Recommendations for affordable pair of active speakers?

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jonathan18

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#289654 20-Sep-2021 16:15

I'm looking to replace a stereo in our dining/kitchen with a pair of affordable active speakers to free up the space where the amp and (totally unused) CD player currently sit.

The main features I'm looking for are:

stereo pair - not interested in a single speaker
relatively compact, especially depth (no more than about 22cm)
able to fill a moderately sized room with decent quality audio
no more than about $600
RCA outs (for use with a sub)
don't have to be smart or provide wireless connections (BT or WiFi), as they'll be used with a CC Audio so RCA or 3.5 (analogue and/or digital) will suffice

At this stage, the model I've found that most fits the bill is the Audioengine 5+, which look especially nice in bamboo. (Can't see any key advantage to pay more for the Wireless version.)

Any thoughts on the relative merits of these speakers, or any other models that may fit the bill? @Sideface: Going by other threads I've read here on GZ you seem to be a fan of the brand, so I'd welcome your thoughts.

Many thanks.

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#2781233 20-Sep-2021 16:47

To declare my bias:

I'm an old audiophile and audio hardware enthusiast.

I have three pairs of Audioengine active speakers, including the Audioengine 5+ (in boring black).

I also have an excellent $20,000 music system which I rarely listen to - pure madness, purchased in my extravagant youth when I had a good income.

For everyday listening, I use the Audioengine 5+ in a "moderately sized room".

The bamboo version looks superb - I wish that I had bought it despite the slightly higher cost.

Go for it! 🙂

Sideface

Interslice

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#2781282 20-Sep-2021 19:28

If you want to save some money Edifier make some awesome speakers within your budget. I have the R1700BT speakers setup with audio out from the TV so it also does Xbox and they sound great. Our living room is relatively tiny.. but they put out great sound with surprising bass. I want to upgrade to a bigger size of theirs when budget allows. Love em. Just an opinion.

Interslice

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#2781284 20-Sep-2021 19:35

Found this on a YouTube review:

Audioengine A5+ is around two times more expensive than Edifier R1800BT, but does it sound twice as good? The short answer to that question is NO. Soundwise Audioengine is a bit better speaker, better balanced with more natural bass response and a bit better more natural lower midrange, but Edifier is suprisingly close. Build quality is a bit better in A5+ but again Edifier is not far behind and it even manages to add Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity to the bundle. For me it is Edifier that offers much better value for money in this comparison. Would You agree with me? Let me know in the comments below! Cheers!

The difference between this model Edifier and the one I won is this is black mine is a woodgrain.

timmmay

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#2781317 20-Sep-2021 20:45

I have some Edifier 1280 speakers I got on special for $100 from the warehouse. They're quite good and easily fill my small office with sound, and would probably fill a larger room ok. They have a different model there now. I also have a very, very good pair of headphones, and I will almost always use the speakers because they sound good and are more convenient. The speakers sound better with low quality sources like youtube and spotify.

I had some small AudioEngine speakers before this, model like A1. They're also good, but expensive. I think size matters too, bigger of an ok brand will probably be better than smaller of a great brand - to a point. The smaller speakers are in the kitchen now and do ok, but size matters.

Loismustdye

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#2781349 20-Sep-2021 22:06

I’ve got a pair of edifiers for my PC that would fit the bill.
I also bought a pair of the mightyape Gorilla speakers that I use in the living room hooked up to an old iPad for the radio and a cheap mixer to connect to a turntable.

https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/edifier-r1700bt-2-0-lifestyle-speakers-with-bluetooth/25031737

https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/gorilla-powered-bluetooth-bookshelf-home-office-monitor-speakers-pair/33916249

both have bluetooth and have reasonable sound with the edifiers slightly nudging out for both volume and quality.

the gorilla speakers I got as a daily deal for half price a few months back

jonathan18

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#2781520 21-Sep-2021 09:44

Thanks, all, for the feedback and ideas. Yeah, I have looked at various Edifier models, and do concede they clearly offer great bang for buck. Some of them, though, don't have the features I'm looking for, eg the R1700BT don't have a line out (which I'd like to be able to connect a sub to provide a bit more depth), and all are a bit overkill in terms of features I don't need (eg Bluetooth). Some of their more expensive models are also a bit larger (especially deeper) than I can go with, but I'll keep looking over the options to see if there are models that tick all boxes.

There's also an aesthetic component to this: they're in quite a prominent place in the dining room, and so looks do count! Those A5+s do look damn fine in bamboo (see below), with none of the Edifiers I've seen holding a candle to these, and that itself may help sell them to my partner!

