View Full Version : Best nearfield loudspeakers: Recommendations, please?
Hello,
over time, I have come to prefer listening in the nearfield, which to my ears provides more pleasing results. As a matter of fact, the same applies not only for my Falcon LS3/5a (1m from my listening position), but also for my Harbeth SHL5 Plus 40th Anniversary (1.1m from my listening position).
With nearfield, I am achieving more and finer detail, less interaction with the room and the amp needs less power to achieve a certain sound volume.
In case there are other nearfield listeners out there, which speakers would you recommend for such listening?
Thanks in advance,
Panos
26500
scotty38
15-08-2019, 08:21
Can't really help on the recommendation but I guess P3ESR would be good but I reckon you'd know that already. That setup may sound great but it'd never get past my wife lol....
Hi Martin,
thanks for your suggestion. As a matter of fact, I used to own P3ESR for several years, but IMHO the Falcons are better, quicker and (even) more natural.
I'm wondering whether Snell or Audionote K type or J type could be used in nearfield...
jandl100
15-08-2019, 08:56
Wow, that IS nearfield! :eek:
https://theartofsound.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26500&d=1565855166
Tbh - I can't imagine Audionote or Snell speakers being "more natural" than your Falcons or old Harbies, they are great fun but they are significantly coloured imo. As an alternative to the LS35a, maybe, but not as a replacement, I suspect.
The Audionote speakers are designed to be wall loaded so they won’t work at their best if used as per your photograph.
i'd use cans if your listening that close personally
Wow, that IS nearfield! :eek:
https://theartofsound.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26500&d=1565855166
Tbh - I can't imagine Audionote or Snell speakers being "more natural" than your Falcons or old Harbies, they are great fun but they are significantly coloured imo. As an alternative to the LS35a, maybe, but not as a replacement, I suspect.
Yes, as a matter of fact, the Falcons are great. You do not realize they are there... If only they had a slightly bigger "body". I wonder whether a well-integrated subwoofer might help in the region 35-80Hz.
i'd use cans if your listening that close personally
Thanks for the suggestion, but not a fan of cans myself. I do not think they can beat the Falcons in soundstaging...
Opti-cal
15-08-2019, 10:28
26501
Quads. They are like giant cans anyway.
A seriously immersive experience.
26501
Quads. They are like giant cans anyway.
A seriously immersive experience.
Thanks. Which model? My amps are Croft Series7R monoblocks (110W).
A kind reminder that I am looking for suggestions for nearfield listening.
Opti-cal
15-08-2019, 10:52
Thanks. Which model? My amps are Croft Series7R monoblocks (110W).
A kind reminder that I am looking for suggestions for nearfield listening.
Yup, I'm about 8ft away, maybe less. If your requirements are nearfield due to space restrictions then they are not the speaker for you (require a few feet behind) but if you are nearfield for the listening experience I've heard no better.
There has been some discussion regarding nearfield listening on here recently and some people would consider anything more than 6-7ft no longer nearfield however given the size and soundstage of the Quads anything under 10ft away and you are just completely immersed. They can be enjoyed as far as 20ft+ away without much issue so relative to the speaker I would offer that 8ft is nearfield.
They are Quad 63's driven by a Ming Da KT88 push pull amp pumping out around 50w. I am also currently driving them with a custom 300b amp in parallel configuration giving 18w. Not as dynamic as the Ming Da but its undeniably lush and romantic. Not in a "too tubey" way either, its just so rich and full bodied.
I also use original ESL's (57's) to great effect from even closer. They have ultimate "hear through" midrange which lends itself wonderfully to nearfield I have found.
The crofts would be too powerful for the 57's but could be very nice indeed with the 63's. (rated at 100w+).
I would say you're welcome to a listen (which you still are!) but its a bit of a way . . .
Cheers.
If you fancy something a little different I'd suggest giving a pair of Fujitsu Eclipse speakers a try. They replaced my Spendor S3/5R2 speakers in my system, initially with some TD508 and now some TD512. There are some on ebay (https://ebay.us/NGr1jd) at the moment.
mr sneff
15-08-2019, 13:34
Something else out out of the ordinary and rarely seen for sale used (in the UK at least) are these Audience 1+1s (https://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/audience-1-1-micro-monitors.230852/)
I have a pair of the single driver Audience 1s, which are amazing little speakers. I'd imagine the 1+1s are even better!
Ninanina
15-08-2019, 19:22
The only nearfield speakers I've owned were the LS3/5a's and they are amazing when used that way... expensive, yes, but they are very good indeed
I'm currently listening to 15 inch Tannoys where the drivers are about 2.3m away from my lugholes. It 'feels' nearfield. :lol:
Immersive, detailed, natural.
hornucopia
15-08-2019, 19:50
26501
Quads. They are like giant cans anyway.
A seriously immersive experience.
I used to have 57s either end of my (sandwich making)work bench for a while, early 80s! Definitely good!
I only had a cafe so I could listen to my choice of music all day.
Old employee winced when hearing Andreas Vollenweider AGAIN!
