Speakers for my setup

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

Hi! I'd need some speakers for my setup. I am planning on using them for watching movies, videos, and listening to music. They should have decent bass.
My budget is ≈400$.

Q1: Which would be best for me/my setup: regular computer speakers, bookshelf speakers with an amplifier or studio monitors.

I won't use the speaker's to edit videos!

Q2: What speakers would your reccomend? (Specific speakers)

Q3: If you think i should get passive speakers with a amp, what amp would you recommend? Thoughts on the Audioengine N22.

Q4: One speaker i have in mind is the Audioengine P2 w/ their N22 Amplifier. What do you think of this set? Is that a problem, that the speaker are 5 years old? Should i also need a DAC for them/would it have a big difference?

Q5: Another set i have in my list is the Polk Audio Hampden. What about the bass on these?

Q6: The speakers must have decent bass, but if im ever to get a subwoofer, what are sone of your reccomendations? (This isn't included in the $400 budget)

 

[davedotco]

I assume a computer will be your primary source but what is it?

A laptop, desktop?

Does it have a decent soundcard etc.

Will the speakers go on a desktop alongside a PC, would you prefer to sit at a distance and contol things from a laptop or a tablet?

And where are you? A lot depends on what is available in your marketplace.

 

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

Source is a laptop, MacBook Air. But I'd also like to have one extra input (3.5 preferably), to connect my phone sometimes.
They will go on top of my desk yes. And I'd be sitting by the desk, but the speakers should be able to fill my whole room, so that i could also listen from my sofa, that's on the othes side of the room. My room measures at 3x4 meters. If the amplifier/the speaker's have a remote, would be nice but not a priority, as my main source of music is Spotify, which means i can skip tracks from my phone.
And i will buy them from USA. As long as they can fit in a carry-on luggage and weight less than 10kg/20lbs.

 

[davedotco]

Is a pair of Audio Engine A5+. Less than $400 in the US if you look around.

Add an Airport Expess to connect your Macbook and it has a spare analog input for your phone, remote control too.

They are a bigger version of the Polks, bigger sound, fuller bass and pretty well sorted for the money. There are neat little desktop stands available too, for around $30, well worth it.

There are better options, but they will cost more. Look up the Equator Audio D5s also nominally $399, altogether on a different level performance wise, but you will need a preamp of some sort.

 

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

But why are the A5+ better than P4 with N22 amplifier?
Would they also benefit from audioengine d1 dac?
And why the airport express?

 

[davedotco]

To be honest there is probably little difference between the two setups, power, facilities etc will be broadly similar, I'm assuming you mean the N22/P4 combination.

The A5+ is a little larger and bigger sounding but that is all. By incorporating the amplifier in the speaker the savings are quite considerable, casework, for the N22 is probably 50% of the cost.

Ideally you will need a dac to convert the output of the computer into something the speakers can woork with, a much higher quality solution than just using the headphone socket. The Airport Express is such a dac and has the added bonus of connecting to the Macbook wirelessly. Once you get used to the covenience of wireless, you will not give it up easily.

If you really want separates, look at the AudioEngine D1 dac preamp and a pair of active monitors, no remote though but then neither does the N22.

If the Equator Audio D5s are too expensive, check out the Yamaha HS5s.

 

[gasolin]

krk rookit powered 5 g3 looks good (imho) sounds good and good bottom,bass

or mabye something like this

https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX8020-TX-8020-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00EE18O7W/ref=sr_1_20?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1468318456&sr=1-20&keywords=amplifier&refinements=p_36%3A1253506011

https://www.amazon.com/Debut-Bookshelf-Speakers-Andrew-Jones/dp/B014GSER6O

 

[davedotco]

But the N22/P4 combination would need a DAC also? And also i don't want studio monitors that much. Would i need also a subwoofer? Reccomendations?

Yes. The Airport express is the obvious solution, not only is it a dac, but a wireless one at that. Plug it into either the N22 or the A5+, cheap too, about £50-60 from the refurb store in the uk.

The 'studio monitors' mentioned above are outstanding performers for their price, however they are largely 'bling' free so often do not appeal to hi-fi users who often seem frightened of them for some reason.

My recommendations remain as above, but as always, your money, your choice.

The studio speakers mentioned above would probably not need a subwoofer for music unless the the room is very large, movies are something else.

 

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

But the N22/P4 combination would benefit from a DAC also?
And will the A5+s work fine without a dac/airport express, if i can't afford it in the beginning ?
And also i don't want studio monitors that much.
Would i need also a subwoofer? Reccomendations?

 

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

But the a5+s would need a sub? Also can i use them without a dac in the beginning?

One problem is that i have an Android phone, from which I'd like to play music from time to time, so i can't airplay with this. Maybe the d1 dac would be better for me then?

And just to make it clear, the difference between the A5+ or the P4/N22 combo isn't huge?

And last, is it safe to buy speakers used, any stores/sites you'd reccomend?

 

[davedotco]

The A5+ is, for it's size and price a fairly weighty, full sounding speaker, whether it needs a sub or not rather depends on what you expect to hear from your music.

