Desktop speakers

[Phestezeo]

Hey all,

I am will be undergoing a near complete station redesign in the future and was hoping to get some input about speakers for my PC. They will be placed either on my desk or on speakers stands purchased seperately depending on the size of them and how limited my desk space becomes. My budget is as high as $2000CAD for a pair of speakers so far, but I would rather not like to spend so much. I am more than willing to go over the set budget but I would have to see some justification for it to be considered. If the speakers are worthwhile then I will bite the bullet and spend the dosh. Thus far, I have had my interested piqued by Genelec, particularly their 8030B and their 8040B, Vantoo Transparent One, Emotiva Airmotiv 6s and Stealth 8, and Adams A8X. 

I listen to a lot of different genres of music so having a pair that suits that would be a dream because the tracks vary quite a bit between artists. The sound I am looking for is hopefully one that isn't unbearable or unpleasent, I don't want to ask for a lot from my speakers. I am going to be getting a seperate subwoofer and will be using that for any bass needs so I don't need my speakers to try and rattle anything. I won't be creating any music, or analyzing any either- I just want to be able to enjoy it at the fullest of my budgets ability.

If anyone has any input regarding the speakers listed above, or the companies, then I would love to hear it. If you have any other suggestions then let me know, as I am open to hear them all. Any and all assistance with this will be greatly appreicated.

Thanks.

[ZacDaMan72]

Audioengine A5+ with the sub? Listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLecOL5MQ-Vp-OfTOIZGcHf8lZQ2Goybo0

[Phestezeo]

Audioengine A5+ with the sub? Listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLecOL5MQ-Vp-OfTOIZGcHf8lZQ2Goybo0

That is an excellent playlist of videos. I will definitely check that out in the morning when I am less tired. Thanks.

[JR1911]

 Thus far, I have had my interested piqued by Genelec, particularly their 8030B and their 8040B, 

 

 

I can recommend Genelec, I'm currently using 8020B's myself and I'm very satisfied with them, thinking about upgrading to 8030B's though for a bit more oomph in the bass region.

[Phestezeo]

I can recommend Genelec, I'm currently using 8020B's myself and I'm very satisfied with them, thinking about upgrading to 8030B's though for a bit more oomph in the bass region.

I've heard a lot of great things about Genelec while looking at their products online; they seem like a reputable company and they stand by their quality of work. I am honestly more interested in Genelec  than anyone else. I've seen that Yamaha and others manufacture some great products but my eyes are glued on those delicious 8040B's. Thanks for the reply.

[BoltActionWaffle]

These are my personal favorite speakers up until the $400 if you would like to save some money. "http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410291136&sr=8-1&keywords=BS22"

[JR1911]

I've heard a lot of great things about Genelec while looking at their products online; they seem like a reputable company and they stand by their quality of work. I am honestly more interested in Genelec  than anyone else. I've seen that Yamaha and others manufacture some great products but my eyes are glued on those delicious 8040B's. Thanks for the reply.

 

I don't think you can go wrong with the 8040B's if you decide to get them. And if you want a subwoofer I'd definitely recommend getting a Genelec one, they're made to integrate seamlessly with the speakers. Genelec's recommendation for a pair of 8040B's is the 7060B.

[SKOONJar]

My personal favorite are the klipsch promedia 2.1s I have these for my pc the sub on it is killer for only a 8 inch sub and the speakers can get as loud as you want without much distortion. Would say no distortion but someone would probably correct me.

[Phestezeo]

I don't think you can go wrong with the 8040B's if you decide to get them. And if you want a subwoofer I'd definitely recommend getting a Genelec one, they're made to integrate seamlessly with the speakers. Genelec's recommendation for a pair of 8040B's is the 7060B.

Ah, I didn't know they were designed in pairs. That is actually really cool information. Glad I made this thread.

 

My personal favorite are the klipsch promedia 2.1s I have these for my pc the sub on it is killer for only a 8 inch sub and the speakers can get as loud as you want without much distortion. Would say no distortion but someone would probably correct me.

I will be sure to look into those as well. I know a friend of mine has a pair at his place so maybe I can talk to him about them. See how they are. Thanks.

[Phestezeo]

Looked into that subwoofer, the 7060B, and it is damn expensive. I figure that is a more future purchase, a further in the future purchase for me since I don't know if I can shell out $2600 for it so easily. Anyone have any first hand experience with any Genelec pairings? The subwoofer I was looking at personally is the Dayton Audio Sub 1500. I found it for ~$200 and figured that it would offer enough. Other subwoofer suggestions would also be appreciated if possible.

[JR1911]

Looked into that subwoofer, the 7060B, and it is damn expensive. I figure that is a more future purchase, a further in the future purchase for me since I don't know if I can shell out $2600 for it so easily.

