Need Speaker Setup Recommendations

[MoToX]

Hi, 

 

I want to add a pair of speakers to my setup, however I am having some troubles figuring out how I can mount and use them. Both because of my current space restrictions but also because of my current setup with a primary and secondary monitor. 

So that I dont have to write a novel explaining my setup I have attached a picture.

 

I am hoping that you guys have some good ideas or thoughts on how I could set it up, so that I can add some speakers. 

 

Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

[ShearMe]

Well you'd have to rearrange everything, really. Scootch the main monitor over enough to fit a speaker between the two, move that mixer to the far right maybe, add a speaker stand off the left side of desk for the other if needed. 

 

[MoToX]

7 minutes ago, ShearMe said:

Well you'd have to rearrange everything, really. Scootch the main monitor over enough to fit a speaker between the two, move that mixer to the far right maybe, add a speaker stand off the left side of desk for the other if needed. 

 

 

Okay yeah that could be an option, but if I move the second monitor that much it would make it very uncomfortable to use it. 

[ShearMe]

4 minutes ago, MoToX said:

Okay yeah that could be an option, but if I move the second monitor that much it would make it very uncomfortable to use it. 

 

I also highly suggest monitor pole mounts that clamp to the outside of your desk. Could net you a good few more inches from the side monitor. Opens up the usable area underneath monitors for peripheral and imo raises them to the proper height no included stand can achieve.

[MoToX]

4 minutes ago, ShearMe said:

 

I also highly suggest monitor pole mounts that clamp to the outside of your desk. Could net you a good few more inches from the side monitor. Opens up the usable area underneath monitors for peripheral and imo raises them to the proper height no included stand can achieve.

Yeah I had also thought about that. I could also just have the one speaker cover the lower left part of the second monitor.
Another question is whether or not you need speaker stands? do they make a difference or are they just nice looking?

[An0maly_76]

What about a home theatre sound bar? That would be able to sit on the window sill or maybe behind / under the monitors and work well. Might need an audio extractor, but not if your board has an SPDIF out.

 

Whatever you do, avoid Klipsch at all costs. Their sound is great, but their electronics SUCK!

[MoToX]

9 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

What about a home theatre sound bar? That would be able to sit on the window sill or maybe behind / under the monitors and work well. Might need an audio extractor, but not if your board has an SPDIF out.

 

Whatever you do, avoid Klipsch at all costs. Their sound is great, but their electronics SUCK!

That could also be an option, I just dont have that much space for it, so it would have to be small to fit between my keyboard and monitor. Would that placement affect the sound considering it will be sending the sound directly into my keyboard?

[ShearMe]

7 minutes ago, MoToX said:

Another question is whether or not you need speaker stands? do they make a difference or are they just nice looking?

Speaker positioning and furniture isolation can potentially improve the sound you get, but it's not a guarantee. 

 

For example, my speakers have a built in stand that angles them up a little which has the dual benefit of pointing the tweeters at my head and avoiding reflections off the desk. I didn't plan that out, it just happened to be nice to have. Not every speaker, setup, or listener is going to need that level of adjustment to sound good.

[An0maly_76]

7 minutes ago, MoToX said:

That could also be an option, I just dont have that much space for it, so it would have to be small to fit between my keyboard and monitor. Would that placement affect the sound considering it will be sending the sound directly into my keyboard?

Doubtful. Most sound bars support Dolby 2.1 or 5.1, so it should be adjustable as well as have certain effects to complement certain acoustics. ADDED: There are also acoustic options in the WIndows sound settings to compensate for room acoustics as well. They come in various sizes that would fit in your desired area, looks to be enough room for a standard one behind the monitor, perhaps. You might look into hanging it underneath the rear of the desk facing the window and let the audio bounce up and off the back wall.

Edited April 14, 2022 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info

[ShearMe]

Mackie makes a soundbar specifically for desk use. Again, pole mounts will help with placement! 

