Dream Speakers: The Sound of Music

I dislike wearing headphones and much prefer listening to music played on proper, high-end speakers. And no multitasking either - when I'm listening to music, I only listen to music and do nothing else

 
I love listening to music. But I’m not one of those people who wear headphones all the time and listen to music while doing various other things. Instead, when I listen to music, I only listen to music and do nothing else at that time. I used to buy cassettes and music CDs till the late-1990s, but that stopped with the coming of MP3s. Now, for the last 25 years or so, my entire collection of music has lived on my computer and is always backed up on a portable hard drive. And so, having a good pair of speakers is very important for me, since my desktop PC (yes, I’m ancient and prefer using a desktop PC with a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard rather than a small laptop and its cramped keyboard) is my primary music playback device.

Over the last 15-20 years, I’ve experimented with various speaker set-ups including 2.0, 2.1 and 5.1 formats. For me, a good 2.0 setup has worked best for pure music playback. 5.1 speakers work well for movies but some music can sound a bit weird on these (plus, wired 5.1 setups are a pain to install), and some 2.0 speakers offer such powerful bass output that 2.1 speakers, which include a separate subwoofer, are a bit pointless. I’ll note here that this is true for my listening preferences and the kind of music that I listen to. Some others may well feel the need for 2.1 systems for even more bass, and that’s perfectly understandable.

Over the 10 years, I’ve used the Creative T40 and the Bose Companion 2, both of which I was quite happy with. The Creative speakers lasted for around four years, while the Bose units lasted for almost twice as long before giving up. After saying goodbye to the Bose speakers a few months ago, I got the Edifier R1700BT, an excellent pair of 2.0 speakers that offer powerful sound output, ample bass (both bass and treble are independently adjustable) and clear mids and highs. I bought the speakers from Amazon for around Rs 15,000 and they seem to be currently out of stock, though a slightly more expensive variant – the R1700BTs, which has a subwoofer-out port for those who wish to connect a separate subwoofer – is available, for Rs 18,000.

I honestly don’t want to connect a separate sub, since the speakers are already able to produce ample bass on their own, and I’m quite happy with my purchase. The speakers are connected to my PC via a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable and input can be switched to Bluetooth at the push of a button, after which I can play music via my smartphone. Smooth, convenient, hassle-free and great sound whether playing via phone or PC. Of course, if one is playing MP3s, the quality of encoding is very important – poorly encoded MP3s don’t sound very nice on the Edifiers and one must ideally either play FLAC files, or MP3s encoded at the high bitrates – I like mine at 320kbps.

While the quality of the source sound material is, of course, very important in how the music sounds, the speakers are at least as important. I am, I have to admit, an audio hardware fanatic and love high-quality, well-made speakers – not just listening to them, but also looking at them, reading about them, and browsing the latest and greatest speakers on Amazon and on speaker manufacturers’ websites. I can’t even begin to think of spending Rs 1.5 lakh on a phone (iPhones are, I think, absurd!) but if I did have that kind of money to spend on gadgets, I’d happily spend that money on getting the best possible speakers I could get my hands on.

Given my love for speakers and other audio equipment, I thought it might be fun to put together a list of some my current favourites – the ‘dream speakers’ that I currently can’t buy, but do hope to get my hands on at some time in the not-too-distant future. The list includes mostly powered bookshelf speakers that do not require a separate amplifer, since those are the kind that work best for my requirements. The names on the list are in no particular order of preference – whatever speakers there are on this list, I love them all.

Edifier S3000 MKII

Priced at Rs 83,000 in India, the Edifier S3000 MKII are a pair of speakers (2.0 format, wireless connectivity between the two speaker units) with total power output of 256W RMS, planar magnetic tweeters and 6.5-inch long-throw aluminum diaphragm mid-low drivers with aluminum baskets. The speakers are capable of full digital signal processing and support aptX HD / 24bit / 192kHz high-res audio. These are powered speakers driven by dual 175W stereo Class-D TI amplifiers. With a professional audio processing circuit, the speakers’ frequency response covers the range from 38Hz to 40kHz, with the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) higher than 85dB(A).

You can read more about these speakers on the Edifier website and buy these on Amazon

HiVi-Swans M300 MKII

With their matt black panels combined with polished dark wood side plates, the HiVi Swans M300 MKII pair of speakers look somewhat similar to the Edifier S3000 MKIII, so maybe that says something about the kind of speakers I like – not just to listen to, but also look at! Jokes apart, this is a serious piece of kit, with 360W RMS power output, coaxial, optical and linePolk Audio Reserve R200in wired connectivity and, of course, Bluetooth compatibility with apt-X HD 5.0 for more detailed sound, faster transmission and lower latency. These speakers’ 3-way electronic crossover structure is said to produce more natural, real sound and there’s Swans-patented isodynamic ribbon tweeter for high frequencies up to 40kHz, a 2-inch metal mid-range for vocals and strings and a 6.5-inch woofer for deep, punchy bass. Bass and treble are independently adjustable.

