The Art of Near-field, Desktop listening

davidro

Lunatic Member
I've always had a near-field, desktop rig at my office cell.

This developed from a pair of generic speakers taken from an old Sony or Denon all-in-one combo to now 2 pairs of mini monitors and 2 amps to swap around. There's also a little DAC with a volume control.

I've swapped a few speaker cables, aftermarket power cords, brand interconnects and banana plugs. IME, it is easier telling the sonic difference between the cables in this near-field set up. Probably because you hear the direct sound more this way.

There's just so much to talk about this particular setup. What makes this kind of setup unique is because:

  1. It is less affected by room acoustics than other bigger sized setups.
  2. The volume is usually not too loud.
  3. Speaker choice is typically limited to mini-monitors. Yes them mini-monitors are meant to be heard like this circa BBC LS3/5a.
  4. Unless you want to upset your colleagues, you just forget about suubwoofers and hence Distributed Bass.

There may be more reasons that I can't recall right now.

Who else is into this?
 
Here's a recent shot of my ever-evolving desktop rig:

KakaoTalk_20150429_131221800_zpsqikcytpy.jpg


Featured is a pair of Monitor Audio speakers on DIY filled speaker stands, a 220wpc@8 'doubling-down' Class-D amp, a NuForce uDac & Audio Principe ICs.
 
Two of the better nearfield setups I ever heard were these.

AudioNote AX-2 speakers powered by an ASL AQ 1003 integrated. I thought that was very sweet, and tough to better until I heard a pair of System Audio SA-705 speakers driven by an Arcam Alpha 10 integrated.

Both were 'office' systems, and had a turntable.

I agree with your opinion about hearing subtle changes more easily. My primary system is just barely beyond what I would call nearfield. About four feet away from my chair.

almarro A205 amp
almarro M1A speakers (built by amp designer, Yoshihiro Muramatsu, purchased after he used them as demos at an AK Fest)
Lector CDP0.6T cdp
Yamaha T-2 tuner
Marantz TT15-S1/Benz Ace/Lehmann Black Cube

I have long since jumped off the 'upgrade train'. No desire to make changes. I just spend all my money on records.
 
I can see why you jumped off the upgrade train seeing how tasteful your rig is.

I've also constantly considered bringing that old Dual table to my office.....but never managed to.

Would love a pic of yours :yes:
 
Hey Hoarder, yes the near-field rig involving mini monitors do present an uncanny 3D sound. The sound-stage inevitably is not very large, but it is way more realistic than one may assume.

Love the old Rogers :yes: Surprisingly robust and highly rhythmical.
 
That sounds borderline weird! So you don't really 'hear' the speakers that far apart from your sides?
 
i listen to Klipsch Cornwalls in near-field. (7ft triangle)

3wpc of SEP tube power gets me into 85-90dB range with no problems whatsoever.
 
Mine is very simple. Just a pair of Insignia NS-B2111's powered by a TA2020 amp. It works very well for near-field. I've been using these as my desktop speakers for 7 years now.

IMG_20110925_231742.jpg
 
I use this modern budget system for near field listening at work.

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PC -> Schiit 'Fulla' DAC / headphone amp -> Gemtune (APPJ? Minwatt?) SET amp -> Pioneer Andrew Jones SP-BS22-LR speakers. Headphones are Sennheiser HD580.

Source is primarily streaming from Amazon. This rig actually sees quite a bit more use than my main system at home.
 
Two of the better nearfield setups I ever heard were these.

AudioNote AX-2 speakers powered by an ASL AQ 1003 integrated. I thought that was very sweet, and tough to better until I heard a pair of System Audio SA-705 speakers driven by an Arcam Alpha 10 integrated.

Both were 'office' systems, and had a turntable.

I agree with your opinion about hearing subtle changes more easily. My primary system is just barely beyond what I would call nearfield. About four feet away from my chair.

almarro A205 amp
almarro M1A speakers (built by amp designer, Yoshihiro Muramatsu, purchased after he used them as demos at an AK Fest)
Lector CDP0.6T cdp
Yamaha T-2 tuner
Marantz TT15-S1/Benz Ace/Lehmann Black Cube

I have long since jumped off the 'upgrade train'. No desire to make changes. I just spend all my money on records.
My primary system has ended up in very similar situation recently. 5' equilateral triangle, (as of this morning) Anthem Pre1 (loving it to bits), Cj MV-45 and Reference 3a mm de Capo speakers on two-post Target stands (plus sources of course). I still have some details to the room to work out, but I spent an hour this morning completely enthralled by a CD of Mahler 10 that I never really cared for much previously. The speakers completely "disappear" even at such close range and the dynamics are absolutely wicked. 45 w/ch is way more than enough in this room, but the Pre1 and speakers give the option of biamping so I might just be tempted eventually.

I wonder how many of us end up with our main rig in a really small space? Mine is there now because the room doubles as my study/work space and I end up playing all manner of recordings my wife wouldn't be into. That and I need to interconnect with my main computer which resides here as well.
 
I've been using a Topping TP-30 to Fostex Kanspeas (on Audioengine stands) since December. Here are my observations.

1. Some material just doesn't work well. Anything where instruments are hard panned does not sound cohesive. Kind Of Blue is a good example.

2. Speaker placement is critical. If you angle the speakers up like I do the sweet spot is limited not only side to side but front to back. If I mess with my setup further I may go for or make some tall stands to get the drivers right at ear level.

3. I spend a ton of time messing with the balance control in the DAC menu. At whisper levels my cheap amp's volume control just doesn't track accurately enough.

4. I want a blacker background. As ridiculous as it is I'm probably going to make up some new speaker cables with Canare 4S11 (when I buy some more for longer cables elsewhere) just to see if the quad design quiets things down any more.

