Edifier R1700bts amzn.to/3tg2AGW ---Klipsch 5's amzn.to/3u3Bt1d (on sale at $510) ------------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman ----Kanto YU6 amzn.to/3MZAHeg ----Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF ----Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt ---Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH --amzn.to/3GkNaop --CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K ------apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P -------massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 ---------Amazon Unlimited Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9

@pineapple0427

Жыл бұрын

Hey Randy, I planned to get a speaker for home system with the purpose as a sound system for my TV for movies and netflix. and also for some casual song listening. Still not sure whether should I get a active powered speaker. Or get a passive speaker with a AIyima bluetooth/amp. Budget is $400 to $500. Thanks.

Got the Edifier R1280DBs (about $150 after tax) for my desktop because of the inputs and the sub out. They work better than I imagined and am super happy.

Randy - this is an outstanding video. Thank you for making so many of the important issues and challenges, of buying audio components - much more clear and understandable.

Great video Randy to help someone getting started not being frustrated with trying to enjoy the musical experience. You have so many good videos for beginners, if someone is researching I hope they go through some of your other videos to make a good informed decision,

This channel has been growing insanely fast. Happy for you man.

Thanks cheapaudioman! I got my Swans D1090 powered speakers about a year ago and am happy with how easy an simple it is with active speakers.

Peachtree M24/25 are super good and an easy way to fall in love with the hobby. I’ve since built a passive system (with a lot of influence from your videos) but that initial dip into better sound is all most people will need.

Great video! I like how you break things down to the casual viewer.

Valuable info for beginners. Man! Great job!

Thanks again Randy for another round up of FAQ's we're likely to need answering before we take the plunge 👍😁. I have a pair of Kanto YU6 powered speakers. The build quality especially in the bamboo finish is incredible. They have a physical knob for on/off/volume/input select but for all other functions require the remote. Their biggest failing though is that they're really room-sensitive. My listening room is almost a perfect cube and suffers terribly from reflections and standing wave issues at various frequencies. The lack of full eq means they can't be "dialled out". Volumio doesn't currently offer a graphic equaliser option either so I'm a bit stuck for now. I've tried them in the lounge which is a long, rectangular room and they sound great - even with totally flat eq. Sadly, this isn't a workable solution though.

Very informative! Thank You!

I wanted some blue tooth speakers for the den and got the Edifier 1700 's , I have a few systems but none were blue tooth , I've been enjoying these and once you play them in , they sound great

Thanks Randy. You’re my favorite HiFi reviewer on KZread. Hands down. Below is my journey over the last 3 weeks through the world of powered speakers. Apologies in advance as it turned into a review for The Fives by Klipsch. However, I hope this is helpful for anyone considering The Fives at their current very compelling price-point. So I just went down the powered-speaker rabbit hole (but ultimately climbed back out). I was looking for a relatively compact HiFi system for my office (not for computer/near-field use). I picked up a pair of Klipsch The Fives off Amazon (for around $530). I was actually disappointed for MY use-case even at that ~$500 price point. But they could easily be an amazing integrated package for many. I’ll say that I think they’re awesome - but it’s complicated (well kind of - but not really as we’re talking about speakers here and not major life-choices). They sounded fine, but there were niggles with my units that made them less than joyful to use in my setup. There were a couple things that might have been the units I was sent, and a couple with design in general. First, the input selector was VERY laggy (as in the indicator light would show the source change but the speakers wouldn’t actually start playing from the selected source for another 15 to 30 seconds). This might have just been my unit, and might have been fixed with the USB-drive-required update that I ultimately didn’t do. Also, being unable to see which input was active from my listening positions was a bit inconvenient - made even worse by the lag (again, very use-case dependent). However, what really ended it for me was all the clutter hanging out the back of the primary speaker. I use and enjoy just about all audio formats. One of the main reasons I got this was all the connectivity (except HDMI, as I wasn’t planning to use it as a sound-bar replacement). For my particular small-office use case, I was looking for a clean package and excellent sound. It turned out to be a very cluttered package in that small room on my small speaker stands with “pretty-good” sound. I ultimately sent them back this week in favor of the Cambridge Audio AXA35 amp plus Dali Spektor 2’s and I am a very, VERY happy man. The sound is much more to my taste in that room. The amp/other components are tucked neatly away and the speakers are floating out in the room right where I want them - like two red-woofered sonic pixies ready to grant my musical wishes. It was all a couple hundred bucks more moola, and technically not as compact - but WAY tidier in my home office. As a caveat, you would need to consider adding a DAC to the final cost for comparison - but I already had one. Additional parting thoughts: 1. I agree 100% with all the reviews. Bass on The Fives are IMPRESSIVE. Almost boomy overkill if next to a wall/on a shelf. Out in the room, I was very pleased. 2. If you are planning on using them with Bluetooth only or with just 1 source input , I think the setup would still be quite clean. These are probably an excellent all-in-one turntable solution, but I ultimately didn’t hook up my TT to test the onboard phono pre-amp (though it’s reportedly pretty decent based on the research I did on these). 3. They sound pretty good. I’m not a neck-deep audiophile with crazy-expensive gear, so I can’t give you all the good descriptive word-play. But I have heard/owned a great deal of the audio gear that we normal folks can typically afford. All I can say, that in my room, there was “something missing”. I even hooked up a subwoofer to see if the speakers would “open up” (as Steve Guttenberg often says!) when the high and midrange drivers are given more resources from the onboard amp. They didn’t. The bass was a bit tighter, but there was still something missing. That said, this was my music (jazz, acoustic, vocal-midrange heavy stuff, along with a lot of classic rock) in my room (small home-office space) - so your mileage will probably vary widely. 4. If you opt for these speakers, definitely do the firmware update to get the app-enabled EQ controls. If these puppies are close to a wall, the bass really needs to be tamed as it can be downright sloppy. The update requires a USB drive (with firmware downloaded and flashed to it by you) to physically plug in the back of the unit to update. However, it only needs to be done once - then the rest of the updates will be via the app. 5. Speaking of bass - in a small room, if they are away from a wall (or if you do and are satisfied by the aforementioned update for app-enabled EQ controls) - no subwoofer required. HOWEVER, if they must be close to a wall and you don’t do the update (or are unsatisfied by the results) a connected sub will take away that rear-firing boominess and tighten things up a bit. 6. At $500, I think this is a heck of a package with tremendous versatility. If I didn’t have so many components to connect (which it WILL accept) and wasn’t an electronics neat-freak (I blame Apple! I didn’t ask to be this way!) - I would have kept them (presuming the input-switching lag issue was fixable). If you buy them for the $800 retail price and expect $800 speaker sound (or even $500-$600 speaker sound)- you’ll probably be disappointed. But taken as a package deal with an amp, DAC, AptX Bluetooth-connectivity (no good for me, thanks again Apple!), phono pre-amp, and decent speakers with impressive bass for $500 (oh AND HDMI ARC support) - you probably couldn’t do that with separates and get this level of quality for that price. Add a WiiM mini (I did!) and you have a very compelling $600 do-it-all streaming package - presuming you don’t mind a crows-nest of cables hanging from one speaker.

