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Topic: Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck? (Read 17383 times) previous topic - next topic
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Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

I've been looking for some nice Stereo Speakers, and I see that the TRS output from my motherboard is very decent quality (Analog Devices ADI 2000B chip). I looked at the Behringer Truth 2030A and the 2031A, they're fairly cheap with 6.5 and 8.75" woofers. Very affordable but are they any good?

What speakers would give me the best sound quality for the money? $200 to $300ish range.

Also, what's the difference between near and wide speakers?

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #1
...I don't own "active" speakers (except for my cheapo computer speakers) and I can't make a personal recommendation.

I've heard really good things about the Behringer Truth's...  I don't have the link, but there was a blind test where they were considered "equal to" monitors costing much-much more.  I've heard about them... I've never heard them.

Behringer does sort-of have a bad reputation for reliability, and most of their stuff is mass-produced in  China by unskilled labor.    That doesn't bother me too much...  Solid-state electronics do not "wear out", and unless there's an actual manufacturing defect (which should show-up during the warranty period) amps & speakers can last a very-long time, as long as they are not mechanically damaged.  Foam speaker surrounds can rot...  I don't know what the Berringers use...  But I've got some rubber-surround paper-cone woofers that are over 30 years old and "good as new"!

I'm an old-school "bigger is better" kind of guy, and its hard for me to seriously call anything smaller than 8" a "woofer".    Personally, I wouldn't get the 6" version unless I also had a subwoofer to go with it.  (For "serious monitoring", you'd want to use a sub with the bigger speakers too.)

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Also, what's the difference between near and wide speakers?
"Wide" usually means that the sound (particularly the high frequencies) spreads-out over a wide angle...  If you get off to the side, the highs don't drop-off...  The speaker sounds essentially the same on & off axis.  The opposite is a speaker that doesn't sound its best unless you are sitting exactly in it's "sweet spot".

"Near-Field Monitors" are designed for close monitoring...  Probably less than 2-yards/meters.  They are NOT designed for "filling a large room with sound".    In terms of how near-field monitors sound, I don't know what that means...      For one thing, it probably means that they are not especially sensitive or efficient, and are not designed to play "loud" unless you are very-close to the speaker.

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I see that the TRS output from my motherboard...
This shouldn't be a problem, but I've never heard of a motherboard with "professional" balanced TRS connections.  A balanced (TRS or XLR) requires 2 signal-wires, plus ground for each channel.  That means seperate TRS/XLR connectors for each channel.  And, balanced TRS connectons are usually 1/4", not the 1/8" (3.5mm) TRS jacks on a normal soundcard/motherboard.    (No problem...  Usually, you can connect an unbalanced soundcard to a balanced-input active monitor.  You just don't get the noise-rejection benefits that you get with balanced connections.)

P.S.
Unlike amplifiers & digital stuff, every speaker sounds different, I always recommend that people listen before buying (if you're going to be picky about the sound).

And, your "avatar" is making my brain hurt!

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #2
I've been looking for some nice Stereo Speakers, and I see that the TRS output from my motherboard is very decent quality (Analog Devices ADI 2000B chip). I looked at the Behringer Truth 2030A and the 2031A, they're fairly cheap with 6.5 and 8.75" woofers. Very affordable but are they any good?


Yes Behringer B2031A speakers are very good. I have a number of friends who have them and they are all very pleased. I've heard systems with them in stereo pairs and in surround systems with up to 7 of them, and they sound very good. I've heard them all by themselves and I've heard them used with very effective subwoofers. Oddly enough, I don't have a pair of them myself, probably because I haven't purchased any speakers in the past 5 or so years since my friends *discovered* them.

One of the most impressive demonstrations of them I've heard was a blind comparison of a pair of 2031A speakers and these speakers:

Link To B2031A alternatives

A listening panel of experienced audiophiles, some of whom are speaker system designers in their own rights with literally 100,000s of > $500-1500 audio systems  they designed  currently in use by customers, liked both pair of speakers, but were if anything a little more favorably impressed by the B2031As.  The B0231A alternatives are highly regarded, were recently obtained from their designer, and were professionally installed. They represented an investment of over $10,000.  The listening room was professionally designed and generally considered to be both complementary to and revealing of speakers used in it.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #3
"Near-Field Monitors" are designed for close monitoring...  Probably less than 2-yards/meters.  They are NOT designed for "filling a large room with sound".    In terms of how near-field monitors sound, I don't know what that means...      For one thing, it probably means that they are not especially sensitive or efficient, and are not designed to play "loud" unless you are very-close to the speaker.


