Let's talk powered speakers

JLM · « **Reply #40 on:** 7 Jan 2013, 10:18 pm »

Tony,

Thanks for the feedback. I've been living with oldie but goodie butterscotch smooth/warm sound in the living room (OK for the background/casual function it's been fulfilling) but ready to get with the new millennium.

jsm,

The ribbon tweeters used today are 99.9% not the Heil air transformer (that was a dipole with an X layout looking down from the top where it typically sits on the outside of the cabinet). My plans are to pair actives with a NuForce airDAC so I look forward to your assessment as well.

neobop · « **Reply #41 on:** 8 Jan 2013, 02:16 am »

No, it's definitely not a Heil tweeter, but it works on the same principle, a ribbon with a folded diaphragm. Martin Logan and Dali are using similar tweeters, so they're in good company. The new tweeters are probably being made in China. These speakers look like an exceptional value.
neo

jsm71 · « **Reply #42 on:** 10 Jan 2013, 12:55 pm »

Thanks for correcting me on the tweeter. I know it is not a Heil driver, but I have read so many comments that it is Heil-like that my mind made that jump.

Regardless, my speakers are on a truck for deliver today and I am looking forward to a fun evening. I'm glad to hear the break in estimate is only about 50 hours or so. My Maggies took nearly half a year before I was sure they weren't changing any more.

My DragonFly DAC arrived a couple of days ago and I can fully attest to its benefit. While its reach up the sonic improvement scale can be debated, it is exactly what I had hoped for. The improvements over my stock sound card are stupidly better.

I also quickly proved it works easily on my old desktop XP system and my Windows 7 laptop. The headphone support is also quite an improvement from the simple headphone jack on the PC. Now I can see how much the Airmotivs will help now that I've vastly improved the signal feed.

tonyptony · « **Reply #43 on:** 10 Jan 2013, 02:10 pm »

Quote from: jsm71 on 10 Jan 2013, 12:55 pm

Regardless, my speakers are on a truck for deliver today and I am looking forward to a fun evening.

I'll be very interested in your impressions as well. Since my last report I've used the HF control to cut the high end in my listening arrangement. I think it was needed to produce a more balanced sound.

Last week I finally got someone on the phone at Swans. I guess it just confirmed my conclusions. When I explained that I had a pair of M200s that were producing noise, and could I get them repaired, the answer was "oh, no, we don't repair those".

I guess the one with the amp in it is heavy enough to be used as a doorstop.

geowak · « **Reply #44 on:** 10 Jan 2013, 06:25 pm »

NHT powered monitors M-00. A bit over budget and I think they are not going to be available soon.
But good 75 watt speakers!

jsm71 · « **Reply #45 on:** 11 Jan 2013, 02:23 pm »

I got the Airmotiv 5s hooked up last night and started breaking them in. These are perhaps too much speaker both in size and output level for what I need this close to my ears. I am wondering if the 4s might have been a better option. Whoa, stop that crazy talk. They don't look out of place and I do like bass as deep as it can go. For the record, the 6s wouldn't fit so they were discounted out of the gate. With the holiday sale still in effect the 5s were only $50 more than the 4s anyway, so why not aim higher.

I'll hold off on details of sound until they break in more and I can play with the settings, but my initial response was surprise. I just haven't shopped for desktop or small speakers in a very long time and I am amazed at the output, clarity, punch, and tonal balance, even right out of the box. I know they will even improve more over time, which pretty much removes the sending them back option.

I do need to adjust their final placement. I have a corner desk surface with upper shelves and side cabinets to each side forming kind of a boomerang. That gives the speakers and monitor somewhat of a contained well to operate in. I'm getting some bass booming and reinforcement that I will need to work out. I may need to dial the bass down before I'm done. BTW, the bass seems to reach plenty low by my account. After about 2 hours of play I was already hearing some improvement happening. At that point I went to tracks with punch and deep bass. I'm glad I didn't go with the 4s. The 5s will be totally adequate, and the output capability is beyond what I need. Thankfully, the tonal balance seems to be consistent across different volumes. I imagine if my need was dedicated listening in a small to medium room using stands, the 6s would make a killer budget option, maybe even negating the need for a sub.

I also have a free standing desk that I use for writing directly behind me diagonally facing the corner. I could place the speakers on the back side of the desk which would free up all surrounding boundaries. The sound would be coming from behind when working on the computer however, and that is the majority of the time. Has anyone tried these out in the open not near any walls? I guess I'll have to try it.

