Speakers for desktop

[d_a_n1979]

Howdy folks...

Very long time no speak; hope you're well well

I'm 'buying blind' in regards to some desktop speakers for my rather large office desk; they'll be paired with an Arcam Alpha 5 integrated amp (40WPM of lovely Arcam warm 'smoothlyness') and fed by my Mac Mini/iTunes library via optical out and a FiiO D3 DAC. Speakers will be on some RoXdon speaker isolation pads and aimed at my ear height...

I want to spend around £100 ideally and have been looking at the Wharfedale 9.1's and there are some Wharfedale 121's on eBay for a similar price also... Has anyone heard both these and if so, what are your thoughts, pros/cons etc...

I know they'll be very near field, I've already been down the monitor/powered speakers line so not interested in thoughts/opinions about that..

Eventually when I redecorate my office I'll be moving it around as well so the speakers will end up going on some Atacama SE24 stands I've got in the loft going spare...!

Any thoughts on the Wharfedale 9.1's vs the 10.1's as well?!

Cheers

 

[dim_span]

for less than £100 , I'd be looking at second hand Mission 751 speakers ...

 

[d_a_n1979]

for less than £100 , I'd be looking at second hand Mission 751 speakers ...

No thanks; never liked Mission speakers; not the best sounding and always look cheap as well

 

[BigH]

Look cheap? My 780SEs did not look cheap with real rosewood veneers. And there went well with Arcam. Much better than some Wharfedales as well.

 

[davedotco]

I recently saw some small, LS3/5a sized speakers from a new company that were being sold direct.

Small, but with decent sensitivity and begining to gain a bit of a reputation, priced around £300-400pr.

Anyone seen them, I can't remember the brand?

 

[BigH]

I recently saw some small, LS3/5a sized speakers from a new company that were being sold direct.

Small, but with decent sensitivity and begining to gain a bit of a reputation, priced around £300-400pr.

Anyone seen them, I can't remember the brand?

made in Yorkshire? I saw them but can't recall the name either.

 

[dim_span]

I recently saw some small, LS3/5a sized speakers from a new company that were being sold direct.

Small, but with decent sensitivity and begining to gain a bit of a reputation, priced around £300-400pr.

Anyone seen them, I can't remember the brand?

made in Yorkshire? I saw them but can't recall the name either.

BC 30 speakers by Kralk Audio .... many who have heard these rate them highly

http://www.kralkaudio.com/bc-30.html

 

[dim_span]

Look cheap? My 780SEs did not look cheap with real rosewood veneers. And there went well with Arcam. Much better than some Wharfedales as well.

Mission make/made some really good speakers .... the 751 (non freedom model) is a very good buy ... a pair in rosewood in very good condition sell for approx £80 on ebay ....

I'd rather have these than new wharefdales (especially for a desktop setup for spotify etc) ... but Hey Ho .... that's just me

 

[d_a_n1979]

Not interested in Mission speakers, only interested re views on the Wharfedales I've asked about...

Please discuss your Mission fondness elsewhere

 

[davedotco]

I recently saw some small, LS3/5a sized speakers from a new company that were being sold direct.

Small, but with decent sensitivity and begining to gain a bit of a reputation, priced around £300-400pr.

Anyone seen them, I can't remember the brand?

made in Yorkshire? I saw them but can't recall the name either.

BC 30 speakers by Kralk Audio .... many who have heard these rate them highly

http://www.kralkaudio.com/bc-30.html

Spot on, thank you.

Small sealed enclosures, ideal when positioning is less than ideal.

Specifications are tremendous and if what I have heard is even half right, very impressive.

 

[davedotco]

Not interested in Mission speakers, only interested re views on the Wharfedales I've asked about...

Please discuss your Mission fondness elsewhere

Sorry for the thread craping.

Back on topic, I advised a few people to get 9.1s, for the money they are well balanced, a bit boom-tizz but not at all bad for the money. When they were available last year I thought they sounded less refined but a bit more outgoing than the AE Compact 1s at a similar price, I thought the Compact 1 was a better speaker, though I can understand why the 9.1s were so popular

 

[Jota180]

I suggest the Wharfdales.

 

[d_a_n1979]

I have considered the Compact 1's but found them to be too small a soundstage and lacking quite severely in all honesty...

i may may up my budget to cover the Dali Zensor 1's, they seem to get rave reviews

 

[davedotco]

I have considered the Compact 1's but found them to be too small a soundstage and lacking quite severely in all honesty...

i may may up my budget to cover the Dali Zensor 1's, they seem to get rave reviews

Indeed they do, but despite that they are easily my favourite sub £200 speaker.

Bass is really tight and clear for speakers of this price, some people mistake that for being bass light.

 

[record_spot]

Look cheap? My 780SEs did not look cheap with real rosewood veneers. And there went well with Arcam. Much better than some Wharfedales as well.

Mission make/made some really good speakers .... the 751 (non freedom model) is a very good buy ... a pair in rosewood in very good condition sell for approx £80 on ebay ....

I'd rather have these than new wharefdales (especially for a desktop setup for spotify etc) ... but Hey Ho .... that's just me

You'd be right too. The 751s were great speakers. Certainly, the performance was terrific - the 75 series was Mission's highlight I think. Left comparable models by competitors of the day like Acoustic Energy and the rest in their wake. The OP was talking out his hat. And cheap? LOL! I dunno about a new pair of speakers, maybe a trip to Specsavers...so with that in mind, I think our OP deserves one of these...