Airmotiv 4S Questions

[rochesterboy]

I just purchased a used Airmotiv 4S Speakers pair for desktop use. I have the following questions:

1. What is the best way to connect these to a laptop?
2. The blue lights on them don't work. Is it a known problem? It is still under warranty. Is it worth repairing?
3. I have very limited space on my desk to keep them. Left side fits perfectly and sits on top of the table with open space. Right speaker fits under a shelf of a hutch attached to table. But it is kind of closed space on three sides. I moved it in such a way, I can hear the tweeter clearly. But I feel like the base is kind of muddy. The rear port of it is very close to the closed sides of the hutch. Should I plug the port with a sponge or something?
4. Will these work well behind the monitors? I have open space behind the monitors but Tweeters will not be facing me. 

Thanks in advance.

[creimes]

Behind my 5S I use some pcs of acoustic foam I cut to fit to help with the port being close to the wall.

Also as far as connecting them to a laptop, something like a DAC/Preamp would be good, especially for better sound, I use a Schiit Asgard 3 with the DAC module for $299, but for something cheaper you could go with the smaller and cheaper Modi/Magni combo for $199 or even the smaller and cheaper yet Fulla which is only $99

If you can find a used Emotiva DC-1 is a good option as well, or a new PT-100 but it's kind of big for a desktop application.

Chad

[garbulky]

1. What do you have on hand to connect it to your pc with? There's a whole lot of options depending on what you are willing to spend to connect it with. You could use a cheap DAC and connect it to a passive volume control like the schiit sys or emotiva control freak. Or you can get a cheap dac that has a volume control on it. If you want to go super cheap, you can connect it directly to your pc's audio output and control the audio through windows or mac. I used an Emotiva DC-1 to connect a set of airmotiv 4 speakers via XLR and it worked very nicely.
2. No idea. the old user has to transfer the warranty to you. However if you don't have warranty, emotiva may still repair the speakers under your dime. Or if they are nice they'll charge you very little for it (but they don't have to). Expect to spend about a $100 bucks if it's on your dime.
3 & 4 : these are reasonably high resolution speakers. Therefore your placement and speaker angling will all have effects that prevent it from sounding its best. For best results, you want the best placement.

[rochesterboy]

creimes & garbulky - Thank you for your suggestions.

1. Currently I use a Belkin Stereo RCA to 3.5mm AUX Audio Speaker Cable to connect to my laptop. No other DAC is in between them. I used to own DC-1 which is too big for a desktop setup. Somebody suggested, behringer uca-202 as a DAC which comes with a volume control. I might try that.
2. I have the warranty transferred to my name. But I don't have the box. So I was not sure if there is an easy fix to the blue lights problem.
3. I am assuming that if I use the foam on one speaker (right side), I will have to do the left side also for consistency.

[Gary Cook]

I use my 4’s with a BigEgo DAC, connected via the headphones output, so the MacMini use the resister ladder analogue volume control. The sub woofer is connected to the speaker output. As mentioned above positioning is important, they are near field monitors, so if you can rearrange the computer layout to better accommodate them I’d suggest that‘s the best solution. I use wedges to angle them upwards, also well worthwhile.

Cheers
Gary

[creimes]

Aug 27, 2020 14:49:26 GMT -5 rochesterboy said:

creimes & garbulky - Thank you for your suggestions.

1. Currently I use a Belkin Stereo RCA to 3.5mm AUX Audio Speaker Cable to connect to my laptop. No other DAC is in between them. I used to own DC-1 which is too big for a desktop setup. Somebody suggested, behringer uca-202 as a DAC which comes with a volume control. I might try that.
2. I have the warranty transferred to my name. But I don't have the box. So I was not sure if there is an easy fix to the blue lights problem.
3. I am assuming that if I use the foam on one speaker (right side), I will have to do the left side also for consistency.

IMO this would be a perfect option, you could use the 3.5mm cable and split the right RCA to the right 4S and left to the left 4s, and USB from the laptop to the Fulla

www.schiit.com/products/fulla-1

[garbulky]

What creimes said. The nice thing about the fulla is that it has a volume control on it.
And it's pretty small.
As for your boxes. Emotiva will provide you new boxes (for a price). I think it's about $45 or so. They won't service your speakers without Emotiva boxes.
Also it looks like you are really cramped for space. Have you considered a really nice headphone setup? I use my Sennheiser HD700 connected to a bas-x a-100 (which granted isn't ideal in size for a desktop). The thing sounds really frigging good. Nice bass, lots of detail and soundstage.

[rochesterboy]

Aug 27, 2020 16:05:46 GMT -5 Gary Cook said:

I use my 4’s with a BigEgo DAC, connected via the headphones output, so the MacMini use the resister ladder analogue volume control. The sub woofer is connected to the speaker output. As mentioned above positioning is important, they are near field monitors, so if you can rearrange the computer layout to better accommodate them I’d suggest that‘s the best solution. I use wedges to angle them upwards, also well worthwhile.

Cheers
Gary

I should have purchased the BigEgo DAC when it was on closeout sale. I blinked a little and it got sold out. 

I absolutely have no space for rearrangement of the two monitors that i have. I have wedges too. But right speakers height won't fit with wedges. 

[rochesterboy]

Aug 27, 2020 21:09:07 GMT -5 creimes said:

Aug 27, 2020 14:49:26 GMT -5 rochesterboy said:

creimes & garbulky - Thank you for your suggestions.

1. Currently I use a Belkin Stereo RCA to 3.5mm AUX Audio Speaker Cable to connect to my laptop. No other DAC is in between them. I used to own DC-1 which is too big for a desktop setup. Somebody suggested, behringer uca-202 as a DAC which comes with a volume control. I might try that.
2. I have the warranty transferred to my name. But I don't have the box. So I was not sure if there is an easy fix to the blue lights problem.
3. I am assuming that if I use the foam on one speaker (right side), I will have to do the left side also for consistency.

IMO this would be a perfect option, you could use the 3.5mm cable and split the right RCA to the right 4S and left to the left 4s, and USB from the laptop to the Fulla

www.schiit.com/products/fulla-1

Thank you. I will look into fulla. 

[rochesterboy]

Aug 28, 2020 2:11:03 GMT -5 garbulky said:

What creimes said. The nice thing about the fulla is that it has a volume control on it.
And it's pretty small.
As for your boxes. Emotiva will provide you new boxes (for a price). I think it's about $45 or so. They won't service your speakers without Emotiva boxes.
Also it looks like you are really cramped for space. Have you considered a really nice headphone setup? I use my Sennheiser HD700 connected to a bas-x a-100 (which granted isn't ideal in size for a desktop). The thing sounds really frigging good. Nice bass, lots of detail and soundstage.

Thank you. $45 box for $175 used pair of speakers seems to be high. I will just live without those blue lights. 

I am not a headphone type of guy. I like to leave the speakers in the desk and enjoy them while doing other things and move freely. 

Fulla is a way to go I think. 

[conmoto]

You did well to find these used. I've had these monitors for several years and really enjoy them. I run USB from computer to DC-1 thru S8 sub and it's great. I wouldn't worry too much about the LEDs getting repaired. I've had electrical tape over mine. Maybe it's just me, but they are too bright for my liking. FYI - Ive compared the DACs from the TA-100 and the DC-1 and there IS a difference. I'm not good with adjectives, but the DC-1 sounds better (to me).