My First Setup, what do people recommend?

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Vladimir

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Overdose said:
davedotco said:
Vladimir said:
I threw a lot of house parties. IMO best way to go is a 2.1 system with very loud satelites (ferro-fluid cooled tweeters) and 12" or 15" active sub. You mount the satelites (monitors) in room corners near the ceiling, away from drunkards. If you buy floorstanders or standmount monitors, everyone will knock them down, place drinks over, push in drivers.

I wouldn't use anything less even for a bathroom karaoke.

Rather depends on the scale of the nonsense you get up to at house parties.

If we were really serious the speakers would be so loud that no one would go within 10 feet of them.

For more refined get togethers, we used these.

A pair naturally, that is a 15 inch bass driver by the way. Ours were actively bi-amped, a DC300A per speaker

Nice, but where's the soap tray?

growling-dog1.jpg
 

Freddy58

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Vladimir said:
Overdose said:
davedotco said:
Vladimir said:
I threw a lot of house parties. IMO best way to go is a 2.1 system with very loud satelites (ferro-fluid cooled tweeters) and 12" or 15" active sub. You mount the satelites (monitors) in room corners near the ceiling, away from drunkards. If you buy floorstanders or standmount monitors, everyone will knock them down, place drinks over, push in drivers.

I wouldn't use anything less even for a bathroom karaoke.

Rather depends on the scale of the nonsense you get up to at house parties.

If we were really serious the speakers would be so loud that no one would go within 10 feet of them.

For more refined get togethers, we used these.

A pair naturally, that is a 15 inch bass driver by the way. Ours were actively bi-amped, a DC300A per speaker

Nice, but where's the soap tray?

*biggrin*
 

davedotco

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Vladimir said:
I wouldn't use JBL 4333 for parties. I would sleep with them and growl at people who come near them.

Sadly mine were in nothing like as good (cosmetically) as the speaker in the photo. The textured grey finish gave them a very purposeful, industrial look.

I aquired them for free when we were putting in some 4350s, I gave the studio a good deal as long as I could keep the old speakers, bass drivers needed reconing, but that was it.

A few years later I had the chance of repeating the deal with another studio, they were replacing their 'old' 4350s with a new pair. I could have got a nice walnut pair for a pittance, had to pass as I had nowhere to put them........*fool*
 

davedotco

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hybridauth_facebook_1257083074 said:
So would most of you suggest im looking for some monitors instead ?.

Sorry about the nostalgia trip.

The primary decision is to work out what you really want. Hi-fi entusiasts tend to want a hi-fi system, ie a source, dac, amp and speakers and there have been several viable suggestions above.

The issue is the "gatherings". At one end of the scale, half a dozen or so friends chatting and primarily listening to music will find a normal, well chosen system all they need. At the other, pack a decent sized room with people and the noise level will go through the roof, the bodies will absorb huge amounts of power and conventional systems, at this price level anyway, will simply not cope. It is pretty amazing just how quickly you run out of power in these situations.

The active speaker route gives you more useable power, the amps drive the speakers direct which is more efficient and better controlled. The capabilities are altogether on a different level to conventional hi-fi systems, and being studio monitors, quality is pretty good too.

What tends to throw many people is that they do not sound much like the hi-fi you get at this sort of price, they are tighter, much 'punchier' and much more controlled at higher volume levels. Some hi-fi enthusiasts will not like them as they do not have the characteristic relaxed 'warmth' of most hi-fi, they think they are bass light but what they are missing is the 'boom' and 'waffle' that dominate most conventional budget speakers but when a real bass note appears, the HS8 will punch you in the chest like little else at the price.
 

Overdose

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hybridauth_facebook_1257083074 said:
So would most of you suggest im looking for some monitors instead ?.

Those in the know, yes. ;)

The term 'monitor' is merely used to describe a speaker generally used in a studio environment. It has no bearing on its performance. It's the 'active' bit that's the most important.

Dedicated internal amps for each driver and the lack of a passive crossover will give much better control and clarity and you will generally find that they will play louder without distortion.
 

Native_bon

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Am late in this thread but the yamaha HS8 active monitors are excellent speakers. I use these in my music studio. I even question seperate hifi when i listen to music on them. Its a must listen. Powerful & defined music.
 

lindsayt

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Byron, for a start I wouldn't buy anything from Richer Sounds. Other people might be happy shopping there I wouldn't.

I would look out for a scruffy pair of classics from Altec, Bozak, EV, JBL, Klipsch, Vitavox for about £500. (I'd also keep an eye out for speakers like the Goodmans Magisters or Akai SW-175's for £150.) Something with a minimum of 12" bass cones. Specification wise, they will make the so called high efficiency Q Acoustics 2050i look deeply inefficient. You'll need a scruffy pair of classic high end speakers to bring them within budget. Also a lot less stress for you if the cabinets are already scratched when you have your boozy mates round. Who cares if they get a couple more scratches or stains? But the thing is, they will sound sublime for your serious solo listening and convert your room to a high end disco with greater clarity when you want to party.

