Topic: Recommendations for Compact (Desk) Monitor Speakers

[tapeworm48]

I'm looking to streamline my home office setup; specifically, the one on my desk. This is where I edit and track my live recordings. Looking for something compact that I could have on my desk. Currently, I use a pair of PreSonus Eris E3.5 monitors plugged into my Mac Mini.

Any suggestions welcome. Thanks.

[goodcooker]

I'm looking to streamline my home office setup; specifically, the one on my desk. This is where I edit and track my live recordings. Looking for something compact that I could have on my desk. Currently, I use a pair of PreSonus Eris E3.5 monitors plugged into my Mac Mini.

Any suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Those Presonus speakers are not terrible I've heard way worse that cost lots more.

A friend has a pair of these in his home studio for playback and mixing and they sound spectacular. They have quite a bit of well focused bass for a 5 inch woofer and the ribbon tweeters are really accurate. They are $200 each but sometimes come up cheaper on the used market when people upgrade quickly - Adorama, Sweetwater, Reverb, etc...

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/T5V--adam-audio-t5v-5-inch-powered-studio-monitor

[grawk]

Harbeth LS5

[buckster]

Check out the Kali Audio LP-UNF:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LP-UNF--kali-audio-lp-unf-ultra-nearfield-monitor-system-black-pair

[todd e]

I am liking these aLOT for basically $100 (reverb)
PreSonus Eris E4.5 BT 2-Way 4.5" Active Bluetooth Studio Monitors

..when I'm at home I use ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers by Andrew Jones, fed by a cambridge audio DAC + cambridage audio topaz am10 2ch amp

[dyneq]

I have not auditioned these, but I would trust that they will be excellent based on my experience with their Affordable Accuracy Monitors (NLA). Not very sensitive, so you would need good amplification.

https://philharmonicaudio.com/products/true-mini

[voltronic]

Check out the Kali Audio LP-UNF:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LP-UNF--kali-audio-lp-unf-ultra-nearfield-monitor-system-black-pair

+1 on this recommendation. I own the Kali IN-5 and love them, though they are not at all "desktop" sized. Here's a very detailed review of the UNF:
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_lp_unf/

[tapeworm48]

thanks for the recommendations! Kali and Adam audio both have come up numerous times. I think the Adam 3 is possibly the right size for my desk.

these Onkyo speakers just came on my radar; I know they are not out yet but wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the specs: https://onkyo.com/hi-fi/gx-10db

[voltronic]

thanks for the recommendations! Kali and Adam audio both have come up numerous times. I think the Adam 3 is possibly the right size for my desk.

these Onkyo speakers just came on my radar; I know they are not out yet but wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the specs: https://onkyo.com/hi-fi/gx-10db

If you are looking to make good editing decisions, then I strongly encourage you to purchase monitor speakers intended for this purpose, especially those that have been thoroughly measured by someone who takes a scientific approach like Erin's Audio Corner or Audio Science Review. Definitely avoid the Onkyo speakers.

[ts]

I have the Kanto YU2 and Audioengine A2+ with their sub. I use the Audioengine setup for my desktop and the Kanto with a second living room turntable setup. Love them both. Similar in size. Close in price. Compact and rock solid build and sound. Customer service ain't to shabby either.

[Gutbucket]

I have not auditioned these, but I would trust that they will be excellent based on my experience with their Affordable Accuracy Monitors (NLA). Not very sensitive, so you would need good amplification.

https://philharmonicaudio.com/products/true-mini

I've heard the Affordable Accuracy Monitors and wished I picked up some of them when they were available.  In the sealed configuration these will need a sub to support the lower octaves (they will either way, really) but are likely to integrate more easily and be more accurate in the cross-over region to the sub. Getting extended low frequency output from small monitors is always compromise and most small ported monitors tend toward quantity (more output down there) over quality (more accurate but less output down there).  But integrating a sub is problematic too.  Pick your poison.  These aim for something of a "do no harm" approach of rolling off rather high, from a design mindset that a lack bass is less of a sin in a tool intended for monitoring accuracy than having more extended but inaccurate bass.  I find that approach attractive when the goal is an accurate monitoring tool.  Most manufacturers are afraid to do that because extended bass sells more speakers, even if its less than accurate.  Accuracy vs attractive sounding.  In the end, whatever works for you in effectively translating the choices you make into what others end up hearing is the right tool.  The challenge is figuring out the particulars that allow for that.

