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Have you covered the Klipsch The Fives? I bought a pair refurbished off of Amazon for $600. I kinda dig them! They're connected to my living room PC through my TV as my "sound bar killers." I figure they're darn good little fun-time speakers. (Andrew Robinson calls them good dorm room speakers. I see that!) If you have the volume at a lower moderate level with the dynamic bass feature turned on, they sound like they've going down pretty close to 20 Hz! Not completely effortlessly. That Darko RU-vid reviewer guy says he finds the dynamic bass "congested" and I hear that. It's like they're stretching a bit too much. But I'll be damned, that bass is there! Downsides: The remote feels cheap and it stopped working. The smartphone app is slow to start up and is a bit klunky. The firmware update is awkward, and not so smooth. (Overall theme, is that Klipsch software strikes me as "lowest bidder" stuff.) I stopped using the HDMI input, because it was buggy and kept de-syncing from my living room PC. But optical in from my TV works great! Using them that way, they sound better than with the RCA input, and they become "set and forget."
@@stcredzero OK, m'a husband picked up a pair of "The Fives" to replace our bedroom sound bar. It was [was] a little buggy in that the sound would now-and-again cut off. After a firmware upgrade, which enabled smart-phone based EQ, etc., the problem went away. We LOVE the sound as a no-miss replacement for the soundbar and it does well with music too (BT R&R while folding the laundry, etc.) It's connected to the TV via the ARC port. Again, very happy with our "The Fives". Maybe we should have bought "The Sixes", after all, aren't they one better than "The Fives"?
@@tabithamaydavis5792 The Sixes have less options in the amp, and plugging in a subwoofer cable doesn't mitigate the excessive bass like it does with the Fives. I didn't like my Sixes so have them to a friend. They're fine with them.
They are from Seattle. Saw their room at Pacific Audio Fest. To my ears, the $400 Transparent Zero was even more amazing. We literally looked behind the curtains to make sure they did not have the real speakers hidden behind the curtains. They were, pound for pound, by far the best thing at the show. Would I love to have the $12k Audio Notes? Absolutely. For a first system, Vanatoo Transparent Zero, no question. Also, nice guys.
Totally agree! I have had the Transparent Zeros for over two years on my desktop setup and ABSOLUTELY LOVE them! The soundstage and imaging on my desk is soooo realistic sounding. I close my eyes and it sounds like the artist is performing before me. To better accommodate my height (6’4”), I did place mine on the IsoAcoustics Iso-Stand Series Speaker Isolation Stands with Height & Tilt Adjustment. This opened up their incredible sound even more. I then paired them with the Cambridge Audio Minx X201 subwoofer that is hidden under my desk. I use it with just enough volume (not too much) to round out the bass with that non-directional, ‘from the ground,’ fullness that live bass provides and the music is so alive and natural sounding. Love the Transparent Zeros! 🎶❤️🎶
I’ve been using the Vanatoo Transparent Zeros as my PC speakers for over 2 years, and they sound absolutely amazing for the size. My desk space is limited, and I would definitively consider upgrading to these depending on their size.
I have their T0. Amazing little powerhouse for my desk. I love how much Vanatoo packs into their speakers. And my T0's sound fantastic. I have them connected to a sub, so I love the built-in low-pass filter.
Btw, I love their remote. Yes, it's plastic and light, but the texture, feel, shape and size make it very comfortable to use. Fits nicely in your pocket, shaped like a rounded flat pebble. Really nicely designed. Nice attention to detail from Vanatoo.
Vanatoos are amazing. I almost bought a pair of the Zeros for my computer, but then found a solution to fit my long owned KRK monitors. The folks at Vanatoo were honest telling me that while they felt I would be happy with the Zeros, they suggested I purchase them from Amazon or someplace where I could return them in case it did not work out. I first ran across Vanatoo at a show back in 2015. I don't like small speakers, I'm a tower guy and I did not need a powered speaker at the time, but I stopped into their room for the same reason (too many $10k+ rooms)! The minute I stepped in and was greeted by sound I did not think was possible from such a speaker. In fact, I assumed trickery and looked all over the room around everything, under everything, you name it determined to find the subwoofer they were using. I found no such thing and they were laughing at me. It is truly amazing what these guys have built. I have heard nothing like them since. The guys are also very humble and were super excited when they won a silly award at a show. It is apparent that they take nothing for granted and that extends to the design of their product.
