Best near field speakers with grills?

[byteninja2]

I need near field speakers for my desk, and what are the best with a grill for a pair of speakers for under $200?

 

[slipperybidness]

I need near field speakers for my desk, and what are the best with a grill for a pair of speakers for under $200?

Powered or passive?

 

[Sheep]

I need near field speakers for my desk, and what are the best with a grill for a pair of speakers for under $200?

Is a grill an absolute necessity? Audio Engine has some nice options for computers. Maudio has some nice ones as well.

SheepStar

 

[frankie2075]

adam audio has great ones from what i hear.. idk about grills tho. http://www.adam-audio.com/en/pro-audio/products

 

[raynist]

These sound pretty incredible in my setup
EMP Tek E41 Bookshelf Speaker [Back-to-School Sale 8-2012]

 

[Sheep]

These sound pretty incredible in my setup
EMP Tek E41 Bookshelf Speaker [Back-to-School Sale 8-2012]

A proper near-field speaker, especially a self powered/passive monitor will be a superior choice to a home speaker bookshelf.

SheepStar

 

[fuzz092888]

I'd put my EMP-E41B against any nearfield monitor you can name. These are originally $600-1000 speakers that are selling for $199. They are tremendous near-field speakers and while the E-41B's are sold out I don't think its a stretch to say the E-41's are still an excellent choice.

Have you heard them? They're great, I wouldn't shoot them down until you've heard them yourself. Especially not if you're only argument against them they're not a "proper" near-field speaker. Just my 2 cents

 

[byteninja2]

Having a grill is a absolute nessesity, and I am no audio expert, but my speaers will be used 1 yard away ONLY, I will never go farther then that and still have audio on.So, true Near field speakers I think would be better then speakers that are bookshelves.Oh, and passive.

 

[byteninja2]

And were to buy the EMP E-41B?

 

[slipperybidness]

And were to buy the EMP E-41B?

EMP-E41 is probably a really good choice. Only available online from EMP online. The E-41B is no longer available, or I would have a pair on the way.

 

[Sheep]

I'd put my EMP-E41B against any nearfield monitor you can name. These are originally $600-1000 speakers that are selling for $199. They are tremendous near-field speakers and while the E-41B's are sold out I don't think its a stretch to say the E-41's are still an excellent choice.

Have you heard them? They're great, I wouldn't shoot them down until you've heard them yourself. Especially not if you're only argument against them they're not a "proper" near-field speaker. Just my 2 cents

I haven't heard them, but when I was shopping for studio monitors I did here quite a few of those. Genelec, Mackie, Yamaha, Dynaudio etc etc. I've also mixed and recorded on Genelec's and The Yamaha NS10s. I bought some Mackie MR5's for myself, 85 watts bi amped, Solid 35Hz bass and incredible detail. It takes a bit more gear to get them working for some applications (Dedicated sound card and computer interface for what I'm doing), but these are the best bookshelf sized speakers I have heard for the money. I've also heard a fair laundry list of home audio bookshelf speakers, but for near field, this is what I preferred.

SheepStar

 

[fuzz092888]

Having a grill is a absolute nessesity, and I am no audio expert, but my speaers will be used 1 yard away ONLY, I will never go farther then that and still have audio on.So, true Near field speakers I think would be better then speakers that are bookshelves.Oh, and passive.

Add a T-amp from ebay

SMSL SA-36A 2*20W TA2020 Tripath Class T Amp Stereo Amplifier B/S/G | eBay

SMSL SA-50 2X50W@4

Then use an RCA to headphone jack and you've got an awesome set of nearfield monitors for about $240-260

 

[fuzz092888]

I haven't heard them, but when I was shopping for studio monitors I did here quite a few of those. Genelec, Mackie, Yamaha, Dynaudio etc etc. I've also mixed and recorded on Genelec's and The Yamaha NS10s. I bought some Mackie MR5's for myself, 85 watts bi amped, Solid 35Hz bass and incredible detail. It takes a bit more gear to get them working for some applications (Dedicated sound card and computer interface for what I'm doing), but these are the best bookshelf sized speakers I have heard for the money. I've also heard a fair laundry list of home audio bookshelf speakers, but for near field, this is what I preferred.

SheepStar

That's cool, I was mostly comparing them to the audio engines. I think the AE's are awesome and they definitely dig deeper than the EMP-E41B's but the one's I felt had comparable performance were much more expensive (the 5s and 5+).

I wouldn't underestimate the EMP's simply because they're "EMP bookshelves." They aren't actually EMP speakers at all, they're RBH signature series bookshelves and have tremendous quality, even more if you add a small subwoofer to them. I'm not saying Gene is the be all end all and there aren't other great options out there (like the ones you chose), but for a guy who can probably choose nearly any small monitors to use he chose the EMP E-41B's. I think that's a pretty solid endorsement.

That being said, I still really liked the AE's and the emotiva airmotiv's looks like an excellent nearfield monitor as well. I've never heard them, but they look pretty cool and I've read some pretty favorable reviews about them. Cheers.

 

[GranteedEV]

Add a T-amp from ebay

SMSL SA-36A 2*20W TA2020 Tripath Class T Amp Stereo Amplifier B/S/G | eBay

I just want to point out that that 50 watt T-Amp is probably closer to 20 watts than 50 watts at 1% or lower distortion. Still more than enough clean, low distortion power for nearfield, mind you.

 

[fuzz092888]

I figured I'd mention the lower powered one since you made fun of me for getting the biggest one

 

[GranteedEV]

I figured I'd mention the lower powered one since you made fun of me for getting the biggest one

Heh. I'd avoid that lowest power one. The """50""" watt AKA ~20 watt one however is probably more power than any sane person would use a foot and half away.

 

[Sheep]

That's cool, I was mostly comparing them to the audio engines. I think the AE's are awesome and they definitely dig deeper than the EMP-E41B's but the one's I felt had comparable performance were much more expensive (the 5s and 5+).

I wouldn't underestimate the EMP's simply because they're "EMP bookshelves." They aren't actually EMP speakers at all, they're RBH signature series bookshelves and have tremendous quality, even more if you add a small subwoofer to them. I'm not saying Gene is the be all end all and there aren't other great options out there (like the ones you chose), but for a guy who can probably choose nearly any small monitors to use he chose the EMP E-41B's. I think that's a pretty solid endorsement.

That being said, I still really liked the AE's and the emotiva airmotiv's looks like an excellent nearfield monitor as well. I've never heard them, but they look pretty cool and I've read some pretty favorable reviews about them. Cheers.

I know EMP is made by RBH, and I know Gene likes them. Considering all that, I would still go for something different.

SheepStar

 

[GranteedEV]

I know EMP is made by RBH, and I know Gene likes them. Considering all that, I would still go for something different.

Everyone has their preferences.

That said, the E41-Bs are some of the most pleasant speakers i've ever heard. I'd imagine the regular E41s aren't far off.

 

[byteninja2]

Ok, thanks. But surly their are some real nearfield speakers with grilles somebody could reccomend? I may go with the E41s, but still, reccomendations?

 

[Sheep]

M-AUDIO - M-Audio® AV 40 - Monitor Speakers for Professional-Quality Media Creation

These have grills on the woofers.

There is also Blue Sky, which has a 2.1 system with grills.

http://abluesky.com/products/mediadesk-2-1-mkii/

SheepStar