They are, in effect, a normal pair of largish bookself speakers with 5 inch bass drivers, one of the speakers contains a nominally 50wpc stereo amplifier with a couple of inputs and outputs and remote control. It is a 'hi-fi' product, passive speakers with 'built' in amplification, it sounds like regular hi-fi but is limited in terms of flexibility. It is however a well sorted product that is a complete system in a box, well two boxes really.

On paper it is bigger and more potent than the N22/P4 combination, 50watts against 22watts, a 5inch driver against a 4inch etc. What this means to you can really only be determined by audition though the 'house sound' is quite similar.

Both systems have two inputs but of course no dac, an Airport Express (or an inexpensive wired dac if you prefer) can handle the Macbook and the other input can take the output from the headphone socket on your android device. It may be possible to get a digital signal out of your device but that is outside my area of competence.

 

[daveh75]

A Chromecast Audio may be a better option than an AEX in this instance, given it works across platforms and and it's considerably cheaper (and often heavily discounted too, making it even more of a no brainer) than the AEX.

 

[davedotco]

A Chromecast Audio may be a better option than an AEX in this instance, given it works across platforms and and it's considerably cheaper (and often heavily discounted too, making it even more of a no brainer) than the AEX.

Decent call though I have little hands on experience. I know one person who has it to play Spotify, he suggests using an external dac is 'essential' for 'hi-fi'

Perhaps you can expand on how that would work with the music on the computer and android phone. I would find that useful.

 

[gasolin]

Well, i guess im going for the A5+.

So could i get a wires dac and also use the Chromecast audio? Cause i don't think it has good dac built in, if it even has one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_TLoHxbKRDSCQ3 is this just an interface or also a DAC u could use for my speakers?

Or maybe you can reccomend me some good DAC for 100-200$. If possible, and such DACs exist, it could also have a built in headphone amp.

only for your pc? Audioquest jitterbug balck or red for your pc

https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-DragonFly-Black-USB-Converter/dp/B01DP5JHHI/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1468389262&sr=8-16&keywords=audioquest+jitterbug

https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-DragonFly-Red-USB-Preamp/dp/B01DFMV4NQ/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1468389262&sr=8-9&keywords=audioquest+jitterbug

 

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

Well, i guess im going for the A5+.

So could i get a wires dac and also use the Chromecast audio? Cause i don't think it has good dac built in, if it even has one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_TLoHxbKRDSCQ3 is this just an interface or also a DAC u could use for my speakers?

Or maybe you can reccomend me some good DAC for 100-200$. If possible, and such DACs exist, it could also have a built in headphone amp.

What about Schiit DACs?

 

[davedotco]

If you want extra functionality, things start to get more expensive.

So now you need a dac/headphone amp, with at least two inputs and separate outputs for the phones and speakers, Schiit products do not really have that flexibility, at least not at affordable prices.

Depending on what is available in your market, check out the Yamaha NX-N500 system.

It is kind of like a 'do everything' version of the A5+ that improves on every aspect of functionality and performance. It is £599 in the uk, but you literally need nothing else.

It is a fully active speaker system with 45 + 45 watts per speaker, multiple inputs both digital and analog, network connections so that you can stream from your own network or from the internet, it has Airplay and Bluetooth connectivity built in so you can stream wirelessly and, fo future expansion, full multiroom capability.

Sure it is going to cost more than the $399 price tag of the A5+ but you don't need a dac, or a pre-amp, or an airport express or anything really and the fully active configuration is technically superior to the powered passive setup of the A5+.

If you need to keep your spend to around $400, get the A5+ and a cheap usb dac like the Behringer UCA202), very decent for the money.

IIf you think you are going to spend more, then check out the NX-N500 or look at separares, perhaps a Maverick Tubedac or a Schiit Magni/Modi combo and proper active speakers.

 

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

So the yamaha NX-N500s have built in dac also?

And what's the difference between the magni 2/modi 2 and magni 2 uber/modi 2 uber

 

[davedotco]

Of course it has a dac, it needs one to handle the digital data (music) streams it recieves via usb, optical, Airplay, Bluetooth and via it's built in network capabilities. It can also handle regular analog inputs, as I said, it does pretty much everything.

That said, the system is not cheap, £599 is the nominal price against £299 for the A5+, (all UK pricing) but apart from stands, you need nothing else.

Look it up.

Same for the Schiit product, the website tells you all you need to know.

 

[hybridauth_Google_106718600945837448808]

But what about the Yamaha HS5? If id get these and then also the Schiit magni2/modi2 combo and also their passive preamp SYS for volume control. Woult this set be good? Maybe I'd get some other dac/headphone amp but what about these speakers?

 

[davedotco]

Make some decent product but their idea is to separate all the various functions into separate modules, ie dac, phone amp, preamp etc. Nothing wrong with this except cost, separate case and power supply for each module is expensive, that combination will do what you want but is very limited functionally and has no remote control.

To be honest, I am beginning to lose the plot here, we are moving all over the place in terms of price and functionality. Perhaps you can define your position a little more clearly.

 

[thewinelake.]

If you're buying in USA, you might be better off asking in a US forum?

Seems to me that a lot of the best buys are specific to where you're shopping. I presume your wealth is in USD, so that should help!