Portable speakers

[grawk]

in that case meyersound MICA: http://www.meyersound.com/products/mseries/

[Dusty Chalk]

Pfff -- no. I think the Mini Maggies are at least still in the same weight category.

[The Monkey]

I have been liking the Mobile Boombox, but it is definitely not an audiophile device.

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm not looking for audiophile. I'm looking for something I can actually turn up a little bit without it distorting, to overcome the fan noise of the server. I'm actually thinking MiniRigs or something. I don't care if it's colored -- the Cube is colored in a very specific way, but I kind of like it.

I'm kind of regretting getting the Cubes over the UCubes, mostly because of the ability to use two of them (two of them -- even if I can't get stereo separation -- will still be able to go louder than one of them, but don't know if that applies to Cubes vs. UCubes). I mean, you'd have to stack a lot of Spendor S3/5's together before you could go as loud as one Quad 12L, so if one Cube is better than a pair of UCubes, then I'm fine with it, but I still want to go a bit louder.

So yeah, Mini Maggies are out.

And yeah, I didn't post that before, because I kind of didn't realize it until just now. I kept turning it up when I went into the kitchen, then turning it down because it was annoying.

I certainly can't go loud with the laptop speakers.

And yes, I do realize it's a trade-off between drivers and weight, because more drivers ==> goes louder well, but there are small drivers that go plenty loud well (Dynaudio's Esotar 2 comes to mind), so that's what I need to figure out. That's kind of why I thought about the Gallos -- they're supposed to be satellites, so they should go loud well.

[Dusty Chalk]

I may seriously have to consider the Equator D5's -- they come with their own carry case and tilt-up stands, plus coaxial drivers.

[Tyll Hertsens]

I thought the B&W MM1 was pretty good. They go loud, low, and they're small. Imaging is pretty good for a small, on-the-desk speaker. They're not very refined sounding though, a bit swishy as I remember.

[verber]

Then why did you still post?

Because I am a dumb newbe who doesn't hit the brake when he sees a drop off in from of him... and because some people define portable as anything they can carry.

Dusty Chalk I don't suppose you know who the ambient noise level of your server is and how loud you would like the music to be ? I ask because years ago I was in a somewhat similar situation, though I suspect my server produced more noise... back in the area of Vaxen and SGI (1993). In my workplace I found that even if I could get the music loud enough without distortion it was too loud for my taste. I eventually picked up a pair of ER4s to cut the background noise. I prefer speakers, but sometimes headphones are the answer.

--Mark

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, it's pretty loud, and your point is a good one. I do use headphones most of the time (in fact, back in the late 90's when I shared an office with a couple servers [not today-type servers, but just boosted up wintel machines with heavy duty fannage], that's how I got into closed headphones in the first place [went from a Sony MDR-V6/-7506 to a Beyerdynamic DT-770]).

Your point is a good one -- it will be too loud for my taste, but it's only for that time between when it gets too warm after the a/c shuts off at 6 'til it gets cool enough again because of the ambient outside temperatures. Which is why I'm currently going with the Cube -- it's just not worth carrying more than that for just a little bit, and prettty soon it will be so cool that it won't ever be too warm to wear headphones. Which also makes me realize that carrying anything much bigger than a Cube (like the Equators) is complete overkill, so I won't.

I've also been given a cubby away from the server as "spillover" (in other words, I don't have to use it).

The downside is, it's in a shared office, so I'm really hesitant to use speakers when anyone else is around.

Oh, and it's just 'Dusty' -- I actually do answer to that in real life.

[Dusty Chalk]

I thought the B&W MM1 was pretty good. They go loud, low, and they're small. Imaging is pretty good for a small, on-the-desk speaker. They're not very refined sounding though, a bit swishy as I remember.

Hey, Tyll, just curious, have you ever heard the Focal XS Book?

So yeah, I'm totally revisiting this whole idea, especially due to the Cube's limitations. There's basically no easy way to introduce a sub, plus subs are heavy. So I'd prefer a pair of speakers that have a larger range than the Cube has -- in the near field -- preferably something comparable to the Quad 12L's, since that's a limitation I'm familiar with, and I know I'm alright with.

I'll be adding a table to the first post, might have to turn it into a spread sheet.

[grawk]

Behringer inuke jr

[Tyll Hertsens]

Haven't heard the Focal XS Book, sorry.

[Dusty Chalk]

Behringer inuke jr

I'd probably buy Bose before I bought Behringer.

[grawk]

Behringer bought midas, and their quality has gone WAY up. And behringer actually wants stuff to sound good, unlike bose.

[Dusty Chalk]

Do they still rip off all their ideas from other companies? That's my issue with them. Bose is just over-priced, but at least they innovated.

[grawk]

I think that is generally overstated. At least in the last 10+ years.

[Dusty Chalk]

I was just thinking that coaxial should be better in the nearfield than...uh...non-coaxial, when I saw this: KEF powered computer speakers

They also claim they have a coaxial speaker based on the LS3/5a, but alas it is not powered, so would require a USB/DAC/Amp, same as the Gallos.

[swt61]

$800 seems a bit steep.

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, it's out of my budget. Still thinking the Equators. Unless I find out street is significantly less.

[Dusty Chalk]

Well that's weird -- the HRT Music Streamer Pro has mini-XLR connectors, not TRS connectors like they looked like when I wasn't looking carefully enough. The Equators have both TRS and XLR inputs, so basically I want an AKG replacement headphone cable.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Well that's weird -- the HRT Music Streamer Pro has mini-XLR connectors, not TRS connectors like they looked like when I wasn't looking carefully enough. The Equators have both TRS and XLR inputs, so basically I want an AKG replacement headphone cable.

Will an LCD-2 cable work too? Doesn't it use 4-pin mini-XLR?

[cetoole]

Hmm, tempted to get the ucubes or cube for travelling, as this laptop has really crappy speakers. Dusty, still using the cubes? Still happy-ish?

[Dusty Chalk]

They don't go loud well at all -- sound terrible when distorting. But other than that, yes, am extremely happy with them. So with the qualification that you're not trying to overcome a noisy environment (which is what I was doing -- server has a damn noisy fan), they should be fine. Within their limits, they're wonderful little speakers. You want one? I have no need for two, I gave up on that. Also, if you want to borrow one, just to see if they can handle Epica, you're welcome to do that, too. (They really don't handle busy music well, either, but that was not rarely the point, while at work. You're welcome to decide for yourself -- they were not that bad on busy music softly as they were on any music loudly.) The form factor is pure win.

HpA -- yes, what I'm basically looking for is a femme-mini-XLR-to- either male-XLR or -to-male-TRS, but the point was to see if I could find a local dealer that would actually have something in stock, like an AKG dealer. Heck, I have several AKG headphones, I might even have something at home. Also, it's 3-pin mini-XLR, not 4-pin. The local Rat Shack and Guitar Center didn't seem to have anything (based on online), and I'd rather not get an adapter (weight on the connector). So if I don't find anything locally, I'll order something from B&H Photo or Markertek or something.

[mikeymad]

from knucks....

[Dusty Chalk]

I have a kimono just like that one on the side. I start my day the ToeTunes way.

Extra bonus! -- they double as faux-burns.

I wonder if those are Lowtherses...

[cutestory]

I almost bought a pair of those, but I heard over time they develop a wooly, funky sound.

It would be a real feet to get decent sound out of them.

I see myself trying to run away from the music, and not being able to...