Active monitors + CD player as an alternative to keeping things neat and simple?

[womble72]

I it possible to connect a CD player and possibly a TV to a pair of powered speakers? I've seen a pair of dynaudio studio monitors with built in amps and thought they might be quite a nice alternative to buying a micro/mini/lifestyle system for my living room. Would I be right in thinking that if a pair of speakers designed to help an engineer create music then surely they will reproduce a similarly detailed sound when connected to a CD player?

 

[cheeseboy]

all depends on what you want your set up to be. Genreally studio monitors are meant to be listened to close up, not say 7-10 feet away on a sofa. Plus you'll probably get a lot flatter respsonse, which a lot of people are not used to, and they actually prefer the coloured sound an amplifier will give.

 

[hoopsontoast]

Or how about a small amp like the Teac A-H01, plenty of digital and analogue inputs, and the matching or simillar small CDP.

 

[hoopsontoast]

all depends on what you want your set up to be. Genreally studio monitors are meant to be listened to close up, not say 7-10 feet away on a sofa. Plus you'll probably get a lot flatter respsonse, which a lot of people are not used to, and they actually prefer the coloured sound an amplifier will give.

I agree with the first part, but not the second. Cheap 'Studio' monitors are no better or worse than the equivilent 'coloured' hifi speaker. And an amp will only 'colour' the sound if it is very badly designed.

Actives are a good option, but I would not rule out a small amp and passive speakers, much more flexibility.

 

[Craig M.]

all depends on what you want your set up to be. Genreally studio monitors are meant to be listened to close up, not say 7-10 feet away on a sofa. Plus you'll probably get a lot flatter respsonse, which a lot of people are not used to, and they actually prefer the coloured sound an amplifier will give.

This seems to be a common misconception. Near-field monitors are so called because the drivers are physically close together and so will present a cohesive sound close-up, this will not have any detrimental effect on how they sound when sitting further away. I'm sat about 15 feet from mine. You also can't draw to many conclusions about how they will sound, there can be quite a difference between the sound of active monitors. What the op does need to consider is whether he will need a pre-amp of some sort to adjust the volume, most actives have 'power' amplification only.

 

[womble72]

Thanks for the replys. I was just curious as I'm thinking of replacing my old denon amp/cd and kef cresta30's for a wife friendly system that would be used in our lounge (roughly 3m x 5m and 7ft listening distance). I was round a customers house a few years ago and they had some Mackie? powered speakers that were pumping out a decent sound and also sounded really ace when connected to the tv for movies.

 

[AL13N]

Thanks for the replys. I was just curious as I'm thinking of replacing my old denon amp/cd and kef cresta30's for a wife friendly system that would be used in our lounge (roughly 3m x 5m and 7ft listening distance). I was round a customers house a few years ago and they had some Mackie? powered speakers that were pumping out a decent sound and also sounded really ace when connected to the tv for movies.

Have a look at my post here:

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/best-amp-under-1500-gbp-for-classical-music#comment-2762855

Both the Quad and AVI have digital inputs for TV/BDP/PVR and a Preamp to control the volume.