Audiophile Thread/Advice

I'm not super deep into this, but I do like quality home audio. It's been a few years since I've had a personal computer. I've been using work laptops. I'm planning on getting one of my workstations set up. I'm looking for some desk monitors and I'm not really sure what to get right now. I'm thinking of grabbing a couple of JBL 305p powered monitors, but I'm not sure I need that as a nearfield setup. Also, the price on that can get steep once I include a preamp, DAC and headphone amp. For this I was thinking of a Micca Origen G2. Other option I'm looking at is some Micca MB42X with some sort of headphone and speaker amp combo. My desk has 2 24" monitors on arms in landscape, so there's not THAT much desk space. I'm not listening to lossless flac through Foobar or anything like that. I listen to playlists on Youtube and some stations on Amazon Music. I listen to mostly punk, post hardcore, some metal and EDM. HALP me spend money, but not too much.

 

Ive been playing with mobile audiophile grade stuff for a little while now, just recently started play with home stuff too. I just purchased these:
https://www.edifier.com/us/en/speakers/s2000pro-bookshelf-speakers-studio-monitors

I absolutely love them. Nice to finally have a home setup with enough dynamics and power to really make things seem real. I've got no complaints with them, other than they get a lot louder than I can currently place since Im am running and airbnb in my place.

 

Edifier makes good stuff. s2000pro is a bit out of my price range. I was looking at the 1700BTs. I'd like to spend maybe 200-250.

 

You could also try a pair of Sonos 1 and save on the whole thing.
I have a set on my desk and they are pretty amazing overall really in the nearfield role.

For reference I have been selling/installing Audio since the '70s and have amazing stuff in my main system and the Sonos 1 are just really good for desktop use.

And of course you can be blasting 5 minutes after opening the box with no other gear.

You can also add their Sub later and take them to another level instantly!

I think many do not take them too seriously but they are pretty great in a tiny package and I have a lot of powered and passive small speakers under my belt and in the basement!

 

Sonos 1 like the smart speaker?

 

Yep

They make 2 different version of the 1 now,one with that Alexa hag in it and one just for Music.
Guess which one I prefer?

They both are powered well and have decent DSP and sound much bigger and better than many speakers of that size.

Add to that that the Sonos OS is built-in and you dont need anything but the speakers to play"All of the music on the internet" and they can be pretty tough to beat.
You can also use your own library with them and control the whole thing from the computer and your phone right out of the box.

I sell the hell out of them and have never had anyone wanting to return one.

https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/one-sl.html

 

Would the one speaker give me stereo imaging?

 

No you need a pair.

They have had them at Sams recently for around $300 a pair too.
Considering that these would be the entire system they are hard to beat like I said.

I bet they have some sitting at the Best Buy on Colorado Blvd and 225 that you can listen to too?!

 

I'll check it out this weekend. It's a bit over my price range, but always worth a listen. So I'll need 2 of those and what else? I'd like to use them as computer speakers.

 

Well.....they are not made to be used as computer speakers really.
You left that part out at first unless I just missed it?

And yeah most other powered speakers can be computer speakers but then they do not offer what the Sonos do either.

Powered speakers require that you feed them a source through a front end of a system of some kind where the Sonos speaker is a completely self-contained streaming music system already in every single speaker.

I bet if you listen to both types screaming music it will be pretty obvious which you prefer too though.

There are just a lot of different ways to get great audio from the desktop in the end.

Also there are a boatload of great pawn shops in your area and I have snagged crazy deals at them when in town and you might well be able to find a lot more for the money that way if you give it a shot?

The store on Evans right about where it turns into Iliff has been money for me many times for instance.

And they Haggle too!

 

Edifier often have whicked good sales, at least on the Canadian site

I'm uing an old set of 5.1 (replaced Subs over the years) Athena speakers (Canadian made I think). If I need to replace, Edifier looks like it will be a budget friendly option

 

So I was approaching this with an assumption and completely forgot about budget but still great options.

First off, might want to post this on reddit r/budgetaudiophile Lots of people there on the same quest.

