Active Studio Monitors

With the trend towards computer audio desktop rigs, let's throw out some good suggestions for powered monitors that make great near field music. Focal and Yamaha come to mind for me based on experience.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Anything by focal or Yamaha? Or specific models?
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
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    Bedroom 2.1
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    Jbl, Adam, kirk, genelec, there is a lot of powered monitors
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    Looking for experienced user reviews.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    I've personally used the Presonus R80 and can't recommend them enough. The R65 would also be good if you don't need/want the bass response that an 8" woofer can give you.

    Highs are absolutely perfect on these, extremely reactive and effortless. Can listen for several hours and they never get fatiguing. Definitely worth your consideration.
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    AudioEngine, KRK Rokit, JBL, come to mind instantly....
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    Clipdat wrote: »
    I've personally used the Presonus R80 and can't recommend them enough. The R65 would also be good if you don't need/want the bass response that an 8" woofer can give you.

    Highs are absolutely perfect on these, extremely reactive and effortless. Can listen for several hours and they never get fatiguing. Definitely worth your consideration.

    The Presonus R80 do look very nice. Thank you for you input Clipdat.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    The Adam a7x was outstanding in its price range. Best bang for the buck goes to the jbl Larry 305 or 308.

    For. More money. The genelec 1032b and 805b are more another outstanding monitors. I am using kef ls50w in near field with good results but it’s not a true studio monitor like the genelec or Adam. It depends on what you are going to be using them for. Listening, producing, or?... and price range. Just for listening, on a budget, the jbl 305 or 308 play way above their on sale price range.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    My use will be listening in the office. They will be placed very close the the back wall, so my initial thought was front port as apposed to rear. Budget is $400 to $1000.

    Man those JBL 308 seem like a great deal. I need to find a local place to audition a variety of brands.
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    Nearfield listening.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    If you have a guitar center or sam ash, they usually have them. The 308 play well above their price. The Adam are a bit more analytic but sound darn good also.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    I think they have the red 305 one sale for 100 each unless the sale is over.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • My elderly neighbor brought over a box of electrical cords and such last year and in it was a BOSE tabletop ipod charger/amp.
    She asked me if I wanted it, so I said sure !
    I'm not a big BOSE fan, but this little rig, with an 1/8" stereo plug, makes a computer sound pretty darn good !
    I have it set on a shelf, dead center over my laptop screen and liked it so much that it replaced my Dayton 15 wpc classT amp & a pair of walnut Minimus 7's (with upgraded xovers).
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    So what pair did you decide on?
    With the trend towards computer audio desktop rigs, let's throw out some good suggestions for powered monitors that make great near field music. Focal and Yamaha come to mind for me based on experience.

  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    None yet. Still shopping.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    Got any finalists that you're considering? I'll help you decide :)
    None yet. Still shopping.

  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Got any finalists that you're considering? I'll help you decide :)
    None yet. Still shopping.

    Finally decided on the Focal Alpha 65. Will post some impressions in a few weeks!

    f5yurj6sytjq.jpg
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,056
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Got any finalists that you're considering? I'll help you decide :)
    None yet. Still shopping.

    Finally decided on the Focal Alpha 65. Will post some impressions in a few weeks!

    f5yurj6sytjq.jpg

    Nice choice, I'd like to hear them.
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    Also got these to rest the speakers on:

    ycwl6iiieteg.jpg
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    Great choice. You're sparing no expense :)
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    Git you some, Eric!
  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,722
    If you're looking for a true monitor the Focal are an excellent choice, they also make for a great listening experience if you only listen to well recorded music. Just keep in mind they're intended for studio use, so they don't pull any punches on poor recordings. They're a great speaker, but I have way too much poorly recorded music in my library for these to be a contender for me.

    I have those IsoAcoustics Aperta stands under the LS50W and they're awesome.
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    Thanks AsSiMiLaTeD!

    I may have too many poor recordings too, so time shall tell if these work for me.

    Something about near field is magical.

    I wish we had a list of excellent near field bookies.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    @Conradicles were you able to audition these before purchasing? What made you go with these over some of the other options that were suggested?
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    No audition. I went with these based on my love for the previous Focal speakers I owned and the reviews were pretty good.
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    they don't pull any punches on poor recordings.

    You Sir are correct. These are breaking in now so more to come in the future...

    The IsoAcoustics Aperta stands are LEGIT.
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    These speakers excel at instrument placement. Stereo image is also rock solid.

    The bass is rediculous for a 6.5" driver.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    Cool! Looks like soothing to check out.

    I have a question on the IsoAcoustics Aperta. I thought the idea was to couple the speaker to the speaker stand and then spike the stands to the floor. Do you have them on a shelf instead of a speaker stand? if so then I understand why we would want to de-couple it. if not, I am trying to understand the reason why to have them?
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.