@arthursimsa9005

2 жыл бұрын

What clutter are you talking about?

If you are a student or similar and want to play your guitar/bass/keyboard through them, look for a 1/4 inch jack. It's an easy way to avoid having to buy a separate practice amp and save space! Also, look for a power switch. This makes it much easier to adjust and plug things in and out it if does have one. The better speakers will have one as well as some sort of preamp level control knob. As for the subwoofer out, absolutely if it's under 5-6 inches. If you have 8 inch bookshelf sized speakers, though, a sub isn't 100% required. But physics exists and no 4 inch speaker can give you actual bass, though some as he noted can approximate it well enough to be tolerable for something like a PC or keyboard.

Great advise !!! Lots of different flavors of powered speakers...

Great introduction to the topic. In a digital world connectivity is key. At the higher end of audio systems the function of active, passive & powered speakers gets more involved. Amplifying a signal before or after a crossover can be important in some applications.

@rahliE777

Жыл бұрын

I have a question, you seem knowledgeable on the topic.. I have a pair of Kali LP6 v2 speakers and I’m looking to add a smaller set of desktop speakers and also maybe a sub down the road, all will be active/powered speakers.. What piece of kit do I need to properly power this to a PC? I’d like to be able to “switch off” say the Kali’s and the sub if I want to play a video game with just the desktop speakers and turn them back on to jam out or if my daughter wants to practice her dance routines.. I’d like to keep it under $200 if that’s possible, I’ve read I need an audio interface, another said a DAC, I’ve seen I need a receiver with certain outputs, someone said a freakin mixer even though I won’t be recording any music lol, it’s really confusing to someone new to the hobby

Love my ELAC Navis ARF-51. They are like passive speakers with power amp. It is all analog and you can connect any source you like. XLR or RCA input. So choice of DAC and preamp up to you.

Thank you very much for this great video !!!!

Thank god for your video. I got a uturn record player minus the phono pre amp thinking I could just use my ‘powered’ presonus monitors (that I mostly just use for a Roland synth) but then I was confused why I had to max out the volume on my presonus to get minimal audio. Guess I need a phono preamp now..