man when you said Chris Cornell was the greatest voice, just made my heart drop. he was an incredible singer :( his take on the James Bond franchise in Casino Royale was just breathtaking
Would love to see a "shoot-out" including Klipsch The Fives, Vanatoo One Encore, KEF LSX, Kanto YU6 and/or TUK, and the appropriate Edifier and Goldenear offerings. That would be THE BEEZ KNEEZ, a real NEAT-O-MOSQUETO, and DANDI-DILLI! Just sayin'
I've heard them at a recent audio show and 100% amazing. Floored to hear the sound coming off these compact system. Amazing engineering by Vanatoo. Congrats!
Hi Randy. Great review! I actually had thought about asking you to review Vanatoo speakers, several months ago, as given their "bang for the buck", they definitely seem to fit in with your Cheap Audio Man page here! Saw your review here this morning and had to smile that you had found them! I purchased the Vanatoo TOs a few years ago and use them as my computer desktop speakers. Besides looking cooler than any other desktop speakers, their sound never ceases to amaze me! Sometimes I wished to get away from listening at my computer desk and wanted a more traditional stereo system. I knew where I should probably turn and purchased the Transparent One Encores. I have them sitting on pedestal speaker stands and, just as with my TOs, I'm always amazed at their sound, looks and connectivity options! I've got a turntable/phono pre amp connected via the analog input, a CD player digital output connected to the coaxial input, a WiiM Mini music streamer connected via optical output/input and an Amazon Echo Dot connected via blue tooth, everything accessible via the terrific remote! All sound terrific! Great company and products and the 2 engineer/designers are great guys as well, always available via email or phone for advice or question answers. Hoping your review and enthusiasm garners them many sales. Definitely well deserved!
I have a pair of the Transparent Zero's on my computer desk. Excellent sound, features and quality. I am very happy with Vanatoo. They replaced a pair of B&W MM-1s, which I had for years.
It's great to see you review powered speakers because I really think the industry is moving that way, eventually powered speakers will totally dominate the market, they are all I own. Speaking of which, when are you going to review other powered speakers by the likes of Kanto, Edifier and Audioengine?
I've owned these for three years, use them on my desktop (admittedly overkill) and they've been great. The amplifier went out after about a year but I had no issues with getting them promptly repaired with no issues since. They do not need a subwoofer, but if you do hook them up to an external sub you can use a built-in 120hz or 80hz high-pass filter that makes them sound even more dynamic and refined.
Had mine for over a year now, same use as desktop speakers. I have them on stands, tweeters ear level. I absolutely love them, I thought about getting a sub, but i really think it would take away from these speakers as a desktop setup. If I had them for a bigger room on a couch listening, it would make sense to add a sub.
@@calebkeen8967 Wish they made bigger ones for that kind of listening and adding a quality sub would be amazing. Maybe I just like my music a bit louder than most. Have you tried using them as a couch set up?
@@_Mario_PL_ I haven't used them anywhere but on my desk, but I have moved my chair six or seven feet back and they easily play loud enough for my tastes (85-90 db). If you use them with a sub the DSP volume limiter adjusts to allow even higher volume but I haven't tested that.
@@calebkeen8967 You're right, forgot that when adding a sub the speakers will go louder, makes sense since they won't have to play very low frequencies.
I have lived with, loved and still love, my Vanatoo T1E speakers. I listen to them daily. You requested more analog and a phono stage. I personally would want to go MORE digital with direct Ethernet & WI-FI support, and support for Roon music servers.