The exact model of speaker would all depend on what you saw a good deal on first.

You'd then have about £300 in your budget for a nice battleship amp and a decent enough DAC. Plus you'd have somethjing that could be a final destination system, instead of a starter system. Buy wisely, buy once.
 

relocated

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lindsayt said:
Byron, for a start I wouldn't buy anything from Richer Sounds. Other people might be happy shopping there I wouldn't.

I would look out for a scruffy pair of classics from Altec, Bozak, EV, JBL, Klipsch, Vitavox for about £500. (I'd also keep an eye out for speakers like the Goodmans Magisters or Akai SW-175's for £150.) Something with a minimum of 12" bass cones. Specification wise, they will make the so called high efficiency Q Acoustics 2050i look deeply inefficient. You'll need a scruffy pair of classic high end speakers to bring them within budget. Also a lot less stress for you if the cabinets are already scratched when you have your boozy mates round. Who cares if they get a couple more scratches or stains? But the thing is, they will sound sublime for your serious solo listening and convert your room to a high end disco with greater clarity when you want to party.

The exact model of speaker would all depend on what you saw a good deal on first.

You'd then have about £300 in your budget for a nice battleship amp and a decent enough DAC. Plus you'd have somethjing that could be a final destination system, instead of a starter system. Buy wisely, buy once.

You will have at least a chance of this if you 100% take NO notice of the above advice. I'm afraid the poor chap is stuck in a time warp with his needle stuck in the same ever repeating groove.
 

lindsayt

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Well at least I'm not an AVI spamming shill.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Tell you what. I'll put together an £800 system along the lines of my recommendations in this thread. You bring any AVI system that you wish, Relocated. We'll get together at Byron's house, or any other suitable venue and Byron himself can make up his own mind as to who is stuck in a time warp (if anyone) and who is an AVI spamming shill (if anyone).

Are you up for that Relocated, or anyone else from the AVI gang?
 

Overdose

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lindsayt said:
Well at least I'm not an AVI spamming shill.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Tell you what. I'll put together an £800 system along the lines of my recommendations in this thread. You bring any AVI system that you wish, Relocated. We'll get together at Byron's house, or any other suitable venue and Byron himself can make up his own mind as to who is stuck in a time warp (if anyone) and who is an AVI spamming shill (if anyone).

Are you up for that Relocated, or anyone else from the AVI gang?

Are you ill?
 
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Vladimir,

sorry for trying to be polite before.when i say "gatherings".... Im a student in newcastle. When i say parties i mean a sh*it load of students getting f*cked up in a relatively undeveloped property covered in the reminence of peoples stomach linings and urine. *dance4*
 

Overdose

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hybridauth_facebook_1257083074 said:
Vladimir,

sorry for trying to be polite before.when i say "gatherings".... Im a student in newcastle. When i say parties i mean a sh*it load of students getting f*cked up in a relatively undeveloped property covered in the reminence of peoples stomach linings and urine. *dance4*

Yep!

The HS8s. ;)

(Wall mounted)
 

chebby

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hybridauth_facebook_1257083074 said:
Perfect. *ok*

Not once they are covered in puke and some clown has kicked in the drivers for a laugh.

Those Cerwin Vegas cost serious money. About £500 each for the XLS-215s. Okay for Bullingdon Club members (daddy will pay up) but I doubt you would be too cheerful about it.

Just buy something for £20 on ebay that is 'disposable' without too much financial grief.
 

steve_1979

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hybridauth_facebook_1257083074 said:
Vladimir,

sorry for trying to be polite before.when i say "gatherings".... Im a student in newcastle. When i say parties i mean a sh*it load of students getting f*cked up in a relatively undeveloped property covered in the reminence of peoples stomach linings and urine. *dance4*

Give these guys a call. I'm sure they'll be able to advise you on a suitable pair of active speakers and the necessary partnering equipment. £800 should do nicely.

http://www.dv247.com/
 

lindsayt

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Overdose said:
lindsayt said:
Well at least I'm not an AVI spamming shill.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Tell you what. I'll put together an £800 system along the lines of my recommendations in this thread. You bring any AVI system that you wish, Relocated. We'll get together at Byron's house, or any other suitable venue and Byron himself can make up his own mind as to who is stuck in a time warp (if anyone) and who is an AVI spamming shill (if anyone).

Are you up for that Relocated, or anyone else from the AVI gang?

Are you ill?

Are you as rude and insulting in real life as you are on this forum?
 

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