Help Choosing Stereo Speakers for Near-Field Listening (Near Wall Placement)

[kvandhi]

Hi everyone,

I have a query about selecting stereo speakers for near-field listening — mainly for placement on a desk, on either side of my laptop.

I’m a bit confused about which type of port design (front-ported, rear-ported, or sealed) would be better, since my setup has the speakers placed just a few inches away from the back wall — the table itself is right up against the wall.

Could you please share suggestions or experiences on which speaker type works best for such near-wall, near-field setups?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Amarendra]

Hi everyone,

I have a query about selecting stereo speakers for near-field listening — mainly for placement on a desk, on either side of my laptop.

I’m a bit confused about which type of port design (front-ported, rear-ported, or sealed) would be better, since my setup has the speakers placed just a few inches away from the back wall — the table itself is right up against the wall.

Could you please share suggestions or experiences on which speaker type works best for such near-wall, near-field setups?

Thanks in advance!

Rear ported like micca RB42 is also fine. You can plug the port if you find it too overwhelming with low end.

 

[Amarendra]

Edifer 1700 BTS (active) are also fine with front port

 

[hydra]

Hi everyone,

I have a query about selecting stereo speakers for near-field listening — mainly for placement on a desk, on either side of my laptop.

I’m a bit confused about which type of port design (front-ported, rear-ported, or sealed) would be better, since my setup has the speakers placed just a few inches away from the back wall — the table itself is right up against the wall.

Could you please share suggestions or experiences on which speaker type works best for such near-wall, near-field setups?

Thanks in advance!

Strictly speaking, if you're looking for a passive setup (speaker + amp) a sealed bookshelf speaker would be the best bet as far as placement goes. But the budget could be a limitation as far as equipment goes. A pair of NHT SuperOnes or NHT SuperZeros, and a good Amp (ideally used, to get the best bang for the buck) would work well.

For overall best bang for the buck, and minimum complexity, I'd suggest getting a pair of good studio monitors (that have placement correction switches) and IsoAcoustics stands.

A pair of Kali Audio LP6 v2 or Adam Audio T5s would get you the speakers, stands, cables, and still have plenty of money left over.

But, for your budget, a pair of Genelec G1s (would run to about 85-90k) would fit the bill perfectly. (They come with good desktop stands built in). These are really good nearfield monitors with better placement correction (IMHO) than the other two options. They'll work well with just 10 to 15 cms clearance from the rear walls.

 

[Kannan]

Hi everyone,

I have a query about selecting stereo speakers for near-field listening — mainly for placement on a desk, on either side of my laptop.

I’m a bit confused about which type of port design (front-ported, rear-ported, or sealed) would be better, since my setup has the speakers placed just a few inches away from the back wall — the table itself is right up against the wall.

Could you please share suggestions or experiences on which speaker type works best for such near-wall, near-field setups?

Thanks in advance!

for this, I would suggest a pair of active monitors. Depending on budget, you have a wide choice starting from as low as under 10k. If you want to avoid studio monitors and have a budget of close to 50k, look at all-in-one active speakers from Q Acoustics and Elac. These come with in-built amplifiers and DACs, so that you can save on buying individual components and also avoid cluttering your desk.
Just get a decent pair of isolation stands of pads while placing the speakers on the desktop.

 

[kvandhi]

for this, I would suggest a pair of active monitors. Depending on budget, you have a wide choice starting from as low as under 10k. If you want to avoid studio monitors and have a budget of close to 50k, look at all-in-one active speakers from Q Acoustics and Elac. These come with in-built amplifiers and DACs, so that you can save on buying individual components and also avoid cluttering your desk.
Just get a decent pair of isolation stands of pads while placing the speakers on the desktop.

Currently I have marantz PM 5005. So i need passive bookshelf speakers

 

[rwnano]

Currently I have marantz PM 5005. So i need passive bookshelf speakers

I also don't recommend active speakers - since - the amplifier tends to go kaput faster inside the chassis.

 

[ajuvignesh]

sealed, bottom or front ported is the way to go. Ideally a pair of coaxial speakers.