5 ms·

High quality floor standing speakers, although I would say the average person can get almost the same QOL improvement from $500 bookshelf speakers. I use them

by chubot 6y ago

High quality floor standing speakers, although I would say the average person can get almost the same QOL improvement from $500 bookshelf speakers. I use them for music, movies/TV, watching videos on YouTube including technical ones, and even occasionally video conferencing. Wearing headphones for more than 30 minutes is fatiguing and uncomfortable for me. Listening to people's voices on tiny laptop or iPad speakers is even more annoying. Hearing the bass and midrange in people's voices makes them more intelligible, particularly if they have an accent. It's just 100% more pleasant all around. And this is purely an aesthetic thing, but it's crazy to me that people seem to listen to music through their phone speaker, let alone their laptop speaker... to me it's unrecognizable. ---- Most people seem to be using the bluetooth speakers these days, which ~10 years ago were extremely bad IMO. Admittedly I found one that is pretty good recently. But I still think it's very much worth it to have real speakers with drivers, speaker wire, and an amplifier in your home. (Or a powered speaker, although your options are more limited there, and it's more expensive.) For traveling the right bluetooth speaker can be alright (there are many bad ones), but after a week of traveling my ears are "relieved" when I get to hear real audio again. ---- Also: a single kettlebell for ~$45, which I almost think of as a stretching/circulation device, and a bicycle used for 10+ years.

voisin 6y ago
Which speakers did you buy and which would you recommend for someone that feels overwhelmed by the entire industry?
- panda88888 6y ago
  Not the GP, but I really like the Polk LSiM 707 I picked up during clearance a year ago.
- chubot 6y ago
  Yeah that's a good question, because it is incredibly hard to wade through all the BS in the industry. The average consumer definitely pays more for "style" and "prestige", and the companies respond in kind with a lot of BS. I've owned a pair of Ohm Walsh 1000 speakers since 2014, and used them basically every day, and couldn't be happier. Along with a Marantz receiver with an integrated amp. https://ohmspeaker.com/ https://ohmspeaker.com/ This company basically makes one kind of speaker (omnipolar) and has been refining the design for ~50 years: https://lobste.rs/s/nt9kfo/writing_software_last_50_years#c_s68810 https://lobste.rs/s/nt9kfo/writing_software_last_50_years#c_... (comment by me, 9 months ago) If you have the space for floor standing speakers, I wholeheartedly recommend them. The sellers are very honest and will recommend the right size for your room. I did buy them without hearing them, so I get why people are reluctant to buy speakers. (They have a generous money back guarantee.) I've visited many audio stores in person, and it's not a great alternative. There are too many variables and I don't like to engage too much with salesmen. I bought them mainly for music, but they reproduce voices better than anything I've heard, which is good not only for music, but for lectures and even video conferencing! A lot of speakers and headphones lack midrange, and that is where a lot of the information in human voices is. It's just more comfortable to listen to. Also, you can turn them up really loud, and it doesn't hurt you ears. The speakers which have a lot of flashy treble and bass sound good in the store, but you get fatigued over 30 or 60 minutes, and you have to turn them down. These speakers can be turned up comfortably. ---- If you want something smaller, there are also lots of good deals for bookshelf speakers -- you shouldn't need to spend more than $300 to $600. The amp is sometimes a problem but I've used some tiny $100 amps to good effect too. But yes unfortunately there is a ton of BS to wade through. I got this recommendation from Don Lindich, a newspaper columnist for consumer audio. He also recommended me Mirage speakers way back in the day, which I loved as well. These are all omnipolar speakers -- they have an open sound that brings to life the information in stereo recordings. I listen to rock / metal / pop / hip-hop on them, and they're very good for jazz / classical (perhaps a more typical use, but they're not limited to that).
dvfjsdhgfv 6y ago
Adding to that: a good amplifier that works well with the speakers. It took me a while to find one I liked (in my case it was an old Harman/Kardon PM645 Vxi, you can find it on ebay for under $200).
dzhiurgis 6y ago
I've got second Soundcore Motion+ and going to sell my bookshelf (Kef Q15) speakers. The sound is amazingly good and I don't have much space for bookshelves ATM.
Symbiote 6y ago
My parents wanted to buy me a special gift for my 21st birthday (more than they would usually spend). I didn't want a watch, so I asked for speakers. I think we spent about £300, including an amplifier, 14 years ago, at the local hifi shop.
therealdrag0 6y ago
Re headphones: is it possible you haven’t found a pair that fits well? I’ve tried many many (highly rated) cans over the years and most hurt my years after some time. But now I have Bose QC and the way they fit around my ears without touching them is awesome. I wear them constantly even without audio playing. It’s almost a comfort object now lol.
- chubot 6y ago
  Well the physical comfort isn't really the main issue, but yeah I guess I don't like having something resting on my ears for more than say 30-60 minutes at a time. I would flip it on its head: Why headphones? To me the only advantages of headphones are (1) not disturbing people near you and (2) traveling. For everything else I would use speakers! The other things I don't like are: - the cable following me around, especially if I'm mobile (and that applies to ear buds too). - the feeling of being cut off from sounds around me. - Admittedly a niche complaint, but for music: I don't like the stereo imaging of headphones. Compared to good speakers, it's an unnatural stereo field -- although I realize not everyone is sensitive to that. Depends what you listen to as well.
  - gcatalfamo 6y ago
    the problem with speakers - which I love - is that they don't live well with a microphone as two separate peripherals. How did you solve this?
    - chubot 6y ago
      Good point, that's another reason to use headphones -- if you're also using a microphone! There's no way to really solve this! I think there are some hacks, but the music and TV pro solution is to use in-ear monitors. Good thread where someone suggests using monitors to reduce fatigue on video conference: https://twitter.com/samuelmehr/status/1309672535190102016 https://twitter.com/samuelmehr/status/1309672535190102016 I haven't tried it, but it makes a lot of sense. Knowing how loud your own voice relative to others' is seems like a key benefit. ---- I use speakers to listen to lectures and podcasts, and it's 100% a win IMO, but yeah they don't work well if your voice also has to be recorded unfortunately ...
scns 6y ago
As an owner of two pair (3-way & 5-way) of Backes & Müller active speakers with Dynamic-Membrane-Control (https://www.backesmueller.de/en/b-m-technology.html https://www.backesmueller.de/en/b-m-technology.html). I urge you to try a pair of good half-open Headphones. I use these: https://global.beyerdynamic.com/dt-880-edition.html https://global.beyerdynamic.com/dt-880-edition.html Their half-open build improves mid and bass reproduction, compared to fully open cans. A revelation for me, can wear them all day, no cutoff from outside. Gave them to my mother to test them, she was amazed too. All parts replaceable. Made in Germany. There are is even a low resistance version, if you want to save battery on the go: https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Premium-32-Over-Ear-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B0024NK358/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YRN9NXH9MMMP https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Premium-32-Over-Ear-Ster...
tmaly 6y ago
I have a power speaker that goes on a big tripod, but I only use it for Karaoke or when I need to crank loud music outside. The JBL Flip 4 I have used for just casual music in the garden.
- jcubic 6y ago
  I'm using same JBL bluetooth speaker for my laptop for everything, I use it all the time, now when on Linux BL sometimes stops working automagically, I can't believe that I was using laptop builtin speakers, before I've got that JBL speaker.
gadders 6y ago
If you object to headphones, and don't want the expense of floor standing speakers, the Jabra Speak 510 has been handy for me when WFH. Great audio and mic. https://www.jabra.co.uk/business/speakerphones/jabra-speak-series/jabra-speak-510 https://www.jabra.co.uk/business/speakerphones/jabra-speak-s...

