Active Speakers stereo setup within 40K:

navjyot

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Location
bangalore
Options are:
swans M200MKIII+( 380$ + 131$ shipping as per aliexpress)
Vanatoo Transparent Zero(350$ + shipping + customs as per amazon.com)
Audioengine A5+ bluetooth (500$ + shipping + customs as per amazon.com)

I have gone through most of the reviews and discussion(on hifivision) and feels that swan M200MKIII+ will be a better option. but as i am not an expert, hence asking for expert opinion. if swan, then should i purchase it from aliexpress(or hifinage.com/proaudiohome.com). i can stretch the budget if required.

My Req:
old hindi songs(rafi/lataji/kishor) - 70%
new hindi songs - 30%

Most of the time, i will be listening in low to medium volume. The intention is to enjoy the old bollywood music in a 10*15 room while doing other activities.
not much bass is needed. no intention of adding subwoofer etc(not now, not in future also). i will be playing via bluetooth(via mobile from youtube, amazon prime etc)
or chromecast.
 
Why u go for active speakers? In ur budget u can easily got a good used amp + speakers setup imo
 
Options are:
swans M200MKIII+( 380$ + 131$ shipping as per aliexpress)
Vanatoo Transparent Zero(350$ + shipping + customs as per amazon.com)
Audioengine A5+ bluetooth (500$ + shipping + customs as per amazon.com)

I have gone through most of the reviews and discussion(on hifivision) and feels that swan M200MKIII+ will be a better option. but as i am not an expert, hence asking for expert opinion. if swan, then should i purchase it from aliexpress(or hifinage.com/proaudiohome.com). i can stretch the budget if required.

I suggest listening to the speakers before ordering them as they may have different sound signatures due to active crossover, Bi-Amp configuration, amplifier power distribution etc.

You may also consider Sonodyne SRP series, Genelec etc. which are available in India with warranty. Since these speakers are having amplifiers inside, local support and service will be a good thing to have.

Why u go for active speakers? In ur budget u can easily got a good used amp + speakers setup imo

Active speakers got its own advantages, firstly the crossover used typically is active crossover, it comes before the amplifier (in normal setup crossover comes after the amplifier). Active crossover considered to be easy to design and considered to be better than passive crossover. Bi-Amping with different power can be used - 75W for bass driver, 25W tweeter etc.

One disadvantage is that, we can't upgrade the amp alone. In case of separate amp and speaker config, each can be upgraded without upgrading other
 
I have recently purchased the Fluance AI60 Active speakers and love the sound of it, I have a Yamaha RXV 681 with Taga speakers for HT (though I use it mostly in stereo music. I have gone for Active speakers to be used in place of a subwoofer for TV output instead of a soundbar. Trust me it is a good call to go active espicially since you do not need to figure out the perfect amp and speaker combination.
 
Why u go for active speakers? In ur budget u can easily got a good used amp + speakers setup imo
thanks. i am open to that option also. i can stretch the budget if required. can u suggest some amp/speaker suitable for my listening preference. mostly will be listening in low volume only.
the only issue is too many wires etc but i can manage if i am getting good music setup for a long time(5-10 years)

I suggest listening to the speakers before ordering them as they may have different sound signatures due to active crossover, Bi-Amp configuration, amplifier power distribution etc.

You may also consider Sonodyne SRP series, Genelec etc. which are available in India with warranty. Since these speakers are having amplifiers inside, local support and service will be a good thing to have.
thanks. i am new to all these. this is the first time i will be purchasing speakers in my life. so not sure whether i will be able to differentiate anything by listening. still will go to some showroom in weekends and try.

Active speakers got its own advantages, firstly the crossover used typically is active crossover, it comes before the amplifier (in normal setup crossover comes after the amplifier). Active crossover considered to be easy to design and considered to be better than passive crossover. Bi-Amping with different power can be used - 75W for bass driver, 25W tweeter etc.