Thank you very much for this video, it was a joy to watch as always. I wanna tell you about my audio setup situation and I apologize in advance for it being kind of a novel. So I used to live with my ex girlfriend until like some 1.5 years ago. During that time I had a setup of two surround amps, one being a higher end Denon and the other being a Pioneer. I hooked up a combination of vintage Made in Germany Elac and Canton Speakers, being at least 200W RMS each plus two centre speakers from Elac/Yamaha and a Bose Subwoofer. It was a total dream but she basically stole my stuff when we split up and now I am living in a shared flat with some guys. I helped myself with Studio headphones (Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro) before I finally went on buying an active Marshall Woburn III and because I liked it and wanted some more punch on the lower end, I got a used but prime condition Marshall Woburn II on top and frankensteined it into one setup. Now why two Marshalls? Because the Woburn III has a configuration of 1x90W Subwoofer, 2x15W Mids and 2x15W Tweeters whilst the Woburn II comes with 2x50W Subwoofers and 2x15W Mid/Tweeters. Also Marshall is all about the full stack. ;) So the combination of having a Woburn III on top of a Woburn II kinda made sense to me. In the end you get at least on the paper some 280W of RMS Class D beauty or 140W per channel. That said, I only use it up to some 40-50% of it's capability otherwise I am pretty sure the cops would turn up within 5-10 minutes. Now let's talk DAC. I have a Raspberry Pi 4B with 8GB of RAM and a Pi Hat (Soundcard) HifiBerry DAC2 HD which comes with an Texas Instruments/Burr Brown PCM 1796 DAC Chip running Volumio OS as a streamer with upsampling to 24 Bits/196 kHz. This is a sheer beauty IMHO and that said, one would affiliate Marshall with any kind of guitar music and rightfully so. But this actually works equally beautifully with Electronic Music. The stereo image is beyond any imagination, at least for the size of the speakers we are talking about here and even if this kind of music is not neccessarily your cup of tea, these guys are proper studio nerds and their music is IMHO pretty good for testing your audio gear. Why am I telling you all this? Well, maybe this could be something you would consider to have a closer look at? And I am not neccessarily talking about Marshall here, whilst I certainly don't hate this brand, I am open to anything. How about Studio Monitors of the likes of a Mackie HR-824 MKII? Genelec Studio Monitors? Like active mid field Studio Monitors? I understand that you generally might not prefer active/powered speakers too much but maybe in some cases this could be, like you said yourself, a great option for some people depending on the actual appliance?

I had to get powered speakers to save space in my small room. I love them. Swan M3A. They have some quirks but man do they sound good for the money.

Just do your research. Great advice!

Thank you so much! Very helpful. Top notch video! Subscribed...👍👍

So amazed by the soundquality of my small presonus eri 3.5 bluetooth, for desktop, tv, small room etc. The soundquality is so good; especially with kabeled hifi gear 😎 Also: a tip; you can buy a 3rd hand pre-amplifier, dirt cheap, and have all the convenience of tone control, big volume knob, phono trap, multiple inputs (and maybe remote control). Enjoy your coffee! 🤠

@owly33

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip! Looks like I’ll get a pair :-)

Thanks. I always wondered if they were worse in any other way than non-powered speakers.

I use my PreSonus Eris 5s in the mini studio...excellent.

I got the edifier r1700bt back in 2018 and they were plenty for me for years. I got the hivi-swans os-10's and after a year of use...I went back to my edifiers. I've always used them with the preamp rca connection on whatever headphone amp I have. I should upgrade to match the investments I've made in my amp/dac, IEM's and headphones though

I just got a pair of edifier RT1280 DB’s I love them I’m very impressed then again I’m not really an audiophile It sounds good to my ears and that’s what I go by. With my turntable with the built in preamp and I have a Blu-ray player that I’m using as a CD player I’m good to go.

Fantastic review buddy good morning to you so decisions decisions decisions I like the two channel stuff that you do and I like this as well have an amazing day

Currently, I'm streaming Apple Music out of an iPod Touch 7, through an iFi Cobalt DAC into an XDuoo MT-602 pre-amp/headphone amp, then finally into an Edifier 360db Speakers/Subwoofer System... Couldn't be happier with the sound/imaging, etc... Agreed Mr. Cheapaudioman...!!! You don't have to break the bank to enjoy great Hi-Res quality music, these days...!!! Enjoy your work...

@christopherviers8302

2 жыл бұрын

Oops...!!! That would be an Audioquest Cobalt DAC... not iFi... apologies...

Valuable info...one thing if I could add...it may be difficult to repair some powered speakers when the internals fail. I had the Kanto YU6 powered speakers and loved them but after 3 years the power supply died and couldn't find parts here in Australia. I had to convert them to a passive speaker

@plektosgaming

2 жыл бұрын

Yet, you could do so. :) Some of the newer one-hit wonders coming out at the bottom end of the market are barely better than throwaway computer speakers and just as unserviceable. Look for screws or something similar on the back indicating that it was assembled instead of glued together as it means that it is possible to at least pull it apart if need be.

@douglasnelson9268

2 жыл бұрын

@@plektosgaming I must admit to misgivings about the low end of class D's that are likely to be in affordable powered speakers. Should one fail, can I rewire powered speakers to be passive? Maybe I should look at the speaker of choice and power them with a decent class D like the Aiyima D03. Then I could give the Neumi a sub.

@plektosgaming

2 жыл бұрын

@@douglasnelson9268 Some of the better designs use small A/B amps inside, but the design of these type of speakers is to get music into spaces like kitchens, your computer room, basement, recording studio, and so on. If you have the space, you can always do better with a traditional pair of speakers and a stereo receiver. As for class D amps, they are fine, IMO, up to about 30% volume. Mind you that every manufacturer lists peak one channel instantaneous output as well, and has for decades, rather than continuous wattage. That said, 10W that's clean out of most speakers is still painfully loud in most interior applications, so any of these small will be fine for normal music or mps3s in terms of volume and clarity as long as the power supply can handle at least 3-5 amps max. Almost all do, though. That really just leaves the speakers/manufacturer, and that's more of a personal try several out at a retailer if you can situation.