Actually, they are usually designed to play loud and survive large amplitude signals, probably more than home speakers.  Design for near-field monitoring means that the sounds coming from the tweeter must blend well with thouse coming from the woofer already at a small distance from the enclosure, a smaller one than required for home speakers. But this does not influence listening at larger distances. The sound soes not get "deblended" 5 m from a near-field monitor :-)
Ceterum censeo, there should be an "%is_stop_after_current%".

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #4
"Near-Field Monitors" are designed for close monitoring...  Probably less than 2-yards/meters.  They are NOT designed for "filling a large room with sound".    In terms of how near-field monitors sound, I don't know what that means...


For one thing the blending between the drivers in a near field speaker needs to be pretty good, since one may listen to them from a short disatnce where you can't count on the room to do your driver blending for you.

The  B2031A speakers would seem to be a lot like near field speakers. I've seen them used as near fields, filling a medium-sized and a large room, and even used outside. 

The B2031A speakers have a number of switches that tailor the speakers frequency response for varioius kinds of environments.

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For one thing, it probably means that they are not especially sensitive or efficient, and are not designed to play "loud" unless you are very-close to the speaker.


When the speakers are powered speakers, the word sensitivity has a different meaning.  Sensitivity is then just about amplifier gain and power, both of which are hihgly negotiable. What's not negotiable is the maximum undistorted SPL of the drivers,  which IME has never been a problem with the B2031As,


Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #5
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Design for near-field monitoring means that the sounds coming from the tweeter must blend well with thouse coming from the woofer already at a small distance from the enclosure...  The sound soes not get "deblended" 5 m from a near-field monitor :-)
Thanks!  I do know that the crossover is "difficult" and for that reason, I've noticed that you almost never see 3-way monitors.

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When the speakers are powered speakers, the word sensitivity has a different meaning.
Good point!  ...I haven't even looked at sensitivity specs, but I've noticed that small (passive) monitors often have very-high power ratings.  That, and the physics of getting flat frequency response from a small speaker makes me assume they tend to be inefficient...  And, that's a bit too much assumption & generalization!


Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #7
I'm very much satisfied with my Audioengine A2s. The A5s are just US$50 above your budget and have had several positive reviews. You can audition them for 30 days and see if you like them.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #8
My daughter and her husband have a pair of Alesis M1 Active Mk2 speakers in their small home studio, which they like.  The speakers have a combo jack that accepts both XLR and balanced 1/4" TRS inputs.  I think they are a fairly popular monitor in your price range, available from Sweetwater for $299.

Alesis at Sweetwater

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #9
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Design for near-field monitoring means that the sounds coming from the tweeter must blend well with thouse coming from the woofer already at a small distance from the enclosure...  The sound soes not get "deblended" 5 m from a near-field monitor :-)

Thanks!  I do know that the crossover is "difficult" and for that reason, I've noticed that you almost never see 3-way monitors.


3 way monitors tend to be larger speakers, and not near field style.

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When the speakers are powered speakers, the word sensitivity has a different meaning.

Good point!  ...I haven't even looked at sensitivity specs, but I've noticed that small (passive) monitors often have very-high power ratings.  That, and the physics of getting flat frequency response from a small speaker makes me assume they tend to be inefficient...  And, that's a bit too much assumption & generalization!


I own a NHT Pro A10 powered near field monitor system. The speakers are essentially NHT Super One's with some fairly small tweaks.  The efficiency of the NHT S1s was always on the low side. The A10s have greater dynamic range, but about the same bass extension.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #10
I saw Adam monitors recommended in another thread, they're probably too expensive for the OP, but do ribbon tweeters have any particular properties especially for near field use?

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #11
I saw Adam monitors recommended in another thread, they're probably too expensive for the OP, but do ribbon tweeters have any particular properties especially for near field use?


I don't think so. There are numerous near-field monitors with regular dome tweeters, and Adamu uses their ART tweeters (and midranges using the same principle) also in larger, far-field monitors and home speakers.
Ceterum censeo, there should be an "%is_stop_after_current%".

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #12
Yeah... M-Audio makes some nice speakers but I'm not a fan of the AV 40. What about the $300 to $400 range. I could always shop around and lower the bill.

I know that my motherboard has unbalanced TRS output, any adapter exists so I can use balanced TRS cables?

