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Author Topic: These Things Worth a Crap? Edirol MA-7A (Recomendations Welcome)  (Read 9141 times)

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Offline Neilyboy

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I am looking to upgrade from my two dollar computer speakers to something a bit different but im broke. So I was wondering what I should snag. I am looking to spend around 100-150 (I am just looking for something that can be thrown on my desk and give me good clean sound. Or should I be looking to spend money on an amp and pickup some cheap speakers on craigslist.. I am new to the whole world of playback (been using cheap desktop speakers for years now).

Any suggestions are much appreciated. Only reason I suggest the Edirol MA-7A [http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MA7ABK/] is because of its price and I have been happy with Edirol's other products in the past figured they may be worth the 100 bucks...

Neil
Mic's: AKG C214's, Line Audio CM3, AT4041SP, AT853 (C, SC, O), AT943 (C, H)
Pre's: Sound Devices MixPre 2
Rec's: Sony PCM-M10, Edirol R-44, Tascam DR60D MKii, Tascam DR70D x 2

Offline faninor

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Re: These Things Worth a Crap? Edirol MA-7A (Recomendations Welcome)
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2009, 04:46:08 AM »
Haven't heard these ones, but I have the Edirol MA-15Ds for my computer speakers and quite like them.

Offline noahbickart

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Recording:
Capsules: Schoeps mk41v (x2), mk22 (x2), mk3 (x2), mk21 & mk8
Cables: 2x nbob KCY, 1 pair nbob actives, GAKables 10' & 20' 6-channel snakes, Darktrain 2 & 4 channel KCY and mini xlr extensions:
Preamps:    Schoeps VMS 02iub, Naiant IPA, Sound Devices Mixpre6 I
Recorders: Sound Devices Mixpre6 I, Sony PCM m10

Home Playback: Mac Mini> Mytek Brooklyn+> McIntosh MC162> Eminent Tech LFT-16; Musical Fidelity xCan v2> Hifiman HE-4XX / Beyerdynamic DT880

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Offline vanark

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Re: These Things Worth a Crap? Edirol MA-7A (Recomendations Welcome)
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2009, 02:55:14 PM »
no.

buy a cheep amp like this:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=302-601
and a pair of "bookshelf" speakers from audiogon like these:
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1254339157&/Paradigm-Mini-Monitor-v3


I'm not sure that matches his $100-150 price range.
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Offline BC

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Offline Todd R

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Re: These Things Worth a Crap? Edirol MA-7A (Recomendations Welcome)
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2009, 05:37:42 PM »
I used to have the Edirol 10A speakers/active monitors.  It looks like Edirol has gone to a slightly nicer MA15, and a slightly downgraded 7A.  They were pretty nice, so I'd guess they'd not be a bad solution with a nice pricetag.

For my living room (non-listening room) solution, I'm now using the Audioengine A5's, fed by either an ipod or a squeezebox.  The A5's are much nicer than the Edirol 10A's I had.  Audioengine also makes an A2 version, which I suspect will sound better than the 7A's, though I haven't heard either.

Just checking around, I saw this:
http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=95368

So they are a bit more than the top end of your price range (at $170 shipped), but I'd guess they'd be a nice option.

I also had been running a Trends TA-10 t-amp with a pair of Soliloquy Sat5's for my computer, which I replaced for awhile with Polk RT-15's.  The trends amp is a bit more expensive, but it is basically the same design of amp as the Sonic T-Amp that I think Nick had posted about.  http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,122589.0.html

Parts Express has a Dayton version of the T-amp, that looks the same as the Sonic:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-380

At only $45, you could get that and pair it with a used pair of bookshelf speakers.  As I said, I ran my T-amp with a pair of Polk RT-15's, and you can get a pair of similar Polks (RT15, RTi15, RT25, RTi25) for $50-75 shipped from ebay.  For my money, the Dayton T-amp and a pair of decent bookshelf speakers will sound much better than the 7A's, though for an easy setup the Audioengine A2's are worth looking into.

As more an aside, since it really isn't why I was posting these thoughts, you might be able to convince me to part with my Polk RT15's.  I just moved and I'm trying to decide what to put where.  I might use my Sat5's wall mounted (above my 2 year olds reach) for my main playback and use the RT15's with the T-amp for the computer, or I might use the Sat5's on the computer setup, and put my old Polk Monitor 5's onto the main playback system.  Ultimately, at some point I want to upgrade/reinvest in better main playback speakers, but that needs to wait until Elise stops wanting to poke holes in my drivers.  ::)


EDIT:   If you want to act quickly, here's a pair of RT25's going on ebay with an auction that ends in a few hours:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160351789632
« Last Edit: August 03, 2009, 05:42:43 PM by Todd R »
Mics: Microtech Gefell m20/m21 (nbob/pfa actives), Line Audio CM3, Church CA-11 cards
Preamp:  none <sniff>
Recorders:  Sound Devices MixPre-6, Sony PCM-M10, Zoom H4nPro

Offline Todd R

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Re: These Things Worth a Crap? Edirol MA-7A (Recomendations Welcome)
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2009, 05:56:56 PM »
Ok, guess I don't feel like working....

I just saw these on audioadvisor:
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ENC50

$80 for a pair of Energy bookshelf speakers + $45 for the Dayton T-amp + shipping.  Probably meets the high end of your target price, and probably would make for a very nice sounding computer playback system.
Mics: Microtech Gefell m20/m21 (nbob/pfa actives), Line Audio CM3, Church CA-11 cards
Preamp:  none <sniff>
Recorders:  Sound Devices MixPre-6, Sony PCM-M10, Zoom H4nPro

Offline Kush

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Offline Neilyboy

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Re: These Things Worth a Crap? Edirol MA-7A (Recomendations Welcome)
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2009, 10:28:41 AM »
Awesome, awesome, awesome replies everyone! I am clicking through all links that were posted. I am looking a bit more into the audioengine's that were posted! Thanks again everyone for all the comments. I will let ya know what I end up with. I am tired of the $4.00 playback speakers I have now haha.

/edit.. i dunno that little amp from partsexpress is looking pretty nice as well.. i could throw some decent speakers behind it and probably be overly satisfied for right around my budget...

Neil
« Last Edit: August 04, 2009, 10:37:04 AM by Neilyboy »
Mic's: AKG C214's, Line Audio CM3, AT4041SP, AT853 (C, SC, O), AT943 (C, H)
Pre's: Sound Devices MixPre 2
Rec's: Sony PCM-M10, Edirol R-44, Tascam DR60D MKii, Tascam DR70D x 2

Offline noahbickart

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Re: These Things Worth a Crap? Edirol MA-7A (Recomendations Welcome)
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2009, 10:44:58 AM »
I think that in general, the more money put towards transducers the better. If you can save up a while for better speakers you will be rewarded in the long run.
-Noah
Recording:
Capsules: Schoeps mk41v (x2), mk22 (x2), mk3 (x2), mk21 & mk8
Cables: 2x nbob KCY, 1 pair nbob actives, GAKables 10' & 20' 6-channel snakes, Darktrain 2 & 4 channel KCY and mini xlr extensions:
Preamps:    Schoeps VMS 02iub, Naiant IPA, Sound Devices Mixpre6 I
Recorders: Sound Devices Mixpre6 I, Sony PCM m10

Home Playback: Mac Mini> Mytek Brooklyn+> McIntosh MC162> Eminent Tech LFT-16; Musical Fidelity xCan v2> Hifiman HE-4XX / Beyerdynamic DT880

Office Playback: iMac> Grace m903> AKG k701 / Hifiman HE-400

 

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