2 speaker system under 600$ total

[burunduks]

Hi!

I am new to this forum and to all audio world. Have recently googled loads of materials regarding audio and the more I read the more confused I got. I would really appreciate some advice and apologize for any stupid questions from me.

What I am looking for is musical clarity, quality and I am definitely not after floor shaking bass. My ears dont like it. A bit bass is nice but bass which shakes entire building and terrorises neighbours is not for me.

Speakers will be connected to desktop pc so I imagine monitor and on both sides bookshelf speakers. I would like for them to fill <20 km2 room so that I can put some distance from speakers when listening music or movie

Regarding budget I would like to fit everything in under 600$. Including all cables and whatever is needed to connect speakers to pc and get good sound out of it. I take it will be needed some good sound card. Does amplifier work as sound card? Whats better active or passive speakers?

I have yet to listen to particular speakers myself but from offers I found these

Option 1
A pair of new krk rokit 5 2g speakers. ~210$ per piece.

Or used
B&W CM 2 pair for ~540$

B&W 685 speaker pair + HTM62 for ~760$. Thing is I dont really see use of center speaker. 1 speaker on both sides of monitor where to put center one? Well I think I might get only 685 speakers for ~540$ too.

Wharfedale Diamond 9.3 pair ~540$
Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 pair ~580$

B&W dm602,5 s pair ~580$ While I would prefer more compact ones price seems bargain
Bose 501V pair ~540$


Theres quite a bit used speaker offers but I have no idea what to look for. B&W catched my attention since I somewhere read they good. Are those prices good? I think its all negotiable.

I am a bit worried of buying used ones since it seems easy to be duped though they are close enough that I could actually go and inspect them first for what its worth. Is there any lifespan for speakers?

Overall my budget is flexible. I would rather save one extra month and have good speakers then fit in budget and get noticeably worse performance/quality.

 

[burunduks]

warfander 10.1

Just saw in internet shop new wharfedale pair for 380$ so taking those 2 used ones out of list

Whats better 10.1 wharfedale or krk rokit 5 or some of those used B&W series?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

My suggestion is simple a decent sound card (onboard card frequently is not adequate - too much noise) and pair of active monitors..
Check local prices for JBL LSR2325p speakers like mine - I simply love them.
Very clean, precise and punchy. Can play very loud but still clean.
I bought my for $162/each

For sound card - this would do perfectly:
http://www.amazon.com/HRT-Music-Streamer-II-Resolution/dp/B0038O4UFQ

 

[burunduks]

Thanks for advice they do look really nice. But I live in europe and they cost double 360$ per piece Are they still worth it?

 

[bikemig]

For a soundcard/dac and speakers, it's tough to beat the HRT streamer and a pair of powered speakers esp. since your total budget is about $600 US. With the wharfedales, you'll need something to power them which will add to the total cost. You won't need an amplifier with the Rokit 5s since they are powered speakers.

Edit: I don't know which manufacturers have good prices for powered speakers in Europe but you may want to check out Behringers since they manufacture powered speakers at different price points.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Thanks for advice they do look really nice. But I live in europe and they cost double 360$ per piece Are they still worth it?

ok, how about BEHRINGER TRUTH B1030A ??

 

[burunduks]

They look very affordable and price wise they are cheaper then krk rokit 5. Depends on model though. Any recommendations?

For example this model Behringer Truth B2030A costs 350$ (for pair and is new)
BEHRINGER TRUTH B1030A - 320$ for pair
BEHRINGER TRUTH B3030A - 410$

It seems only company in europe from top 10 list in forum is B&W (which probably explains availibility of used models).

Has anyone heard anything about xavian and is behringer better then krk?

 

[burunduks]

Regarding hrt it seems it is non existant in my country. I guess I could get it shipped or dig it out somewhere

Would this work as well? It costs only 44$ and is recommended by manufacturer to those speakers.

 

[burunduks]

5th post with link http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UCA222.aspx

 

[GranteedEV]

Hi, I recommend a pair of these:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/jbl_lsr_2328p_b_stock.htm

 

[bikemig]

5th post with link http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UCA222.aspx

Go for it; it's cheap and it works. You may want to do a big of digging to see what is sold locally that works as well as there may be better solutions. The HRT is made in the US and it probably lacks distribution in Europe.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Hi, I recommend a pair of these:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/jbl_lsr_2328p_b_stock.htm

+1, these are bigger version of my jbl- probably have better bass.

