Nearfields for audiophile listening?

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

  1. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    Sure does! Quite a split.

    Thanks. I had a wrong impression
     
  2. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,162
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Singapore
    I do wonder how much Adam has left of the original gang since some splintered off to Eve, and surely some must follow to HEDD.
     
  3. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
  4. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    I suppose a corporate tale must hang thereby. Since I realigned my speaker ambitions from active back to passive, and cancelled future audio spending anyway, I haven't followed such tales or developments.

    Don't want to derail the thread, but if anyone has a handy what-happened-to-Adam link, I wouldn't mind reading it.
     
  5. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    New Focal monitors coming out: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Shape65
    I've been chatting with a couple guys in studios and retail who seem to think this will be one of the top contenders at the $1k segment.
    edit: $1k each
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2017
  6. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    Don't forget the each, which is a thing that tends to come as a nasty surprise to anyone looking at "studio" monitors for the first time.

    And indeed, they look very nice indeed.

    Passive radiators: have a feeling that, in the past, I've only seen this on [even] more expensive speakers?
     
  7. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    566
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    More often than not, you are correct, most models with passive radiators are more expensive. There are of course exceptions. There's a passive radiator used in the $500 Vanatoo Transparent One which isn't horrible for the price and functionality.
     
  8. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Whoops, yeah I made the edit to say "each". Currently listed at Sweetwater for $900/each which isn't too bad (so 1.8k/pair).

    Some other monitors I can think of with passive radiators... The Mackie HR824 has a smaller single passive radiator and those are $1.4k/pair (but I think discontinued now). Moving up in price you've got the Barefoot Footprint 01 monitors which have two passives on the sides but are $3500/pair. Focal SM9 is something like 6.5k/pair. Amphion has a bunch of different models too from 2-6k/pair, but need separate amps.

    For hifi desktops with passive radiators... hmm, Clairaudient 1+1 and 2+2. Can't think of who else off the top of my head.
     
  9. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    4,171
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    The Netherlands
    These look very interesting, i still regret selling my Solo6's. Judging by the finish though i might prefer that of the Solo's, but on the other hand the shape65 looks to be mat and thus less delicate.
     
  10. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    I was trying to remember which monitors came with a sort of flavour switch. Yes, it is Barefoot.
    Their MEME Technology.

    In fact, all the technological features on that page are either very geeky or very groovy. Or Both! :p
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2017
  11. Poleepkwa

    Poleepkwa Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Finland
    The 8010 are seriously tiny. Sounds very good for something that cute.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2017
  12. Azteca

    Azteca Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,581
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Ooh. Was not aware of HEDD and their Adam lineage, nor the upcoming Focal. Thanks! Looking to replace these Tannoys I inherited from my predecessor.
     
  13. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    The Focal Shape 65 shares drivers and rough dimensions with the Focal Aria 906 (which is ported). I'm considering checking out my local shops to see if they have one for comparison.

    I've been mulling over too many options lately. It seems the trend in studio monitors is towards all DSP enabled stuff. Sorta negates the whole super dac concept though. Looks like lots of new toys in development over in Europe. I'm wondering if I should just do a small side-grade for the time being to satisfy my random upgrade urges and wait a few years to see what develops. Or more realistically I'm just gonna jump on whatever shiny deal catches my eye :oops:
     
  14. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

    Pyrate Banned
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,201
    Trophy Points:
    93
    focal cheap monitors are not for everyone. please audition before buying!
    in the 2k realm, I would not recommend focal for music listening active loudpeakers.
     
  15. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    I think you are aware of and mentioned Amphion? And you know they are passive. Two ranges, home and pro. Add your own electronics and stay in super-DAC land! And super-amp land!

    Ever so nearly went to look at Amphion, which would probably have ended in buying the smallest pro pair. Reason I didn't was the final instalment on a substantial debt did not come back to me as promised.

    But hey, when it did, it was much needed to help keep our heads above the flood water. Sometimes life doesn't give luxuries, but got something more essential instead!

    Heyho... speakers... more interesting:)
     
  16. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Yeah I've heard from a few people who do not like Focal speakers. I just mentioned these new Shape monitors as they seem interesting and I heard some good buzz on them.

    Aye, 'tis true. The perfect solution then would be to do external active crossovers and bi/tri-amping shenanigans with Yggdrasil level converters for all 4/6 channels, but now we are well past desktop/nearfield situations.

    What I do is I wiffle waffle over too many choices, until some real life situation overrides my desire for new gear. For example, I've been thinking of buying speakers since last summer, but waited and waited and suddenly I had some foundation repairs that snuck up on the home. Cool off during the winter and build up funds slowly, look at some more options, and now oopsie gotta do some landscaping on the yard and I need a new hot water tank. C'est la vie.

    If I had scads of money lying around, I might buy a nice set of Barefoot monitors.
     
  17. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    Never any harm in admiring the view!

    Or enjoying the window shopping. :D

    And, crossing the border into studio land, there is a stuff that people like me never even heard of without reading SoundOnSound and joining gearslutz.
     
  18. Garns

    Garns Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,483
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Sydney, AUS
    This. I bet they are amazing and I would love to listen to a pair but owww the price! (Especially if you aren't in the US)
     
  19. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    I bet they are amazing too. But (leaving out the flavour switch --- and the controls that tend to come with studio monitors anyway), if they do what they are supposed to do, which is to be neutral (isn't it?) then there is probably less difference between high-end studio speakers than there is between hifi speakers, which don't pretend to anything other than their house sound being better than the other house sounds.

    In other words, hifi buyers by their favourite flavour (which, to some, might be transparent) but studio buyers buy absence of flavour.

    ... just my theory!
     
  20. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    True, I think tonal balance should be more or less the same and the rest of the changes will be in distortion and dispersion behaviour.

    In addition to Barefoot, I would also droll over Unity Audio (a Super Rock or Boulder), Genelec 8351, ATC SCM20ASL, and Neumann KH310.
     

Share This Page