High end bookshelf monitor speakers
G'day,
I'm interested in purchasing some quality bookshelf speakers for my desk, something that will give me a new appreciation for my music collection. While I will be predominantly listening to them while seated at the desk, I'd hope too that they will have enough projection to fill a medium to large room with sound. I have been reading about studio monitors online but have not had any real listening experience with them. If there are any budding audio engineers/music editors/audiophiles in this forum, could you tell me whether the following will suit my needs? I have been looking at the Mission Pro active bookshelf monitors online "http://www.missionprofessional.com/missionpro/products/pro_active_nearfield/loudspeakers_pro_active_monitor_6a.htm"; I read that the purpose of studio monitors is to provide as accurate as possible depiction of sound without any biases with the goal of a flat frequency response, however that this is not always as pleasant to listen to or to everyone's taste. Do studio monitors really sound that different or are they just accurate good quality speakers? They won't be "too unbiased" to the point of seeming weak in the bass and high frequencies will they? I know that I can fiddle with equaliser settings in iTunes but I do like a really good punchy base and I'd be disappointed if I had to max out the bass in the equalizer making it sound muddy and uncontrolled. Does anyone have any opinions/real listening experience on these or other high quality bookshelf/monitor speakers that I might appreciate?
Cheers.
I'm interested in purchasing some quality bookshelf speakers for my desk, something that will give me a new appreciation for my music collection. While I will be predominantly listening to them while seated at the desk, I'd hope too that they will have enough projection to fill a medium to large room with sound. I have been reading about studio monitors online but have not had any real listening experience with them. If there are any budding audio engineers/music editors/audiophiles in this forum, could you tell me whether the following will suit my needs? I have been looking at the Mission Pro active bookshelf monitors online "http://www.missionprofessional.com/missionpro/products/pro_active_nearfield/loudspeakers_pro_active_monitor_6a.htm"; I read that the purpose of studio monitors is to provide as accurate as possible depiction of sound without any biases with the goal of a flat frequency response, however that this is not always as pleasant to listen to or to everyone's taste. Do studio monitors really sound that different or are they just accurate good quality speakers? They won't be "too unbiased" to the point of seeming weak in the bass and high frequencies will they? I know that I can fiddle with equaliser settings in iTunes but I do like a really good punchy base and I'd be disappointed if I had to max out the bass in the equalizer making it sound muddy and uncontrolled. Does anyone have any opinions/real listening experience on these or other high quality bookshelf/monitor speakers that I might appreciate?
Cheers.
Comments
If you want punchy bass, get a subwoofer. M-Audio makes one of them, too. Bookshelf speakers are never designed to give punchy bass, monitors or otherwise.
What is your budget? $100? $500? $1000? $10,000,000?
Bookshelf speakers are never designed to give punchy bass, monitors or otherwise.
Not true... an example of this is the SOTA, very high end Totem Mani-2.
Anyway, check out http://www.axiomaudio.com/en-ca/bookshelfspeakers.html , http://ascendacoustics.com/pages/pro...70/cbm170.html , http://www.totemacoustic.com/english...lf_model01.htm (especially the affordable Mite)and check out audioreview.com for stellar reviews of all. Bookshelves in combination with sub woofers are actually a better bet for quality sound and imaging that a mammoth floorstander.
I seriously wonder about the cost of high end speakers. The math isn't terribly complicated -- what I mean is that if you take a three man team of quality engineers and give them a year, there are more difficult problems that they can solve (probably fusion for crissakes. . . physicists are the wrong bunch to be doing this). Are the materials expensive or something? I swear, if you gave me three years I could design a pair of speakers that shit on the Totems yet have a $25 bill of materials. Oh good lord, too much cheap wine.
$5600 is a bit much to pay for punchy bass in bookshelfs, though. I assume you agree. Plus it's hard to verify since I don't think I'll ever encounter the Totems. I know this sounds irrational, but I'm actually insulted when someone charges that much for speakers because it means I'm not getting paid enough (or anywhere near it).
I seriously wonder about the cost of high end speakers. The math isn't terribly complicated -- what I mean is that if you take a three man team of quality engineers and give them a year, there are more difficult problems that they can solve (probably fusion for crissakes. . . physicists are the wrong bunch to be doing this). Are the materials expensive or something? I swear, if you gave me three years I could design a pair of speakers that shit on the Totems yet have a $25 bill of materials. Oh good lord, too much cheap wine.
Well, a couple of things... one is, these are pretty much be-all end-all speakers, with amazing imaging, absurd bass depth, flat frequency response, etc. What you are paying for is
1) Sound quality, which is unmatched by just about anything (of course totally subjective)
2) Cost of drivers, which I imagine are pretty exotic
3) Crossover, which is often the most important part of a speaker's design
4) Incredibly non-resonant box which is a hallmark of Totem speakers (I've heard the Arro floorstanders, about $1100/pair, blew me away, we're talking thin sliver home-theater-style floorstanders with incredible imaging and remarkable bass)
5) Exotic materials, such as borosilicate
6) immaculate craftsmanship which is to be expected with such an expensive price tag
7) prestige pricing, of course, with fat retail markup as well.
8) Shock value. You see this outrageous price tag, and think, "how good can these possibly sound?!" These tiny, boring, understated bookshelfs that cost what high end towers go for. Then you hear them and are shocked again.
Those are Totem's flagship product (the Mani2 that is), and a force to be reckoned with. At 4 ohms, they are power hungry beasts that need a porky audiophile-grade amp (or amps) to supply lots of power to, in order to get a vice grip on the Mani2s. I don't think I've ever been amazed by a speaker until hearing the Arros, and those are practically low end compared to the Mani2.
There's certainly a law of diminishing returns, and if I had $6000, I still wouldn't buy them.
My next $1000 is buying a pair of US-made Ohm Walsh Micro Talls, but the Arros are my second choice.
If I win the lottery of otherwise strike it rich, Splinemodel, I'll buy you a pair of Mani2s along with a Bryston amp, and you can hear for yourself if they're worth the money. I personally bet you'll freak.
Okay, audiophile nerd gushing off...
G'day,
I'm interested in purchasing some quality bookshelf speakers for my desk, something that will give me a new appreciation for my music collection. ...
Cheers.
Try the Speaker Board of avsform.com.
http://www.av123.com/products_produc...s&product=82.1
$219
http://www.si-technologies.com/front...p?productID=18
$39
http://www.si-technologies.com/front...sp?productID=3
$19 AC adapter
Voila great sound
Find a single driver sealed speaker and now we're talking!
Dual driver ported speakers.... boooring and they all sound about the same.
Find a single driver sealed speaker and now we're talking!
I disagree with you on both counts... however, the Ohms I have my eye on are like 1.5 drivers per speaker. 90% of the sound is produced by the Walsh driver (45hz-15000hz or so) and then a directional tweeter kicks in for the ultra-highs, avoiding the midrange crossover in many speaker designs.
It's a matter of physics... a driver that is nimble for 20000khz can move enough air for decent bass, and a speaker mammoth enough to move enough air for deep bass can't well produce 20000khz tones.
Splinemodel: one can get very, very close for a fraction of the cost. No arguement there.
There's many, many great speakers in the low-end of the market, like the Ascends and the Axioms I mentioned and presumably the bookshelfs linked above. The class-T amp is a known winner for sure.
I admire sonus faber (A high end speaker ) due to its great quality sound. I was little bit unsure about its performance but while combing the reviews I found good review and decided to have this one.