The active speakers club
Have a look at this. www.amati-rd.ch
Have a look at this. www.amati-rd.ch
Nice! And for a mere £ 50.000 a pair!
As I am looking into optios for small actives to use in the bedroom, some more models appear on the radar:
B&O BeoLab 4 (and 4pc). Class d actives, replaceable covers, signal sensing power on, minijack input, 4 inch bass driver, wall and floor stands, a bit expensive, distinct looks.
Libratone has a range of unusually looking airplay actives. There are no ethernet inputs but there are minijacks in. Expensive.
http://www.libratone.com/
Ruark is releasing an active set soon:
http://www.whathifi.com/news/ruark-audio-mr1-bluetooth-speaker-system-–-full-details-and-pictures
http://www.whathifi.com/news/bristol-show-2013-ruark-audio-mr1-bluetooth-desktop-speakers-revealed
no full info yet.
As I am looking into optios for small actives to use in the bedroom, some more models appear on the radar:
B&O BeoLab 4 (and 4pc). Class d actives, replaceable covers, signal sensing power on, minijack input, 4 inch bass driver, wall and floor stands, a bit expensive, distinct looks.
As good as the Beolab 4s are (I have heard them and they were impressive, sounding way better than a Meridian M80), I didn't like the fabric covering.
Like the B&W Zeppelins, they are dust magnets and you would be continuously washing their 'socks'. (The staff at the Loewe Galerie' in Chichester - where I last heard them - said this was a problem with their display/demo B4s even though the place was spotless to almost cleanroom standards!)
The B&Os also seem to only have one 3.5mm minijack connection with no options for USB or optical.
The Ruarks look a good prospect except it's not clear yet if they are active or powered. (The WHF blurb doesn't make this clear.) Again, only a minijack connection.
Kef X300As are more powerful, a bit bigger, and have 24 bit/96khz capable USB connection to their own internal DAC as well as 3.5mm minijack. (And are true active designs.)
The KEFs are class A/B though, so they will get warm (heatsinks) and burn more electricity. They don't look very nice though. (I saw them last week in my local Audio-T).
One day someone will make stylish, class D powered, true active speakers with USB/optical/wireless connectivity (and some useful DSP settings) that are easy to keep clean.
One day someone will make stylish, class D powered, true active speakers with USB/optical/wireless connectivity (and some useful DSP settings) that are easy to keep clean.
I don't think that you'll have long to wait. Existing products and new ones about to come to the market already have a combination of those specs.
The simplist way so far is to use a Roku box or AEX as a wireless reciever for streaming.
The laptop would do the streaming.
I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.
B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.
B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.
Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.
Not your typical active speakers, but how about Audiopros Air One? 4 x 25w class D amplification, Airplay, DLNA, USB, Optical and Analogue (3.5mm mini-jack) inputs and leather finished
The laptop would do the streaming.
I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.
B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.
B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.
Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.
I was going to suggest the MM1s, I take it they're too small? Tbh on a short listen I wasn't that impressed with them for the price.
How about 2 Sonos play:3s? They lack physicals connectivity but are fully active and work pretty flawlessly wirelessly / via AirPlay.
The laptop would do the streaming.
I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.
B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.
B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.
Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.
exactly! Fully agree.
I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.
B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.
No, that is rather pointless
Just added a pair of Kef X300A actives for listening to some high res music off of my laptop, and they are pretty good!
The laptop would do the streaming.
I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.
B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.
B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.
Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.
Alesis M1 520
AudioEngine A5+
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Another potential addition to 'small domestic actives' option - AVI is currently developing one.
System here http://www.whathifi.com/forum/your-system/my-dream-system-oh-maybe-one-day