I'd welcome any further suggestions, including specific models of Edifier that may fit the bill...

AUDIOENGINE 5+ Powered Bookshelf Speakers - Solid Bamboo

timmmay

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#2781532 21-Sep-2021 10:03

You might want something more like these ones then https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/SPKEDI1267/Edifier-S350DB-21-Speakers-Titanium-Dome-Tweeters but they're $535.

These ones are pretty good at $143 https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/SPKEDI1252/Edifier-R1280T-Lifestyle-Speakers-21W-x-2-Dual-RCA

These likely a bit better at $230 but not sure about size https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/SPKEDI1257/Edifier-R1700BT-Lifestyle-Speakers-Bluetooth---Bro

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ARIKIP

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#2781569 21-Sep-2021 10:55

I would recommend Edifier as well. My missus got me a pair of S2000Pro Edifiers last Xmas and they have been fantastic. Very Hifi sounding when fed a decent signal and it does it all AptX HD Bluetooth,RCA,Optical,Coax,XLR. Picked them up for $450.

Sony 77" A80J OLED, Integra 60.7, Panasonic UB820, Toshiba HD-XE1, Apple TV 4K, JBL L100T,JBL 18Ti, JBL L20T, Velodyne HGS15

tieke

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#2781616 21-Sep-2021 12:08

I have quite a few pairs of Edifier speakers as I have found them to have an unbeatable sound/value combination if you're spending under $300 (probably even under a higher pricepoint, depending on how you choose to balance that sound/value axes).

The Warehouse stock a range which can be found on special every couple of months, although they currently have less models than they used to - I bought a pair of the 1700BT for $169, and a pair of the 1280TS for $109. I use the 1700BT in my shed, connected to a chromecast audio and the 1280T next to the bed, connected to a chromecast audio and the TV. The good thing about those models is that you can connect two RCA inputs simultaneously, no source-switching required.

The R1855DB has a subwoofer out, and was recently on sale for $185.95 from Catch.co.nz, but they seem to be out of stock now. As far as looks, all of them go for the boring rather than beautiful of course.

I use a dedicated amp and a pair of psb speakers for my office desk, but for the second PC I have a pair of s880db, which are a bit smaller but look a lot prettier than the rest of their range.

I don't only use Edifiers - I have a KEF setup in the lounge, B&W's in the dining room etc, but the Edifiers really are hard to beat if you want a good little active setup.

ilovemusic

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#2781759 21-Sep-2021 16:15

J18 what amp have you got gathering dust ?

If it's halfway decent, it's likely to be a better performer than any of these $300 active speakers.

jonathan18

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#2781780 21-Sep-2021 17:04

@ilovemusic: It's a fairly ancient Marantz SR4320 stereo receiver I bought s/h for this purpose (and which is driving a pair of even older NAD bookshelf speakers). Even if I got rid of the CD player (my first ever - a Marantz CD52mk2 I bought while at uni in the 1990s!), the remaining amp and cabling do take up a decent amount of space on a shelf that I'm looking to fully repurpose, so this is one of the key advantages of active speakers.

So, yeah, there may well be compromises, but I'm keen on finding something that'll perform as well as it can for the budget ($600sh or so), while also looking good (I didn't realise I was so worried about the looks until I started checking out the alternatives to the A5+s!).

Are there any other options for decent compact active speakers meeting the criteria set out in the original post (plus are good looking) that you're aware of?

Handle9

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#2781796 21-Sep-2021 17:42

The line out is the problem. If you don't want line out then you have a lot more options.

I've got Presonus Eris 4.5 as my office speakers and I'm super happy with them, especially with a Schiit Modi+ DAC.

Presonus Eris 5 will do everything else you want except for line out.

ilovemusic

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#2781809 21-Sep-2021 18:23

There was a pair of small Quad actives on TM a few weeks ago.

A bit scruffy looking but they can sound very good.

Otherwise, Audioengines over Edifiers.

gzt

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#2781840 21-Sep-2021 19:06

Look on Amazon and you'll see Edifier do a light timber look in some models. In NZ it's nearly always the black stain models at the sale price..

bendud

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#2781864 21-Sep-2021 20:29

At the price point I'd have to echo the Edifier option. I have a pair of the lighter wood grain version and they are very good for the cost. The rest of the house is Tannoy DC6s / Monitor Audio Bronze and Sonos, but they aren't out of place.

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