The active speakers club

[daveh75]

One day someone will make stylish, class D powered, true active speakers with USB/optical/wireless connectivity (and some useful DSP settings) that are easy to keep clean.

Not your typical active speakers, but how about Audiopros Air One? 4 x 25w class D amplification, Airplay, DLNA, USB, Optical and Analogue (3.5mm mini-jack) inputs and leather finished

 

[AlmaataKZ]

The simplist way so far is to use a Roku box or AEX as a wireless reciever for streaming.

The laptop would do the streaming.

I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.

B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.

B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.

Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.

exactly! Fully agree.

 

[Overdose]

I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.

B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.

No, that is rather pointless

 

[recruit]

Just added a pair of Kef X300A actives for listening to some high res music off of my laptop, and they are pretty good!

 

[Overdose]

The simplist way so far is to use a Roku box or AEX as a wireless reciever for streaming.

The laptop would do the streaming.

I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.

B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.

B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.

Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.

Alesis M1 520

AudioEngine A5+

 

[chebby]

The Audioengine A5+ are advertised as 'powered' and not active speakers.

I'm not mentioning that because it's a problem (I have heard they are excellent and they get great reviews) but because this thread is about active speakers so - technically - the A5s aren't the same thing.

I'm not the one looking for actives to go in a bedroom. That was Almakaatz. I can't see him going for 'powered' speakers somehow

 

[JMacMan]

As I am looking into optios for small actives to use in the bedroom, some more models appear on the radar:

B&O BeoLab 4 (and 4pc). Class d actives, replaceable covers, signal sensing power on, minijack input, 4 inch bass driver, wall and floor stands, a bit expensive, distinct looks.

As good as the Beolab 4s are (I have heard them and they were impressive, sounding way better than a Meridian M80), I didn't like the fabric covering.

Like the B&W Zeppelins, they are dust magnets and you would be continuously washing their 'socks'. (The staff at the Loewe Galerie' in Chichester - where I last heard them - said this was a problem with their display/demo B4s even though the place was spotless to almost cleanroom standards!)

The B&Os also seem to only have one 3.5mm minijack connection with no options for USB or optical.

The Ruarks look a good prospect except it's not clear yet if they are active or powered. (The WHF blurb doesn't make this clear.) Again, only a minijack connection.

Kef X300As are more powerful, a bit bigger, and have 24 bit/96khz capable USB connection to their own internal DAC as well as 3.5mm minijack. (And are true active designs.)

The KEFs are class A/B though, so they will get warm (heatsinks) and burn more electricity. They don't look very nice though. (I saw them last week in my local Audio-T).

One day someone will make stylish, class D powered, true active speakers with USB/optical/wireless connectivity (and some useful DSP settings) that are easy to keep clean.

The solution is to buy a pair of the relatively cheap, but very nice covers for them that B&O supply as an accessory. The covers are available for most speakers in the B&O portfolio including the Beolab 4's - I have a pair for my Lab 9's.

The inputs on the Beolab 4's will take an line in from a PC, or you have the so called B&O powerlink input (8 pin DIN) which you can use via one of the preamps in one of the B&O TV's, sound systems, or as a standalone solution with an playmaker - which is WiFi + very high quality DAC - aypically one would stream to it from an android or iDevice.

HTH

JMac

 

[daveh75]

Interesting new (launched end of Jan) ADC/DAC/Headphone/Pre with remote from CYP for anyone considering actives.

CYP AU-D250 around £440

Inputs:
1 x HDMI (audio breakout/video bypass)
1 x optical
1 x coaxial
1 x USB
2 x Analogue (RCA and 3.5 mini-jack)

Outputs:
1 x HDMI (embedded audio + video)
1 x Optical
1 x Coaxial
2 x Analogue (RCA and Balanced XLR)
1 x 6.35 headphone jack

 

[Overdose]

Very interesting (and useful).