JLM · « **Reply #46 on:** 11 Jan 2013, 04:37 pm »

After break-in trying stuffing the ports with a variety of things (cotton balls, cocktail straws on-end, sponge rubber, etc.).

According to the site the 4's weren't currently available anyway.

I'm still debating 5's versus 6's as the first use would be trying to fill a large space, but the more serious use would be in a smaller (ordinary) space. But if you want to dump your 5's I'd be glad to take them off your hands at a steep discount (just kidding).

jsm71 · « **Reply #47 on:** 11 Jan 2013, 07:44 pm »

I am confident that by tinkering with the placement and boost settings I can tame the reinforcements. I'm just getting started, but if all else fails I will be trying other remedies. The early behavior may work itself out as well as they break in, but I suspect what I am hearing is more the fact that I have them somewhat boxed in. I'll figure it out.

I have no use case for the 6s, but I would make time to hear them if the situation presents itself. Assuming they are a step up in output and bass impact from the 5s they should be equally impressive in their price range. Marked down $220 right now is a pretty stong incentive as well.

Rclark · « **Reply #48 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 08:13 pm »

http://emotivapro.com/products/powered_monitors/stealth8.php

Seems the speaker has a 2" front baffle.... and 200 watts on each tweeter

tonyptony · « **Reply #49 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 08:50 pm »

Here's my update on the Airmotiv 5 (A5 in short). After spending more time figuring proper placement I settled on the stands being located close to where I last left them. I have them about 15 degrees inward from the speakers being pointed directly at the listener, so the crossing point is in front of the listener. Positioned this way they have excellent fill from left to right, and very good depth (YMMV). With the backs of the speakers offset from the rear wall and about 14" away from the back (very little boundary reinforcement), I definitely needed to cut the treble - otherwise the high end seems to "stand out on its own" from the rest of the music.

I sepnt quite a bit more time comparing these to my Swans. D@mn those Swans, but there's a reason why they're so popular. I can only repeat my impressions from my post on the 31st. With the treble shelved the A5s will do nicely - they definitely do a better job at transparency and low end articulation... just articulation top to bottom in general. And they are enjoyable. The Swans just have a more natural, smoother presentation. Almost like "no, you're not getting the last word in spatial presentation or detail retrieval, but just listen to that smooth sound!".

It sounds like I'm talking myself into returning the A5s, but I don't think I will. Partly because they really do sound quite good. Purely objectively, it's a speaker better suited to room listening than the Swans - better depth, better articulation, better dynamics, more even from top to bottom. But the Swans sound more like they're being fed by good tube equipment, at the expense of everything I just said about the A5s. They actually sound just a bit compressed by comparison. I think in real terms they would have done better if I had used them in their intended role as desktop speakers. But such is life; they served me well until recently.

cjr888 · « **Reply #50 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 03:41 am »

Keep your eyes open on ebay.com and gearslutz.com for Blue Sky eXo2 2.1 Monitors. You get two Sat's, a sub, a volume control and you can find them in the $300-500 range, usually toward the lower end. Same goes for other Blue Sky products if you're willing to spend a bit more.

In the same light but a bit higher, if you keep your eyes open you can often find good deals on ADAM A7's, A5's A5x's and A3x's.

Even used, I think most of the powered DynAudio's and Focal's go above your price range but it can't hurt to keep your eyes open.

doug s. · « **Reply #51 on:** 21 Jan 2013, 09:55 pm »

Quote from: tonyptony on 19 Jan 2013, 08:50 pm

Here's my update on the Airmotiv 5 (A5 in short). After spending more time figuring proper placement I settled on the stands being located close to where I last left them. I have them about 15 degrees inward from the speakers being pointed directly at the listener, so the crossing point is in front of the listener. Positioned this way they have excellent fill from left to right, and very good depth (YMMV). With the backs of the speakers offset from the rear wall and about 14" away from the back (very little boundary reinforcement), I definitely needed to cut the treble - otherwise the high end seems to "stand out on its own" from the rest of the music.

