Speakers for small bedroom??? Studio Monitors vs Computer Speakers?

[matthughes64]

I have a small room, where I use my computer and play my 360. If I was big, I could reach my arms from one side to the other, but It's quite long. price-wise Ive been looking at £200-300, at normal computer speakers and studio monitors and . What should I buy? type? model? problem is I don't need loud, just nice. Also, are all studio monitors boring? my friends £300 ones are. thanks.

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by matthughes64

I have a small room, where I use my computer and play my 360. If I was big, I could reach my arms from one side to the other, but It's quite long. price-wise Ive been looking at £200-300, at normal computer speakers and studio monitors and . What should I buy? type? model? problem is I don't need loud, just nice. Also, are all studio monitors boring? my friends £300 ones are. thanks.

Well, since this is posted in the (mostly single driver) full range section of a DIY forum, you could expect a lot of suggestions for build it yourself designs - whether from scratch or flat-pac kits.

Also, don't be surprised at at wide range of opinions regarding makes and models of drivers to build around, as well as type of amp (which you didn't mention)

As to the question of studio monitors being "boring" - that can vary widely as well . I doubt anyone who's heard them would classify larger JBL systems as bland, nor on the other hand BBC spec'd LS3/5A as "overly dramatic" - but all that I've heard share one characteristic - prices much higher than those for which a musically satisfying little full-range or simple 2-way can be built.

[503Timber]

My computer is in a 10'X12' room. I run a USB DAC to a TA2020 amp to some Fostex FE127E's loaded into a simple ported bookshelf cabinet (not ideal). It is certainly a near field listening setup and does quite well. I'm in the process now of deciding what cabinet I want to build for my Fostex.

[zman01]

matthughes64,

I was struggling with small speakers also. Tried studio monitors but found them boring and also prone to causing listening fatigue (there must be better ones out there too). Then I got a B&W MM-1. Very sweet sounding and musical, compact, sound is very nice in near field. The amplifier and a DAC is built into one the speakers (DAC is decent too). The speakers comes with a remote control too - quite handy to turn the speakers on and off, control volume. The major problem is price - it cost me US $500.

After that I've been DIYing with full range drivers with extensive help from this forum - love the sound and also love the experience.

-Zia

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by zman01

matthughes64,

I was struggling with small speakers also. Tried studio monitors but found them boring and also prone to causing listening fatigue (there must be better ones out there too). Then I got a B&W MM-1. Very sweet sounding and musical, compact, sound is very nice in near field. The amplifier and a DAC is built into one the speakers (DAC is decent too). The speakers comes with a remote control too - quite handy to turn the speakers on and off, control volume. The major problem is price - it cost me US $500.

After that I've been DIYing with full range drivers with extensive help from this forum - love the sound and also love the experience.

-Zia

well, being that matt is located closer to "country of origin" of the B&W products, they might be within range of his budgetary comfort zone - they'd at least be worth a listen - my money's on them sounding more musical than any of the powered "computer" speakers I've heard since the demise of the Monsoons, which were actually quite decent for cheap