Haven't heard these in person, but on paper, I still prefer The Fives from Klipsch since it can accept phono inputs, as well as HDMI for easy ARC integration to your TV for the same price. But head to head audio between The Fives and these Vanatoo speakers? I would LOVE for you to do a video about that! Thanks for the review, Randy! 🤘
I have had the original Transparent One speakers since 2015 and have loved every trouble-free minute. My only quibbles with them have been answered in the Encore. (Although the original TO’s have a detachable power cord and standard binding posts rather than a proprietary connection.) I completely agree that they’re purpose-designed; whatever limitations they may seem to have are probably things that just aren’t appropriate for a set of small powered speakers. If you want something more than what’s on the Encore, you’re probably better off looking at a different type of beast. The original TO’s could have used a bit more midrange presence for my taste, but it’s not a serious deficit. Sound like the Encore has addressed that. Know what you mean about the aluminum tweeter vibe. There’s a slightly fatiguing ring at higher volume, especially with recordings that are already bright. But then, if you’re listening to brash music at a sufficiently high volume to get that ringing the extra treble is probably less of an issue than your pissed off neighbor. By the way, they’re rugged as hell. I have schlepped them from house to house, from the PNW to Mexico to the Midwest - sometimes not especially well packed - and nary a problem.
Love Vanatoo - the T0 are amazing desktop speakers. They benefit from a sub, but they were an absolute steal at $350. Easy to believe the T1s are also amazing.
Interesting speaker. For what it's worth, a passive radiator acts acoustically just like a port, with the exception of the possibility of "chuffing". Positioning any speaker close to a wall will increase the room lift; no matter where the port/passive radiator is. So, it comes down to leaving enough space behind this speaker or a rear ported speaker so as to not affect the tuning by constricting the air flow.
@@thomasschafer7268 Maybe? But not necessarily - the passive radiator can be tuned with mass loading or suspension compliance, etc. Just as there are no hard and fast rules about the size of the port vs the woofer - same applies here.
@@thomasschafer7268 ....most passive radiators are the same size as the bass/mid drive unit,their is no rule,seen them in all shapes & sizes...i remember back in the '70's the most used one here in the UK was the KEF 9" × 6" oval 'race track' passive radiator...like the guy says it is equivelent to having a reflex port but without any noice chuffing from the port...my old subwoofer used a 10" passive radiator along with a 10" active bass unit..i did'nt like it so bought an SVS SB1000...much better quality imo.....i'll have to try to hear these,sadly £1200 in UK....not kool...
Keep reviewing sealed speakers, and keep liking them! (PR is really a sealed variant, but still sealed. Just has a squishy wall). Sealed are great audio architecture; the best, technically. It's good to know what options are out there for people who like good accurate bass, not just loud bass. ...which is a good number of people. Folks can find the best speakers for them with broad category reviews. (Planar magnetic may be good too, if anybody is doing cheap ones? Pretty pricey usually.)
Hey Randy, great review. I heard and purchased the T1's at Pacific Audio Fest last month. They are truly great speakers and I am using them with my Thorens turntable and a ifi zen phono, it makes for an awesome combination. When not using the turntable, we just use the bluetooth and fill the family room with sound. I am looking at the T0's for my office.
This was such an excellent review. One that surely seen many who watched it were licking their chops at the prospect of owning them. I am one of those, in spite of needing yet another set of speakers like I need a hole in my head.
I heard these at Florida Audio Expo 3 years ago. Walked in the room, saw these teeny boxes producing amazing sound. I asked where the subwoofer was, they said there wasn't one. Amazing sound and value. Just hook them up, put on your favorite music and enjoy!
Great Review Randy! Own the Vanatoo T0's (soft dome tweeter) for 4 years with home office/nearfield setup. Sound quality is outstanding. If your going for minimal, there is nothing better IMHO. Utilize multiple sources (analog (vinyl),optical,usb) & built-in auto-switching between sources works flawlessly. Adding an external sub elevates their sound even further. Finally, recommend the Stageek Aluminum Desktop Speaker Stands to place T0's at the perfect height & you gain precious desk space back underneath!
Love love love my Vanatoo T1 (first series) before Encore. I have two sets. I have two dedicated music rooms and I spend as much time in my office with the vana's. They ROCK!
I’ve been a fan of Vanatoo for years. They sound amazing! My only gripe would be their custom connecting cable to the other speaker. They used to have regular speaker connectors which I would prefer as I use better than average cables. Plus the choices of 6.5’ or 33’ is… weird. An 8-10’ cable would be more ideal.