What about putting something like the Aiyima T8 in line?

As subs have multiple inputs, how exactly should powered speakers be connected to a subwoofer? LFE? I am looking go pair The Fives with a sub and am not sure how it works with The Fives applying an 80Hz high pass filter

So I have the crosley s200 speakers and I need them connected to my flat screen tv but it only has a digital audio output and can't connect them but right now I have them hooked to a crt tv through rca cables but, how would I connect them to a flat screen tv

Should I go with a Geshelli j2 DAC or a Topping e50?

My only experience with power speakers are the Bose companions 2 hooked up to my desk top. I rarely listen to music through them, only a volume control and an input, RCA 3.5 mm in the front. They do the job of giving a voice to my computer. For anything else, a total of 7 systems, I only have passive speakers.

Hey Randy so...I'm a musician and I have in my possession 2 Electro Voice powered horn 15s and I'm using a Berhenger 10 sub with a Yamaha mixer and a schitt mani preamp and a clear audio turntable. I think I would already know your response but I know the placement in my living room is wrong for sure the speakers are up against the wall because of space, but with that being said. Would you say that for a home setup it would be best to not use the horn speakers?

Hey Randy! Have you tried bit higher-end (If I can say so here😁) powered speakers from Edifier (S2000-S3000 lineup) or from Kanto (UY4/6)? I got edifier for $450 and wondering if I'll get Emotiva B1+ or Kef Q150 for $300 + $200 amp, will it be better in any way? Never heard neither one, only have seen many of your videos where you price both of them..

This is good and all, but what about XLR powered speakers? Example e66/e44 PreSonus

was looking to get the Kanto yu6 to replace my desktop speakers. Are these good speakers for the price ? or should I look elsewhere ?

They are not new but would nice to see reviews about Tannoy or Focal powered speakers. Or really any other of the more popular ones. I have the tannoy gold 5 on my desk and it's a nice set up if u have the space.

I'm watching this in the future. Just wanted to know where to put slave master speakers. R/L ?? Can I use RFE sub option?? Extension cable? help!!

I've had good results with adding both an external dac (aiyima A2) and a preamp (fosi p1) to the Klipsch Fives. As it turns out , both have tone controls which add a lot, from either device. But both also improve the source signal beyond that. The Fives are great speakers.

@hudsonbissell6946

2 жыл бұрын

I’d love to see what Randy thinks of the Aiyima DAC-A2. I don’t have one but I love the Aiyima T8, Tube T6 pro, and A08 and the DAC-A2 looks like a great product.

@diamondbracelette

2 жыл бұрын

@@hudsonbissell6946 I don't have a ton of external DAC experience but I've compared it to a few others and Ive been impressed. The tone controls are killer. The other killer feature is that it powers via 5v micro USB, allowing you to power it via a laptop USB and not fuss with a wall outlet.

@hudsonbissell6946

2 жыл бұрын

@@diamondbracelette me neither besides the Topping E30 and Schiit Modi. I don’t notice a huge difference between DACs though personally. But for $50-60 I may just have to pick one up!

@diamondbracelette

2 жыл бұрын

@@hudsonbissell6946😎 if you need tone controls, it's worth it for that alone

A little bit of butter in my churn, 😆 never heard Bass quite described that way. Awesome, lol.

When connecting speakers to my PC, am I better off using 3.5mm or USB connection?

Thanks!

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

Denis, thanks so much for your support.

20 year old Roland DA 90. Made for recording studio but damn if they aren't the cleanest sounding speakers I've ever heard

Thanks Randolf the Gray 👍🏻

so if your PC has optical but your speaker has both optical and usb, which one do you go for?

Maybe there is a video in powered speakers specifically for computers. I worry about Bluetooth for computer speakers. Will they lag behind video when I am watching @cheapaudioman videos on KZread? Fewer wires make for a cleaner desk, though. My motherboard has a toslink / spdif / optical output. It it worth seeking out speakers that can accept that input? Or is the 3.5 mm good enough? What about compromises around cabinet size? The Sony SRS-88PC speakers that I bought circa 1993 served me well until earlier this year when I started using Spotify. The Edifier R-1280T seem to be the go-to replacement, but are too big for my desk.

I can't understand any of the abreavations, what I'm trying to do right now is connect a mic to a speaker, from taking apart an old headset, and speakers from an old TV, but I can't find anything helpful or easy to understand online, can you help?

One additional consideration: If you are feeding record level to the powered speakers, I doubt there is any reason you couldn't use a splitter adapter to additionally feed a powered subwoofer's input. That may free up your criteria so you can save money.

