The iLoud series looks nice, but I am under the impression that it is a “studio” speaker, ie engineered for flat frequency response. Like studio headphones, this is great for artists and sound engineers, but not ideal for listening to music.
I am drawn to the Teufel MYND at the moment, it looks ideal. I never had a single-unit solution before, so I am not sure how it will sound in stereo, but for this amount of money I am willing to give it a try.
Why are flat speakers not ideal for music? IMO flat speakers are the best kind for music, especially if you listen to multiple genres that will be mixed and produced differently. Your room will already boost certain frequencies by itself, unlike headphones, you don’t need your speakers to do that.
For example, the Harman Curve is meant to replicate the frequency response of flat speakers in a room, and is what is usually considered the target frequency response for headphones/iems, and which will provide the most pleasing experience for an average population.
I have a Nubert single-unit that sounds OK. A bit too boomy, a bit too flat. My dad, however, has a HomePod, that frankly sounds amazing–not just for its size. Bose has a few very good small systems, too.
What I’ve heard of other Teufel speakers is that they’re quite good with this sort of “computational” digitally-corrected audio system. But I’ll be very interested in what you’ll report.
Yeah, I think a friend of mine specifically aimed for speakers like that for similar reasons.
Well I don’t know if that thread is cursed or something (the FF7 remake story killed me) but the remote control of my 20-year-old bedroom micro-HiFi system thingy died all of a sudden mere hours after having skimmed through this discussion. This morning I had to jump out of bed and rush to the other side of the room to prevent its alarm from gradually bumping the music’s volume up to deafening levels. 
Hope it’s not too hard to find micro-systems without being forced to get speakers too. And that RCA auxiliary inputs are still a thing. Haven’t looked yet. 
I’m not sure that my tale is entirely relevant to this thread, but I’ve been quite impressed by modern cheap class-D amplifiers.
Be warned - I’m also no audiophile but like music. 
My lovely wife and I wanted better sound to go with our TV (a old TV but that’s another story) and the obvious choice was a decent soundbar… until prices sunk in.
I wanted something decent, but at present preferably cheap - problem.
We have an AudioPro C5 bluetooth/semi smart speaker (which is terrific btw) that I could have hooked up, but wanted to keep that in the kitchen. A bit of stereo image would be nice too.
My eventual prototype solution was a class D amp module of eBay (this one) and after much research and searching or eBay and Marketplace for availability, a pair of slightly shabby Denon SC-M101 speakers. These were made by Mission for Denon, and had decent reviews in their day. Sadly, unlike the older Mission speakers these were made in China, no the UK, but they are still a decent design.
Total cost so far £28. A recycled power supply cost nothing and got it running.
And wow - I know it’s hardly a comparison worth making, but the difference from the built in TV speakers or cheap soundbar is night and day.
We’ve been watching the Star Wars films recently and hearing stuff we’d never noticed before.
For music, the set up compares well with the AudioPro too. I think the cheap class-D amp is the limiting factor - I think the highs are just a little dirty on close listening at high volume - but it is soooo much better than I expected from the price tag.
We have the speakers spread out about 3m apart and while it’s definitely not surround sound it is so nice to hear some proper stereo imaging.
I’ve built a little wooden enclosure for the amp and am planning to add in a BT module so it’s easy to use for that too.
Yep! I have an SMSL DA-9 powering a pair of KEF Q150 and it’s really really good. Even the modules they put inside active speakers are great and all the downside of class D are gone in modern designs.
DACs have also gotten really good. You can get a 15-20€ dongle that measures better than top of the line DACs from even 7-10 years ago. Audio is one of those categories of electronics where we have peaked and the consumers have really benefited.
Now Sennheiser please discount your HD800S, R&D must be recovered by now, I want a pair 
What were the downsides? I was into sound electronics in my teens (2000s) when (apparently) the only respectable DIY amps were still big, hot and heavy, but the coming of Class-D has largely passed me by.