[dyneq]

I have not auditioned these, but I would trust that they will be excellent based on my experience with their Affordable Accuracy Monitors (NLA). Not very sensitive, so you would need good amplification.

https://philharmonicaudio.com/products/true-mini

But integrating a sub is problematic too.  Pick your poison.  These aim for something of a "do no harm" approach of rolling off rather high, from a design mindset that a lack bass is less of a sin in a tool intended for monitoring accuracy than having more extended but inaccurate bass.  I find that approach attractive when the goal is an accurate monitoring tool.  Most manufacturers are afraid to do that because extended bass sells more speakers, even if its less than accurate.

It doesn't have to be problematic if you have the right tools. I find that Audyssey works very well in my HT setup. For a near field monitoring setup, having REW and a measurement microphone would allow for well informed EQ choices. I like to move the speakers and subwoofer(s) or apply room treatments first to address the worst of the dips and peaks, then move on to PEQ.

Philharmonic speakers are an expensive proposition, but they are very up front about their design goals, parts, etc. which, as you said, is refreshing in today's market.

[Gutbucket]

Agreed and kudos to doing it right.   It's not a "hook it up and just run with it" kind of thing, but takes the right tools to do sufficient measuring and setup tweaking to get a sub to integrate properly enough to really be useful in making trustworthy for mix decisions, IME.  Not everyone is going to be up for doing all that.  Can be easier and is likely to be less problematic for many to use slightly larger monitors that go low enough, and then just ignore the bottom couple octaves.  Sure, that kind of setup which is not using a subwoofer will also benefit from a carefully made measured correction, but doing that will be significantly simpler than also implementing a sufficiently transparent cross over from the speakers to a sub.

tl;dr- smaller monitors + sub can be more complicated to get right than slightly larger monitors that go sufficiently deep.. as long as they don't attempt to go super deep or super loud.

That said, sitting close in a near field arrangement is the #1 thing one can do and costs nothing.

[Gutbucket]

If you are looking to make good editing decisions, then I strongly encourage you to purchase monitor speakers intended for this purpose, especially those that have been thoroughly measured by someone who takes a scientific approach like Erin's Audio Corner or Audio Science Review. Definitely avoid the Onkyo speakers.

X2.  Monitors are intended primarily as listening/mixing tools.  Home stereo gear is primarily intended for enjoyment.  The focus is different.  Getting monitoring really right is tough, but the essential trick of it is not necessarily getting it just right, but being able to determine what will to translate to playback elsewhere.. and what probably won't.

[goodcooker]

It's not a road littered with land mines and pitfalls.

I mix on a pair of Acoustic Research M2 two way speakers from the 1980s that I paid $35 for at the thrift store powered by a Hafler MOSFET amp. I also have a cheap Polk Audio powered subwoofer that I run off one of the headphone outputs so I can dial in as much or as little as I want. My room is untreated and no measurements have been made - ever.

The way I do it is completely wrong in every way according to the lion's share of folks that have an opinion to share about it.

If you go to a music store like Guitar Center you can bring your own music and audition all of the studio monitors that they sell. They are all different and none is better than the other - just different. One person's "flat" is another person's "boring". One person's "revealing" is another person's "harsh".

It IS actually a "hook it up and run with it" situation. You decide on a speaker you like and do the minimal amount of homework about how/where to place them that fits your space. It is that simple.