You can get great value from brands that make powered speakers (monitors) for music production. Kali Audio, Yamaha, presonus, JBL, all have entry level prices things but still plenty loud, clear, plenty of decent low end frequency content. Haven’t compared actual data or experience, tho seems better maybe than all the things geared toward the masses type stuff like klishp etc type home listening stuff buuut I’m biased and go for flatness personally (clarity).

Actually a lot of modern subwoofers have a pass through function where it’s got an rca in (as it takes the signal) and then rca out to be fed to your powered speaker. Otherwise you can use a splitter to split the line signal into both powered speakers and powered sub.

@DescartesRenegade

2 жыл бұрын

What effect does running the line level audio signal in parallel with speakers and sub? It would draw more current from output.

@mazkasr8542

2 жыл бұрын

So it would be DAC>Sub>Any Speaker with RCA in, correct?

@kas4751

2 жыл бұрын

@@mazkasr8542 yeah it would be like that. As long as the sub has rca in and out, from the out just connect it to your speaker rca in.

@kas4751

2 жыл бұрын

@@DescartesRenegade it shouldn’t draw any more or less from what I’ve gathered reading from various sources. It’s safe and I’m using this configuration myself. I’m splitting my line level output to a sub and power amp.

I'm really interested in the Kanto YU. Don't want a sealed sub though and that all that Kanto offer. Also the Kanto's aren't very sonically flat. But they are the cheapest I would consider. I want to stay clear of the Chinese brands like Edifier purely from a philosophical standpoint. The sub I'm looking at is the ELAC Debut S10.2, which is the cheapest decent sub I would consider. There's also a Cambridge of a similar price but it's rear-vented, which I wanted to avoid. Space is at a premium in my apartment and I wouldn't want too much wall-effect. The new Klipsch ProMedia Heritage 2.1 seems really attractive, but from what I hear the satellites have no mid-bass at all, which makes sense as they are sealed. Would've been perfect if they were vented, just to get some of the mid-bass out, and avoid having to rely on the sub for that.

Thanks for doing this one Randy. Well covered.

On a desktop system, I'd suggest some sort of preamp. In my case, I use a Fulla Schiit 3. $109. Plug that into my mac via USB. That gives me a better dac than the Mac OR the Jamo powered monitors has, and a nice, big, physical volume knob, conveniently located on my desk. Plug in a pair of powered speakers, presto! Plus, you get a headphone amp, and a mic input. Perfect.

@gpearce11

2 жыл бұрын

That's a good idea, but I feel that once you've added the extra cost of a preamp/dac, you might as well spend a bit extra to desktop amp/dac and make up the diffenece with cheaper passive speakers. For example, let's say you've already budgeted $110 for a preamp/dac to go with $250 active speakers, for a total of $360. If we can get similar (or better) sounding passive speakers for around $100, that means we know have $260 to spend on an amp/dac, which will likely sound better than the $250 active speakers. I feel active speakers are an excellent one-box solution, but if you start adding pre-amps and dacs, you might as well go back to a stereo amp and speakers.

@GreybeardMO

2 жыл бұрын

@@gpearce11 To each their own. In my case, using a Mac M1 Mini, I _need_ that mic jack and headphone amp, since the mini doesn't have them, and I use Teams for work. Also, an easy way to control volume without either getting up and walking around my desk to reach the volume knob in the rear of my Jamo PM's, or finding the remote (which I haven't seen in months). The onboard DAC in the mini is horrible. The 801PM's were like $150, a bit more once I added a cheap sub. The Fulla Schiit 3 dac/headphone amp/volume control was $100... Still a cheap solution, in my opinion. Sounds good to me, convenient and efficient. I actually swapped out the powered Jamo's for an SMSL AD18 and a pair of kit GR-Reasearch desktop mini's. Ended up preferring the Jamo's, and moved the desktop mini's to another area.

Any update on reviewing The Fives? I think they are still $500 at Costco.

I own powered speakers by Klipsch, Audioengine, Kanto, Edifier, Logitech, Paradigm, Corsair, and M-Audio. They're kind of my thing so of course i'd love to see you review more of them because there are great ones out there and for less than mucho dineros

@stevec5465

Жыл бұрын

Are you going to try the Buchardt, Elac or Dynaudio? Would love to hear about those.

@jkroemer2685

Жыл бұрын

How do you like the Kanto's?

@carewser

Жыл бұрын

@@jkroemer2685 My Kanto's are actually my most expensive speakers, they're the top of line Tuk speakers and while I really like the look and sound of them, mine haven't been reliable, I had my first pair replaced and then a few months later I had to replace the remote but they look and sound great

@jkroemer2685

Жыл бұрын

@@carewser thanks for the reply and a honest one at that. I'm looking at those and possibly the yu6 with a sub6/8. So many choices out there and also considering edifier s1000mkii or s2000mkiii

@carewser

Жыл бұрын

@@jkroemer2685 If you've got deep pockets i'd consider the KEF KC62 sub, it's almost identical to the Tuk's, it's gorgeous and really small yet puts out incredible bass but it's also really expensive. I also have the Audioengine A5+ speakers which don't look or sound as good as the Kanto Tuk's but even though I bought them used they've been more reliable than the Kanto's and I bought the matching Audioengine S8 sub which plays a little deeper than either of the Kanto subs but it costs a little more. The only Edifier's I own are the S730 multimedia speakers but they're a 2.1 setup with a huge subwoofer and Edifier doesn't sell them anymore. Happy shopping!

