For those who get by with audio from a laptop or display speakers in their computer setup — as good as that can be these days — an upgrade to desktop speakers offer a real treat for the ears. Today’s MacBook Pro setup from a Florida-based rapper just got a nice set of brand new Yamaha speakers and jacked them in to a huge subwoofer under the desk.
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New Yamaha speakers crank up the sound in MacBook Pro setup
Salesforce consultant, musician and Redditor jonyoungmusic showcased the upgraded setup in a post entitled, “The tweaks continue. New lamp, speakers, etc.“
This is yet another upgrade to Young’s MacBook Pro setup, featured on Cult of Mac a few times as it evolved, in January 2024, June 2023 and January 2022.
He has kept the same 14-inch M1 MacBook Pro the whole time. But along the way he has swapped out stands and desk shelves, added a solid standing desk and added and then subtracted an LG 4K display. Now it’s time for a speaker upgrade.
Yamaha HS3 Active 2-Way Studio Monitor speakers
Young laid hands on new Yamaha speakers that haven’t even reached some store shelves yet. Since 2014 he rocked pretty white Yamaha HS5 powered speakers. But now he’s replaced them with a brand-new smaller model called HS3, not even in stock yet on some retail sites.
“What are the new speakers and how are they?” asked a commenter on Tuesday.
“Yamaha HS3. They just came out a few weeks ago,” Young replied. “The [smallest] version of the HS series. They sound really good. I had the 5-inch version before and they sound just as good.”
Essentially, Yamaha made a more-compact studio monitor for creatives like Young who work in small spaces. Each pair features one active speaker with the other one connected to it. They’re 2-way nearfield monitors with an accurate frequency response for tasks like music production and video editing.
Here’s some of Yamaha’s description:
The HS3 sports 0.75-inch dome tweeters and a 3.5-inch cone woofers fed by a 26W amplifier [26W per speaker]. The rear panel features 3-way room correction trim switches for boosting low frequencies and attenuating or boosting high frequencies, letting you quickly tune your speakers for your unique acoustic environment, while volume control is available on the front panel. XLR-1/4-inch combo, stereo 3.5mm and stereo RCA inputs provide balanced and unbalanced connection options, while a dedicated front-panel 3.5mm headphone output lets you quickly switch between monitors and headphones for mixing reference or in-room recording. The HS3 studio monitors include a speaker cable, a stereo 3.5mm to RCA cable, and eight antislip pads.
And as for the low end, Young seems to have plenty.
“What’s the big black box under the desk? Subwoofer? Washing machine ? It’s way too big imho,” a commenter said.
“Subwoofer lol,” Young replied. “Yeah it’s huge. I’ve been eyeing the 8-inch Yamaha sub to go with the speakers, which is a bit smaller.”
Shop these items now:
Audio:
- Yamaha HS3 Active 2-Way Studio Monitor speakers
- Yamaha HS5 Powered Studio Monitor speakers (replaced by HS3)
- AirPods Max
- Akai MPK Mini MIDI keyboard controller
Computer, stand, gaming:
Display and accessories:
- 27-inch LG UltaFine IPS Display with Ergo mount
- Aothia dual monitor stand/riser
- Quntis Computer Monitor Lamp
- Logitech C922 webcam
Input devices:
Furniture and other accessories:
- Alfa Furnishing Advanced Standing Desk
- Herman Miller Mirra 2 office chair
- Poppin Softie Grip Grass Silicone Organizer
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches, challenges and plans for new additions.
Yamaha's compact new speakers feature one active unit that powers both speakers, which are 2-way nearfield monitors with an accurate frequency response for tasks like music production or video editing in a tight space.
