I’m trying to upgrade my listening experience from just using IEM’s to also have a good pair of speakers on my computer. I just got a pair of Kali LP-6 and they sound really good but being really honest I don’t know if I like them for every track. Maybe the IEM simply ruined my experience with the speakers. For some tracks, the Fiio FH3 has way more body and bass but to others the Kali simply outshines it. Could be related to a bad track, room treatment, and loudness of reproducing, I usually don’t listen at very loud levels.
But this raised a question for me. Would I be served better with anything else at this price range? 300 euros. I also picked powered speakers as I already have a Motu M2.
Just for the sake of comparison would something like a Monitor Audio Bronze 50/Kef Q150 with a Loxjie A30 would potentially sound better than what I have at the moment (Motu M2 + Kali LP-6)?
My first pair of speakers were studio monitors (some Infinity speakers from the late '90’s-early 2000’s, fuck you I’m not that old!) and I had a love/hate relationship with them as they made music sound great, but movies and gaming…not so much. I was more of a home theatre guy in those days and I still played video games (I can’t believe more guys don’t grow out of gaming once they reach their 20’s and movies in their 30’s, but I digress), so I sometimes wished that I had gone with something more versatile. They also didn’t do a great job with imaging and soundstage, but tonally they were very good especially for the price.
I can’t speak to how monitors sound now as I haven’t heard a pair in a while, but I would have to guess that the differences would be similar.
I love studio monitors, especially in a desktop situation. That said, they don’t pump out bass trying to pretend they’re a big speaker so they definitely benefit from a sub. If you don’t already have a sub, I would add one before trying a lateral move to other monitors or bookshelf speakers.
If you already have a sub, I would save up for something like the Adam A5X or something in that price range.
As a owner of these Kali Lp6’s I run them out from my Asgard 3 and Bifrost 2. They have great low end but could benefit from something like a Loki mini for that little extra on “some” music. Mostly I find I do not need it and they pound just fine. Could be the amp and dac providing the right sound…
Studio monitors have a flat sound signature used for mixing in theory, maybe some kind of EQ to tune the monitors?
I tried and they still sound kinda dead. I don’t know, maybe it’s something with the room.
I love studio monitors, especially in a desktop situation. That said, they don’t pump out bass trying to pretend they’re a big speaker so they definitely benefit from a sub. If you don’t already have a sub, I would add one before trying a lateral move to other monitors or bookshelf speakers.
If you already have a sub, I would save up for something like the Adam A5X or something in that price range.
I don’t have a sub. I usually don’t listen to loud levels and I would expect a 6.5" woofer to perform well as it’s not being pushed to its limits. Having said that I think the speaker may sound better when they’re playing louder. I need to try this tomorrow, can’t do it now otherwise my neighbors will call the police. That’s another reason I was avoiding a sub…
I’m gonna try to adjust the height of the stand too, I think it may be too high at the moment.
As a owner of these Kali Lp6’s I run them out from my Asgard 3 and Bifrost 2. They have great low end but could benefit from something like a Loki mini for that little extra on “some” music. Mostly I find I do not need it and they pound just fine. Could be the amp and dac providing the right sound…
The speakers are connected to a Motu M2 at the moment. For sure not the best DAC on the planet but I think it should be flat and good enough. On the amp side, nothing that we could do right? As the speaker is powered. I listen to it on my mac and I did install an equalization program so I could play a little with the sound. I think it sounds better with something like this:
Strange that you are not really getting the lows that you want. My set do not have any problems in that regard. and as for volume I would use the term ear splitting is a thing. Did you adjust any of the switches? and also do you have the tweeters at the proper height ?
Well the Kali’s are only 47 - 21.000 Hz (+/- 3 dB) .
So if the IME’s go to lower on the FR you notice more low end bass but they also probably produce more bass as when the kali’s bass range “dies” the IEM’s might even boost the bass more.
Plus the IEM’s are right in ear canal and Kalis have to “fill the room” first before reaching to you.
So the room modes might even lower the bass even more or can Beef it up little.
If you could measure the response of the speakers, you could see the FR they produce.
Then search the FR of the IEM. They probably are waaaaaaay off from each other.
But more low end on FR or more beefy bass and for 300 with speakers?
Probably not. Sub is the way to more.
KEF’s are 51 - 28.000 Hz (+/- 3 dB)
Monitor Audio Bronze 40 - 30.000 Hz (- 6 dB) in what room?
So probably they all around the same range on how they perform the bass performance.
It’s on a speaker stand at the height of my monitor near the wall tilted towards my head/ears. Maybe the problem is the room. In the normal settings, I feel that the music does not have body/bass but if I turn the bass up either at the switches or by eq it starts to rumble and or get muddy. For example, if I clap I can still hear the echo after ± a second. I’m trying to get a sofa and a rug.
Another thing that could be happening is simply my inexperience on this subject as I’m comparing the Kali with the Fiio FH3 and they’re totally different things. Maybe I’m an IEM person . Last year I got an AKG K371 and returned for the same reason, in this case, there is no room treatment variable, just the same feeling of the missing body at the music.
Yeah, I’m getting to this conclusion I think the speakers simply can’t get that low. The FH3 does 10Hz~40kHz (manufacturer specs).
But more low end on FR or more beefy bass and for 300 with speakers?
Probably not. Sub is the way to more.
I’ll keep my eyes open for subwoofer sales. For sure I don’t need to expend a ton getting something very powerful as I’m usually listening at 70/75db and I live in a apartment too.
Yeap. If these curves are near the reality or some just “there”.
You have plenty of low end bass with IEm’s compared to what the speakers can produce + room effects.
It might not even be possible to reach those level’s in a normal room.
There would be over the top of to much bass and probably everything would shake and rumble vibrate.
Still. Sub would improve the situation to some degree. No way near the range still.
I also listen at very modest levels but pairing my studio monitors with a 10" sub still made a big difference. Properly integrating them is important. I use a calibrated mic (miniDSP UMIK-1) with REW to get the levels matching. Doing it by ear is not very reliable, IMHO.
Definitely add some soft furnishings if you can hear an echo. If your room has a lot of echo, some acoustic treatment and soft furnishings will do more to improve your sound than more expensive electronics or speakers will.
Room treatment can reveal a speakers flaws. Finding this out in my own room, thought where great speakers not so much . (KLIPSCH R-15 2ch audiophile configured). No bueno to my ears after adding caperts playing with foam.
. Last year I got an AKG K371 and returned for the same reason, in this case, there is no room treatment variable, just the same feeling of the missing body at the music.
. (KLIPSCH R-15 2ch audiophile configured). No bueno to my ears after adding caperts playing with foam.