The new(ish) Jamo S801PM also look like a contender in this category. I'm waiting for mine to test them out as an upgrade to my desktop system.

@andyandy9449

2 жыл бұрын

I have them at my office; they're great. I have cranked them after hours and I can hear I from every spot in that floor of the building. I do have a cheap subwoofer I found at a thrift store paired with it

@paulodelgado6281

2 жыл бұрын

@@andyandy9449 I just saw the Jamo sub was also reduced on amazon ($113) so picked one up too - idk how they get these prices so low but i'll take it.

What is the life expectancy of active speakers, and is the sound better than computer speakers

Hey Randy can you do a video describing what the descriptive words audiophiles use actually mean (like sparkly or forward). I’ve been in this hobby for a couple years and I’ve never gotten a clear answer.

@twohandsandaradio

Жыл бұрын

5 seconds of Google... Google for AN AUDIOPHILE TERMINOLOGY GUIDE. Google is a fabulous tool for questions like this.

Hi Randy,I am currently looking for a pair of bookshelf Speakers 🔊. No plan on getting a sub so I prefer the speakers with good bass. I understand that I need a 2 channel amplifier as well. My budget is $500. What would you recommend?

@geraldmcmullon2465

2 жыл бұрын

Passive speakers need an amplifier. Stereo speakers need two channel. Powered speakers come as a main speaker and a wired second speaker. My growing list under the 500GBP (we include 20% VAT) include in price order (new and older models 2nd hand):- Edifier R1010BT Bose RoomMate Powered Bose RoomMate II Powered Meridian M33 Meridian M30 Audioengine A1 Wireless Kanto Yu2 Edifier E25HD Luna Eclipse Audioengine A2+ wireless B&W MM-1 Adam Audio T5V Kanto Yu4 B&O 6000 Adam Audio T7V Ruark Audio MR1 MKII Kef Egg Kanto YU6 Q Acoustics M20 Minirig 3 + sub 3 Visonik David Active Audioengine A5+ wireless Mitchell-Acoustics ustream-one I have seen Meridian M30 go for 250GBP but some ask 1500GBP but they don't sell. M30 are the only ones with a full bass and full range. B&O 6000 are floor standing thin column speakers but knock spots off all the others listed for under 300GBP used. Depending on your source needs I would go for the Adams Audio but they are RCA analogue inputs, not Bluetooth or wireless or have toslink or coxial inputs as others in my list have.

Okay, I'm sitting for this one. My daughter is getting my hand-me-down turntable and I'm not sure if I should get a small amp or powered speakers. I think some powered speakers with bluetooth capability is a good idea. This might be looked down upon by "audiophiles," but I'm thinking of mounting the speakers on the wall in her room. For now, I have a great bluetooth jbl speaker that I'm going to plug in, via some rca to 3.5 mm cables. But I think she should eventually listen to things in stereo.

@martinmerino3272

2 жыл бұрын

Did the same thing with my kids! Got them a pair of Mackie 5’s with Bluetooth connectivity and a hand me down Vestax mixer and turntable.

@chinmeysway

2 жыл бұрын

Please help young ppl experience stereo lol

@chinmeysway

2 жыл бұрын

Also, it doesn’t work, what you’re describing, plus I’ve tried it. Watch the video or again it’s all in here-phono (record player needs a amp before powered speakers. A receiver can work ps.

@stevec5465

Жыл бұрын

@@chinmeysway or a cheap phono preamp?

Hi guys, I take advantage of the site to express a need. I'll start by mentioning what I have at the moment so it's easier to help me. I have an AT-LP120XUSB Turntable, Speakers Edifier S1000 MKII. My need is basically to have a device no more than $400 US that allows me to listen to my CDs taking advantage of the speakers I have for now which are pre-amplified (active). Surely later I will choose to upgrade to passive speakers. Likewise, I want one that is versatile as much as possible, that is, that allows active and passive speakers to be directly connected to the device, I'd like also and less important one with a USB input (for digital files in which the artists stopped releasing the disc) even more so, this being not more relevant that I can connect my turntable, however, this hobby being so expensive, I think I will take some time to get some passive ones. Assuming that this does not make sense or is not possible, the truth is that I do not have extensive knowledge. What solution do you offer me to take advantage of the current speakers and play my CDs. I will list the options I have filtered. 1) Yamaha CD-S303 $380 US. Reading and listening to reviews, it seems that for its features it has an inflated price (I don't know that). 2) Denon Bluetooth Receiver RCD-N10 $400 US. This has many attractive features, but my focus is not on the Wireless features and streaming. So this being the one that attracts me the most, if you know of one with a similar one but that DOES NOT have Bluetooth and Streaming, it would be much better because it would save me money. 3) Marantz CD6007 $600. But it is out of my budget, since it is possible that it does not exceed $400. 4) Denon DCD-900NE $500. Do you have a better suggestion for what I'm looking for and what I'm counting on? Thank you so much.