I would also start checking out Parts Express. Heres a great option for cheap, a good place to start because you might be completely satisfied and still have plenty of cash in your wallet.

https://www.parts-express.com/6-1-2...air-and-hi-fi-mini-amplifier-bundle--300-6534

6.5" woofers 5/8" tweeters (a little small, but youre looking for close range). Amplifier included in the package, plugs in, takes RCA or 3.5mm, so youre PC should mate well there.

https://www.cnet.com/reviews/dayton-audio-b652-review/


If youre good with a little more cash get the AMT ribbon tweeter options and get an amp separately with a little more power.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...kshelf-speaker-with-amt-tweeter-pair--300-651

This Dayton amp has a bit more power and a channel for a sub for later add ons.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...ifier-with-sub-frequency-adjustment--300-3831

 

I read the reddit audiophile stuff, but I feel like all of them are just echo chambers. If you ask them for budget bookshelves, all they will say is MB42x like it's the be all end all. I AM considering them because they are highly recommended along with the JBL 305p.

Been looking at Dayton stuff. It's good bang for the buck. I mean hell, probably half the drivers out there are made by Dayton. Also considering just buying overnight sensations. Might be a nice thing to do over a weekend.

Another one to add to the mix would be Jamo s803 and Kanto yu2s. I'm probably over thinking this... Honestly, I should just buy some Edifier R1700s and be happy.

 

JBL 305 come up a lot, I do agree with your summary of that reddit. I have a special place for actual budget audiophilia lol. To strive for a great sound while spending very little is so rewarding. You gotta filter out that echo though, I think most on there actually dont try anything, they just come for the "answers". That's not really philia or a love of anything, its just a question.

 

305s would be at the very peak of my budget. I don't want to spend much more than 305s with a cheap controller.

I'm gonna cruise through parts express more. I think I want to save my big money for the living room area. I'd like some bigger speakers there to fill the house with music when we're cleaning, cooking, working in the back yard, etc.

Yeah, I would be using them with a computer. Again, just for some Youtube playlists and Amazon music. I don't have a FLAC library or anything like that.

Good call on the pawn shops. I'll check out that place on Evans. I'm actually in East Centennial near Southlands. It's the part of Centennial that was cut away from Aurora... lol.

Are you thinking of Pawn King on Quebec?

 

Maybe,if that is Quebec that comes into Evans on an angle there?There is a Gas Station on the corner between the two streets.
This one is right on Evans near the "Y" I guess I would call it?
There is a Vietnamese Place in the center behind it I think.
Maybe it is Pawn King.
This one is always jammed with decent stuff and they will usually haggle if you get the right person,I have found some great deals there.
I am just a Visitor there but this is the first year in 20 that I have not been on Cherry Creek for Turkey Day and then drivin down to the Springs for Brunch at the Broadmoor,a family tradition!

I have built several sets of the Overnight Sensations and they are terrific but a lot bigger than the really small speakers too but are easy to build and easy to listen to too.
Then you will need a decent amplifier too though and it is easy to quickly get into the price range of powered speaker once you have to get electronics too but at least you can experiment with different electronics then which can be pretty surprising.

I am not a huge fan of the cheapest chip amps like the Lepai myself,they all sound cheap to me but they are loud,I think it is all what you expect from a cheap system in the end.

Parts Express also sells Sure pre built amp boards and a few others too that are a lot better sounding to me and like the Sensations can be fun to put together and finish and you will learn a lot from it too.

There are also small speakers like the NHT Zero and One that are often pretty cheap at Pawn or used that are a lot better than may cheap speakers sold new Today to me.

So many choices!

 

Take a look at the PreSonus Eris series of monitors. I have a set of 4.5" and they are fantastic in every aspect.
Good bass despite their size (do add a sub later), clean sound, loud and crisp.

They're not expensive for what you get.

 

On, but off-topic:

You can spend and obsess all you want about quality equipment, but if you don't make an effort to make your listening room sound better, you're not getting the quality you want. DIY sound panels can be built for a few dollars in materials. I'd recommend a youtube search for "home sound treatment" to see some options and testing.

-WV

 

ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified Computer Speaker | Klipschwww.klipsch.com › products › klipsch-promedia-2-1-t...

