Audiophiles hifi appreciation thread old and new

I've tannoy Eatons on a bookshelf on their sides...

Of course it's possible, but both those examples are specific applications where dimensions are more important than acoustics. I'd guess in most rooms the depth of a stand mount speaker is rarely a problem.

The problem is semantic really, these speakers aren't designed to be on a bookshelf, just everyone calls them that.

I've tannoy Eatons on a bookshelf on their sides...

https://www.tannoy.com/product.html?modelCode=P0DEL

I think we have a winner!

25cm depth cabinet for 25cm drivers.

I will schedule an audition.

^what he said.

I know everyone thinks that their solution is worth sharing but; I have some old Celestion UL6s on 30cm deep shelves that I use as nearfield monitors. They're only 20cm deep so can sit angled in on the shelves. No rear port (they have a passive "bass radiator") which means they're okay with the back facing a corner. Very open and three dimensional. Best speakers I've ever had anyway. Love them. https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=13368.0

Well fuck me.

I've just blown them.

Was sat here typing the above, thinking. Yep, I really do love these speakers. Family's just gone out. I'll just stick on something nice to listen to and get working. Went for the new Gruff Rhys album hit play and... DEAFENING DISTORTED BLAST. Dove for the amp volume but too late. My three year old had been fiddling with my Duet audio interface and had left it CRANKED. Goodbye speakers. Fffffff

oh no!

oh yes. gutted.

Jeez.. Is this the driver?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124276986861

I found the same, and on top of that a large number of "bookshelf" speakers have recommendations of being 10-30cm from the wall.

I ended up with some Dali ones, they seemed to have more slim options that were designed to be used close to a wall. The Neat Iota were on my list but I wasn't that keen on the looks and they are not cheap compared to alternatives.

Nice! yes that's them.

Hold the front page! They're back!

wtf was that then? After the earsplitting blast (my ears are still ringing) they were both full on crunchy and distorted. No bottom end and fizzy distorted top. Turned everything off then back on. Tried again. Same result.

Left it for 20 mins, saw the above post about the driver, turned back on with the intention of sticking my ear my them to see if it was the driver or tweeter or both that was borked... and they fired up perfectly. Everything seems to be fine.

Sorry for the false alarm doods.

You can try my Tannoy IIILZ Monitor Golds if you like. I'll be selling them soon.

If ever a post needed a Peace out as a sign off, that's it!

My three year old had been fiddling with my Duet audio interface and had left it CRANKED.

A friend once asked why I always checked the volume settings on things before turning them on. He doesn't have children.

(Think it only took me two or three times before I developed the necessary habits.)

I'm usually pretty fastidious, as I have guitar amps in here that could cause some serious upset if unleashed at full chat. I'm usually careful with the stereo too but I have been caught out a few times lately. This was a doozy. So relieved I seem to have dodged a disaster again. I was properly grumpy for a bit there!

Couple of contributing factors are that the marker dot on my amp's volume knob is tiny, not lit up and hard to see. Ditto the Apogee Duet 2, which is what I use to run audio in and out of my mac to the amp, only displays a level as you're adjusting a setting. Then it just goes back to a generic VU meter... which will be blank if there’s no signal in.

It's all too easy hit the space bar and not realise that the amp and the interface are cranked.

Well fuck me.

I've just blown them

😭

Hold the front page! They're back!

🥳

the marker dot on my amp's volume knob is tiny,

There’s a big paint-pen mark on the knob of our blender for the same reason 😵‍💫

I have some old Celestion UL6s on 30cm deep shelves that I use as nearfield monitors. They're only 20cm deep so can sit angled in on the shelves

These are my favourite looking 3-ways. If I ever find myself in a "they didn't make them like they did in the olds days" I'll have these in mind. This is the format that makes sense for bookshelf speakers.

They’re only two way really, but yeh, I dig them. So relieved they’ve survived my mistreatment.

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I have ordered one of these... should be with me in a week.
https://www.hifinews.com/content/gato-audio-dia-250s-npm-amplifiernetwork-dac

Going to hook it up to the PSI Audio A14M speakers in the front room and see what they can do in a larger space.

I've an audition of the Eaton's on Friday... so hopefully by the end of this week I'll know what I am doing.

I don't understand. Aren't they nearfield powered monitors? Isn't the Gato a sweet sweet do it all integrated DAC/Network Player/Amp? Are you just using it for it's DAC and Network abilities? Or are you getting it as you know you'll be buying passive speakers in the future?

I'm curious about the Gato (I need to get from TosLink to XLR somehow), curious about whether the PSI Audio's work in that space, and if the Eaton's win then I'll need an amp to drive those.

This is a 30 day home trial/audition thing which means I can try multiple things using it.

If it turns out I'm getting the Tannoy Eaton's, then I may already have the amp. And if this turns up very soon I can take it to the shop and try it with those speakers too.

The only downside to trying this stuff out is locking up 90% of the value of the item for the duration of trying it out.

I am so confused though. Didn't you say you wanted actual bookshelf speakers? Those Tannoy's are huge.

They'll be going on a bookshelf.

Bookshelves have a lack of depth, and the String shelving means I have 58cm width to play with and I can move shelves to make whatever height I want. But... the shelves are only 30cm depth and for speakers this will include cables, so the speakers need to be 26cm depth or less.

Bookshelf for me means depth constrained, not width or height constrained. They're also going to be backed onto a wall, so will need to be front ported.

The problem I have with the vast majority of bookshelf speakers: They are too deep, and a lot want to stand away from the wall. Meaning they would need to float somewhere in front of a book case not within it.

I have a room... 5m x 5m x 3m (approx), new shelving will go along one wall, I want speakers that are not on the floor (for many reasons)... so the speakers are going to be within the shelving. The room isn't huge, but it's not small... so speakers capable of sounding great here are desired. I have PSI Audio's on my desk... I'm used to very good speakers and would like a similar quality and sound in the living room.

That's all of it... just great speakers, for a medium room, that can live within book shelving.

I can't even get stereo separates into that space, so will need to investigate various things to find whatever I want to do for streaming, amplification, etc. The speakers are the hard part though, so few shallow enough.