One thing I’ve noticed is that some powered speakers, like the KEF LS50 wireless II, use digital rather than analog crossovers. So, if you have an analog source, the signal has to be converted to the digital domain to go into the crossover, then back to analog going to the drivers. That seems like too much processing to me.

@V1ralB1ack

2 жыл бұрын

I own those speakers and yes this is how it works. On the bright side they sound great out of the box.

@geraldmcmullon2465

2 жыл бұрын

KEF LS50 are DSP active speakers and have mains to each speaker. Powered speakers lack an active cross over and usually the main speaker connects to a passive second speaker. The extra processing in speakers with DACs often means they have a long delay from the signal so lip sync on motives or from TV can be a problem. If the software or TV/DVD player have controls over the output you can speed up or slow down the video to sync the sound track. uPnP offered on some speakers has a long delay. It is not a simple task as so far I find all movies to have a different delay (codec differences?). So before watching you have to fiddle with getting the sound track right. No such issues on running active speakers directly off the HDMI debedder that splits of the 8 channels of audio to analogue RCA outputs or a USB external sound card. DSP active speakers may support room correction and EQ shaped for the room that is then applied to all sources (digital or analogue). They usually get more bass out of the cones in the design than their passive cousins.

@V1ralB1ack

2 жыл бұрын

@@geraldmcmullon2465 This should be pinned somewhere. Very informative

Silently shedding manly tears as I realize that the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 was where my Hi-fi Journey began. I gifted mine to a friend once I outgrew it. I’m pouring out a little bit of my Frappuccino for The Ones Who Ain’t Here

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

Ha. Love it

Before I learned how easy it is to adhere banana plugs to speaker wire, I went to Adam Audio powered monitors because a single RCA cable seemed so much simpler. It is…BUT for pro audio powered one needs a power plug for each speaker. So the good news about pro audio powered is that there’s a dazzling array of configurations and prices, the audio quality is superb compared to most computer/desktop powered, and XLR plus RCA inputs are USUALLY a given. Good to excellent EQ controls onboard are often standard. Things to beware: price is per speaker, not per pair; where will you plug power in for each one?; they are heavy cause their amps are inside the speaker’s box; their look ranges from steam punk to oh-my-gosh ugly; final cost to you may not be any less than an amp plus passive (handsome) speakers. That said, the pro models match their amp to the driver capability, often have separate amps for each driver, and result in stellar sound. Happy hunting!

@geraldmcmullon2465

2 жыл бұрын

Most powered speakers have only one speaker with a mains lead and connect to the second speaker through a bell wire. Those that connect via bluetooth, wirelessly or via Ethernet have there own power. Active speakers will have mains power to each speaker, have active cross over and with DSP room shaping control. Adam Audio speakers are analogue active speakers, intended for near field monitor use but make then ideal for a small room or desktop. An advantage of active speakers with RCA or XLR inputs is that for a cheap cable you can plug anything to anything. Not all sources use Toslink or Coaxial or HDMI or USB and speakers with USB may only use it for service and maintenance, not for connection to a computer for audio. Speakers with 3.5mm and Phono RCA plug may convert the analogue to digital for EQ. Digital inputs (Toslink from a TV) may introduce a long delay and you need the controlling application to allow for adjustments. If mixing models or manufacturers in a surround sound system every model has a different delay on synchronising speaker. This is not an issue for analogue speakers.

If I'm connecting to a computer that has blue tooth built-in, would I still need a USB connection? What functionality do I lose by going over BT?

@amanhasnoname3447

2 жыл бұрын

Hey. My understanding is that a powered speaker with BT works just like a set of BT headphones. If your computer can transmit a BT signal, then all you have to do is pair it (or your BT enabled phone) with the BT powered speaker(s). My powered speakers are 8" speaker with 1" tweeter studio monitors and do not have BT or a USB port. They have 1/4" TRS inputs as well as XRL in the back (no RCA). I have an inexpensive Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface that I can use to connect to my computer via USB. Then I connect my powered speakers with 1/4" ouputs from the Focusrite audio interface to the speakers. This allows me to control the volume of the speakers from the Focusrite audio interface OR my computer directly from my desk. It also has a headphone amp built in but it is not the best. This allows me to plug in my electric guitar and a microphone directly into the Focusrite and play them as I would an amplifier (I have a Marshall 50Watt and 4 12" cabinet that is WAAAY too loud for my .. ahem ' older ' neighbors : x ) If you are a musician like me, this is a good option to use to get music from your computer (KZread, Pandora, etc.) to the powered speakers without an amp. I hope this helps and gives you some ideas. The speakers are from Monoprice and they sound GREAT! Cheers!

