Any recommendations for around 300$ near field powered bookshelf speakers? Would like a balanced sound with good detail and soundstage. No hurty treble please.
wow nothing? what happened to these forums? are they dead?
just get a pair of jbl 305 or adam t5v
How would those compare to the new FiiO SP3 speakers? is bigger better?
i don’t know ¯_(ツ)_/¯
if the new speakers are better than those two i would assume there are tons of reviews by now praising them. if you can’t find those dozens of reviews, i would stick to what is tried and tested.
Usually the stereotype when it comes to speakers is that bigger drivers have better bass response
When it comes to studio monitors the main thing to remember is that they might not exactly be the most convenient thing to connect if you don’t have something like an audio interface.
From my experience with the studio monitors in the price range my personal preferences are to the KrK Rokit 5 g4. They are honestly a boring pair of speakers with nothing too exaggerated. Favorite for genres like edm and rock. Added mini bonus for App and LED screen on the back to adjust settings for them.
Adam T5v might fall into the category of hurty treble for you, that AMT tweeter can be a nightmare for some people. Soundstage is pretty good on them though. Weakest bass response out of the pairs I am mentioning. Some people find it most detailed out of the bunch.
Jbl 305 has pretty good low end reproduction but has more of a mids scoop than either the ones mentioned before. DSP is definately recommended for these but when you get it dialed up they can arguably be the best for some with nice punch. Heard some set ups where somebody had a surround set up and it was nice.
Most likely compared to the FiiO SP3 the bass response gonna be way cleaner on the studio monitors though I have not heard the Fiio’s.
(Order from best to Least in my opinion)
Bass:
JBL > Rokit > Adam
Treble:
Rokit > Adam > JBL
Mids:
Adam > Rokit > JBL
Technicalities (Soundstage and Imaging):
Adam > Rokit > JBL
Once DSP applied the JBL nearly matches the Rokit in the areas it was lacking. Adams dont fair the best with DSP compared to competition.
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Just my own opinion… I own the T5Vs and they are really good, They are currently connected via Bifrost 2 and Asgard 3 on my Simrig. For my main PC I have the Kali audio LP6 connected through my Bryston Bha-1 and Pontus 2. Base, Sub Base much better on the Kali’s and for the price I find them to be quite good.
Damn I knew I forgot a speaker in that price range. If you can fit them on your desk they can be a pretty killer set of speakers. Definitely the option for rumble while treble and mid I would rank are not as much as the Rokits. Looking back I should added some more notes with the JBL since they are also rear port speakers so if you push them against the wall they are going to have some funky bass response.
Quick summary thoughts would be:
Rokit - Neutral but leans more of the boring side with not exagerated bass or peaky treble.
Kali - Warmer Neutral
Adam T5v - Brightest pair out of the lot with great soundstage and imaging
JBL - Needs some tuning but potential .
I use the Kali’s on Kanto stands (white to Match) in a equilateral triangle 5x5x5. They are at perfect ear height as well. I have had them for a couple of years at least. For the price point they are really good and I do enjoy them very much.
What about the Klipsch Fives?
For around $300, there are some pretty neat near-field powered bookshelf speakers out there. Look for ones with good reviews on sound balance and detail. Brands like Edifier or Klipsch might have what ur looking for.
Also, since you’re into speakers, here’s a link to some of the best budget Bluetooth speakers: https://hifiaudios.com/speakers/best-budget-bluetooth-speaker/