"Weird" is saying that this system is "focused on Digital" but plays higher res thru it's analog input and has analog Knobs, on the Back. Nevermind placing a dac and amp in a cabinet that vibrates when used.
Have had the OG T1's (w/ the soft dome) for about 5 years and they are fantastic near field desktop computer speakers. Would never think about replacing them. Interesting fact, there's no actual D to A converter. The amplifier accepts the digital signal and can amplify that, from what I've heard. I don't really know how it works, but it's a winner.
Okay whew I remember reading something about that and thought I was going crazy seeing this lol. Apparently they use actual digital amps and the signal stays digital right up till it hits the voice coils. How this works I haven't a clue. But they do have an ADC for the analog input.
Yes. The Sb-1000 is perfect in an office. I also found the T0 speakers sound punchier and better overall without stands just flat on the desk angled toward the ears.
I visited their room two years in a row at an audio show and they weren’t for me; I found them dull and lacking soundstage/imaging. Great review Randy, I’m sure a lot of people would enjoy them.
I heard these at the last NY Audio Show and was greatly impressed. I recommended them to my ex-wife, who has great ears, and she loves them on her desktop.
I heard these at Pacific Audio Fest last month. Very impressive. Having just heard the $100K (!?!?!) Borresen little passive stand-mounts nextdoor, of course they were definitely next level, but the Vanatoos still sounded very good by comparison. I had them play Kiss by Prince - great imaging, detail, bass, punch and dynamics. Sounded even better with the sub which I think still comes in at $1K overall. Great value. The owner did a great demo and clearly is passionate about his product and delivering great service, value and sound for his customers. Better than some faceless Chinese brand. If I was in the market for such a product, it's a no-brainer.
I've had a pair of Vanatoo Zero's for a little over a year. Can't rave about them enough. Everyone who listens to them ask me if I have a sub connected. The base is just that good. The other reaction is Vana Who? Yeah no one ever has heard of them but, once they listen, they love! They only get better with burn in too! :):)
A feature you only touched on is the subwoofer sensing. When a sub is connected the Vanatoo senses the connection and the DSP curves are modified automatically, I believe more than just adding a shelf filter. I can tell you that these connected to a sub that can keep up will alleviate any concerns one might have of volume capabilities in anything up to a med to med large room. I typically run them w/o, but when I drag the sub out and connect, these speakers can fill a room.
Hey Randy, Those little powered boxes look cool, but... BUT, I heard a couple upcoming Elacs powered bookshelfs last weekend at the Audio Advice Live show here in Raleigh and um, heck dang!!! (I would use stronger language, but this is a family channel.) These things were unbelievable! Maybe you saw them at Expona? They'll be available soon and at the same price point as those Vanatoos you're touting. I trust your judgement, hell I bought a bunch of stuff you reviewed (would love to tell you about the mods I made to the Reisong A10, thanks to Skunkie Designs - amazing improvement!) The Elac guys had the little (under 10" tall) bookies right next to a pair of pricey towers with 4 opposing side-mounted woofers, and everyone in the room was convinced the music was coming from them. No subs, just pure awesomeness. Never thought twice about powered speakers, but these guys totally rewired my attitude about that. I think there are design similarities between those Vanatoos and the Elacs. If I get around to it, I'll try to check out the Vanatoos. And BTW, if you're like me the ONLY way you'll ever get to hear supreme super-high-end audio is at shows like these. Thankfully, it didn't ruin my at-home experiences - it just put everything into perspective. It helps to like a wide range of music cuz you won't hear much metal or grunge or punk or indie weirdness (although my Indie lust was sated somewhat in the Naim room). Zeppelin, yes. Floyd, sure. Stones, maybe. Nirvana, no. Metallica, no (unless you're special, like you Randy). Listen to whatever you want from Qobuz on phenomenal headphones, if you want. But where's the fun in that? Anyway, I'd send you some photos of the Elacs and other cool stuff at the show, if I knew how. Cheers!
Chris Cornell has so many great awe inspiring vocals Wave goodbye from euphoria mourning, beyond the wheel in soundgarden, and I am the highway in audioslave. What a great talent and person may he Rest In Peace.
