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Topic: Speakers recommendations? (Read 5684 times) previous topic - next topic
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Speakers recommendations?

Hello,

Current context: These are my current speakers : Sony SS-RX99: this seems to be the specifications of SS-RX88 and SS-RX99 : http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/3864701111.pdf
I got the a with a Sony system in the nineties and always been satisfied with their sound. I guess the reason is that I rarely bought another more expensive hi-fi system, but even when it was the case with a Denon system, start of the 2000s, coming with speakers S CG 101 BK (or something like that), I moved the Denon speakers out of my main installation and I'm still using the Denon system with the Sony speakers.
What I like about them is that they have what I consider a clear and broad sound.
No bass or highs bias, and I don’t feel like there are many frequencies missing.
That’s probably obvious for some, but I never put much money in "exploring" various speakers.

Not the same thing with earphones what I could appreciate things like the Shure SE-425.

What I would like to recommendations for: I would like to find speakers that are lighter (I mean in weight), smaller, and have at least equally natural and clear sound.
A nice-to-have, feature would be if they could accept speaker input as well as from compute line out+aux.

As for budget, I don’t really a have defined one. I guess I like them to be less than 400 EUR, but I could put much more for something very satisfying that I keep as long as the Sonys.

Thank you

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #1
maybe something like the Behringer B110D?
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?  ;~)

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #2
I'll have a look, a still take suggestion.

In first post I forgot to give dimensions of the Sony, if I buy anything new, I would really like it to take less "desk" surface, height it somewhat less important:
Depth: 30 cm
Width: 23 cm
Height: 26 cm

Weight: ~7,5 kg (according to specs), ~5kg according own test

I also have a preference for grey, wood, possibly white colours rather than black or red etc..

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #3
maybe something like the Behringer B110D?

It looks like it's actually heavier and slightly bigger according to specs.
On pictures it looks slimmer though ... then I'm rather confusion with it's connectors ... not that I don't know them, but I didn't expect these on a speaker (or maybe is it an "outdoor" transportable speaker?).

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #4
It's very difficult to make speaker recommendations.     Speaker specifications are largely useless and different people have different tastes, preferences, and opinions.  (I've never heard the Sony speakers and I'm sure most of us here haven't so we don't know where you're starting from.)

I always recommend that people go to the audio-video store (or to a music store for monitors) and listen.   Even if you don't buy from that particular store it can be educational just to go someplace where you can listen to a variety of speakers.   Some higher-end stores will allow you to take a pair of speakers home to audition in your listening space.   That would also give you an opportunity to A/B with your existing speakers.

Quote
I got the a with a Sony system in the nineties and always been satisfied with their sound. I guess the reason is that I rarely bought another more expensive hi-fi system,
[b ]Basic speaker design hasn't changed much,[/b] even going back decades.   Generally, you've got two or more drivers consisting of a magnet, voice coil, and cone (or dome for the tweeter).     There are some newer materials, but that hasn't necessarily resulted in better sound...   And there are some alternative tweeter designs and of course the manufacturers tout their 'advantages", but there are very-good, very high-end, speakers with regular voice coil tweeters.

The "style" has changed.   Speakers tend to be smaller and most modern speakers are 2-way (possibly with an optional subwoofer) although you do still find 3-ways, especially at higher prices.

Smaller speakers with a subwoofer may be an option for you.

Quote
would like to find speakers that are lighter (I mean in weight), smaller, and have at least equally natural and clear sound.
The laws of physics make if "difficult" to get good bass from smaller speakers (a kitten can't roar like a lion.)   There are LOTs of factors that go into a speaker design so you can't always say a bigger woofer or a bigger cabinet will give you more or better (smoother-deeper) bass but there is a general relationship.    If you go smaller you might end up sacrificing bass.

Quote
A nice-to-have, feature would be if they could accept speaker input as well as from compute line out+aux.
That will be hard to find.    You can adapt an active speaker to work with a speaker-output but it's usually a do-it-yourself thing. 

Stereo & home theater speakers (from an audio/video store) are passive, except for the subwoofer.    Home theater receivers have powered speaker-outputs for the 5 or 7 surround speakers, and a line-level output for the subwoofer.   Passive subwoofers are rare.

Studio monitors (sold at stores that sell musical instruments and recording & PA equipment are mostly active.   Active monitors are bi-amped or tri-amped (separate amplifiers for the woofer/tweeter/midrange) with the active crossover at the amplifier inputs.    Since there is no passive crossover, you can't bypass the amplifiers and connect directly to the drivers...   If you wanted to connect to a speaker output, the signal has to be attenuated and then sent through the amplifiers built-into the speaker.    It would be easy for a manufacturer to include an attenuator, but I've never seen it (except on active subwoofers).

The built-in active electronics also makes it easy for the manufacturer to equalize for flatter frequency response. so that's a potential advantage to active speakers/monitors.

Quote
I also have a preference for grey, wood, possibly white colours rather than black or red etc..
Related to appearance, most active monitors don't have grills.    


Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #5
Thank you for the extended explaination.

Quote
Basic speaker design hasn't changed much,[/b] even going back decades.[/b]

Actually, I expected that there would at least some progress in 20 years. But also, as I haven't don't much research, I have just been lucky to get and keep those Sony speakers when I was younger, I don't expect these speakers to be among the best and hope somebody more aware of the topic than I am would have some clue.
Yet, they were part of a system * which cost 500 equiv-EUR, Now I could put that money or more for a pair of speakers alone.