5. I miss bass. I think adding a sub would annoy my neighbors though and would take away from the cohesiveness since there's really not any space for the sound to develop.

6. Even when it works perfectly a work setting makes it weird. Otis Redding singing from the middle of an e-mail is kinda strange. I'm often not in a mindset to really appreciate what I'm hearing.

I also have a tube integrated with some larger full ranges in the space. The speakers are both to the right when I'm at the desk. I often listen to this instead as it's a fuller sound and in some ways less distracting than sitting in the middle.
 
My main system is now near field in a highly treated room.
nearfield allow more then 50% of the sound to be direct from the speakers, it really help to take away some of the room inherent problems.
soundstage is smaller, but the reward is worth it imo.

1 worthy note, in a near field setup, I would really recommend for the speaker to be toed in close to at least 30 degree.
 
At last years Newport Beach Show , there was a demo using a chair with arms that swung out and had AudioEngine speakers on it. That was my intro into this. I've experimented with various speakers. Using Digital Designs studio monitors right now.
 
2. Speaker placement is critical. If you angle the speakers up like I do the sweet spot is limited not only side to side but front to back. If I mess with my setup further I may go for or make some tall stands to get the drivers right at ear level.

Proper stands on a desktop rig are more important than many seem to assume, and that's one of the reasons.

Without proper stands, there are a number of issues:

  1. As you said, you don't get the drivers/tweeters at your ear level.
  2. Low or no stands causes significant first reflection being your desktop surface. I think your Audioengine stands help you in this regard.
  3. Lightweight, un-filled stands cause speaker reasonance to the desk.

Surprisingly, there aren't too many aftermarket desktop stands.


3. I spend a ton of time messing with the balance control in the DAC menu. At whisper levels my cheap amp's volume control just doesn't track accurately enough. /quote]

IME, this issue was often corrected when I plug and unplug the USB cable, which bugs me because I might need a 'better' USB cable.

4. I want a blacker background. As ridiculous as it is I'm probably going to make up some new speaker cables with Canare 4S11 (when I buy some more for longer cables elsewhere) just to see if the quad design quiets things down any more.

IME, this is not easy to deal with because you'd get all sorts of signal interferences from your own computer and other electronics in your office. I sorta give up because the office has at least some sort of low level noise inherent to it.

I also placed my computer below my desk so that I don't have to hear it operating.

5. I miss bass. I think adding a sub would annoy my neighbors though and would take away from the cohesiveness since there's really not any space for the sound to develop.

Yeah as I said in my initial post I sorta give up on this. The good news is, I get to evaluate my mini-monitors with no interference/help from any subs.

6. Even when it works perfectly a work setting makes it weird. Otis Redding singing from the middle of an e-mail is kinda strange. I'm often not in a mindset to really appreciate what I'm hearing.

This can easily be overcome by controlling the sound setup in your computer.
 
IME, this issue was often corrected when I plug and unplug the USB cable, which bugs me because I might need a 'better' USB cable.

David, there are some affordable USB cables that make use of topology changes to eliminate at least some, if not most, of the noise inherent in using USB for simultaneous digital audio and power for the DAC, and for reducing ambient electronic 'noise'.

Wireworld Chroma is an all-copper cable with power and signal conductors isolated from each other.

Wireworld Starlight 7 is mid-level silver-clad copper with better isolation. Seems to be a sweet-spot for value, at about $120.

The Starlight 7 convinced my favourite reformed cable skeptic.

Of course, there are all-silver versions if you are trying to wring out the last .01% of detail.

Other makers have their take on the issue. I did listen to the WW cable at my local brick and mortar, when a customer brought in his own, to try it with different DACs. Glenn had recommended it, and, at the time, he didn't carry the line.

Eight months later, he brought Wireworld into his shop.
 
Been wondering about it since my current DAC is worth working on the USB cable upgrade.

Once that's done I will keep an eye on the used market :yes:
 
Definitely want to try the isolated power/signal USB cable thing at some point. Need to improve the DAC situation first though.
 
Do we need a lot of power?

There's school of thought that says no matter how NOT loud you listen to your music, you always benefit from powerful amps especially if your speakers are inefficient.

Interestingly, many modern mini-monitors tend to be inefficient because they try to put out more bass than their girly frame can handle. And many fans say 'they need a lot of power' as a bit of a mantra.

Now the typical listening distance from my speakers on my desktop rig is about 70cm to 1m at best. And I don't/can't usually listen to it loud. I'm not even too sure if I want them go that loud anyway. My ears will hurt soon.

Be that as it may, if I thought I don't need a lot of power, my preference would naturally be something tube, especially something Directly-Heated, Single-Ended Triode stuff.

There's a little issue though. I often forget to turn off my amp. And I'd spend a weekend worrying about it if I forgot to turn off a tube amp at my work. Moreover, a tube amp right next to me isn't quite practicable in summer even if the office is air-conditioned.

In any event, if I assume them mini-monitors need a lot of power even on a low volume, I'd be inclined to keep something powerful. I do have an amp like that. My SDS power amp does 220wpc@8/440wpc@4. The popular wisdom would dictate that this amp should sound better when driving my Celestion speakers of 82dB than my Sonneteer amp that does 20wpc@8/40wpc@4.

But I'm not entirely convinced the SDS sounds better than the Sonneteer. In fact, I feel that the Sonneteer sounds a little better on my desktop.

I am currently listening to the Sonneteer and Celestion combo. Will swap to the SDS later in the day and report back.
 
Just swapped to the SDS...then now I feel as though the bass is much better this way...:smoke: :para:
 
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