One disadvantage is that, we can't upgrade the amp alone. In case of separate amp and speaker config, each can be upgraded without upgrading other
agree completely. hence wanted to take the best active speakers so that i can enjoy them for next 5-10 years. but if experts are of the opinion that amp+ speaker will be a better option, then i am ok for that also.

I have recently purchased the Fluance AI60 Active speakers and love the sound of it, I have a Yamaha RXV 681 with Taga speakers for HT (though I use it mostly in stereo music. I have gone for Active speakers to be used in place of a subwoofer for TV output instead of a soundbar. Trust me it is a good call to go active espicially since you do not need to figure out the perfect amp and speaker combination.
thanks. will read the online reviews of fluance ai60 active speakers.
 
In Active speakers you can also consider Klipsch the sixes or Audio Engine HD6+, they both are excellent,, I chose Fluance AI60 as I wanted a budget option that sounded good.
 
Since you are in Bangalore, go to some music instrument shops and check out active speakers they have in your budget. 40k is a decent budget and you should get some options. Check out bajaao to create a shortlist if you want.
 
thanks. i am new to all these. this is the first time i will be purchasing speakers in my life. so not sure whether i will be able to differentiate anything by listening. still will go to some showroom in weekends and try.

agree completely. hence wanted to take the best active speakers so that i can enjoy them for next 5-10 years. but if experts are of the opinion that amp+ speaker will be a better option, then i am ok for that also.

Since you are buying for the first time, it is better to stick to Amp + Speakers combination. Consider tower speakers as you are not planning to add subwoofer or you can consider adding a subwoofer along with bookshelf type speakers.

Audition different models and see.
At profx (MGRoad), you can experience Polk, KEF
At The Home Cinema (Ecity), you can experience Sonodyne, SVS, Taga, Polk, KEF
At DNI you can audition Focal
At HTStore you can audition Dali, Emotiva
 
Options are:
swans M200MKIII+( 380$ + 131$ shipping as per aliexpress)
Vanatoo Transparent Zero(350$ + shipping + customs as per amazon.com)
Audioengine A5+ bluetooth (500$ + shipping + customs as per amazon.com)

I have gone through most of the reviews and discussion(on hifivision) and feels that swan M200MKIII+ will be a better option. but as i am not an expert, hence asking for expert opinion. if swan, then should i purchase it from aliexpress(or hifinage.com/proaudiohome.com). i can stretch the budget if required.

My Req:
old hindi songs(rafi/lataji/kishor) - 70%
new hindi songs - 30%

Most of the time, i will be listening in low to medium volume. The intention is to enjoy the old bollywood music in a 10*15 room while doing other activities.
not much bass is needed. no intention of adding subwoofer etc(not now, not in future also). i will be playing via bluetooth(via mobile from youtube, amazon prime etc)
or chromecast.
You can also try the JBL LSR 305. Book shelf speakers with very good sound signature in my opinion. You'd also have spare money to buy stands
 
Since you are buying for the first time, it is better to stick to Amp + Speakers combination. Consider tower speakers as you are not planning to add subwoofer or you can consider adding a subwoofer along with bookshelf type speakers.

Audition different models and see.
At profx (MGRoad), you can experience Polk, KEF
At The Home Cinema (Ecity), you can experience Sonodyne, SVS, Taga, Polk, KEF
At DNI you can audition Focal
At HTStore you can audition Dali, Emotiva

thanks. had gone to htstore to audition dali bookshelf(not audition. just listen to get the feel). so wanted to go with passive bookshelf(dali zensor 3 or dali oberon 3) with marantz pm6006.
confused whether to go for pm6006 or pm6006 UK edition.
one more doubt: everywhere experts are recommending marantz pm6006 with zensor 3. but the impedance is not matching. can someone clarify.
details given below.
DALI ZENSOR 3
Sensitivity 88 dB
Nominal impedance 6 ohm
RMS Power Range - Speakers 20 Watts
Recommended Amplifier Power [W] 25 - 125

