Bengineer Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 (edited) Item: Nearfields Price Range: $500-1000 depending Item Condition: New or Used Extra Info: Ideally something still in warranty. Will need to post to Brisbane. Edited April 28, 2020 by Bengineer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rand129678 Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 (edited) Since your listing also mentions "new": - https://www.storedj.com.au/jbl-lsr305p-mkii-5-powered-studio-monitors-pair - https://www.storedj.com.au/krk-rokit-rp5g4-5-studio-monitors-black-pair - https://www.storedj.com.au/presonus-eris-e5-xt-5-active-studio-monitors-w-wave-guide-pair Their stores are still open so you may be able to have a listen if there's one near you. Take your DAC (if it has volume control). Edited April 24, 2020 by rand129678 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Hmm. I find it hard to listen to things for a brief period and make any sort of decision. Especially in that environment. I have a pair of Audioengine A2+. So looking for a step up on those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rand129678 Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Just now, Bengineer said: Hmm. I find it hard to listen to things for a brief period and make any sort of decision. Especially in that environment. I have a pair of Audioengine A2+. So looking for a step up on those. Fair call. Those above are pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 What do you run personally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surprisetech Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 10 minutes ago, Bengineer said: Item: Nearfields Price Range: $500 ish Item Condition: New or Used Extra Info: They will sit on my desk, next to monitor. And be about 1.5 feet from my face. I'd consider 3", 4" or 5" driver setups. *MUST* have a dead silent background. No hiss or hum, they sit too close and I listen at low volumes. Not completely lose their dynamics at low volumes ideally too. In my experience most of the hiss & hum I've heard from speakers connected to a PC comes from the PC/laptop when connected via analogue. The noise is picked up in the analogue stages of the sound card/motherboard after the DAC. There is a lot of potential for PC noise to get onto the audio if the analogue parts of the circuit are not well designed & shielded. If you go for a product that doesn't offer a USB connection option, just check that the line level audio out from your PC is nice & clean first. Even my little old Alesis M1s in the home office, despite being more of a budget product, are nice & clean via the USB connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Yeah, definately. Analgoue out from my DAC is dead quiet now. I've spent some time and money getting it like that for my headphone use. Normal listening volume on headphone is about 25% on low gain with the SMSL SP200 headphone amp. If I put that on high gain, and crank it, still dead silent, using ZMF Verite headphones. So I'm sorted there. Just need one that doesn't hiss and hum with its own power source, and sheilded enough to sit next to a monitor etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surprisetech Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 1 minute ago, Bengineer said: Yeah, definately. Analgoue out from my DAC is dead quiet now. I've spent some time and money getting it like that for my headphone use. Normal listening volume on headphone is about 25% on low gain with the SMSL SP200 headphone amp. If I put that on high gain, and crank it, still dead silent, using ZMF Verite headphones. So I'm sorted there. Just need one that doesn't hiss and hum with its own power source, and sheilded enough to sit next to a monitor etc. Good call. That will give you a wider range of active monitors to pick from. I went with the external DAC solution. Apart from the home office scenario, I also use a laptop with my PA system, and it's not always my own laptop, so I got a solid little Musiland DAC/HP-amp. Now I don't have to worry about the analogue quality from any PC I use as a source. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 (edited) I have a Topping D50S into a SMSL SP200 at the moment. Both quite revealing, then Verite off them super revealing again. And low level OCD of not being able to handle hiss and hum. So sorted that part. Also seems like a choice heavy market. All the brands kind of go up in price the same with the driver sizes. Whole bunch of "mid-fi" type stuff I guess. Edited April 24, 2020 by Bengineer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surprisetech Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 15 minutes ago, Bengineer said: I have a Topping D50S into a SMSL SP200 at the moment. Both quite revealing, then Verite off them super revealing again. And low level OCD of not being able to handle hiss and hum. So sorted that part. Also seems like a choice heavy market. All the brands kind of go up in price the same with the driver sizes. Whole bunch of "mid-fi" type stuff I guess. Yes, the Yamaha and better Alesis models come in at the same