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dejadeadnz

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#194954 31-Mar-2016 15:50
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I've been looking at upgrading the audio in my home office (currently getting my music there out of my PC via the onboard sound card to some horrendous Logitech speaker set). Have a budget of up to around 1.5K for a self-powered speaker system, with the focus mainly on the quality of music playback.

 

When asking around in shops for recommendations etc, I have been repeatedly recommended the likes of the B & W A7 and various other so called "hi end" and "hi fi" single speaker solutions. I don't claim to be an audiophile but am musically trained and was a decent violinist. I did a proper blind test comparing a set of Q Acoustics BT3 speakers and an A7, with both sets plugged into the same PC and playing the same song etc (courtesy to a buddy with access to both) and was frankly astounded by how easily I picked out which was the "proper" speakers and which was the A7. And yet the A7 is generally raved about by reviewers and publications - yet to my ears (I mainly enjoy classical music - especially chamber, orchestral and female vocal), the lack of stereo separation of the A7 was readily apparent; there was also considerable "muddiness" to the sound. In fact, I would go as far as saying that it didn't sound much better than many much cheaper systems. My friend later told me that the A7 is now essentially just a brick that he and his wife no longer use.

 

Is the A7 just overrated? Do I just not mix well with it or are these single piece solutions just so far behind similarly priced "normal" speakers? As for what I am ultimately going to get, I am still deciding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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jarledb
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  #1523455 31-Mar-2016 16:49
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I wouldn't go with the A7 as a PC system. I have been VERY happy with the Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 speakers. They are small, but sound a lot bigger than they are. Nice balanced sound I think. You really should try them.

 

Bowers & Wilkins MM-1

 

They connect via USB and have their own DAC, so you don't have to rely on having a great sound card to use them.





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Dunnersfella
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  #1523546 31-Mar-2016 20:42
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Wireless single speakers are a convenience thing, it's not about audio performance, never will be...

 

Powered monitors are your friend in many cases.


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