If I was just starting out in Hi-fi I would seriously consider powered speakers. You get a lot more for your money in most cases. There are some really good ones out there. These look pretty good too.
The Vanatoos receive consistently good reviews. That said at $599. they have competitors, such as the Audioengine A5+ @$399.00 The Vanatoo reviewed here goes down to 48Hz and the A5+ goes down to 50Hz. No doubt the Vanatoo moves more air, so for hard rock fans who can swing its higher price, it's clearly the way to go. But for analog instrument genres like folk, jazz, country and vocal dominant music, the A5+ may well be the better choice and for less.
Well (a) Randy cites Ron Carter on acoustic bass often, so Randy goes beyond hard rock and (b) the genres of rock, jazz and classical hold such a wide range of sound each that a reviewer can tell me about the quality of sound he/she hears. Frankly, this is the first time I’ve heard praise for the Audioengine A5. That’s one tick mark in their checkbox.
@@pdcragin33 good to hear, my limited views shouldn’t have warranted a pigeonholed comment like I typed, thanks for the correction. Would it be fair to say “most of what he listens to” is heavier rock? Also, I have had the Audioengine 5s for many years and felt they were one of the best for that range when I got them. I haven’t done any listening for the last few years so there may be better now.
@@pdcragin33 The A5+ gets good kudos from actual buyers on amazon. They both reach about as deep, the Vanatoo pushes more air which in a small room may overpressurize it. The A5+ suffers in a larger room. But both work best with a sub. Audio preferences aside, its $200. lower price is its main advantage over the Vanatoo.
@@zenphony Yes, it seems it would be fair to say Randy mostly listens to heavier rock. Are you suggesting I was being overly pedantic? Gee neither of my ex-wives ever mentioned that 😏
There is no point in using an external DAC with this speaker as the signal internally end up going through an ADC, DSP and yet another DAC and your 192kHz end up being even more converted and still limited to 96kHz. Just use USB directly and 96kHz is excellent already.
I tested the T1s out before deciding on the T0s from the same company. I found it sounded great from 3 to 5 feet away in a medium sized room. It was too loud to be played at their potential in the small office room that I had. What is really odd is that the volume and sound quality seemed to drop off substantially when listening from more than about 8 feet away. So it appeared to be a pretty directional speaker and not great listening from a distance. But it's odd that I never hear anyone mention this. I also compared it to some other smaller bookshelf speakers that did not have this issue.
Interesting comment, so in your experience the T1's are not ideal for near and far-field listening, but more adequeate for medium distance (like watching tv in a living room)? Thanks.
I noticed you complained mildly about the sound through analog inputs. On these speakers, the analog input gets converted to 96/48 digital for the purpose of feeding the dsp. So you will not improve the sound of these by using an external dac, even an expensive one.
Hey Randini... Just saw this vid. Just so u know, the only way to truly appreciate these speakers in all their glory is to disable the compressors in the internal menu. They absolutely come alive with the safeties disabled. Just sayin'. Have a good one.
I just started this, but you should check out the JBL 305P MKII. I have them in my office/studio. I use them mainly for music but they are great for everything imo.
If you don't stream or DL hi Rez music this ticks alot of boxes. For the money, with real wood veneer and a passive radiator, it presents a value and ergonomic option.
Any chance you'll review the updated versions of these? Would love to hear the updated feedback as I'm close to clicking 'buy' although debating the smaller ones with a small sub to hit lower for a desk setup.
Randy i wanted to buy to hook up to computer - usb = but down the road getting ( Head- phone rig ) Which will have SEPERATES- dac - Amp - I plan on hooking them into Dac - that will then go to tower computer- so i can plug into external dac - then will it be playimg off of external dac and not built in dac. ? Do you suggest different speakers if what. ?
Great vid as usual, I wouldn't mind some vanatoos one day. My wife wants me to ask if u did the Ironman, I'd guess yes since ur wearing the shirt, however u do wear the Kessel run shirt and I'm pretty sure u haven't done that, but I could be wrong...
@@kyron42 , main consideration I guess is phase issues around the tuning frequency. Slot loaded woofers, for example, always sounded best with about 2 to 3 inches from the reflection to avoid standing wave cancelation. If the speaker is toed in, no worries. However, there would still be bass reinforcement by having the PR close to the wall.
