Cheap active speaker recommendations

[jinp6301]

I rarely do any real critical listening due to the amount of work I have from school so I've been thinking about moving to a small speaker system for a bit. I dont really want to hassle with an amp to go with the speakers since I'll be moving around a lot and living in a small dorm room doesnt give me a lot of space to work with.

I've been looking for the Audioengine 5s (just missed a pair of Audioengine 5s for 200 ) and Quad 11Ls on ebay and audiogon.

Is there anything else I should keep an eye out for?

Max budget is $400 btw

[Dusty Chalk]

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4218363

But be prepared to return it, one of my speakers came non-functional. The one that works sounds really good, now if I only had two of them...

[jinp6301]

how are they compared with your Quads?

[jinp6301]

Well I put an offer down on a pair of Audioengine 2s on audiogon.

[Dusty Chalk]

how are they compared with your Quads?

Of course they are inferior, but they also cost a fraction. They are a killer deal @ US$99.

Philips Microsystem:$99::Insignia NS-B2111:$40

Except, you know, they come with an amp and volume control, and sound better.

Perfect for the application you're describing...erm...how big is the room again, and how loud do you intend to listen? They do go decently loud for a master bedroom, which is where they reside currently, but I don't listen very loud.

[jinp6301]

well theres a pair of Quad 11Ls on ebay that I'm bidding on. If I get outbid, then I'll most likely get the philips

[Voltron]

well theres a pair of Quad 11Ls on ebay that I'm bidding on. If I get outbid, then I'll most likely get the philips

M-Audio BX5a or the big boys BX8a. Sweetwater.com has the 5a for $299 right now. Guitar Center was cheaper when I bought them, iirc.

[Dusty Chalk]

or $199

Damn, that's pretty good.

But they're not ribbons.

And I haven't heard them.

Hmmm...

Though I've not heard Samsons neither...

Yeah, here's to hoping you get the Quads -- I love mine, listen to them all the time, they're great.

Audioengine A2's, also for $199.

I haven't heard the audioengines, neither.

Why am I posting? I could be drinking.

[hYdrociTy]

M-Audio BX5a or the big boys BX8a. Sweetwater.com has the 5a for $299 right now. Guitar Center was cheaper when I bought them, iirc.

X2- unlike the smaller monitors from m-audio the bx5 begins to fill more of the room instead of a small blob of space in front of you. 300 is a damn fine deal- the same price i paid for a pair of my krk rp5's. The krk's are great with their rounded edges and the flat port, but probably need some room treatment. I still like the Event TR8 the most, and if you can find a pair for cheap then dew eet.

[jinp6301]

or $199

Damn, that's pretty good.

But they're not ribbons.

And I haven't heard them.

Hmmm...

Though I've not heard Samsons neither...

Yeah, here's to hoping you get the Quads -- I love mine, listen to them all the time, they're great.

Audioengine A2's, also for $199.

I haven't heard the audioengines, neither.

Why am I posting? I could be drinking.

Drinking > posting

I'm gonna try to snipe them at around 320ish. I dont think I can go above that right now

[Dusty Chalk]

Actually, I can't drink right now, but that post made me wish I could.

[jinp6301]

M-Audio BX5a or the big boys BX8a. Sweetwater.com has the 5a for $299 right now. Guitar Center was cheaper when I bought them, iirc.

Hows the Bx8a's in terms of bass? Is it a speaker that definitely needs a sub?

[Voltron]

Hows the Bx8a's in terms of bass? Is it a speaker that definitely needs a sub?

I don't think the bx5a needs a sub and the bx8a is a larger woofer, so I think not.

[jinp6301]

Well the quads are going for $500 already

So I'm gonna try to get the BX8a since they seem to be reviewed well (except for certain people say theyre too bright?) and I should be able to sell them easily if I dont like them.

Thanks Voltron

[Voltron]

Well the quads are going for $500 already

So I'm gonna try to get the BX8a since they seem to be reviewed well (except for certain people say theyre too bright?) and I should be able to sell them easily if I dont like them.

Thanks Voltron

I don't think the BX5a are bright at all, but I don't crank them up to often. The BX8a are more than the 5a, but something called GigaSonic.com has the 8a for $349, which is a good deal.

One thing to note is that the inputs are either XLR or 1/4 TRS jacks. I use an RCA -> XLR adapter cable because my office source does not have a balanced/XLR output. Works just fine.

Good luck.

[deepak]

Well the quads are going for $500 already

So I'm gonna try to get the BX8a since they seem to be reviewed well (except for certain people say theyre too bright?) and I should be able to sell them easily if I dont like them.

Thanks Voltron

The auction for the Quads I was watching ended at $460. Hell of a deal since I've only seen them for $550 and up.

[jinp6301]

Yea that was the auction I was watching as well. I just rounded up since anything above $400 is too much for me right now

[jinp6301]

Well for anyone who cares, I went to guitar center today to check out the m-audios and others. Listening to basically everything they had, I really liked the Yamaha HS80M (too expensive) and the mackie mr8. The dynaudio model they had was nice, but I felt that the cheaper Yamaha was better. So I'm going to buy the smaller 5 inch Yamaha model

[Dusty Chalk]

Which one, the HS50M? Yeezh. (They look too much like NS10's, for which I have an acquired loathing. Hopefully they don't sound like them.)

[Lazarus Short]

I know they're out of production, and I keep pumping them up, and no one seems to care, but I'll say it again: get a pair of Proton 301's - they rock.

Laz

[jinp6301]

Well I finally received my pair of used M-Audio BX5A's that I got off ebay and I gotta say they're not that bad. The highs are seriously great, the mids are not bad and the bass is passable. They suck at anything complex and at anything that requires massive bass. I'm using them with my m^3 as a preamp and that seemed to bring the bass out a little more but I'm pretty happy with them right now. Especially for the price I paid

[lostonetr]

Well I finally received my pair of used M-Audio BX5A's that I got off ebay and I gotta say they're not that bad. The highs are seriously great, the mids are not bad and the bass is passable. They suck at anything complex and at anything that requires massive bass. I'm using them with my m^3 as a preamp and that seemed to bring the bass out a little more but I'm pretty happy with them right now. Especially for the price I paid

what was the price? I've got DX4's that are currently not working. I just get a BZZZ noise/smoke emitting from the back. Currently debating if I want to send it in to M-audio for repairs and pay the fees, or just say goodbye and consider a new speaker at some other far away time.

[jinp6301]

I got mine for $125 shipped off ebay. used of course

[Dusty Chalk]

Stereophile has a 5% discount + free shipping code for the AudioEngines.

[Edwood]

Any truth in the Wharfedale Diamond Pro 8.2 Active being nearly a clone (albeit fugly looking one) of the Quad 12L Active?

It's a fraction of the price, and front facing port seems like it might be more tolerant of being closer to a back wall.

-Ed