by chubot 6y ago

voisin 6y ago

Which speakers did you buy and which would you recommend for someone that feels overwhelmed by the entire industry?

panda88888 6y ago
Not the GP, but I really like the Polk LSiM 707 I picked up during clearance a year ago.
chubot 6y ago
Yeah that's a good question, because it is incredibly hard to wade through all the BS in the industry. The average consumer definitely pays more for "style" and "prestige", and the companies respond in kind with a lot of BS. I've owned a pair of Ohm Walsh 1000 speakers since 2014, and used them basically every day, and couldn't be happier. Along with a Marantz receiver with an integrated amp. https://ohmspeaker.com/ https://ohmspeaker.com/ This company basically makes one kind of speaker (omnipolar) and has been refining the design for ~50 years: https://lobste.rs/s/nt9kfo/writing_software_last_50_years#c_s68810 https://lobste.rs/s/nt9kfo/writing_software_last_50_years#c_... (comment by me, 9 months ago) If you have the space for floor standing speakers, I wholeheartedly recommend them. The sellers are very honest and will recommend the right size for your room. I did buy them without hearing them, so I get why people are reluctant to buy speakers. (They have a generous money back guarantee.) I've visited many audio stores in person, and it's not a great alternative. There are too many variables and I don't like to engage too much with salesmen. I bought them mainly for music, but they reproduce voices better than anything I've heard, which is good not only for music, but for lectures and even video conferencing! A lot of speakers and headphones lack midrange, and that is where a lot of the information in human voices is. It's just more comfortable to listen to. Also, you can turn them up really loud, and it doesn't hurt you ears. The speakers which have a lot of flashy treble and bass sound good in the store, but you get fatigued over 30 or 60 minutes, and you have to turn them down. These speakers can be turned up comfortably. ---- If you want something smaller, there are also lots of good deals for bookshelf speakers -- you shouldn't need to spend more than $300 to $600. The amp is sometimes a problem but I've used some tiny $100 amps to good effect too. But yes unfortunately there is a ton of BS to wade through. I got this recommendation from Don Lindich, a newspaper columnist for consumer audio. He also recommended me Mirage speakers way back in the day, which I loved as well. These are all omnipolar speakers -- they have an open sound that brings to life the information in stereo recordings. I listen to rock / metal / pop / hip-hop on them, and they're very good for jazz / classical (perhaps a more typical use, but they're not limited to that).

