Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post Reply
User avatar
markof
Posts: 1040
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:54 am
Location: An Cobh

Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post by markof »

Hi Everybody,
I'm looking for speaker recommendations for my office.

Setup is Mac Source streaming Qobuz 16 bit 44K to PSAudio Sprout 100 amp with built-in dac.

Presently using Audioengine P4 speakers and am looking for something with more musicality and warmth.

I'm thinking about Elac or Dynaudio bookshelf speakers.

Any thoughts?

Mark.
Main: Qobuz/Arcam Alpha 9 CD/Project Carbon Esprit->Auralic Polaris->Chord Silver Carnival->Martin Logan EM-ESL
Office: Qobuz->Auralic Aries Mini->Denafrips ARES II->miniDSP 2X4 HD>Primare I32->Harbeth P3ESR/REL T5X
Adrian
Posts: 812
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:47 am

Re: Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post by Adrian »

Interesting conundrum, depends on a number of factors..

a) Budget
b) Synergy / compatibility with the amp
c) Your own ears.

You could settle on a fine pair of moderately priced bookshelf speakers, Elac, Monitor Audio etc.

I have a pair of Harbeth P3ESR speakers, they simply astound me every time and they are my favorite speaker.

Near field monitor listening can be very very rewarding way to listen to Hi Fi. If budget was no problem, I would look at something a little bit different but special, Harbeth, Monitor Audio Gold 100, Dynaudio Special 40 just to mention a few. Other recommendations would be Russell K Red 50 or Red 100.

There is a entire universe out there of bookshelf speakers, rear or front ported, or closed box could also be a important consideration.

Ultimately your own ears will be the definitive judge!
Let the Good Times Roll...................
User avatar
markof
Posts: 1040
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:54 am
Location: An Cobh

Re: Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post by markof »

Many thanks Adrian,
All very good points - much to consider.

The Harbeth looks superb.

If only I could borrow that range of speakers to let my ears be the judge before breaking open the piggy bank :-).

As that's not likely to happen soon I'll just have to rely on recommendations.

Mark.
Main: Qobuz/Arcam Alpha 9 CD/Project Carbon Esprit->Auralic Polaris->Chord Silver Carnival->Martin Logan EM-ESL
Office: Qobuz->Auralic Aries Mini->Denafrips ARES II->miniDSP 2X4 HD>Primare I32->Harbeth P3ESR/REL T5X
User avatar
Ivor
Posts: 4180
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2010 11:21 pm

Re: Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post by Ivor »

Adrian wrote: Thu Apr 04, 2019 8:12 pm
I have a pair of Harbeth P3ESR speakers, they simply astound me every time and they are my favorite speaker.
Not to hijack the thread... but...

I bought a pair of Harbeth Super HL5s about 7 months ago and yes.... "they simply astound me every time". I love rediscovering a recording I thought I knew inside out.
Vinyl -anything else is data storage.

Thorens TD124 Mk1 + Kuzma Stogi 12"arm, HANA Red, Gold Note PH 10 + PSU. ADI-2 Dac, Lector CDP7, Wyred4Sound pre, Airtight ATM1s, Klipsch Heresy IV, Misc Mains, RCA + XLR ICs, Tellurium Q spkr cable
Adrian
Posts: 812
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:47 am

Re: Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post by Adrian »

One other point.....

If your home office or work office system gets the most amount of use in comparison to your "main home hifi system" then I personally would consider the office system the main system.

Therefore I would consider spending more money on quality gear for the office system than for the main home hi fi rig.

In other words if 90% of listening time is with the office speakers and 10% with the Lounge / sitting room rig then it would make sense to have compact yet high quality speakers in the office.

Cloney's tend to do various speakers as the seasons come and go, so if you keep in touch with them you should be able to hear a number of different makes / models over the course of a year.

I believe the new B&W 607 with the continuum cone at 500 euro or so is exceptionally good for the money, bi-wirable too.
Let the Good Times Roll...................
User avatar
markof
Posts: 1040
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:54 am
Location: An Cobh

Re: Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post by markof »

Many thanks gents for the great input.

While I do a lot of listening in my office and spend way too much time there, It's not really quality listening.
The music is a background to my work (satellite image processing and map making) and my office environment is far from conducive to relaxation.
When I hear something that grabs me, I tag it for listening on the home system.

I really like the Sprout which has great functionality combined with a clean, detailed, well balanced sound without being harsh and will hang onto that and I feel that a warm speaker which is good in the mids and upper bass would yield the appropriate synergy with the digital source and the Class D amp.

That's two recommendations for the Harbeths, which are probably a bit too spendy for me right now, so I may wait and see if something comes up in the used market or continue to save until the piggy bank is up to the task.

Has anybody heard Dynaudio bookshelves with a solid state amp in a near-field setting?
I'm curious as they generally get good reviews in the magazines and appear to represent real value.

As far as I am aware, Cork does not have a hi-fi retailer in which to audition right now and I don't get to Dublin much but it would certainly be worth the trip once I narrow down the options.

Mark.
Main: Qobuz/Arcam Alpha 9 CD/Project Carbon Esprit->Auralic Polaris->Chord Silver Carnival->Martin Logan EM-ESL
Office: Qobuz->Auralic Aries Mini->Denafrips ARES II->miniDSP 2X4 HD>Primare I32->Harbeth P3ESR/REL T5X
giant haystacks
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:57 pm
Location: augher ,co. tyrone

Re: Small Office Speaker Recommendation

Post by giant haystacks »

triangle titus e which are getting old now .newer titus but it has metal dome tweeter. system audio aura 1 a real bookshelf speaker also you should consider nva speakers which are semi omi i have saw them go 2nd hand for 100-200 uk pounds reciently they use the room rather than fight it.also the set of speakers ivor has the ref 3a dulcet has to be the ultimate small speaker even more detailed than big brother de capo
Post Reply