@geraldmcmullon2465

2 жыл бұрын

If using Bluetooth you do not need USB or any other input. Bluetooth is compressed and lossy. You loose quality from a CD, wave file or lossless format file. Some speakers have a wi-fi wireless connection which can carry uncompressed audio.

@old-man-bjj

2 жыл бұрын

@@geraldmcmullon2465 Thank you!

@old-man-bjj

2 жыл бұрын

@@amanhasnoname3447 Thank you!

Hy I have a room of 15ft x 11ft and I have a Denon avr-s950h and I have a center channel Klipsch Reference R-34C and have a subwoofer Klipsch R-100SW for front wish is better one is better Klipsch Reference R-620F or Klipsch Reference R-51M and have for surround sound I have 4 Bose that’s are not the best but is what I got. What you recommend me…my name is pablo…

@geraldmcmullon2465

2 жыл бұрын

A pair of second hand B&O 6000 or 8000. Most bang for your bucks.

I don't know of any powered speaker offering moving coil inputs. Some phono amplifiers have a switch between moving magnet and moving coil. So if you upgrade to moving coil you don't have to change the equipment. Same with amplifiers and receivers - moving magnet is common (less than it used to be) but moving coil rare. As most powered speakers are inexpensive (compared to DSP active three way speakers) or used as second systems needing a moving coil input is unlikely. Some like to hunt for all separates and mix and match and upgrade. The all in one powered or DSP active speakers the designer has done all the hunting and testing to get the very best out of the system for the price. This will be a lot less cost than all the wired cabling mess of everything separate. It will also cut out the thought of increment tweaking that audiophiles too often struggle to do. Your upgrade is always going to be expensive as you would really go up a whole new level or it isn't worth it. An advantage of the powered and active speaker systems is that they usually can get more bass and a greater range than the passive equivalent speakers using the same bass cone and tweeters.

@geraldmcmullon2465

2 жыл бұрын

On the sub 500GBP price point I have so far looked at some new and second hand speakers in price order (and ignoring over inflated second hand prices) Edifier R1010BT Bose RoomMate Powered Bose RoomMate II Powered Meridian M33 Meridian M30 Audioengine A1 Wireless Kanto Yu2 Edifier E25HD Luna Eclipse Audioengine A2+ wireless B&W MM-1 Adam Audio T5V Kanto Yu4 B&O 6000 Adam Audio T7V Ruark Audio MR1 MKII Kef Egg Kanto YU6 Q Acoustics M20 Minirig 3 + sub 3 Visonik David Active Audioengine A5+ wireless Mitchell-Acoustics ustream-one most don't have much low bass and not all can support a sub.

when you say turntable, you mean the DJ equipment right? Or is that just a fancy new term for record players in 2023? cuz I know that record players have become popular again so that could make sense. but I can't imagine there are enough DJ's in your audience for turntables to be a consideration worth mentioning to most of us.

R1700BT are monitors, not home speakers aren't they going to sound a lot different?

If you've got an audio interface hooked up to your computer, analog inputs are all you need.

Hmmm. What about a video idea of setting up your kids with different options? Surely people would be working on a totally different budget range and looking at totally different products. And I think they'd settle for much less bass or clarity. Maybe budget budget systems, ya know? Something different than your under $350 video. My old Audio Technica LP60, you can get used on facebook for $50-$75. You can even get a replacement stylus for $30.

@geraldmcmullon2465

2 жыл бұрын

I spotted my daughter's, then at university, wish list. At the top were Bluetooth speakers. So I did some research and got a pair of Devialet Phantom Gold (second hand but in perfect condition) on stands. She has yet to switch them on and would not have listened to them had I not set them up for a demonstration. I think she might have preferred the tiny Bose or JBL.

The thing that's been confusing me is not power speakers. It's whether the Wiim Stream is a real sponsor or not.

Great summary Randy, powered speakers would be great for hauling out to your deck while your grilling your succulent t-bones 🥩

I just need to connect my phone to a speaker or speakers with Bluetooth and good sound for a affordable price.

Man, I miss Sith Audio.

I’m 1st!! It’s 7am! Make it a great day brother. As always, keep the content coming! 🏆🏆🏆

I know many slate them, but if it suits why not, I can imagine many wife's agreeing to them " what just one wire" .. I've been living with the Mission Qx1 for several weeks now, and in my honest opinion it's the best Bookshelf speaker under 300 this speaker is keeper . Wonderful bass no sub required for normal sized rooms find me better .

"....here at the cheap audio man we talk about....." Who's "we"? It's just you Randy

Crap. Just learned Yamaha HS series don't have a white sub, which is the color of my speakers. There goes my goal of making my studio all white a la 2001: A Space Odyssey

Beginners powered speakers? Just skip straight to the swans m500. $1200 for a 3-way, Bluetooth, optical, xlr, coaxial,hdmi etc connections. More bass than you could ever need, with dials for eq tuning. Idk why NOBODY (except zeos) has reviewed these speakers. They’re a good damn deal. I’m a shill because I own them and they’re too good and don’t get enough coverage from the reviewer scene 8inch woofer, 50mm midrange, and a ribbon tweeter