The only nearfield speakers I've owned were the LS3/5a's and they are amazing when used that way... expensive, yes, but they are very good indeed
Oh yes, indeed! If only they could sound a tad “bigger”...
Ninanina
15-08-2019, 19:59
Oh yes, indeed! If only the could sound a tad “bigger”...
To be honest Panos I never thought the LS3/5a's sounded 'small'.. they just sounded fantastic to me... one of the very few speakers that I'd consider owning again... ;)
Sherwood
15-08-2019, 20:01
The only nearfield speakers I've owned were the LS3/5a's and they are amazing when used that way... expensive, yes, but they are very good indeed
In my experimentation with my Maggies (1.7s) I have had very good results with nearfield listening: better than LS3/5a's in fact. For a while I had the Maggies positioned so that they were nearer to me than they were to the rear wall.
For nearfield listening I would point the OP to another speaker I own, the Martin Logan Motion 2i. These are seriously underrated speakers and I prefer them to my Rogers LS3/5a speakers. They are hugely detailed and dynamic and have a speed of response that is awesome. I use mine in a bedroom system where their tonal balance suits perfectly. However, the OP would probably prefer to use them with a subwoofer of some sort especially as their placement would offer no rear wall bass enhancement. Another plus for nearfield listening is their small size which makes them less visually intimidating. Another possibility is ceiling mounting just forward of the listening position.
Ninanina
15-08-2019, 20:09
In my experimentation with my Maggies (1.7s) I have had very good results with nearfield listening: better than LS3/5a's in fact. For a while I had the Maggies positioned so that they were nearer to me than they were to the rear wall.
For nearfield listening I would point the OP to another speaker I own, the Martin Logan Motion 2i. These are seriously underrated speakers and I prefer them to my Rogers LS3/5a speakers. They are hugely detailed and dynamic and have a speed of response that is awesome. I use mine in a bedroom system where their tonal balance suits perfectly. However, the OP would probably prefer to use them with a subwoofer of some sort especially as their placement would offer no rear wall bass enhancement. Another plus for nearfield listening is their small size which makes them less visually intimidating. Another possibility is ceiling mounting just forward of the listening position.
Well Geoff my Maggies are in a fairly small room... not exactly 'nearfield' I guess but not far off... would I swap them for 3/5a's? absolutely not ;)
Those ML Motion's look interesting...
I love that I'm 100% happy with the Maggies though... definitely my long-term keepers...
To be honest Panos I never thought the LS3/5a's sounded 'small'.. they just sounded fantastic to me... one of the very few speakers that I'd consider owning again... ;)
Hi,
in order to avoid any misunderstandings, I agree that my Falcons LS3/5a have a huge soundstage. It's the bottom end that's lacking, and which I would prefer to have more "body". Apologies if I have not expressed myself correctly, but English is not my mother language... -))
I've never really understood the love for the LS3/5a, although I recognise that it is very good for its intended purpose, speech monitoring in a confined space.
It has serious coloration around 1K, and a restricted bandwidth, which of course makes it good for speech intelligibility, but it was never intended to be a wide band device.
I've never really understood the love for the LS3/5a, although I recognise that it is very good for its intended purpose, speech monitoring in a confined space.
It has serious coloration around 1K, and a restricted bandwidth, which of course makes it good for speech intelligibility, but it was never intended to be a wide band device.
I agree. They were designed as a Class II monitor of speech for use in outside broadcast vans, and hence near-field. http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/reports/1976-29.pdf
The fact they make a decent fist of reproducing music does them credit, and being of small size makes them desirable; but not to the absurd prices being asked for these days.
In order to remain on topic and not to stray away by discrediting or commending the sound of LS3/5a, a kind reminder that the request of the thread is to suggest nearfield speakers/monitors.
Thanks again for any feedback.
A left field suggestion, Acoustic Energy AE1 either the Mk1 or the Mk3. I have Mk3 and they are tiny, crystal clear, propulsive, flat to 40Hz in room, and perfect for near field. Soundstaging is excellent. The Mk3 is a good looking speaker too.
Needs quality amplification and some power, your Croft should be a decent match. Disliked in the past, often because they were teamed with inferior amplification, they almost never turn up for sale and won't be too pricey. Maybe that tells its own story?
Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
I use a pair of Q Acoustics Concept 20s in the bedroom which I suppose could be classed as nearfield, bass can be tuned somewhat with the supplied port bungs but tbh I find them better without.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190816/4b2a8b167d015aaf41ee55c2dc44f69c.jpg
For under £300 I think they’re pretty unbeatable.
The photo is quite old, I don’t have the Amptastic Mini or the Xiang Sheng DAC 01 anymore, replaced the amp with a EU spec Onkyo A9010 which has a Wolfson DAC onboard, top shelf has an ATLP5 on it now.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Simon_LDT
16-08-2019, 23:36
I've never seen speakers so close to the sofa before. :wow:
Do you pull them into position each time or do they stay like that permanently?
I have my speakers 1.4m from my ears and I thought that was pretty close but you got me beat. :D
I'm using Harbeth M30.1s and I do find they give much more body (as you would expect) over the P3s I was previously using. I bet the SHL5 Plus sound even better at nearfield.