Uh-huh! I have a USB-C one for my phone that sounds really good.
Early models had some hiss at idle, high distortion and the output filters weren’t that good
(5F1 I built)
I kid, we don’t need to go this back. I have a Marantz AB, it’s only 40 watts per channel but it’s huge and bulky. It developed noise in one channel but I don’t have the skills to repair it, so I got the SMSL I mentioned above.
My understanding is that there are no downsides, and there have never been any with decent designs. Of course there have been substandard implementations, but now these are just a chip, manufactured to high standards. I find claims about “flat sound” etc fictional.
Yes, I am looking at D-class amplifiers. I don’t want to tinker, but the SMSL A100 is under €100, and I may just get two small speakers and be done with it. The problem is that where I live, people religiously overprice second-hand items like this, instead of getting rid of them in a garage sale for cheap.
Well, now we’re sharing photos… 
I find it interesting to contrast the different perspectives on sound engineering. From the two extremes - people who describe the sound of a certain system as if it were a rare fine wine, to the determined engineer who discounts everything that can’t be measured.
I imagine that it all can be measured, but subjectivity comes into it a lot too?
Mmm. Here in the UK the charity shops can come up good, but eBay is also often worthwhile for stuff like speakers. I’m inclined to say the speakers are more important than the amp actually, but obviously both are playing a large part.
Well, rare fine wines usually don’t reflect their rarity/price in blind tasting either 
Sure, but frequently people are just looking for little imperfections they are used to with existing equipment, and/or are unwilling to accept the fact that the expensive audiophile system they paid a lot of money a decade ago is now superseded by something an order of magnitude cheaper. Audiophile equipment companies are of course interested in maintaining this perception.
The ultimate argument is, of course, that if you can’t hear the difference, the problem is with your ears, and expensive stuff is just pearls before swine in your case, you ain’t sophisticated enough. The emperor is, of course, fully clothed in fine regalia, but only the right people can see it.
But every hobbyist community has this, cf microcontrast.
Ha! As someone who rarely drinks and doesn’t enjoy wine anyway, that resonates 
I’d say there is a real effect in how much you work with something, the better you are at discerning certain characteristics of it. A plato’s cave situation if you might. I believe the problem is that the majority of people can’t communicate this properly or really accept that it’s not due to their expensive gear but experience or better, even if cheaper, gear.
Unfortunately audio has been particularly hit by snake oil salesman. Hifi usb cables, huge power cables, power cleaning stations, tube amps, NO (Non Oversampling) DACs, the list goes on and on and on.
I just want to note that I am totally fine with whatever irrational beliefs people want to hold about audio (or any other) equipment. Since they are grownups spending spending their own money, and I can walk away from arguments (quietly smiling), I find it absolutely harmless, even charming.
I believe that people should be allowed their little pockets of irrationality and I will be the last person trying take it away from them. If someone actually succeeds in doing that, people usually just find some other delusion that may actually be harmful (vaccine denial, sovereign citizen mythology, etc).
I just admire how technology democratized activities like listening to music. Most class-D amplifiers are built around high-quality mass-produced chips that cost around $5–25 in most cases. So, everyone who puts in a bit of effort to research these options can now enjoy sound quality that used to cost way more.
Completely agreed! This happened too in the land of guitar gear, due to cheap Indonesian and Chinese manufacturers pumping guitars and now also amplifiers and effects units/modelers.
It’s a bit sad that photography didn’t have such a ‘revolution’, but I guess sensors and optics are still quite expensive and more advanced than mass produced chips. Also economies of scale come into this of course.
What’s in that mysterious wooden box?
The beautiful thing about Hi-Fi is that it’s entirely subjective. If it sounds good to you, it is good. Measurements don’t matter. The only point is that it needs to be fun (and not harm/disturb others). Beyond that… go wild.
Not that dissimilar from photography, come to think of it.
