Well, since my computer setup also somewhat doubles for a DAW/Bedroom Studio set-up I'm a little more hardcore.
I started with a some powered AR speakers from my cousin, but eventually went to a pair of
Dyaudioacoustics BM15s, their Midfield monitors with 10" woofers. They're 4Ω speakers so not until I got a 4B-ST-Pro did they finally sound good (I was using two channels of my 9B-ST-THX).
But...I then got a pair of DB1Ss off Audiogon and have now gone all PMC (DAW and Home Theater). Transmission line was a revelation, now I understand 'port chuffing' even when using the foam port plugs on the BM15s.
Later I switched to a 2B-LP since the 4B-ST-Pro was way overkill for the DB1Ss. And I think I tried out some Blueroom
Minipods along the way. With the DB1Ss I can wall mount them which helps clear desk space.
I recently got a pair of
TB1S-AIIs that are amazing. But, since I use a BP-25 as a preamp its output is now too hot (5V) and I have to put the gains on the TB1S-AIIs to the minimum and I barely get the volume pot, on the BP-25 above 8 o'clock.
My new quest is for a DAC/pre like the Benchmark
DAC-1 PRE or the Grace
m903. The
DACmini is intriguing, but, it only has single-ended outputs.
But, back to the thread, for simple you might try
Dynaudio's Desktop systems. I think I saw a review of the small powered speakers BM15 (TAS or Stereophile), based off the BM5 pro monitors. I would think that studio monitors would be a way to go as there usually 'voiced' for close-in listening--especially if the monitors have digital/USB inputs. Maybe just a pair of classic LS3/5s? For work I have a pair of the aforementioned Minipods and us a NuForce Icon USB-DAC integrated to power them to reasonable volumes (thinking of upgrading to the Icon2) and now that iTunes lets you play music off any connected device I don't even need analog from my iPhone dock to the Icon and can just go digital to the Icon's DAC.