 

 https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-StealthBar-Desktop-Soundbar-Bluetooth/dp/B09CZFK33K

[An0maly_76]

If you're an audiophile (seems like it) and don't mind getting a bit spendy, this might tuck behind your monitors nicely -- has a subwoofer too.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Ultra-Slim-Universal-Subwoofer/dp/B07H1B3PY9/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3TI47C323J13Y&keywords=sound%2Bbar&qid=1649941873&sprefix=sound%2Bbar%2Caps%2C51&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFaNzlFVlRQQUg3MVEmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA4MTI0MzIyRFJPVkRFSEZVNVkzJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxMzE1NTNSOVpEUzg3VEVJTVAmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

[GuiltySpark_]

Some monitor arms would free up a lot of room under your displays for a nice set of 3"-4" studio monitors, potentially laying horizontally. 

 

Something like these ProSonus ErisE 3.5's laying sideways. 

 

[MoToX]

15 minutes ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

Some monitor arms would free up a lot of room under your displays for a nice set of 3"-4" studio monitors, potentially laying horizontally. 

 

Something like these ProSonus ErisE 3.5's laying sideways. 

 

Yeah that could be an option. Then I firstly need to find a good pair of monitor arms. 

[MoToX]

37 minutes ago, ShearMe said:

Speaker positioning and furniture isolation can potentially improve the sound you get, but it's not a guarantee. 

 

For example, my speakers have a built in stand that angles them up a little which has the dual benefit of pointing the tweeters at my head and avoiding reflections off the desk. I didn't plan that out, it just happened to be nice to have. Not every speaker, setup, or listener is going to need that level of adjustment to sound good.

Arh okay, thx.

[ShearMe]

6 minutes ago, MoToX said:

Then I firstly need to find a good pair of monitor arms. 

I own three of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0859J9FYY/

[GuiltySpark_]

5 minutes ago, ShearMe said:

I own three of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0859J9FYY/

My problem with those is how they're limiting your display to being mounted right above the rear edge of the desk unless you mount it in a grommet hole that you'd have to drill. I prefer arms with an articulating body so you can pull the display in closer or where you want it to be. 

 

I've got a couple of these, one of them holding my 34" ultrawide. They're OK and when you get them in position they're fine. Lots more range of motion for not much more money than those static mounts. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/MOUNTUP-Single-Monitor-Desk-Mount/dp/B07Z7ZGHD5/

 

There are absolutely more expensive and better made options all over amazon but I took a chance on these and they do the job. Probably wouldn't have been my first choice if I needed to move the displays around a bunch.

[ShearMe]

2 minutes ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

My problem with those is how they're limiting your display to being mounted right above the rear edge of the desk unless you mount it in a grommet hole that you'd have to drill.

To each their own. I deal with articulating mounts at work a lot and didn't want my personal setup to be so fussy. Haven't had to make any monitor adjustments for years.

[GuiltySpark_]

5 minutes ago, ShearMe said:

To each their own. I deal with articulating mounts at work a lot and didn't want my personal setup to be so fussy. Haven't had to make any monitor adjustments for years.

I didn't word that correctly. I never make adjustments to my displays once they're set, but I also have a very deep desk and can't have them mounted so far away. That straight poll mount would position the displays above the far edge of the desk which could work with a small shallow desk, I suppose. 

In the OP's case, his right display would not be able to be positioned where it is with that style mount either. 

[MoToX]

17 minutes ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

My problem with those is how they're limiting your display to being mounted right above the rear edge of the desk unless you mount it in a grommet hole that you'd have to drill. I prefer arms with an articulating body so you can pull the display in closer or where you want it to be. 

 

I've got a couple of these, one of them holding my 34" ultrawide. They're OK and when you get them in position they're fine. Lots more range of motion for not much more money than those static mounts. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/MOUNTUP-Single-Monitor-Desk-Mount/dp/B07Z7ZGHD5/

 

There are absolutely more expensive and better made options all over amazon but I took a chance on these and they do the job. Probably wouldn't have been my first choice if I needed to move the displays around a bunch.