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Interesting new (launched end of Jan) ADC/DAC/Headphone/Pre with remote from CYP for anyone considering actives. CYP AU-D250 around £440

Inputs: 1 x HDMI (audio breakout/video bypass) 1 x optical 1 x coaxial 1 x USB 2 x Analogue (RCA and 3.5 mini-jack) Outputs: 1 x HDMI (embedded audio + video) 1 x Optical 1 x Coaxial 2 x Analogue (RCA and Balanced XLR) 1 x 6.35 headphone jack

Excellent!

 

[steve_1979]

Here's a comprehensive list of active speaker manufacturers and links to their websites.

Clicky

 

[ebentjerodt]

Just Joint the active speakers club. Got the ATC SCM 50 Active. just another world!! very very happy!

have to adapt the rack to the new small Chrdo pre amp.

http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/4823/forofe.jpg

 

[richardw42]

Just Joint the active speakers club. Got the ATC SCM 50 Active. just another world!! very very happy!

have to adapt the rack to the new small Chrdo pre amp.

http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/4823/forofe.jpg

thats just awesome. Congrats.

Btw, is there anyone making active dipoles ?

 

[hoopsontoast]

Active Di-pole speakers:

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/orion_challenge.htm

 

[richardw42]

Build my own ?

That'd be worst active ever !!!!

pbtw, sorry for going off thread.

 

[hoopsontoast]

Build my own ?

That'd be worst active ever !!!!

pbtw, sorry for going off thread.

The Steinway Lyngdorf ones are Di-Pole/Active IIRC

 

[BigH]

Build my own ?

That'd be worst active ever !!!!

pbtw, sorry for going off thread.

Agree. Rather get someone who knows what they are doing, do that for me.

 

[Ajani]

Bryston now produces loudspeakers in both active and passive configurations.

They launched the Model T tower:

Passive 6,500 USD

Signature (external crossover - upgradable to active) 8,000 USD

Active (Requires 6 amplifiers) 9,500 USD

http://www.bryston.com/products/speakers/Model_T_Signature.html

 

[steve_1979]

This looks like it could be good for using with active speakers. It has a DAC, a pre-amp and a remote control.

http://www.whathifi.com/review/ldac-pro

 

[chebby]

This looks like it could be good for using with active speakers. It has a DAC, a pre-amp and a remote control.

http://www.whathifi.com/review/ldac-pro

I'd rather have a Beresford for half the price. (Actually I did and it was superb. Probably even better now.)

 

[Overdose]

A good example of a product sourced off the shelf, unless Lindy and Cyp are part of the same company/group.

Separated at birth?

Above, The CYP AU-D250, Below, the Lindy.

I suspect it was manufactured by a Chinese company as a generic do it all DAC, expect other brands to present the same thing under a different banner and maybe even in a new set of clothes. A 'knock-off' version will likely be on ebay soon, if not already.

However, it seems that the requirement for better connectivity and remote function has been taken on board. It looks like a good solution.

 

[Ajani]

To be honest, neither the Lyndy nor Cyp (which I also assume are the same product) seem appealing. I usually find that products loaded with extra features + striking cosmetics + a fairly low price do so at the expense of quality. The 3 star review of the Lyndy in WHF confirms those suspicions for me.

 

[Overdose]

To be honest, neither the Lyndy nor Cyp (which I also assume are the same product) seem appealing. I usually find that products loaded with extra features + striking cosmetics + a fairly low price do so at the expense of quality. The 3 star review of the Lyndy in WHF confirms those suspicions for me.

I wouldn't have any problems with sound quality with regards to the price, the price of £350 is not cheap for any DAC and much cheaper audibly transparent DACs can be had for much less. In fact the price is similar to other DACs of comparable design, ie DACmagic Plus and Matrix Quattro DAC. Spending this sort of money should really get you more than just a DAC anyway.

The ratings thing would also not put me off. It would be interesting though, to see independent reviews of both items, though I suspect that reviewers might need to be careful to remember what they wrote about one of the items before penning the review of the other.

 

[Bialykot]

I've just bought some Seiwin SN-4a actives from Studiospares at about £100 for my computer setup. They're true actives with 40W and 20W RMS to the 4" woofer and 1" silk tweeter. They are super value for money, play loud and clean and are dynamic and punchy.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Any pics of your setup?