What am I gonna get?

[hungrych]

I'm planning a speaker rig for my room, but I don't know what to get. They'll be used on my desk from pretty close to me, and the rears will be near walls.

I'm planning on buy an Almarro 318B. It's 18wpc, so I guess the speakers should be relatively efficient.

I'm considering the Omega Comcact Hemps, Amphion Argon2, Almarro's M1A, whatever these are (because those PHY drivers are supposed to be great). But I really have no idea. I'm curious about the whole fullrange driver + SET thing that people rave about, but I don't know how to accomplish that with monitors. I want something I'll never want or need to replace.

These also look interesting. Oh, I'll probably add a sub at some point as well.

Thanks for help in advance.

[Dusty Chalk]

I've always found Fostex intriguing. Eifl is nice enough to list enclosure plans right on the site next to the driver.

I've been told that adding a sub eliminates any improvements you may have made by getting rid of the crossover, but I personally disagree -- you're still keeping it down to a minimum.

You may also want to look at Reference 3a -- crossoverless mid, and minimal crossover on the tweet.

[Dusty Chalk]

Also, I was told to just get a pair of Visaton B200's, and just mount them on an open baffle. I have no idea whether or not that's good advice, I'm just repeating the advice I was given.

Also: I found an email with a whole bunch of links that I collected when I was considering my weird speaker project (omnidirectional w/full-range drivers, supertweeters and subwoofer, non-crossoverless) (I checked all the links, I didn't accidentally include anything too bizarre, but not all of them are entirely apropos, some I just found interesting):

http://geocities.com/rbrines1/Enter.html

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=30515

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=58909

http://www.decware.com/newsite/mainmenu.htm

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=22

http://www.solen.ca/

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=19253

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/viewforum.php?f=78

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread/t-10556.html

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/orion_challenge.htm

http://www.aes.org/publications/anth.cfm

http://www.madisound.com/kits.html

http://www.madisound.com/bk16.html

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21740

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=18

http://www.pesupport.com/cgi-bin/config.pl

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/loudspeakers/DIYspeakers.php

http://home.earthlink.net/~etunstal/diy.htm

http://www.diyspeakers.net/

http://www.fys.uio.no/~magnushj/Spring/

[JBLoudG20]

Kef iQ3.

[mulveling]

For a non-single driver alternative, look at the Tannoy Sensys DC1. The Tannoy dual-concentrics are definitely worth a listen - the main tweeter is actually located in the throat of the woofer, so it approximates a point source and you get near perfect time alignment, super imaging, etc. The tweeter you see on top is a time-aligned super tweeter that handles from 16kHz to 50kHz. At 88db/Watt it's not as efficient as the single-drivers, but in your room for nearfield listening, 18 quality Watts at 88db/Watt should be more than sufficient.

Haven't heard a single-driver speak yet (well, other than headphones), but I listened to these Tannoys when I went to pick up my SOTA turntable at Audio Atlanta. The dealer hooked my SOTA up to the DC1's with a PS Audio GCA-250 plus a Rogue pre, and plopped down a 30+ yr old classical vinyl. What a performace - it sounded awesome! Definitely was a pleasant surprise for $1K speakers (less at discount); I wouldn't have expected that sort of performance at all.

http://www.tannoy-speakers.com/s.php?product=129&title=Sensys+DC1&s=26

$640/pr here; not sure about warranty though:

http://www.audiophileliquidator.net/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=41&products_id=1046

[aerius]

Also, I was told to just get a pair of Visaton B200's, and just mount them on an open baffle. I have no idea whether or not that's good advice, I'm just repeating the advice I was given.

It is actually surprisingly good. There are of course a few drawbacks;

• Being an open baffle dipole, they needs some room to breath, just like electrostatics
  
• You're not going to get big bass, but you won't get that from a monitor speaker anyway
  
• Treble's going to be kinda soft
  

Given the needs of hungrych, the first point pretty much rules them out as he wants to stick one of them on a desktop close to a wall.

Unfortunately I can't really answer the question as small desktop or bookshelf type speakers are something I have little experience with.

[Dusty Chalk]

Given the needs of hungrych, the first point pretty much rules them out as he wants to stick one of them on a desktop close to a wall.

Good point. Yeah, stay away from those open baffles.

I did see a corner-loaded design in one of those links I posted -- that might work, if you can put them in corners.

[hungrych]

Anyone have any experience with Harbeth's? They look interesting.

[Dusty Chalk]

No personal experience, but I've heard good things about them.

[hungrych]

The Galante Rhapsody looks really interesting. It has a couple of glowing reviews too. Seems like exactly what I'm looking for!