[Gutbucket]

Like most things, it can be as simple or as complex as you want and wish to take it. Maybe based on the real world results you are getting you might go as far down the rabbit hole as it takes, or maybe not worry about it at all.  You're the one in charge.

Part one of this video covers the some of the pitfalls typically associated with monitoring the bottom end when mixing pretty well- https://youtu.be/1xPO2Q2QHXk?si=Rq2D9paWDzMiAWho

[heathen]

Philharmonic speakers are an expensive proposition, but they are very up front about their design goals, parts, etc. which, as you said, is refreshing in today's market.

As someone who owns a pair of them (the BMRs, to be specific), and has followed a lot of the discussions that have included Dennis Murphy himself, I can assure you that for the performance they offer they are the absolute best bargain out there.  Even since he had the good sense to raise his prices a bit, his speakers are still a steal.  While in absolute terms more than $1k can feel like a lot for speakers, compared to what else is in the price range of the various Philharmonic models nothing can even come close to them.

[heathen]

Check out the Kali Audio LP-UNF:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LP-UNF--kali-audio-lp-unf-ultra-nearfield-monitor-system-black-pair

+1 on this recommendation. I own the Kali IN-5 and love them, though they are not at all "desktop" sized. Here's a very detailed review of the UNF:
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_lp_unf/

I also have the IN-5 monitors and I've used them on a desktop with angled foam pads to aim them at my dumb head.  They're not bad speakers, but I haven't been blown away by them either.  At one point I had the WS-12 sub to go with them, but I ended up selling that.

[voltronic]

Check out the Kali Audio LP-UNF:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LP-UNF--kali-audio-lp-unf-ultra-nearfield-monitor-system-black-pair

+1 on this recommendation. I own the Kali IN-5 and love them, though they are not at all "desktop" sized. Here's a very detailed review of the UNF:
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_lp_unf/

I also have the IN-5 monitors and I've used them on a desktop with angled foam pads to aim them at my dumb head.  They're not bad speakers, but I haven't been blown away by them either.  At one point I had the WS-12 sub to go with them, but I ended up selling that.

They really need stands. Also, after doing a full measurement with REW and generating correction curves, they sound phenomenal. When I toggle the generated correction on and off, they are muddy-sounding when uncorrected.

If you are anyone else is curious, I recommend these stands. They are extremely solid yet adjust over a wide vertical range.
https://www.cotytech.com/speaker-stand-for-large-size-height-adjustable-sp-os10

For measurement and correction, I generally followed Julian Krause's guide, including his house curve. One significant thing I do differently than him is to set the speaker type to "full range" since the Kali's can dig pretty deep. I generated multiple curves with different corner frequencies for roll-off, and the Full Range profile absolutely sounded the best. I also ran the measurement at the highest sample rate offered by my interface.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev1bSSL8tRA

If you generate multiple correction files and want an easy way to switch between them, this tray app is great:
https://github.com/psidex/EACS

I used this measurement mic since I already have a good audio interface:
https://www.daytonaudio.com/product/911/emm-6-electret-measurement-microphone
 
Or you can go with the ever-popular Umik-1 USB mic:
https://www.minidsp.com/products/acoustic-measurement/umik-1

Both of these mics are also available with additional calibration from Cross-Spectrum:
https://www.cross-spectrum.com/measurement/calibrated_dayton.html
https://cross-spectrum.com/measurement/calibrated_umik.html

[Chilly Brioschi]

Bass traps require dissimilar materials, wood, foam, fiberglass, corrugated, etc. to diffuse the sonic pressure.
It is a lot of work and time to get that tuned right to the room and a given source.

If you stay above 80Hz, you avoid that,... just HPF your mastering.
Very few can reproduce it at home or through ear pods anyhow.

GC is on-point, listen before you buy.
It is your hearing that is important.

I do not EQ to flat, although start there.
I rarely use loudness at all.

The new Lady GaGa release is a brick of compression.
Many people have said that they love it, and it will likely win awards.
Everyone has their own preferences...