 

1 minute ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

I didn't word that correctly. I never make adjustments to my displays once they're set, but I also have a very deep desk and can't have them mounted so far away. That straight poll mount would position the displays above the far edge of the desk which could work with a small shallow desk, I suppose. 

In the OP's case, his right display would not be able to be positioned where it is with that style mount either. 

Yeah I agree, though I appriciate the help, that kind of monitor arms would not work as my desk is to deep.
Further I also need something that would be able to keep the monitors steady even when I have my desk up and is standing at it, which is the main reason I have not used monitor arms so far, as I am afraid that they would not be able to handle that. 

[MoToX]

I am thinking that I buy either the Edifier R1280DB or Presonus Eris E3.5 and have them sideways on either side of my main monitor, in which I will have to move some stuff around but either should be able to fit. However I am sure which ones to pick as both have great reviews. 

[MoToX]

1 hour ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

Some monitor arms would free up a lot of room under your displays for a nice set of 3"-4" studio monitors, potentially laying horizontally. 

 

Something like these ProSonus ErisE 3.5's laying sideways. 

 

What stands are you using in the picture for the speakers?

[H713]

In some cases I've had decent luck putting monitors above the displays, then angling them down so your ears aren't too far off the vertical axis. This can open up issues too, but anything you do is going to be a compromise. 

[GuiltySpark_]

9 hours ago, MoToX said:

What stands are you using in the picture for the speakers?

Man I'm sorry, got caught up at work and didn't get a chance to reply, then forgot until @H713just posted. I just perused /r/battlestations for that image to find a suggestion for you, its not my setup, sorry. 

 

**edit**

 

They look like these, actually. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Kanto-S4-Desktop-Speaker-Speakers/dp/B077ZH4BVF/

[Derkoli]

16 hours ago, MoToX said:

Hi, 

 

I want to add a pair of speakers to my setup, however I am having some troubles figuring out how I can mount and use them. Both because of my current space restrictions but also because of my current setup with a primary and secondary monitor. 

So that I dont have to write a novel explaining my setup I have attached a picture.

 

I am hoping that you guys have some good ideas or thoughts on how I could set it up, so that I can add some speakers. 

 

Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

 

I'd look at a pair of IK Multimedia monitors, either the iLoud or iLoud MTM's. They'll sit under your monitors just nicely.

 

I would probably get a subwoofer though.

Edited April 15, 2022 by Derkoli

[H713]

I think someone asked earlier in the thread about using speakers on their side. I would not recommend this solution.

 

Unless you're dealing with a concentric driver (not real common), the horizontal and vertical directivity is quite different. Usually manufacturers try to prioritize horizontal directivity, since you really don't want the sound to change when you move your head 300 mm to one side or another. Vertical directivity is less important since most people won't be using a speaker more than 30$\degree$ off axis in the vertical direction. It's quite tricky to make both the vertical and horizontal directivity good, so manufacturers should (and they usually do) prioritize the horizontal directivity.

 

MTMs are probably the worst offender here. For some reason it became "fashionable" to use them as center channels. When tipped on their side (as is typical in a center channel), the horizontal directivity becomes awful. I mean, really awful. Amir's measurements show this really well, and it should be obvious why this is a very nonideal configuration for a center channel:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/revel-concerta2-c25-review-center-speaker.29499/

 

The thing of note here is that this thing, if tipped up on end (so the woofers are spaced along the vertical axis), it becomes an excellent general-purpose speaker with a reasonably wide listening window. On its side (which unfortunately is how they intend it to be used...) it's nearly useless, because the listening window is something like $\pm$20$\degree$. That's fairly typical of an MTM.

 

Other speakers (like the TM configuration) do better, but it still isn't great. It's a crappy solution. 

 

 

The solution I suggested (mounting the speakers above the monitors, tilted down at you) isn't ideal either, but it avoids some of the *massive* problems that occur when you take an MTM and lay it on its side on a desk. It works better if you're a bit farther away from the monitors, and you do start to approach the configuration seen in a traditional recording studio with the nearfields sitting on top of the meterbridge.