Please help me think through my desktop system.

[recstar24]

I guess we will have to agree to disagree there. When listening in the nearfield I would rank speaker decoupling and speaker positioning (including height) ahead of room acoustics. That is exactly why I bought the headroom stands even though they cost about 50% more than my speakers. They are extremely rigid and the rubber gasket effectively decouples the speakers from the desktop. The height and angle adjustment makes them super easy to dial in. When people have commented on my desktop setup, the only thing they have ever mentioned are the stands.

For far field listening, I agree 107.654%

To go along with what you are saying, isn't the whole point of nearfield listening in that it greatly diminishes the effect of room acoustics on the final output from the speakers? In addition, nearfield listening I would imagine could give you a different presentation than what most speaker set-ups could provide.

I am with n-maher on this one, might be best/most cost effective to get some nice active monitors and control volume from the software side. However what Voltron is proposing sounds killer and probably beats a lot of speaker rigs out there, hey it outclasses my setup easily:p Those speaker stands do look awesome and I bet they are super rigid and very functional. Don't know of any other desktop monitor speaker stand so kudos for them to price it accordingly.

[Hopstretch]

Yeah, I think even at the undoubtedly premium price they are going to sell a few of those stands. Probably two to me, eventually.

Thanks again for all the input. I'll keep thinking about it and keep checking out the various "For Sale" forums. Maybe something will jump out at me one of these days.

Just to clarify, this will be my one and only system for both headphone and speaker listening. An outbreak of small children has rendered big towers and living-room cable spaghetti a thing of the past.

[bhd812]

I guess we will have to agree to disagree there. When listening in the nearfield I would rank speaker decoupling and speaker positioning (including height) ahead of room acoustics. That is exactly why I bought the headroom stands even though they cost about 50% more than my speakers. They are extremely rigid and the rubber gasket effectively decouples the speakers from the desktop. The height and angle adjustment makes them super easy to dial in. When people have commented on my desktop setup, the only thing they have ever mentioned are the stands.

For far field listening, I agree 107.654%

I found when i had my speakers at the bar (placed on a banquet table) they required Decoupling more then at home. in fact at my house in my current setup i tried a few ways i heard no difference. probably depends on the what your putting them on, whats in back of your desk, how far are you from the area walls, etc. I would always look at treating your upper corners of your room either way and making sure your monitor is not in front (unlike my current setup where i have no option cause a beam in back of my 32). you would only know how much raising them and decoupling them after you have the speakers, which the op does not yet. an easy way to see if your setup needs it is to place CLAY brick's ontop of a cheap wood board first, you can probably score this for free also just to try out free (i have my dynaudio 72se's on clay bricks cause of blockage in my listening setup). if your worried about looks so much you can always use a small table cloth or like material to cover the brick and wood, actually looks pretty good.

i would have to agree with what Tyrion, you, and recstar is saying here. the op is looking at some great monitors already (dynaudio's) and if he visits a guitar center or samash or something like them he may find a monitor that costs much less to meet his needs. there is lots of great monitors out there for cheap (again comparing to hifi marketed speakers).

[grawk]

I've got the ultra desktop package from headroom sitting on my desk right now, with the exception that i'm using home theater direct level 3 bookshelf speakers instead of the harbeths ($300 a pair). And I've got to say, it's pretty darn spiffy.

[Voltron]

I've got the ultra desktop package from headroom sitting on my desk right now, with the exception that i'm using home theater direct level 3 bookshelf speakers instead of the harbeths ($300 a pair). And I've got to say, it's pretty darn spiffy.

[johnnycarson]I did not know that![\johnnycarson]

What amp(s) did you get?

[n_maher]

What amp(s) did you get?

It's all on loan from HR for his meet this weekend.

[Voltron]

What a tease!

[grawk]

it's the audiophile desktop dual mono package without speakers.

[Hopstretch]

So, will you be able to part with it?

[grawk]

not if you send the $3300 it'll take to keep it

[tyrion]

Even more reason to be excited about this meet.

[Hopstretch]

not if you send the $3300 it'll take to keep it

OK, but you eat the PayPal fees.

[grawk]

deal.

[postjack]

lots of great ideas in this thread. enjoy that desktop setup Dan, it sounded sweet at canjam.

[Hopstretch]

Got an "L" of a deal too. (Sorry.)

[Dusty Chalk]

Awesome.

[n_maher]

Got an "L" of a deal too. (Sorry.)

Color me jealous.

[postjack]

I regret selling my 12Ls sometimes. Congrats.

[Hopstretch]

Hate to sound like a 16-year-old virgin (or a 13-year-old virgin -- or wherever the kids are pegging the mean these days), but holy shit these are a LOT BIGGER than I thought they would be! Would have to say they also sound a whole lot fuller than the previous set, though since those occupied (charitably) a fifth of the volume, that's hardly a giant surprise.

Viva overkill.

[MaloS]

< jealous.

[jinp6301]

I would like comparisons between the audioengines and the quads if you can

[ojnihs]

boy would i love some quad 12ls.

[Hopstretch]

boy would i love some quad 12ls.

Do you think they'd have much of a leg up on your Adams?

I bought mine from a guy who knows a guy etc. who can get them for a lot less than the A7s run, anyway. Feel free to PM me for details.

[Dusty Chalk]

You should put them up on stands like the Headroom ones. Or at least Mopads.

[Hopstretch]

^^^

Thanks for the push. Mopads work well, particularly when you are (literally) rocking an early-90s Ikea kitchen table as a desk. Guess I shouldn't have gone for the Flimsii.