dvfjsdhgfv 6y ago

Adding to that: a good amplifier that works well with the speakers. It took me a while to find one I liked (in my case it was an old Harman/Kardon PM645 Vxi, you can find it on ebay for under $200).

dzhiurgis 6y ago

I've got second Soundcore Motion+ and going to sell my bookshelf (Kef Q15) speakers. The sound is amazingly good and I don't have much space for bookshelves ATM.

Symbiote 6y ago

My parents wanted to buy me a special gift for my 21st birthday (more than they would usually spend). I didn't want a watch, so I asked for speakers. I think we spent about £300, including an amplifier, 14 years ago, at the local hifi shop.

therealdrag0 6y ago

Re headphones: is it possible you haven’t found a pair that fits well? I’ve tried many many (highly rated) cans over the years and most hurt my years after some time. But now I have Bose QC and the way they fit around my ears without touching them is awesome. I wear them constantly even without audio playing. It’s almost a comfort object now lol.

chubot 6y ago
Well the physical comfort isn't really the main issue, but yeah I guess I don't like having something resting on my ears for more than say 30-60 minutes at a time. I would flip it on its head: Why headphones? To me the only advantages of headphones are (1) not disturbing people near you and (2) traveling. For everything else I would use speakers! The other things I don't like are: - the cable following me around, especially if I'm mobile (and that applies to ear buds too). - the feeling of being cut off from sounds around me. - Admittedly a niche complaint, but for music: I don't like the stereo imaging of headphones. Compared to good speakers, it's an unnatural stereo field -- although I realize not everyone is sensitive to that. Depends what you listen to as well.
- gcatalfamo 6y ago
  the problem with speakers - which I love - is that they don't live well with a microphone as two separate peripherals. How did you solve this?
  - chubot 6y ago
    Good point, that's another reason to use headphones -- if you're also using a microphone! There's no way to really solve this! I think there are some hacks, but the music and TV pro solution is to use in-ear monitors. Good thread where someone suggests using monitors to reduce fatigue on video conference: https://twitter.com/samuelmehr/status/1309672535190102016 https://twitter.com/samuelmehr/status/1309672535190102016 I haven't tried it, but it makes a lot of sense. Knowing how loud your own voice relative to others' is seems like a key benefit. ---- I use speakers to listen to lectures and podcasts, and it's 100% a win IMO, but yeah they don't work well if your voice also has to be recorded unfortunately ...

scns 6y ago

As an owner of two pair (3-way & 5-way) of Backes & Müller active speakers with Dynamic-Membrane-Control (https://www.backesmueller.de/en/b-m-technology.html https://www.backesmueller.de/en/b-m-technology.html). I urge you to try a pair of good half-open Headphones. I use these: https://global.beyerdynamic.com/dt-880-edition.html https://global.beyerdynamic.com/dt-880-edition.html Their half-open build improves mid and bass reproduction, compared to fully open cans. A revelation for me, can wear them all day, no cutoff from outside. Gave them to my mother to test them, she was amazed too. All parts replaceable. Made in Germany. There are is even a low resistance version, if you want to save battery on the go: https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Premium-32-Over-Ear-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B0024NK358/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YRN9NXH9MMMP https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Premium-32-Over-Ear-Ster...

tmaly 6y ago

I have a power speaker that goes on a big tripod, but I only use it for Karaoke or when I need to crank loud music outside. The JBL Flip 4 I have used for just casual music in the garden.

jcubic 6y ago
I'm using same JBL bluetooth speaker for my laptop for everything, I use it all the time, now when on Linux BL sometimes stops working automagically, I can't believe that I was using laptop builtin speakers, before I've got that JBL speaker.

gadders 6y ago

If you object to headphones, and don't want the expense of floor standing speakers, the Jabra Speak 510 has been handy for me when WFH. Great audio and mic. https://www.jabra.co.uk/business/speakerphones/jabra-speak-series/jabra-speak-510 https://www.jabra.co.uk/business/speakerphones/jabra-speak-s...