 

A cheaper alternative from Genelec would be the 7050B. It doesn't go quite as low as the 7060B (25Hz vs 19Hz) and doesn't produce quite the same SPL (100dB vs 108dB) but would still work very well with the 8040B's. My recommendation would be to get the main speakers first and then get the subwoofer later if you really want it. The 8040B's have ample bass already so you might even be satisfied with them. Personally I'm not really a big fan of separate subwoofers, it can be difficult to properly integrate them with the main speakers and a bad quality subwoofer would just muddle the bass.

[Phestezeo]

A cheaper alternative from Genelec would be the 7050B. It doesn't go quite as low as the 7060B (25Hz vs 19Hz) and doesn't produce quite the same SPL (100dB vs 108dB) but would still work very well with the 8040B's. My recommendation would be to get the main speakers first and then get the subwoofer later if you really want it. The 8040B's have ample bass already so you might even be satisfied with them. Personally I'm not really a big fan of separate subwoofers, it can be difficult to properly integrate them with the main speakers and a bad quality subwoofer would just muddle the bass.

That is a fair point. I figure getting the 7050B would suffice just fine. If I can I will get the 7060B, but with a price point like that it is hard to swallow.

[Williamchan87]

have you looked at totem acoustics dream catchers, or the mite series, tho then you will need a DAC and a AMP

[Trimen1000]

What is the size of the room you are going to have the computer in? This has a huge effect on the speaker size. A normal sized bedroom can't handle anything bigger than 5" speakers, for example.

 

Do you already have a DAC and or amp? If so which one?

[Phestezeo]

have you looked at totem acoustics dream catchers, or the mite series, tho then you will need a DAC and a AMP

Never heard of them. I will look them up. A DAC and a AMP can be purchased for them if necessary.

 

What is the size of the room you are going to have the computer in? This has a huge effect on the speaker size. A normal sized bedroom can't handle anything bigger than 5" speakers, for example.

 

Do you already have a DAC and or amp? If so which one?

I don't have any measurements for my room, but it is quite large. It is a set up I have in my basement rather than my bedroom because I have the whole basement set up as an entertainment and media room for guests and, of course, myself. I do not own a AMP or DAC, but I will get one if I need to. One DAC I looked at before was the Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 Plus DAC. Not too expensive and have read some good things. I guess I should have mentioned that I don't entertain guests too often, at least not in the sense of a party where music is required, but sometimes my friends and I like to sit around and listen to some nice tunes. That is about the most extent the speakers will get for being at higher volumes or encompassing space.

Also, I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has commented in this thread. I honestly thought it would take a long time before I got any replies, and this has been far beyond excellent so far. Thank you all. I really do appreciate this.

(Edited for grammatical errors)

[Williamchan87]

Totem acoustics are not bad, but they are a bit more expensive then audiogene

[JR1911]

Totem speakers would also be a good choice, I've heard the Arro myself once and it was quite good.

 

Also in regards to room size, Genelec speakers have adjustable bass and treble, so they're easier to get to work well in different environments.

 

EDIT: Here's -> http://www.genelec.fi/tuotetuki/speaker-selection-guide/system-selection/ Genelec's guide in regards to speaker selection for different room sizes and listening distances.

[Phestezeo]

Totem acoustics are not bad, but they are a bit more expensive then audiogene

The totems I looked at are kind of stretching my budget more than I like. I will continue to look into them but so far I am still liking the Genelec stuff more.

 

Totem speakers would also be a good choice, I've heard the Arro myself once and it was quite good.

 

Also in regards to room size, Genelec speakers have adjustable bass and treble, so they're easier to get to work well in different environments.

 

EDIT: Here's -> http://www.genelec.fi/tuotetuki/speaker-selection-guide/system-selection/ Genelec's guide in regards to speaker selection for different room sizes and listening distances.

I've read that Genelec speakers, or at least some of them, can adjust their settings based on the room they are put in. Is that just a standard feature or do you need that, like, $800 software they sell?

That guide is also pretty cool. Good on Genelec for going out of their way to make it.

[Atomika]

Audioengine A5+ with the sub? Listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLecOL5MQ-Vp-OfTOIZGcHf8lZQ2Goybo0

 

Hmm nice, Might check these out myself   Woah $2000 for some speakers? I thought spending the $250 for the corsair speakers was a high price

[JR1911]

 

I've read that Genelec speakers, or at least some of them, can adjust their settings based on the room they are put in. Is that just a standard feature or do you need that, like, $800 software they sell?

 

 

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that feature is only available with Genelec's digital 8200 series speakers and 7200 series subwoofers.

[Phestezeo]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that feature is only available with Genelec's digital 8200 series speakers and 7200 series subwoofers.

When I was first reading up on them, it was said the 8040B was one speaker that had that feature. Maybe I did a bad job searching online but I never found out whether that is an inherent talent of the speakers themselves or if it requires a software. Not too sure about the subwoofers though myself.