*

Quote
A nice-to-have, feature would be if they could accept speaker input as well as from compute line out+aux.

I was thinking of something like this. But it doesn't like this, but  guess the connector on the left cannot accept sound "in" (when power is off maybe?), other wise it would be mentionned as well as "out".


Quote
I always recommend that people go to the audio-video store (or to a music store for monitors) and listen.
I did so a few times, but there are not many such shop where in the city I live in or I don't know them, and when I felt like I was in such a different conditions, with in addition some pressure of having a guy trying so sell me something in front of me.




Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #6
A nice-to-have, feature would be if they could accept speaker input as well as from compute line out+aux.
I highly doubt you will find such a feature on a full ranged speaker, though subwoofers, yes.
Can be DIY'd...but the amps alone eat your $400
Loudspeaker manufacturer

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #7
I was thinking of something like this. But it doesn't like this, but  guess the connector on the left cannot accept sound "in" (when power is off maybe?), other wise it would be mentionned as well as "out".

https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-R1280T-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B016P9HJIA
Search Edifier 1280T and get the whole picture, it's just a pair of speakers with one of them being active and output to another passive one. Commonly found on multimedia speakers.

Have anyone tried something like this?
https://www.thomann.de/intl/hk/jbl_lsr_305_nano_patch_bundle.htm

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #8
Have anyone tried something like this?
https://www.thomann.de/intl/hk/jbl_lsr_305_nano_patch_bundle.htm
That appears to be a passive volume control https://www.thomann.de/intl/hk/jbl_nano_patch_plus.htm?sid=7c3dc99ddba0dac740330069e7dd94f2

What I think he's asking for is something like this https://www.hypexshop.com/DetailServlet?detailID=9001 built into a full ranged speaker vs a more typical subwoofer.
Loudspeaker manufacturer

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #9
Possibly, but also with this type of connectors, because other parts of my installation is base on that. I don't even know how this is called, I would say something like "nude cable connectors" * (?) ... Or I don't know if some adapters exists, or if I can remove some plug and put the resulting cables in there, really no idea.


But that versatility was only something "nice-to-have-not-required". And I realise I'm not even sure if it makes sense in a world divided between passive and active speakers (until recently I thought they were all passive! ).

The criteria would be sound quality, clear sound, size, weight ...
I've been thinking that maybe monitor speakers could be the way to go, if I understand well they're made to have a "neutral" sound.

* Or from what I just read they might be "Pin red and black connectors"


Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #10
Speaker cable clamps? Clips?

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #11
Sounds good too, but not sure yet about official name.

Found some type of adapter I was thinking of.
At least, the physical item exist, not sure about plug/signal compatibilities.


Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #12
Your Sony's speaker level outputs use RCAs??
Loudspeaker manufacturer

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #13
Not sure what "level output" is I guess in my case it's the Denon amplifier.
For now I have Computer*--[RCA]-->Denon amplifier--[Nude cable]-->Speaker switch--[Nude cable]-->Sony speakers on my desk
                                                                                                                                         --[Nude cable]-->Denon speakers in the kitchen (rarely used actually but I like it)


And I thought it would be handy if the potential new speakers are able to receive RCA/or/XLR as well as "Nude cable". In case I would decide to go directly from computer to speakers and abandon the switch.

* Asus Sonar Essence STX (model1)

But then I'm not even if I'd use such adapter, I'm not sure what I can and cannot do ... for example I don't expect that connecting line out to passive speaker would work, I guess it would at least miss an amplifier, yet I'm not sure if it's the same type of "signal" ...

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #14
Sounds good too, but not sure yet about official name.

Found some type of adapter I was thinking of.
At least, the physical item exist, not sure about plug/signal compatibilities.


"Nude cables" transmit highly amplified signal and they are for passive speakers only.

RCA cables transmit weak signal and and require amplifiers  + passive speakers or active speakers.

They are not compatible and cannot be used interchangeably with a simple adapter like this.

Binding posts are for passive speakers and accept "Nude cables" as well:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=speaker+post&t=ffsb&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

Re: Speakers recommendations?

Reply #15
Not sure what "level output" is I guess in my case it's the Denon amplifier.
For now I have Computer*--[RCA]-->Denon amplifier--[Nude cable]-->Speaker switch--[Nude cable]-->Sony speakers on my desk
                                                                                                                                         --[Nude cable]-->Denon speakers in the kitchen (rarely used actually but I like it)


And I thought it would be handy if the potential new speakers are able to receive RCA/or/XLR as well as "Nude cable". In case I would decide to go directly from computer to speakers and abandon the switch.

* Asus Sonar Essence STX (model1)

But then I'm not even if I'd use such adapter, I'm not sure what I can and cannot do ... for example I don't expect that connecting line out to passive speaker would work, I guess it would at least miss an amplifier, yet I'm not sure if it's the same type of "signal" ...

Ok, you have some decisions to make. The type of amp I linked can accept both speaker (high) level input and signal (low) level, like rca/xlr...but not both at once, unless you want potential loops and/or smoke.
You could get (splitter) Y rca cables for the computer output, still feed the Denon to power the Denon speakers (ditch the switch), but also feed a pair of active speakers, like say some JBL LSR305 or 308s. Lots of good choices at your budget that can be auditioned first in a Pro Audio store, to see if they sound right to you. You won't run both at once so signal loss at Y should be minimal. There is some loop potential, but then again maybe not. A rca switch can be used in lieu of splitter.
Loudspeaker manufacturer