Marantz PM6006 Integrated Amplifier
Integrated Current Feedback Amplifier with 2x 45W / 8 ohm rms
from some website:>>>
Our general advice would be that it’s fine to connect speakers with a higher impedance
to an amplifier capable operating with a lower impedance, but what you shouldn’t do
is connect speakers with a lower impedance (say, 4 ohms) to an amplifier with a higher
minimum impendence (10 ohms, for example).
>>>>

suggesion needed for music source:
with amp and speaker, my budget will be exhausted. so will not be able to invest on good music source now. so what will be the best option to play music via mobile using amp + speaker. do i need to purchase some cable like headphone jack to rca or something. or some cheaper device so that i can directly play via mobile. i know i am not doing justice to the setup. but this will be temperory for around 1 year or so.
also which music souce will be good for long term. as i dont have anything right now, i am building from scratch. so i can either go with vinyl or cd or online streaming via bluetooth(firestick, chromcast etc)...
 
thanks. had gone to htstore to audition dali bookshelf(not audition. just listen to get the feel). so wanted to go with passive bookshelf(dali zensor 3 or dali oberon 3) with marantz pm6006.
confused whether to go for pm6006 or pm6006 UK edition.
one more doubt: everywhere experts are recommending marantz pm6006 with zensor 3. but the impedance is not matching. can someone clarify.
details given below.
DALI ZENSOR 3
Sensitivity 88 dB
Nominal impedance 6 ohm
RMS Power Range - Speakers 20 Watts
Recommended Amplifier Power [W] 25 - 125

Marantz PM6006 Integrated Amplifier
Integrated Current Feedback Amplifier with 2x 45W / 8 ohm rms
from some website:>>>
Our general advice would be that it’s fine to connect speakers with a higher impedance
to an amplifier capable operating with a lower impedance, but what you shouldn’t do
is connect speakers with a lower impedance (say, 4 ohms) to an amplifier with a higher
minimum impendence (10 ohms, for example).
>>>>

suggesion needed for music source:
with amp and speaker, my budget will be exhausted. so will not be able to invest on good music source now. so what will be the best option to play music via mobile using amp + speaker. do i need to purchase some cable like headphone jack to rca or something. or some cheaper device so that i can directly play via mobile. i know i am not doing justice to the setup. but this will be temperory for around 1 year or so.
also which music souce will be good for long term. as i dont have anything right now, i am building from scratch. so i can either go with vinyl or cd or online streaming via bluetooth(firestick, chromcast etc)...

Some of the amps are rated for 4 to 8 ohms. Since Marantz PM6006 specifies only 8ohm, it is safer to go with 8Ohm speakers.
6ohm also will work, amp may get heated up and performance level may not be optimum/best

Listen to more speakers, preferably with same content so that you can differentiate the sound signature
In the budget range Sonodyne 3260 is a good contender (8ohm speaker) priced in the same range as Dali Zensor 3

Try to listen to KEF, Focal as well. Polk also can be considered, but clarity may be a bit less compared to others

Have you listened to Emotiva at HTStore? Emotiva uses ribbon tweeters. They are 4ohm speaker, recommended to be used with Emotiva Amps.
 
@navjyot If want to get inventive and try you hand at DIY...here is an option to look at.

Dayton Audio DSP - 16000
Widebander like Dayton RS100-4 4 ohms - 6000
Woofer (6.5 to 10 inch) as per your choice -
Example Dayton RS180-P 4 ohm - 12000
Any compact Class D amplifier like
Volt+ amplifier - 2000 x 2 - 4000
Enclosure + accessories - 10000

Total around 50000. The price can be further reduced based on the choice of drivers.
With proper tuning, this setup can sound extremely good with minimum clutter.
The amp boards can be integrated into the speaker enclosure itself.
 