[Trimen1000]

Honestly, from how you're talking about what you want the speakers for, it seems like you just need a decent DAC/amp and some decent speakers, and you'll be happy. This way you can spend the extra money on something else that you want.

 

To give you an idea, I record and master classical music and I use JDL LSR305 monitors (costs about 350 for a pair) with a Scarlett 18i8 (a lot of i o since I use it for recording) audio interface in my bedroom, and I find that to be perfectly satisfactory for my current purposes(semi-professional). While I do want some better monitors, most people wouldn't be able to hear a quality difference between mine and more expensive monitors.

 

If you want to spend all the money then I have to agree that the Genelec 8040B is a great set of studio monitors. They're also a good size for your basement, asuming it's about the size of a garage. If you listen to music with a lot of low bass, you will probably want to get a subwoofer because the frequency response on these only goes down to 41 kHz.

 

One question I have though, do you want to be running studio monitors? They are designed to accurately reproduce music. While this sounds pretty good right away, you do have to remember that you will also be hearing all of the mistakes that were made while producing the music. My personal preference is to use studio monitors.

 

Make sure you'll be able to drive the studio monitors with your audio set up, most are XLR or TRS balanced inputs, so that will probably mean buying a DAC(specifically an "audio interface"). Many studio monitors have amps in them, so you shouldn't need a seperate amplifier, but check (active meanse it has an amp, passive means it does not). The Genelec 8040b does have an amp.

[Stagea]

If you're interested in making your computer a HiFi system, your budget can let you get something like a NAD D 7050 Direct Digital Amplifier and a pair of PSB Imagine Mini desktop/bookshelf speakers. The quality difference when compared to gaming-oriented speakers is just tremendous.

 

A Direct Digital Amplifier ensures that the signal stays in the digital domain until just before the end of the chain. This can minimize distortion/coloration if implemented right. It also eliminates the need for an external DAC as it takes digital inputs.

 

There are also more affordable options out there, especially if you're willing to let go of more desktop space. The Nuforce DDA-100 with a pair of well-matched larger speakers can also do the job admirably, for example.

[Phestezeo]

Honestly, from how you're talking about what you want the speakers for, it seems like you just need a decent DAC/amp and some decent speakers, and you'll be happy. This way you can spend the extra money on something else that you want.

 

To give you an idea, I record and master classical music and I use JDL LSR305 monitors (costs about 350 for a pair) with a Scarlett 18i8 (a lot of i o since I use it for recording) audio interface in my bedroom, and I find that to be perfectly satisfactory for my current purposes(semi-professional). While I do want some better monitors, most people wouldn't be able to hear a quality difference between mine and more expensive monitors.

 

If you want to spend all the money then I have to agree that the Genelec 8040B is a great set of studio monitors. They're also a good size for your basement, asuming it's about the size of a garage. If you listen to music with a lot of low bass, you will probably want to get a subwoofer because the frequency response on these only goes down to 41 kHz.

 

One question I have though, do you want to be running studio monitors? They are designed to accurately reproduce music. While this sounds pretty good right away, you do have to remember that you will also be hearing all of the mistakes that were made while producing the music. My personal preference is to use studio monitors.

 

Make sure you'll be able to drive the studio monitors with your audio set up, most are XLR or TRS balanced inputs, so that will probably mean buying a DAC(specifically an "audio interface"). Many studio monitors have amps in them, so you shouldn't need a seperate amplifier, but check (active meanse it has an amp, passive means it does not). The Genelec 8040b does have an amp.

I guess I never really considered the fact that the audio imperfections would become so pronounced. I shall look into other avenues to make sure I don't purchase something I would dislike. I feel your advice goes rather well with the one from Trimen1000 regarding room size. Eventually I will be moving, not sure when since it is a very big deal, but I don't know if I will have access to something as spacious for my setup then as I do now. I figure I should plan ahead for the future with this as well. Thank you for the advice.

 

If you're interested in making your computer a HiFi system, your budget can let you get something like a NAD D 7050 Direct Digital Amplifier and a pair of PSB Imagine Mini desktop/bookshelf speakers. The quality difference when compared to gaming-oriented speakers is just tremendous.

 

A Direct Digital Amplifier ensures that the signal stays in the digital domain until just before the end of the chain. This can minimize distortion/coloration if implemented right. It also eliminates the need for an external DAC as it takes digital inputs.

 

There are also more affordable options out there, especially if you're willing to let go of more desktop space. The Nuforce DDA-100 with a pair of well-matched larger speakers can also do the job admirably, for example.

Never heard of the products you've mentioned so I will look them up. Desk space shouldn't be a problem for me, but if it is I can just move my desk a little further away from the wall and put some speakers stands behind where they would have sat.

[BoredErica]

You've already treated your room, right?