $800 or even $600 for them.

Speaking of Audioengine, I haven't heard the new A5+ but I've had a pair of A5s for 2 years now and still feel they're the best value under around $500 that I have personally heard. I try to listen to as many speakers as I can, but I certainly haven't heard everything on the market.
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post #16 of 23
1/31/12 at 5:01pm
Behringer B2031A or one of the KRK Rokits would be my suggestion. You wouldn't want a pair of glass speakers, the Harman GLA-55 suggested above, next to your heavy duty tools
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post #17 of 23
1/31/12 at 7:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiophile34 View Post

anyone a/b the two? I have to admit I will be buying either without listening to them prior, so I am a "little" nervous..

Might be worth dropping by a Guitar Center and Best Buy (you guys must have those; we have them in Grand Rapids ). I think both carry powered studio monitor selections in store to listen to--at least they used to. If you can find a couple models you like, people would be better able to suggest comparable or better selections.
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post #18 of 23
1/31/12 at 7:51pm
Thread Starter 
best buy doesn't carry the "resolve" line..

It's looking like I am going to end up with http://www.amazon.com/Resolv-Active-...=1GOG4GMEJZ8K2

unless someone has another suggestion..

the only thing I am finding I don't love on the samson is the lack of volume control...
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post #19 of 23
2/1/12 at 5:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by audiok View Post

Behringer B2031A or one of the KRK Rokits would be my suggestion. You wouldn't want a pair of glass speakers, the Harman GLA-55 suggested above, next to your heavy duty tools

Agree, best bang for your buck small active speakers, Behringer B2031A in my opinion.
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post #20 of 23
2/1/12 at 10:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiophile34 View Post

best buy doesn't carry the "resolve" line..

It's looking like I am going to end up with http://www.amazon.com/Resolv-Active-...=1GOG4GMEJZ8K2

unless someone has another suggestion..

the only thing I am finding I don't love on the samson is the lack of volume control...

The A6 should be plenty...just to inform, those should be more like a bookshelf speaker rather than a "mini" you were originally looking for. My A5's dwarf the M-Audio BX5A's and I imagine the A6's would be even larger. And I'm pretty sure they have a volume/gain control, my A5's do.
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post #21 of 23
2/2/12 at 10:57am
Thread Starter 
awesome, thanks for the input..

I am thinking I am going to be building a shelf/ cabinets, that will house these so I can separate the two channels enough for some decent imaging.

thanks for all your help, once I get them and put them in place, I will take some pictures..
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post #22 of 23
2/2/12 at 3:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Remonster View Post

I was very interested in the Emotivas linked above (Airmotivs) so I decided to buy them to see how they sound. The day after I ordered my Airmotiv6s ($799/pr) I came across a link on another forum that showed these speakers are not actually made by Emotiva. They're just rebranded speakers from some Chinese manufacturer called QMS (http://www.qmsaudio.com/ look familiar?)

This wasn't necessarily a bad thing since almost all speakers in this price range are made in China these days, but it is something worth nothing.

Anyways, mine arrived a few days later and I listened to them for about 3 weeks before sending them back for a refund. They do sound nice, the tweeter is not as good as other ribbons I've heard but it was definitely smooth. It never became harsh, even at high volumes with the worst quality MP3s I could find, but it was also lacking in detail. The 6s had a lot more bass than I was expecting, when I had the Airmotivs I also had a pair of 8" M-Audio monitors I was trying (BX8 D2) and the Airmotivs could get almost as low as the much larger M-Audios, though the Airmotivs had a very clear midbass hump that helped them. This was not fast, accurate bass but it wasn't too bad, either.

I'd say the 6s would have been great if they were priced as Audioengine competitors, but I would never pay $800 or even $600 for them.

Speaking of Audioengine, I haven't heard the new A5+ but I've had a pair of A5s for 2 years now and still feel they're the best value under around $500 that I have personally heard. I try to listen to as many speakers as I can, but I certainly haven't heard everything on the market.

I was curious as how you would compare the Airmotiv 6's with the Audioengines A5's you have? Apart from cost did you like Air6's better? Or did you prefer the A5's straight up? Thanks.
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post #23 of 23
3/23/12 at 2:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by roark View Post

I was curious as how you would compare the Airmotiv 6's with the Audioengines A5's you have? Apart from cost did you like Air6's better? Or did you prefer the A5's straight up? Thanks.

bump
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