@navjyot If want to get inventive and try you hand at DIY...here is an option to look at.

Dayton Audio DSP - 16000
Widebander like Dayton RS100-4 4 ohms - 6000
Woofer (6.5 to 10 inch) as per your choice -
Example Dayton RS180-P 4 ohm - 12000
Any compact Class D amplifier like
Volt+ amplifier - 2000 x 2 - 4000
Enclosure + accessories - 10000

Total around 50000. The price can be further reduced based on the choice of drivers.
With proper tuning, this setup can sound extremely good with minimum clutter.
The amp boards can be integrated into the speaker enclosure itself.
thanks. but i am buying speakers for the first time. so will stick with the above only(2 speaker + amp). will try new things after few years when i have better understanding and exactly know what i want and what i dont have. anyway thanks.
 
Some of the amps are rated for 4 to 8 ohms. Since Marantz PM6006 specifies only 8ohm, it is safer to go with 8Ohm speakers.
6ohm also will work, amp may get heated up and performance level may not be optimum/best

Listen to more speakers, preferably with same content so that you can differentiate the sound signature
In the budget range Sonodyne 3260 is a good contender (8ohm speaker) priced in the same range as Dali Zensor 3

Try to listen to KEF, Focal as well. Polk also can be considered, but clarity may be a bit less compared to others

Have you listened to Emotiva at HTStore? Emotiva uses ribbon tweeters. They are 4ohm speaker, recommended to be used with Emotiva Amps.
thanks. lot of expert recommended pm6006 with zenser3. hence posted this question.
didnt listen to emotiva. as i wanted marantz, hence focused only on dali(as lot of experts recommnted dali/qacoustic for my kind of taste of music). will listen to them if i go next time.
 
thanks. had gone to htstore to audition dali bookshelf(not audition. just listen to get the feel). so wanted to go with passive bookshelf(dali zensor 3 or dali oberon 3) with marantz pm6006.
confused whether to go for pm6006 or pm6006 UK edition.
one more doubt: everywhere experts are recommending marantz pm6006 with zensor 3. but the impedance is not matching. can someone clarify.
details given below.
DALI ZENSOR 3
Sensitivity 88 dB
Nominal impedance 6 ohm
RMS Power Range - Speakers 20 Watts
Recommended Amplifier Power [W] 25 - 125

Marantz PM6006 Integrated Amplifier
Integrated Current Feedback Amplifier with 2x 45W / 8 ohm rms
from some website:>>>
Our general advice would be that it’s fine to connect speakers with a higher impedance
to an amplifier capable operating with a lower impedance, but what you shouldn’t do
is connect speakers with a lower impedance (say, 4 ohms) to an amplifier with a higher
minimum impendence (10 ohms, for example).
>>>>

suggesion needed for music source:
with amp and speaker, my budget will be exhausted. so will not be able to invest on good music source now. so what will be the best option to play music via mobile using amp + speaker. do i need to purchase some cable like headphone jack to rca or something. or some cheaper device so that i can directly play via mobile. i know i am not doing justice to the setup. but this will be temperory for around 1 year or so.
also which music souce will be good for long term. as i dont have anything right now, i am building from scratch. so i can either go with vinyl or cd or online streaming via bluetooth(firestick, chromcast etc)...


as per https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...z_pm6006_integrated_amplifier_with.html/specs
Power Rating40 W per channel @ 8 Ohms RMS
55 W per channel @ 4 Ohms RMS

as per https://www.us.marantz.com/en-us/shop/hificomponents/pm6006#tab3

Power Output (8 / 4 Ohm RMS)45 W / 60 W

as per https://www.hifimart.com/marantz-pm...r.html?search=marantz pm6006&description=true
Integrated Current Feedback Amplifier with 2x 45W / 8 ohm rms
so looks experts are correct here. i was referring to hifimart. it doesnt have complete details.
marantz pm6006 supports 4-8 ohm.
 
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!
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