I saw Yorkville YSM2P. 46W, 5.25in woofer (32W) and 1in tweeter (14W). No info on the operating frequency range. Cant imagine it's spectacular with a 5.25in woofer.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #13
Yeah... M-Audio makes some nice speakers but I'm not a fan of the AV 40. What about the $300 to $400 range. I could always shop around.

I know that my motherboard has unbalanced TRS output, any adapter exists so I can use balanced TRS cables?


Take one of the standard 3.5 mm TRS-to-RCA plug cables that we use to commect portable equipment to standard home stereo systems. Add 2 RCA-to-1/4 TS adaptors. Plug the TS plug into the TRS connector on the powered speaker.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #14
Yeah... M-Audio makes some nice speakers but I'm not a fan of the AV 40. What about the $300 to $400 range. I could always shop around.

I know that my motherboard has unbalanced TRS output, any adapter exists so I can use balanced TRS cables?


Take one of the standard 3.5 mm TRS-to-RCA plug cables that we use to commect portable equipment to standard home stereo systems. Add 2 RCA-to-1/4 TS adaptors. Plug the TS plug into the TRS connector on the powered speaker.


What about Y-Splitters? Isn't that just the same thing?




Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #18
Those are nice, but I'm looking for balanced speaker wire because of the interference reduction benefits.


You need a balanced soundcard output to take advantage of the common mode rejection of a balanced connection. In a typical home setting with typical cable length you probably wouldn't hear any difference anyway.
Ceterum censeo, there should be an "%is_stop_after_current%".

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #19
Those are nice, but I'm looking for balanced speaker wire because of the interference reduction benefits.


You need a balanced soundcard output to take advantage of the common mode rejection of a balanced connection. In a typical home setting with typical cable length you probably wouldn't hear any difference anyway.


Hmmmm... maybe an upgrade for later. Ok, those cables look fine then.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #20
Those are nice, but I'm looking for balanced speaker wire because of the interference reduction benefits.


You need a balanced soundcard output to take advantage of the common mode rejection of a balanced connection. In a typical home setting with typical cable length you probably wouldn't hear any difference anyway.


Not true at all. In fact most of the benefits of a balanced connection are due to the noise-cancelling functions of the balanced input. Some balanced outputs differ only from an unbalanced output in that a resistor is connected to ground to create the second connection.  Upi can take advantagge of  most of the benedifts of a balanced input by running both signal wires to the unbalanced output, and connecting the (-) wire of the balanced input to chassis ground at the unbalanced output.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #21
Not true at all.


Really? I am pretty sure that my opinion comes from a reliable source (don't remember from where though), but I probably have to rethink it. I consider you a reliable source as well.
Ceterum censeo, there should be an "%is_stop_after_current%".

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #22
Arent most near-field monitors supposed to be sitting on top of a mixing console or a computer bench? From a "Darwinistic" angle, one might suspect the most successful speakers sitting on top of mixing consoles to be somewhat different voiced from speakers sitting on speaker stands?

-k

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #23
personally i have Truth B3030A which use ribbon tweeter. Well maybe the tweeter is not great as Adam's because the price difference is too big. I'm no expert at audio recording, i'm just newbie in the stuff. But Truth B3030A is adequate if you have small room (5mx5m) which use 6.75" Kevlar woofer, for less than $500 i think that a very good steal. Kevlar + Ribbon for less than $500 where else you'll get that? you can add up abit if you have larger room and get Truth B3031A which is use 8" Kevlar woofer.

Don't underestimate Behringer just because they're manufactured in China. I think most of product in the market now is made from China because the labour cost there are very, very cheap. And not too mention the main facility of Behringer which is for R&D, factory etc. Behringer City is located at China. I'm no expert but many expert review Truth B3030A sound are very and can match some of $1000 Adam's.

Stereo speakers with TRS input. Bang for buck?

Reply #24
Some balanced outputs differ only from an unbalanced output in that a resistor is connected to ground to create the second connection.


 

I always thought  balanced outputs were not only a shielded connection but also a cable with the same signal with opposite phase, which prevents some interferences.

Upi can take advantagge of  most of the benedifts of a balanced input by running both signal wires to the unbalanced output, and connecting the (-) wire of the balanced input to chassis ground at the unbalanced output.

It seems balanced to unbalanced (to me), thus finally an unbalanced connection.


Please enlightenment me, cause it seems I have some misconceptions.

Edited: cause typos.