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Best budget speakers for near-field/small space

Hi Ladies & Gents,

First time on Audiogon.

Coming from headphones, due to dorm constraints, I'm finally going to be able to get a speaker setup once I move into an apartment at the end of the year.

Sharing an apartment with a few mates, so I'll be setting up the speakers in my bedroom. The room is probably going to be pretty small (about 12 by 8 feet), and with my bed, wardrobe and all, optimal speaker positioning might be a problem.

Hence I'm thinking of going with a near-field setup, on my desk with my computer since that's where I do most of my listening. I could swap my chair and desk with a nice recliner as well, but its going to be near-field either way.

My budget for speakers and amps is pretty tight. Under 1000USD (please don't tease =) and the lower the better. I'm looking for the greatest bang for my buck what with being a student and all.

I listen almost exclusively to Jazz. Mostly 50's 60's bop, hard bop etc. Some acoustic singer-songwriter stuff, and indie rock as well, but only occasionally.

At the lowest end of the spectrum the Audioengine A5 looks interesting. Possibly paired with S8 subwoofer. Being active, I'd save on electronics and could add a DAC down the road, to pair with my Macbook Pro.

At the upper end of my budget, the Magnepan MMG looks very attractive especially with the great reviews on the web. Potential worries: read that they need a really beefy amp that might cost a bit, and more importantly, positioning. I don't believe these speakers were made with near-field listening in mind so that's a bit of a worry.

I've also heard many great things about the Linkwitz Pluto. And since its available as a DIY I could save some bucks (though I have no experience whatsoever, so its a bit daunting).

Other active/passive studio monitors seem to be decent choices as well. The KRK Rokit series, Dynaudio BM5a etc seem like viable alternatives, but I'm worried that they won't be as 'musical' as hi-fi speakers and might end up being cold and too revealing (might be a problem with badly mastered records, especially all those bright RVG remasters).

I have incredibly limited experience with speakers. More well-versed with headphones only. So I really need your help!

Many thanks in advance!
milesandcoltrane
strateahed
297 posts
 
Correction ... I'm running A2's at the office (should have checked website first). Audioengine's wireless stuff works great too. Also using the AP4's (passive) in my bedroom system at home, with Outlaw LFM-2 small sub. Picked up a nice tube integrated from Tubestein (eBay) to create a budget system that rivals my main rig (OK, that's a bit of a stretch, but it does sound really nice). Other high quality monitors in the $300/pair range: Paradigm Atoms and Ascend Acoustic CBM-170's. The point is, you should be able to put together a very nice sounding, musical system within your budget.

One last thing ... Audioengine is very good with audition allowance. Unlike experiences with some other companies, it's real easy. You get a full 30 days to check them out. If you don't like the speakers, send 'em back and you get a refund right away with no questions or hassles.
crad
39 posts
 
Here are a couple of things to look at that are musical for small spaces and should be under $1k. These are based on used prices combined.

Speakers;
ERA 5 or 4 monitor
JohnBlue JB3 monitor *
Silverline Minuet
Triangle Titus

You can always add a small sub later like a Glow Audio Sub One or similar.

Integrated amps:
Audio Analogue Crescendo
Audio Refinement Complete
Virtue Audio Sensation or mdl.two
Jolida FX-10

Should state preference for sound. Do you want tubes or SS sound?
milesandcoltrane OP
17 posts
 
Strateahead yessiree I believe we do share similar tastes in music! You've got some encouraging words for the A2. The A5 should be better then, I hope. The 30 day return policy is excellent as well. This, along with the low price, makes the A5 a very attractive option.

The Maverick D1 is something I've considered getting for a while. They seemed to have a good synergy with the Senn HD600 and AKG K701, so I could use it for headphone listening as well. And I believe the Tubes are for the pre-amp function so I can get the chance to have some of the tube sound for my speakers at a low cost.

The Audioengine A5 looks very very promising! The reviews online have held these speakers in high praise. Then again most of these reviewers are not exactly audiophiles so their exposure to good speakers might be a little limited. Hence my initial apprehension with taking this route.

By the way Strateahead, just out of curiosity, since we share similar preferences in music, what's your main setup like?

Thanks for the line-up Crad! I see the Triangles keep coming here, in this thread and in my searches as well. Great stuff! I've also seen the JohnBlue recommended quite a bit for near-field listening. Interesting option that one.

If speakers bewilder me, the electronics just confound me. Thanks for listing some nice electronics Crad. I'll take a look at them.

Muchas gracias everyone!
mortsnets
42 posts
 
I like the NHT M00 nearfield powered speakers.

I use MMGs nearfield in a small room. They pretty much have to be nearfield there to get away from the walls. Tweeter panels out, resitor in to tame the highs - not bad. They do sound better (even at low volumes) with a powerful amp.

Magneplanar MMG's - how much power do I really need?
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-131776.html

What will you be using for amplification?

If you like vintage speakers, the follwing are pretty good on jazz:Spendor BC-1, SP-1, KEF 103.2, Epos ES-11,Celestion SL6si.

I would definitely get a USB DAC if the computer is your source.
afranta
180 posts
 
For a nearfield desk setup, I can recommend Silverline Minuets. I had them in bookshelves in my office, and they sounded great. I just set them up on my desk instead, and they're fantastic. Read the reviews. In my experience, they're spot on: smooth and clear on top, go lower than seems possible, and sound big. And they actually fit on a desk.

I'm using a Rega Brio (original, half-width model, 30 wpc), and it's more than enough for the Minuets. It's a great little amp: not the last word in resolution, but it makes music. Both the Minuets and a newer Brio go for around $350 used, which would bring you in well under $1K.
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