[hungrych]

Well I got them for 1100 shipped. Hopefully they'll be as good as they're cracked up to be!

[saint.panda]

Maybe not what you're looking for but you oughta try some studio monitors at guitarcenter. I have a pair of Adam P-11A for the same purpose (desk, close to walls, nearfield listening) and they're great. Sold the HE90 because I was listening more to the monitors than the headphones. Ok, resolution isn't quite as good as the he90 but the impact and dynamics are oustanding. Plus you get excellent imaging with pro studio monitors. Dynaudio BM5A would have been my second choice but I got a decent deal for the Adams on ebay, love the AMT ribbon tweeters. A bit drier than hifi speakers and certainly not SET sound but better overall value imo, i.e. compared to the JMLabs, B&W and Kef monitors in the same and slighty higher price range that I auditioned. I also like the convenience of having matched amps in the speaker enclosures for the drivers, and volume-control everything with the Squeezebox/Apogee Mini-Dac. Gotta give them a try.

[humanflyz]

That's interesting, I didn't know Adam monitors have ribbon tweeters.

[postjack]

I also like the convenience of having matched amps in the speaker enclosures for the drivers, and volume-control everything with the Squeezebox/Apogee Mini-Dac. Gotta give them a try.

Sorry, I'm a speaker newb. Are you saying you don't need an external amp for these speakers? Do you just run RCAs directly into them?

[hYdrociTy]

Yea those are called active speakers.

[Dusty Chalk]

...I have a pair of Adam P-11A...but better overall value imo, i.e. compared to the JMLabs...

What JMLabs monitors are in that price range, and where would one get them?

Yeah, those Adams sound delish with those ribbon tweeters.

And that's probably a really good suggestion, as studio monitors are usually designed for nearfield listening. But that's only if the Galante Rhapsodies don't work out for you, which I'm sure they will.

[humanflyz]

And I'm still trying to get the Quad 12L active monitors to no avail

[Dusty Chalk]

Aw, dude, that's fucked up. link Email, ask who you have locally that would sell them to you?

[humanflyz]

I contacted my local dealer via email, but no replies, at all, which makes me hesitate to do business with them.

Also, I've been trying to hold out for an used pair, but those never show up, or at least none that I have seen anywhere, not on eBay, A-gon, or Craigslist

[TheSloth]

It's such a shame they stopped selling the B stock on ebay - perhaps they ran out. Their pricing on the 12L actives was a steal. When they arrived I looked at the shipping label and though it didn't say anywhere on the advert, they came factory direct from IAG. Though at that time they didn't officially exist. If you do get through to your dealer, consider the 11L instead. A bit less bass, but otherwise I think it's a slightly better speaker with that smaller, lighter driver.

[Dusty Chalk]

I've seen them on audiogon, though admittedly very infrequently.

Uh, I understand about being hesitant -- but some dealers are just in-store kind of people, or phone kind of people. I would be hesitant to do business with them over the internet, but you might try calling them or visiting them.

[saint.panda]

What JMLabs monitors are in that price range, and where would one get them?

The JMLabs are pretty common and popular in Europe, getting pretty good reviews. I think they're terribly bright or need massive "tube eq-ing", which is probably what the dealer meant by "these speakers only sound good with certain amps".... The model I tried was the now replaced Electra 906. Since the new Berrylium line was coming out, the Electra line (old top of the line series) got some nice discounts bumping them down to my price range.

[n_maher]

Uh, I understand about being hesitant -- but some dealers are just in-store kind of people, or phone kind of people. I would be hesitant to do business with them over the internet, but you might try calling them or visiting them.

No doubt about this, I know a couple of dealers and their the literally want nothing to do with email. Too much time invested with little results, half the time people sending the emails are competitors trying to beat prices, other times it's just some idiot who has no real interest but since it doesn't take much time to fire off an email they send it anyway. It takes more effort to call but I'd almost rather deal with someone I can actually get on the phone, I actually refuse to do business with any website that doesn't list a contact number and address. And I'm amazed by the number of people who freak out when they have to actually call someone.

[Dusty Chalk]

The JMLabs are pretty common and popular in Europe, getting pretty good reviews. I think they're terribly bright or need massive "tube eq-ing", which is probably what the dealer meant by "these speakers only sound good with certain amps".... The model I tried was the now replaced Electra 906. Since the new Berrylium line was coming out, the Electra line (old top of the line series) got some nice discounts bumping them down to my price range.

Oh, I thought you meant the powered monitors they offer. I've heard good things about them, but as far as I know, they have no US presence.

link

[deepak]

What do you guys think of JM Labs speakers in general? Like the 1037Be or Divas?