Behringer UC202 or UC222 are cheap and high regarded - there are some qa issues thou - make sure to order from somewhere you could return

 

[GranteedEV]

+1, these are bigger version of my jbl- probably have better bass.

Probably the same bass extension/quality, but less bass distortion at high output levels.

More importantly they have a bigger waveguide.

 

[burunduks]

Hi, I recommend a pair of these:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/jbl_lsr_2328p_b_stock.htm

Thanks the price seems real good for europe. Its per one speaker right? It feels a bit like overkill though. I dont really need lot of bass just a bit will do and regarding volume I would like for it to fill rooms smaller then 20 km2 which I hope BEHRINGER TRUTH B3030A would do. So it leaves only quality aria. Is the quality difference big enough to be worth those extra 550$?

BEHRINGER TRUTH B3030A>krk rokit 5? Or are they both good, quite similar and its more of preference?

Waveguide?

 

[GranteedEV]

It feels a bit like overkill though.

Think of how far you're going to sit. Think of the how much harder a 5" woofer has to work to reproduce a 100hz tone compared to a woofer with virtually two-three times the surface area. And I'm not even talking about "loud". I don't see it as overkill at all. 80% of the time people have underkill. The larger woofer will be more relaxed.

I dont really need lot of bass just a bit will do and regarding volume I would like for it to fill rooms smaller then 20 km2 which I hope BEHRINGER TRUTH B3030A would do.

So it leaves only quality aria. Is the quality difference big enough to be worth those extra 550$?

I feel so.

Waveguide?

To put it bluntly, the 2328s are going to be less room sensitive because of how they radiate sound off axis.

 

[burunduks]

Think of how far you're going to sit. Think of the how much harder a 5" woofer has to work to reproduce a 100hz tone compared to a woofer with virtually two-three times the surface area. And I'm not even talking about "loud". I don't see it as overkill at all. 80% of the time people have underkill. The larger woofer will be more relaxed

Well I guess this takes krk rokit 5 out of consideration. Behringer B 3030A got 6.75 woofer. Its for bass right? I will go to shop and try to find both mentioned speakers and to listen to them live.

But lol at comments I read about behringer. Copying everything and with their russian rullete that you never know how long your equipment will last

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Well I guess this takes krk rokit 5 out of consideration. Behringer B 3030A got 6.75 woofer. Its for bass right? I will go to shop and try to find both mentioned speakers and to listen to them live.

But lol at comments I read about behringer. Copying everything and with their russian rullete that you never know how long your equipment will last

I heard KRK Rockit 5 before and was not impressed much...
I have not heard 1030 or 3010, but 2030p was bought and considered amazing value then it was less than 100 each.

Probably listening them for yourself is pro-music shop is going to be best idea.

 

[Ype]

I own the Behringer B3030A, they are good speakers but I don't like where they put the bass ports so I stuffed them with cotton.
If you want to go Behringer I would recommend the B1030A, they sound amazing for the money and measure quite well. I am not allowed to post links yet but you can find measurements on Dan's blog (dtmblabber.blogspot).
Just don't forget about your room and placement .

 

[gothictoss]

The OP states that he wants to "put some distance from speakers when listening music or movie" yet most members are suggesting monitors.

I thought the purpose of monitors were to be used near field, placed on a desk for example. If he is looking some distance from the speakers and wants to fill the room should he not use loudspeakers?

The Diamond 10.1 set & an amp for example?

 

[GranteedEV]

The OP states that he wants to "put some distance from speakers when listening music or movie" yet most members are suggesting monitors.

I thought the purpose of monitors were to be used near field, placed on a desk for example. If he is looking some distance from the speakers and wants to fill the room should he not use loudspeakers?

What makes a speaker good for nearfield and poor for farfield?

IMO it's power response. A poor farfield speaker will have a messed up power response. This is because in the farfield a huge chunk of what we hear is the power response.

A good farfield speaker has a smooth tapering power response. Power response is less consequential in nearfield where the direct response is the primary factor.

So to answer your question, a speaker with smoothly tapering power response and flat frequency response will do well in either the nearfield or farfield. Forget terms like "Hi-Fi" or "Studio Monitor" and focus on the on and off axis response.

Monitors won't have the ultra high output of large speakers for HT dynamics. But they'll still do well for every day llistening.