sort of prices too. I don't really have much first hand experience with nearfield monitors, but I know a couple of studio folk who love their KRKs. There's a Focal model on special at the moment for a little bit more! https://djcity.com.au/product/focal-pk-alpha50-5-inch-studio-monitor-pair/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlbz3oJmA6QIVlyQrCh0fPAnlEAkYCCABEgIFNPD_BwE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 The Focal look great. Just on/off switch on the back is a bit annoying. They all like that? Should I be looking more consumer ones like Edifier S3000 Pro or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 25, 2020 Author Share Posted April 25, 2020 Can push to say $700 And can be any active speakers that suit close listening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bell Ringer Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 (edited) I’ve been looking for myself for work. These Martin Logan’s are on special. I have dodgy wifi at work and the DTS Play fi might be an issue in that environment so didn’t take the plunge. You can pair for stereo. https://www.audioactive.com.au/ML_dash_BRAVADO(WN)/MARTIN-LOGAN-BRAVADO-SPEAKER-WALNUT/pd.php?filters=ClearanceNew:Y Also comes with Arc room correction. Edited April 26, 2020 by Bell Ringer Arc info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 How would they go as nearfields though? 50-70cm from my face.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bell Ringer Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 6 hours ago, Bengineer said: How would they go as nearfields though? 50-70cm from my face.... No idea, but the ARC measures from where you sit and a selection of other spots left,right, front and back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 Hmm. A very much lifestyle type speaker, used in a pair as nearfields. Interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snrub Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 I would be hesitant to go down the route of active studio monitors. I have a pair of Presonus R65's and while the sound is fantastic, they do have an audible hiss at desktop listening distances. This is before any source is plugged in. I liked the simplicity, so I went to StoreDJ in Sydney to audition some possible replacements. Almost all of them had an audible hiss. Only ones I could recommend are maybe the Eve Audio SC203. They had a surprisingly good sound for such a small monitor, and are an all in one setup. The ones I auditioned were dead silent with nothing playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 For a desktop though, so needs to be active speakers. They all going to hiss and hum? Surely some have nailed design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 27, 2020 Author Share Posted April 27, 2020 Maybe a Kanto YU6? Bit more consumer product, remote etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 9 hours ago, Bengineer said: For a desktop though, so needs to be active speakers. They all going to hiss and hum? Surely some have nailed design. I don't notice any hum from my Audioengine A5+ from Macbook pro into an Audioengine D1 DAC/Headphone amp. Same when it was connected to an iMac previously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkTree Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 10 hours ago, Bengineer said: For a desktop though, so needs to be active speakers. They all going to hiss and hum? Surely some have nailed design. Just checked my son's Neumann KH120. They are completely silent but exceed the budget I am afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 27, 2020 Author Share Posted April 27, 2020 KH80 bit cheaper. DSP correction too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rand129678 Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, DarkTree said: Just checked my son's Neumann KH120 Very very nice those. Something a little higher than the current mentioned budget - Genelec 8010A. They actually specify self-generated noise ≤5 dB. Their specs are backed up with their AP measurements on their website too. https://www.storedj.com.au/genelec-classic-series-8010a-3-two-way-active-studio-monitor-pair?SearchId=7735073&SearchPos=1 You can demo in-store to listen for any hiss. Edited April 28, 2020 by rand129678 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengineer Posted April 28, 2020 Author Share Posted April 28, 2020 Yeah, been looking. Genelec 8010 aka G One (rev B ) IK Multimedia MTM Both seem interesting. DSP correction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rand129678 Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Bengineer said: Both seem interesting. DSP correction. No DSP in the Genelec 8010 or G One and those are 2 different speakers... G One features RCA input. Performance is the same but XLR is better to minimise chances of ground loop issues, if your DAC/Pre supports it. The Genelecs with DSP feature digital inputs... the 83xx SAM series. Edited April 28, 2020 by rand129678 Added more info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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