I have been extremely happy with these. My son even ordered a set after listening to mine.

 

While this is certainly true in general this is one of the advantages of a small nearfield system too that room interactions are greatly minimized overall.

The speakers are usually far enough from walls that the boundaries are not an issue and close enough to your head to minimize reflections too.
There is also little bass reinforcement which can really make for a cleaner overall sound but also a leaner overall sound often making you want a sub as well.

 

When I read "audiophile" I thought it would actually refer to some audiophile grade speakers and advice. This is simply just the average "bang for the buck" Sonos thread and a couple Box store brand level stuff. Nothing against any of that, but none of it is considered an audiophile experience. I consider myself to be a mild audiophile, and while many suggestions are valid choices, they fall short of what most would consider for "quality" sound. I'm only trying to say, if you want to really hear the music you are listening too, these suggestions are for budget, and not for quality. Some good suggestions however on environment /room noise control... This is always important.

My advice:
I would use these for a workstation set-up. PMC: twotwo.5 or 6 active monitors. They are the real deal. Not the best of the best of the best, but they will sound unlike anything you ever thought you heard.

PMC TwoTwo 5 & 6
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/pmc-twotwo-5-6


This is of course, just my opinion. I have PMC MB2XBD in my living room and they are recording studio reference speakers so I do know what $100k speakers sound like... but that's just my reference to listening, and the cost is definitely not for everyone. If you listened to them, you would forever be searching for that amazingly pure reproduction and unimaginable quality that goes hand-in-hand with being an audiophile. And we haven't even started talking about the source, DACs, amps, cables, wire, etc.! Yikes!

BUT...
If you can spend $50 at a pawn shop and get what sounds good to you, then by all means, go ahead and do it, I won't lose any sleep. Lol.

 

This is what I thought originally too but not everyone gets it or even cares no matter how much they are exposed to and as you know all too well it can be a hole that can not really be filled too.

 

True.
It's all a matter of what works for someone. Hard to recommend something when everyone has a different preference and reference.

 

I'm looking to upgrade my headphones and thought about trying Reference headphones.

Currently using a pair of Sennheiser HD555, likely 15-20y old now, with a 30' Grado extension cable.

Looking at perhaps 80ohm or 250ohm, but I can't wrap my head around the numbers and specs. I would like to get away from purchasing a dedicated Headphone Amp as I already have Phono premade attached.

They will be for Vinyl and movies.

Will this receiver (currently own and not looking to replace), power 250ohm headphones adequately it should I drop down to 80ohm?

https://www.crutchfield.ca/S-GUxQ0L...NkOxK9RtrSFy0mDnNLL_fC03B1BnxBtIaAvaREALw_wcB

 

I'm not familiar with headphone pre amp but 250mohm is an easier load than 80mohm. Remember loads are higher with the smaller number. O ohm/mohm is a dead short or no resistance.

 

Has anyone ever built their own speakers? I've been eyeing building electrostatic speakers and there are other sites for standard speaker kits.

 

@BravoDeltaRomeo

I doubt that receiver will power the 250ohm headphones adequately.
250ohm sets are usually studio only, with dedicated head amps and tons of dynamic headroom and even frequency range. The resistance is higher therefore requiring more power. (Amp)

The 80 ohm sets are lower resistance and don't require as much power as the 250ohm. Therefore they would work with most outputs on integrated receivers without the need for a dedicated head amp. Typically they are more for casual listening and gaming, with more low volume bass, and less mid and highs.
As far as audiophile listening, that receiver doesn't have a phone input so does your turntable have is own driver? You mentioned a "phono premade attatched" I'm assuming that's your phono preamp driver in your turntable and how you get from vinyl to receiver to headphones?

 

Not entirely accurate my friend...
The lower the resistance, the higher the load (harder) on an amp. Zero ohms is infinite and considered a shunt. Higher impedance creates lower output in the amp but with less strain. When amps are rated for higher impedances they're usually incredibly powerful and clean. More Impedance is more stable, less impedance is less stable. It's kinda opposite of what makes sense but it's true nonetheless.