You can read more about these speakers on the Swan speakers website but these aren’t currently available on Amazon. However, the cheaper, less powerful HiVi M200 MKIII is available, just in case you want to take a look.

Polk Audio Reserve R200

Priced at Rs 65,000 in India, the Polk Audio Reserve R200 pair of speakers feature 1-inch ring radiator tweeters and 6.5-inch turbine cone woofer for clear, crisp highs, a smooth, detailed midrange and ample bass. The speakers are Hi-Res Audio certified and feature Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced audio tech. According to Polk, these speakers can function equally well as a standalone pair for music playback, and as part of a 5-channel home theatre when you add more speakers to the setup.

You can read more about these speakers on the Polk Audio website and buy these on Amazon

KEF LS50 Wireless II

This is where things start to get serious, and the first indication of that should be the price, the fact that the KEF LS50 Wireless II pair of speakers cost Rs 2.60 lakh. For that kind of money, you could buy a 65-inch TV and a high-end soundbar to go with it, but audiophiles will still probably get these KEF speakers instead. Maximum power output is 280W RMS, which should be plenty for most people – even those with a large living room. And the input options should let you connect almost anything, since these speakers have Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux-in, Wi-Fi, digital coaxial and HDMI eArc connectivity. Available streaming services include Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Internet Radio and a host of others. Each speaker consists of a 280-watt amplifier for the mid-range and 100 watt amplifier for the tweeter, and sound resolutions of up to 384kHz/24bit are supported, depending on the connection.

You can read more about these speakers on the KEF website and buy the speakers on Amazon

Naim Mu-so (Second Generation)

The Naim brand needs no introduction – the name alone is sufficient. And the Mu-so is one hell of a wireless, all-in-one speaker system from the British company. The Mu-so supports up to 32-bit high-res audio and can be connected to your TV via HDMI. With its 450W RMS power output, beautiful burnished-aluminium design and high-spec materials, this is one speaker that looks as good as it sounds. Priced at Rs 1.95 lakh, the Naim Mu-so is a bit pricey but for audiophiles who love music, it’s still a very good deal. I know I definitely want one!

You can read more about these speakers on the Naim website and buy these on Amazon

Marshall Stanmore III

Marshall makes a great range of speakers that are suitable for a wide range of budgets. My own favourite – the one I aspire to own someday – is the Stanmore III, which has a maximum power output of 50W RMS and is priced between Rs 38,000-42,000 (depending on the colour you choose) in India. According to Marshall, the Stanmore III has a wide soundstage and delivers ‘home-filling Marshall signature sound that has been re-engineered for a more immersive experience.’ ‘This new generation of Stanmore has tweeters angled outwards and updated waveguides to deliver a consistently solid sound that is so wide it chases you around the room. Dynamic Loudness adjusts the tonal balance of the sound to ensure your music sounds brilliant at every volume,’ they add. The Stanmore has both wired and Bluetooth wireless connectivity and Marshall provides OTA updates so that the speakers are always up-to-date with the latest software and features.

You can read more about the Stanmore III on the Marshall website and buy the speakers on Amazon

Sonodyne Malhar

Based in Calcutta, Sonodyne is a homegrown brand that’s well-respected amongst audiophiles and the Malhar is one of their best compact speakers. With a maximum power output of 180W RMS, the Malhar is priced quite reasonably at Rs 32,000 and is said to offer a listening experience that matches or even exceeds that of speakers that are much more expensive. The speaker, according to Sonodyne, features critical integration of transducer, enclosure, crossover and DSP for high fidelity stereophonic sound. It also gets a handmade wooden cabinet that minimizes vibration, and D-Class high-power amplifiers for clarity and loudness. Both wired and Bluetooth wireless connectivity options and provided and Sonodyne’s ‘duet mode’ allows you to pair two Malhar speaker units together for the times when you’re in the mood for some hard partying.

You can read more about the Malhar on the Sonodyne website and buy the speaker on Amazon

JBL Authentics 500

With 270W RMS maximum power output, the JBL Authentics 500 is a hard-hitter and not exactly inexpensive at Rs 70,000. It gets three 1-inch tweeters and three 2.75-inch midrange woofers, along with a 6.5-inch down-firing subwoofer for all-around listening performance that’s been tuned and optimized for a wide range of music genres. ‘The speaker's premium aluminum frame, custom leather-like enclosure, and reimagined ‘Quadrex’ grille really show the attention we paid to each visual detail,’ says JBL and yes, the speaker looks like it means business. There’s built-in Wi-Fi with airplay and Qplay, which allow you to experience podcasts and internet radio in high definition, while the Wi-Fi connection also ensures OTA software and feature updates. And each time you power it up, the Authentics 500 automatically calibrates and optimizes audio performance for your room or any other location where you place the speaker.

You can read more about the Authentics 500 on the JBL website and buy the speaker on Amazon

In addition to the speakers, I also want to add one of these sound cards - ideally the Creative AE-9 - to my PC, to complete the package!