@@ADREISTER this box is probably turned to around 50Hz. At that frequency there is no meaningful reflection off the wall when the speaker is close to the wall. Sound simply disperses into the room. The acoustic impedance that the passive radiator experiences being close to the wall might go up slightly making it slightly more efficient but the overall effect is insignificant. There should be no significant phase change.
These are not self powered and ii never here anyone talk about them they're the paradigm mini monitors 7v7 I had them for 11 years and I always am amazed by them I check if the center is on and my Rel T5 if I use a sub because it can fill a decent size room easy love the channel dude
Personally after going through both Vanatoo models T0, T1E and Sony SSCS5 I would advise everyone to steer clear from speakers with no waveguide. These speakers just sound wrong. How I found out? By luckily trying the smallest Genelec speaker model 8010 (G One). How a tiny speaker can sound so perfect is just beyond my understanding. After researching ASR, ultimately I have come to the conclusion that controlled directivity is a must for speakers, especially for far field listening like TV setups. And the enclosure must also also be rock solid. Those tiny Genelec monitors absolutely destroy Vanatoos and Sony.
@@stephen0993 no I don't. something is off about Vanatoos. I rather trust big brands now with years of research behind their products. Genelecs are superb and still available. Also, lately I have dabbled with bluetooth speakers and there are some amazing speakers out there at fraction of the price of these audiophile speakers. these newer bluetooth speakers have awesome DSP and designed to produce deep bass. some examples would be Harman Kardon Onyx 6 and Go + Play 3. Both are outstanding speakers
Do they sound muddy like the Fives? I want powered speakers that are the opposite of the Fives, like the YU6 but with a better soundstage and more detail.
i have the transparent zero 'cuz i am the original cheap audioman, $300 a pair. differnces:powerbrick, no l-r switch. vanatoo is great on the phone, lost a rubber plug and gary? resolved my problem...forgetaboutit. great channel, thanks cheapam.
These are good but mine had longevity issues. They ran hot as the dickens and the amp died about six months after the warranty expired. The remote also died a year before that, tried several batteries and it was a paperweight.
I used a tone generator to test the point at which the low end rolls off into inaudibility on my T1Es, B1+s, and T1+s. The T1E was still strongly audible at 40hz and didn't fully drop out until about 37 or 38hz, several hz lower than the B1+, despite the B1 having quite a bit more cabinet volume. The T1+ reached about 34hz in my room before I couldn't hear it. Only 3 or 4hz more from a speaker about 6X the size. I love all three speakers, but in terms of size/bass extension, the Vanatoo has some dark magic going on.
Hi just had a question. Would i be able to connect a klipsch R-12SWi to the vanatoo t1s without a reciever? Theres a sub out on the back of the speaker so am i good
Can I hook them up to any CD transport through TOSLink optical cables? Is there a chance that the CD transport will output at too high a bitrate to be compatible?
I don’t know. An Aiyma T9 (or Douk ST01), a pair of Emotiva B1+ speakers, a Schiit modi DAC, and $50 still in my pocket would probably the direction that I would take.
@@cheapaudioman and I get your review. There is a use case where these Vanatoos make sense. They certainly look nicer and may be a lot bassier than the Emotiva’s. It’s just not for me.
Thought I'd come over here & check out this channel, I'm looking to hook up a speaker system to my laptop , I know nothing about stereo systems except to turn them on & sometimes that's confusing
I really wanted to be laid in the aisle by this review -- not least b/c we get so few powered speakers on this channel -- but I'm a bit nonplussed by the frequency response: My Edifier s2000mkiii's were $300 new in the box and they go down to 45Hz with no passive radiator and no DSP. If anyone out there has any direct A/B experience with those two speakers I'd be very interested.
I would love to see an A/B comparison of the Vanatoo Transparent One Encore and the ADAM Audio T5V to see which one is the better offer value for money wise.
They have a bit of a KEF thing going on. Nice looking. My problem is that, after getting used to, and thoroughly loving, our Linton's, it's difficult to listen to anything else.