I've never seen speakers so close to the sofa before. :wow:
Do you pull them into position each time or do they stay like that permanently?
I have my speakers 1.4m from my ears and I thought that was pretty close but you got me beat. :D
I'm using Harbeth M30.1s and I do find they give much more body (as you would expect) over the P3s I was previously using. I bet the SHL5 Plus sound even better at nearfield.
Simon, because I use both the Harbeth SHL5 Plus and the Falcon LS3/5a alternatively, I usually have the Harbeths at 1.4m from my listening position (tweeter to ear), and when I want to listen to the Falcons, I pull them in place at approx. 1m from the listening position. Yes, I do like them VERY close.
It's an easy, no-cost experiment, that everyone can try. And if one does not like such close-up positioning, it's always reversible.
26517
Cycleallday
17-08-2019, 10:21
Hello,
over time, I have come to prefer listening in the nearfield, which to my ears provides more pleasing results. As a matter of fact, the same applies not only for my Falcon LS3/5a (1m from my listening position), but also for my Harbeth SHL5 Plus 40th Anniversary (1.1m from my listening position).
With nearfield, I am achieving more and finer detail, less interaction with the room and the amp needs less power to achieve a certain sound volume.
In case there are other nearfield listeners out there, which speakers would you recommend for such listening?
Thanks in advance,
Panos
26500
Hope you have seen my reply to your more recent post on LS3/5a. In context with that response I also substitute my Spendor S3 speakers in my near field listening scenario. The Spendors are similar to look at as the LS3/5a and are the same size but rotated 90 degrees. These speakers have a better handle on the frequency extremes but still keep most of the sweet midband of the LS3/5a.
They are far from bass monsters but for example I find the Falcons are not good in a normal room positioning scenario (ie the opposite end of the room to you) but the Spendors can do this job and in such a situation the neccessary inclreased volume delivers the bass I like.
The Spendors also work very well with my MJ sub.
Mel
...
...but for example I find the Falcons are not good in a normal room positioning scenario (ie the opposite end of the room to you) but the Spendors can do this job and in such a situation the neccessary inclreased volume delivers the bass I like.
The Spendors also work very well with my MJ sub.
Mel
Mel,
IMHO small speakers in the normal listening position, i.e. at the other end of the room, cannot reproduce the sense of scale necessary for making music realistic and believable. Some small speakers, e.g. Harbeth P3ESR (maybe even the Spendor S3?), have a clear mid bass bump to overcome that limitation and make the small speakers sound bigger in the room. And furthermore, one may be forced to drive the speakers at higher volumes (harder than what would be 'normal' for the speakers) to make them sound more convincing. And I am not even touching the challenge of room contribution in the overall sound (a major issue), unless the room has been measured and treated accordingly.
If one has flexibility with room placement, then nearfield listening can be very rewarding. One does not have to exert small speakers to make them sound realistic. But then again a small speaker can only go that low, until it rolls off significantly (70Hz?). Hence the need for a subwoofer, provided it can be well integrated with the speakers and the room. Not easy, I agree. But is it possible and thus worth trying?
Yes, as a matter of fact, the Falcons are great. You do not realize they are there... If only they had a slightly bigger "body". I wonder whether a well-integrated subwoofer might help in the region 35-80Hz.
Where is the sweet spot on that sofa. Looks to be on the crack between cushions. If you sit on either cushion there will be a massive imbalance in volume.
Secondly regarding sub woofer, I would be surprised if your speakers are getting anywhere near 80 Hz without wall reinforcement.
Sherwood
27-08-2019, 08:03
I draw your attention once again to the Martin Logan Motion range. I have the 2i model but the 4i is probably best suited to your needs. These are serious speakers with huge dynamics, detail and imaging. Unlike the LS3/5a's they are designed to be used with a sub-woofer, and there is a purpose designed model for that purpose. In consequence they don't have an artificially engineered midrange hump. I love my Rogers LS3/5's but they cannot compete with the Motions and their air motion ribbon tweeters.
This is a link to a review of the speakers. Towards the end of the review the reviewer uses the speakers in a 2:1 configuration and tries out the ARC option which your room would probably need.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6SSEnMbrJg
Where is the sweet spot on that sofa. Looks to be on the crack between cushions. If you sit on either cushion there will be a massive imbalance in volume.
Secondly regarding sub woofer, I would be surprised if your speakers are getting anywhere near 80 Hz without wall reinforcement.
Indeed, Chris, even a 3-5cm right or left from the middle of the couch (the crack, as you are saying) is outside the sweet spot. But the sweet spot, is really... "spot-on" and very sweet. Some recent measurements in the room showed that the Falcons can go down to 70Hz, while the Harbeths go down to 40Hz, of course away from the room.
Royd Sorcerers don’t work too well in medium to larger rooms, unless using a sub, but they are excellent nearfield. Much more raw than Harbeths, but also much more incisive and open. Snare hits sound like snare hits, and ‘really cut through the air’ like I think Richard (Gromit) remarked about his Merlins, which are Sorcerers minus the steel plate mass damping.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2026 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.