I sepnt quite a bit more time comparing these to my Swans. D@mn those Swans, but there's a reason why they're so popular. I can only repeat my impressions from my post on the 31st. With the treble shelved the A5s will do nicely - they definitely do a better job at transparency and low end articulation... just articulation top to bottom in general. And they are enjoyable. The Swans just have a more natural, smoother presentation. Almost like "no, you're not getting the last word in spatial presentation or detail retrieval, but just listen to that smooth sound!".

It sounds like I'm talking myself into returning the A5s, but I don't think I will. Partly because they really do sound quite good. Purely objectively, it's a speaker better suited to room listening than the Swans - better depth, better articulation, better dynamics, more even from top to bottom. But the Swans sound more like they're being fed by good tube equipment, at the expense of everything I just said about the A5s. They actually sound just a bit compressed by comparison. I think in real terms they would have done better if I had used them in their intended role as desktop speakers. But such is life; they served me well until recently.

sounds to me what you are missing is a quality tubed preamp.

doug s.

tonyptony · « **Reply #52 on:** 22 Jan 2013, 12:00 am »

Quote from: doug s. on 21 Jan 2013, 09:55 pm

sounds to me what you are missing is a quality tubed preamp.

doug s.

Well, considering the amp for my main rig is a hybrid

, I feel like I'm covered for my big boy system. The A5s will do just fine.

doug s. · « **Reply #53 on:** 22 Jan 2013, 12:22 am »

Quote from: tonyptony on 22 Jan 2013, 12:00 am

Well, considering the amp for my main rig is a hybrid , I feel like I'm covered for my big boy system. The A5s will do just fine.

i certainly understand that your main rig is the important one!

but it has been my experience that, while i prefer tube amps, i can live w/solid state amps; but my preamp will always have tubes in it!

meanwhile, i have enjoyed reading about these emotiva powered speakers; it seems they are crying out for a tubed preamp. i would really like to hear their top stealth 8 model...

doug s.

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #54 on:** 22 Jan 2013, 01:47 am »

I have a pair of the Equator D5 speakers arriving tomorrow. My audio buddy Tom Tutay told me about these and highly recommended recommended them.
A really nice speaker from the reviews that I've read also.
For the asking price of $300 for a pair they are just what the doctor ordered when you don't feel like firing up the big rig for just a short time.

http://www.equatoraudio.com/D_Series_Studio_Monitors_s/43.htm

cjr888 · « **Reply #55 on:** 23 Jan 2013, 04:54 am »

Quote from: Bill O'Connell on 22 Jan 2013, 01:47 am

I have a pair of the Equator D5 speakers arriving tomorrow. My audio buddy Tom Tutay told me about these and highly recommended recommended them.
A really nice speaker from the reviews that I've read also.
For the asking price of $300 for a pair they are just what the doctor ordered when you don't feel like firing up the big rig for just a short time.

http://www.equatoraudio.com/D_Series_Studio_Monitors_s/43.htm

Bill - keep us posted on your impressions down the road. I always feel like I'm generally aware of everything out there even if I've never heard it. They are a new name to me so I'm definitely interested in your impressions!

dwk · « **Reply #56 on:** 28 Jan 2013, 10:01 pm »

Quote from: Bill O'Connell on 22 Jan 2013, 01:47 am

I have a pair of the Equator D5 speakers arriving tomorrow. My audio buddy Tom Tutay told me about these and highly recommended recommended them.
A really nice speaker from the reviews that I've read also.
For the asking price of $300 for a pair they are just what the doctor ordered when you don't feel like firing up the big rig for just a short time.

http://www.equatoraudio.com/D_Series_Studio_Monitors_s/43.htm

Ah, I'd forgotten about those. I'm very interested in hearing your experiences with them. If they're anywhere near as good as the internet-forum-buzz from a while back, they stand to be an incredible bargain. Used SB3 and a pair of these gives you a $500 system that should be great.
I'm still not sure whether these are 'legitimately good' or just 'good for the money', but they do seem interesting.

wisnon · « **Reply #57 on:** 28 Jan 2013, 10:24 pm »

$500 a pair Vanatoos have won the Max. Mojo award over at StereoMojo.

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #58 on:** 28 Jan 2013, 10:39 pm »

Sorry but I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to give these a good listen, I had them hooked up for a couple hours and was impressed right out of the box though.
I will give my impressions in a week or so.

skifasterslc · « **Reply #59 on:** 14 Mar 2014, 03:12 pm »

Bill, how do you like the equator D5? I am seriously looking at D8, with full return option I may just have to order a pair! THX