I am in need of some good speakers for my digital piano. I've tried a few bookshelf speakers, but none of them have the dynamic range to do it justice. On the weekend I was lucky to pick up a pair of Behringer B2031A active monitors. First impressions indicate that these might just do the trick, though I have not put them through their full paces yet.
This is what I have thus far...
Compared to my non-ideal bookshelf speakers that consist of a Dayton RS28F tweeter and Adire Audio Extemis 6.8 mid/bass (the drivers were thrown into a box that is narrower than I would have chosen for them, and tuning is for a different driver; a crossover was built to suit), this is what I observe:
Drivers:
1 inch metal dome tweeter on a waveguide and 8 inch mid/bass
Bandwidth:
I'd classify these "full-range". Bass is good, better than my bookshelfs.
Linearity:
I have a feeling that my bookshelfs have a flatter frequency response, though I'd like to do comparative measurements. Voicing is definitely different, though the Behringer is tunable via selector switches on the back panel.
Imaging:
Imprecise, surprisingly. My DIY speakers are pinpoint compared to these. The Behringers' imaging is somewhat diffuse in the vocal region. Needs investigation.
Dynamics:
This is where they stand out. The Behringer incorporates dynamic limiters which are supposed to activate when pushed towards their limits. However, I have not pushed them hard and, in the limits that I used them, I could hear a distinct lack of dynamic compression. Better than my DIY bookshelfs.
Noise:
There is a constant hum, which is distracting. It gets masked when the sound is playing, but is totally out of place in a modern product.
Will update later when I have done further investigation.
This is what I have thus far...
Compared to my non-ideal bookshelf speakers that consist of a Dayton RS28F tweeter and Adire Audio Extemis 6.8 mid/bass (the drivers were thrown into a box that is narrower than I would have chosen for them, and tuning is for a different driver; a crossover was built to suit), this is what I observe:
Drivers:
1 inch metal dome tweeter on a waveguide and 8 inch mid/bass
Bandwidth:
I'd classify these "full-range". Bass is good, better than my bookshelfs.
Linearity:
I have a feeling that my bookshelfs have a flatter frequency response, though I'd like to do comparative measurements. Voicing is definitely different, though the Behringer is tunable via selector switches on the back panel.
Imaging:
Imprecise, surprisingly. My DIY speakers are pinpoint compared to these. The Behringers' imaging is somewhat diffuse in the vocal region. Needs investigation.
Dynamics:
This is where they stand out. The Behringer incorporates dynamic limiters which are supposed to activate when pushed towards their limits. However, I have not pushed them hard and, in the limits that I used them, I could hear a distinct lack of dynamic compression. Better than my DIY bookshelfs.
Noise:
There is a constant hum, which is distracting. It gets masked when the sound is playing, but is totally out of place in a modern product.
Will update later when I have done further investigation.
