Question Desktop 2.0 setup advice

solomyr

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I am looking to get a pair of stereo speakers to be connected to my PC and for that an optical connection is preferable. They will mainly be sued for listening to music and gaming. Space (footprint) is the main constraint as they need to not take up too much space on my desk, and can only accomodate speakers of a depth of about 18cm max. They also need to produce a reasonable amount of bass and I don't have the floorspace for a separate sub. I also want to be able to play music from my phone. Budget is £400-500.

Current options that I have identified are:
Ruark MR1 Mk2 (£330)
Dali Kubik Free + Xtra (£400 used)
XTZ Tune 4 (£400)

Another option would be passive speakers connected to something like the Denon Piccolo (£200) or Ceol N9 (£240) to power them and provide the wireless conectivity (as they could go on the shelf under my desk). I don't know what would be the best options for passive speakers or mini networked player would be.

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
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If you go down the amp+passive route then this may be worth a look at, particularly if your phone is Apple -

Musical Fidelity A100 - Monitor Audio Airstream A100 Wireless Airplay Amplifier Black FREE SHIPPING | eBay

Your problem will be finding small speakers with bass - to get bass you need volume (or a sub). The Ruarks have a 3" woofer but no frequency range is quoted but I'd be surprised if they go lower than about 75hz. You really need 5 or preferably 6.5" woofers to get any real bass but these are unlikely to fir the size requirement. This is also exacerbated if you go for active speakers as the amps tend to be on the back of the speakers making them deeper.

Therefore, the dali kubik looks a better bet with a 5" driver and stated 48kz at -3db and if you can get one with the extra for £400 then that looks like a good option.
 
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According to Ruark "The anechoic response of MR1 is flat (+/- 3dB) from 55Hz to 20Khz, although when used in a real room environment with the backs of the speakers sited near to a wall then you will notice a significant lift of the lower frequency with a useful response down to 40Hz".

I have an android phone, and having had a look at the Airstream, it seems to be Apple centric and doesn't have Bluetooth. Shame as otherwise looked quite interesting.
 
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Edifier R2000DB and the Edifier S2000 Pro are worth considering -

Edifier R2000DB - 5", Optical, Analog, Bluetooth, Remote Control, 5" Bass Drivers - £240/pr - (Black & Cherry) -

R2000DB-wood-finish-1_c4b4b669-f8de-463a-8a7d-d835a1b51489.jpg


https://www.amazon.co.uk/EDIFIER-EDFR2000DB-Home-Audio-Speakers/dp/B00O3K7GP0/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-R2000DB-Bluetooth-Bookshelf-Multiple/dp/B07CHQM8B7/

Edifier S2000 Pro - 5.5", Optical, Coaxial, Analog, Bluetooth, Remote - £430/pr -

s2000pro_1_rJIvCTezx.jpg


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-S2000-Pro-Active-Speakers/dp/B01MTJ0FEY/

More details direct from Edifier UK -

R2000DB Bookshelf Speaker With Bluetooth, Optical and RCA Inputs

S2000 Pro

On a desktop you can usually put a pair of 5" speakers, in some cased, you can work 6.5" speaker into the mix, but that is about as large as you can go. And, your expectations for bass have to be realistic. A small bookshelf speaker can only do just so much.

If it is possible, you can get some adjustable Speaker Stands at a very reasonable price and set the speakers to the sides of your Computer Desk -

Studio Monitor Speaker Stands, £49/Pair at Gear4music.com

A bit industrial looking but at a pretty attractive price as speaker stands go -



Steve/bluewizard
 
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As an alternative, here is a Compact Amp that has a very high feature set with very decent power at a very reasonable price -

SMSL AD-18 Digital Amp, Optical, Bluetooth, ... - £122 -


https://www.amazon.co.uk/AD18-Stereo-Amplifier-Bluetooth-Subwoofer/dp/B071JN7GXN/



That would allow you to buy pretty much any Passive Speakers you want.

With your very decent budget, you could consider something like this -

Q Acoustic Concept 20 (5") Bookshelf Speakers - £280/pr (retail £379/pr) -


Q Acoustics Concept 20 Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) - Superfi

The bass isn't that deep, but the sound quality is stunning for the price -



Steve/bluewizard
 
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Thanks for the suggestions Steve, but the speakers are all too deep for my desk (it is a corner desk). 18cm depth is about the max. I was having a look on the Edifier website, and the spinnakers look like they might also be a possibility.
 
a pair of kef wireless eggs sound sublime and are pretty small. They also have a sub out to deal with the lower frequencies. their imaging in near field due to the uniq is quite something. My mrs has a pair with a bk gemini sub hooked up to her pc and TT. really should be heard.

they aint a bookshelf so a sub is something i'd consider but they are the best I have heard in their size range
 
My brother has the Ruarks and for their size they are amazing
 
Spinnakers aren't an option - bluetooth v2 and no aptx. Reviews and comments on the Ruarks are all reallly positive. I have also come across the XTZ Tune 4, but reviews are rather thin on the ground.
 
Just an update on what I went for - I ended up more that doubling my budget and going for Neat Motive SX3 and Audiolab M-ONE. Very happy with the sound and I get a good bass rumble.
 

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