Cheap mini active monitors

[Werner Berghofer]

David,

KRK's are quite ballsy apparently

yes, they are; but I wouldn’t call them exactly “mini”:



As shown on the photo above from my desk the iMac between the two KRK Rokit 5 active speakers is a 27 inch model, the Rokit 5 are the smallest of the current KRK RPG2 line. None of them are the size of floor-standing speakers, but even the smallest KRKs aren’t “mini”.

I think the new Yamaha HS 5/7/8 models also are quite interesting.

Werner.

[YNWaN]

Isn't there a bit of confusion in this thread between the terms powered and active? Active suggests that each drive unit has its own power amp with the crossover being implemented before the amplification. A lot of these budget monitors seem to be 'powered' which usually just means a two channel amplifier is built in to one of them.

[Clive]

Isn't there a bit of confusion in this thread between the terms powered and active? Active suggests that each drive unit has its own power amp with the crossover being implemented before the amplification. A lot of these budget monitors seem to be 'powered' which usually just means a two channel amplifier is built in to one of them.

That's a good point, we need Dave to clarify what he meant by "cheap mini active monitors". There is a tendency to call powered speakers active, which in crossover terms is not correct but speakers with amps inside are active devices as opposed to passive devices. Yes, it's a source of confusion.

[synsei]

That's a good point, we need Dave to clarify what he meant by "cheap mini active monitors". There is a tendency to call powered speakers active, which in crossover terms is not correct but speakers with amps inside are active devices as opposed to passive devices. Yes, it's a source of confusion.

And there I was thinking Active Speakers had a gym subscription and performed aerobics whilst playing music...

[DSJR]

OK!

Active to me, is a speaker with individual amps for each driver and an electronic filter network/crossover BEFORE the amps..

Powered speakers are passive models with built in amps, the amp driving the crossover in the traditional way...

As for mini - any stand/desk mounted speaker with 6" drivers or smaller is what I'd regard as a *mini* speaker.


Leaving the used market alone for a minute, if you want a good quality of sound for under £500 for amp and speakers, the choice may be limited to Richer Sounds fare, which I'm sure is fine (Q Acoustics and Cambridge Audio etc). I just have a feeling that some of the better (admittedly Chinese made so cheaper) desktop/stand mounted fully active speakers for less than £500 the pair may give traditional budget priced separates a huge run for their money.

This is NOT a subtle way to get some of you to buy AVI ADM9's, but the basic technology is sound, hideously expensive done in domestic separate systems (Linn, Meridian and Naim) and ATC charge enough too these days, but I wonder if these smaller 'monitors' might just bring a great sound for little dosh to the party for small systems? Got to be better than a crappy old Nait and Kans surely???

[YNWaN]

Some, if not all, of those speakers in your original post are not true active designs then Dave (but then they don't claim to be).

Got to be better than a crappy old Nait and Kans surely???

That is certainly not a given by any means (mind you, there is nothing budget about the second hand price that Naits seem able to achieve).

A couple of years ago Andrew demonstrated a system at Scalford that used a Mk1 Nait and Kans - people absolutely loved it!

[DSJR]

Alex didn't when he heard it!

The Nait is gutless into such screamers and the Kans are one of the worst speakers ever to have been conceived - the wayward and unequalised KEF B110 drivers see to that and they got worse as time went on. I like pianos to sound like pianos and bass to have some weight, rather than no bass at all

[YNWaN]

umm...with respect, Alex didn't like it, so what? I didn't say everyone liked it - but lots of people went out of their way to express surprise and comment positively (to Andrew) - more than I expected.

Both items have their limitations, as you say, the Nait is very low powered and the frequency response is anything but flat. I'm not saying that I want to use a Nait and Kans, but the fact remains that lots of people did (and still do) like this combination. You want to make a sweeping generalisation that a budget powered monitor is bound to sound better; I just don't agree that it is a given in the way you suggest.
_____________

I like pianos to sound like pianos and bass to have some weight, rather than no bass at all

Well so do I, but no speaker of that size is going to produce much bass weight or extension. At the end of the day, all speakers have to adhere to the laws of physics, even if they amplifiers built in to them!

It's not long ago that I read a pfm member raving about the bass quality of his Naim IBL's - as you know, they have so little bass weight and extension they make Kans sound like bass monsters!

[DSJR]

I obviously didn't hear Andrew's particular setup, but I do know both products rather too well, individually and together in very many environments If you ever see some Kan III's for sale (Chinese made Tukan's I believe, but with no aktiv option and £320pr new), these are on a different plane of existance...

Having heard how amazing a tatty pair of old £8 Wharfedale Diamond IV's can sound, I do know how good tiny speakers can sound, despite losing the bottom octave or two of bass, and these Diamond IV's are surprising on the end of a half decent low cost system, although they'd have been judged on price at the time.. The compromises are huge and separate the men from the boys when setting tonal balance etc, but they can still entertain and involve.

[YNWaN]

I'm not looking to promote Kans and a Nait as some kind of small speaker panacea, far from it. I just disagree that a pair of small powered speakers is 'bound to sound better' -they might do, they might not (depending on the tastes of those listening).