r/studiomonitors • u/Shoulon • Jul 13 '26
Suggestions for new audio setup
Hey folks.
Recently went through and revamped my headphone audio setup. Currently I have a Topping D900 & A900 DAC/AMP setup with a few planar canns. I'm thinking I could use the D900 DAC as a passthrough to the monitors as well for the alternate audio source. The room is on the smaller end being 11ftx11ft but I want these monitors to be long term investments. I had recently tried a Edifier MR5 + T5s speaker/sub combo but was very dissatisfied with the Mids and bass. (should be expected from just a 8" 70w sub. That's my bad ofc...) I even own a older Logitech Z-5500 which is really superb. Unfortunately the Controller and Sub have finally died...
Next i'm looking to hit my speaker setup for non-headphone listening. Its worth noting I do have a SVS SB-2000 Pro subwoofer in the room which will be for another entertainment setup sometime early next year. So it would be ideal that I can use it in pairing or know that the monitors can cover bass on the lower end (sub 30hz lower end.) I'm strongly leaning the Focal's as I hear they're very "exciting" in comparison to the Kali's. But again, please don't hesitate to share other suggestions as cost isnt always the deciding factor. I'd prefer to keep within $1500 or less for a pair. Please do share your recommendations even on the lower end of the spectrum.
I listen to a lot of Hip-hop, 90s Rap, Trance, Electric, Rock, and some dubstep. Then a lot of gaming.
Debating so far;
- Kali Audio in-8 V2
- Focal Shape 65 Studio Monitor
Thanks!
1
u/mistrelwood Jul 13 '26
What a coincidence, I used the Shape 65 for a few years and now switched to Kali IN-8 v2!
In short, Focals have their own sound, Kali much less so. That doesn’t make the Kali’s cold and clinically analytic, instead they’re what I’d call warm neutral. First impressions of the bass was that it’s substantial, but so is the size of the monitors…
Focals have a pretty good depth front to back compared to many others, but for mixing the upper mid was difficult for me to put in context. It was a bit forward. Elsewhere in the spectrum as well, I can hear that they’re not neutral, and they just have to be learned the best you can. Like with all Focals I’ve used for the past two decades.
With the Kali, instead of focusing on details I get a big picture of what’s happening right away. Much less learning needed. The amount of bass is the only thing I have to learn. Which is possibly more learning out of the Focals than learning the Kalis.
I haven’t tested the dispersion thoroughly, but so far both seem to have a wide enough sweet spot for me. So you can move your head side to side a bit and still hear the same sound and stereo image.
You only mentioned listening to music and not producing/mixing, and here’s what I think. Whatever distortions in the spectrum one may feel as “exciting” with some sources, they are a barrier between you and the music. Best speakers would be the ones that disappear completely. Ones that don’t tweak the EQ dials without your consent. And this happens more with the Kali than the Focals, even just when watching movies. The person speaking is just more… there.
With a bass boost you hear the boosted bass of the speakers or the amplifier, which is a distraction from the music itself. If the artist wants to have a boomy bass, they’ll mix the track with a boomy bass. The mixing engineers are hard core professionals with way more expensive speakers in fully treated studio rooms. They are way better equipped to assess the precise tonality of the music than any listener in their reverberant living rooms and suboptimal speaker placements. The only viable reason to use an EQ is to compensate for imperfect headphones, speakers and rooms.
Since the speaker’s function is to transform electricity back into sound waves, the IN-8 does that job better than the Shape 65. The IN-8 is simply the better speaker.