Nearfields for audiophile listening?

Discussion in 'Speakers' started by sashafuckinggrey, Feb 27, 2016.

  1. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Thanks! Worth clarifying my post: I love sub-bass and I'm okay if I need to get a subwoofer. I also need smooth treble, and I'm okay if it's a little dark. I am not okay if it's actually bright.
     
  2. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    @Luckbad perfect timing!

    I just went through this and came to the exact same conclusion as @PacoTaco. KH120 + Subwoofer is amazing!

    The coherency and naturalness of the KH120 is what sold me on them. Plus, they're construction and front firing woofers make them very versatile even in my non optimal setup. Here are the results I got with A7X vs KH120 and KH120 + Subwoofer:

    [​IMG]

    KH120 are no slouch by themselves but using a sub and crossing over around 80-100Hz will take some strain off the KH120 and the results are just fantastic.
     
  3. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Also, the KH120 are smaller, light can be turned off via a DIMM switch on the back and there is less hiss from the tweeter from the built in amp.
     
  4. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    Yep, you have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to get anything better than the Neumanns for nearfield/monitor listening.
     
  5. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Lovely. Neumann KH 120 pair looks to be $1400 retail for the pair.

    When you said Rhythmik L20, do you mean the L22? $899 shipped for that sucker.
     
  6. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I bought my KH120s on Amazon with Prime shipping lol. And got them when they were randomly discounted $50 off a piece so saved $100 and shipping cost.
     
  7. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    Don't listen to these retards. You're the legendary Luckbad and will want the 8" woofer. Do you want a woofer smaller than your dick for bass? Hell no. Luckbad wants porno woofers.

    You're going to be fighting a battle between extension (Luckbadness) and midrange clarity (guitar tone accuracy) and woofer responsiveness (the ability to keep it up, essential for porno bass). Usually a 6.5-7" woofer is the best compromise but sometimes you want the 8" depending on the brand. Usually one model is just better designed with better cab and better woofer than the others, which are just shelf turds. Go to a chain store or a real instrument store that stocks better stuff and listen to them yourself.

    If you play bass or anything downtuned like Black Sabbath, 6.5" woofer is the smallest I would recommend as low E on electric bass is 41 hz. The A7X is the best in the Adams X series along with it's big brother the A77X and the A7X is by far the best nearfield monitor that's easy to hear in a retail setting but it does have a sound. You might need a subwoofer for the lowest note of a bass on A7X in your room but you'll be fine with just a guitar.

    The HS8 is half the price of A7X, the best current Yamaha, and you won't need a sub for guitars but sounds completely different, bass is flatter, and the tweeter has way less detail when set up properly on axis. Off axis, it's more Yamaha; on axis, soft dome. It lacks the class of the A7X.

    The new KRK Rokits with the Kevlar drivers like their more expensive big brothers are not bad at all. You might like them a lot luckbad. I don't think you will need a sub. These would be a good bargain for the 5" or 7". The Rokit 8 loses midrange clarity but you're Luckbad. You might even want the 10" three way one that may or may not be good (haven't heard) but hell it's 10 inches and that's pornstar dick bass.

    JBL LSR 305 version 2 is fine to just play guitar on and would be my other budget rec. Not for bass at all. The 308 is flabby and lacks mids. Doubt you'll like either.

    Other brands I am not so sure. Mackies are awful, Genelecs bleh, Neumann has nothing inbetween the 5" box and the three ways out of your budget.

    You can also try more esoteric stuff like HEDD 07 (the Adam designer's new brand) or APS Klasik (Polish speakers with good cabs and Seas drivers) that you basically cannot hear in the USA without buying them but caveat emptor.

    These dudes (PackingTaco & SkippyPeanutButter) recommending KH120 due to reddit have no idea what the hell theyre talking about and aren't very critical listeners. You're Luckbad. You know you will hate that shit. The KH120 has no lower bass due to it being so small and sounds boxy and muddy. Bass and fat tones on it are lol. Bass E is 41khz. There are far better things to enjoy playing guitar and listening to music on. Maybe it's okay for Call of Duty bullets and paying respect but it has no more utility for playing guitar on than a pair of JBL 305. You're just paying 6x as much for all the niceties and still will need another pair of speakers than the muddy, extends too low, compact 5" with a Sennheiser owned brand slapped on it. Who gives a shit how well it's made if it can't do what you need it to do?
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2019
  8. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    You claim to know what you're talking about, but you completely forget to mention that room inaccuracies and treatments are a thing. I told him how they sounded in my room. I disagree with what you're claiming (though, like with 90% of the equipment you claim to hate, I doubt you've actually listened to it,) and, unlike you, I'm going to continue to be at least respectful about it.
     
  9. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    Going all out on bass traps for a 5" woofer speaker is like buying Magnums for a micropenis.
     
  10. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Did I miss a deleted post or something? Or someone I ignore?
     
  11. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    You're completely ignoring that he's getting a subwoofer.

    I meant the L12. And it was Psal making posts. You probably made a smarter move than I and ignored him.
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Psalm says you don't know WTF you are talking about and that only the Adams can slay Slayer.
     
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    More seriously, did you use the bass and treble shelf adjust on the back? There is also a tweeter gain.

    All pro monitors have controls like this. I hear a lot bitching about tonal balance, but never any indication that someone actually messed with the "tone" controls.

    The Adam A series has EQ shelf controls at 300Hz and 5kHz. Combined with tweeter gain (xover is 2500Hz), that's a ton of adjustment.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2019
  14. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    Yah, I did. I couldn’t get them to where I wanted them to be at. The tweeter always sounded off in the same way the Phils and lower-end T7Vs did in my office.
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Sounds like the AMTs just aren't your bag of tea, whether its dispersion or timbre characteristics. I'm undecided on the AMTs - need more time. I hate ribbons though, with a passion.
     
  16. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    I wouldn't even listen to Cream and Van Halen on a 5" woofer monitor. I'd rather just go take a night drive and crank it in my car. The last "treated" room I listened to KH120 in, a lot of kicks just had the beater hit click like I was listening on laptop speakers or an NS10m. f**k that.

    I hate estat treble, Martin Logans, and the F and T series but like the real Adam X tweeter. It's classy as hell every time I've heard it like a drummer who wears a suit all the time like Charlie Watts.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    JBL 2245H 18" woofer in a 10ft^3 (preferably even slightly larger) enclosure. 5in^2 port about 8 inches long. Extension to 30Hz. If HT, you want 20Hz. For music 30Hz, but better tradeoffs in efficiency and musicality. That JBL in a big cab crushes any audiophile subwoofer. Get a kitchen cabinet builder to make a box for you.

    Your 12' x 15' room isn't small.

    Just build a Tower of Power for the corner and paint hieroglyphics on it for a StarGate touch. Build another one for the other corner. I know you are a bass-head. You know you need to do this.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2019
  18. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    well, a 5 inch based speakers will work if crossed with a highpass at 120hz to good stereo subs.

    but yeah, luckbad, your a bass slut. even 8 inch woofers will sound utterly crappy next to 12 or 15 or 18 inch woofers. once you hear big woofers, its game over. 8 inch wont cut it either.

    A relatively "big" speaker that is not that expensive is the new jbl l100 classic. paper cones, 90 db efficient, 12 inch woofer. 4000$ (probably 3000$ in reality).
     
  19. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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  20. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Unignored Psal at my own peril. I forgot I ignored quite a few people a while back and you gave a fairly lengthy answer to my question, so thanks!
     

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