Studio Monitors
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- 23kon
A thread for the beatmakers ...
Looking for suggestions for reasonably priced nearfield studio monitors. These will be used in a small to medium sized room. Want decent bass response and usually playing out dance and hip hop.
I'd imagine 6-8 in.
I know you get what you pay for but my budget will be around the £300-400 market.
Anything will be better than Sony Hifi / Various Headphones. Although they do offer certain reference and have done me good for years but I think it's time I got something better so I can get a much more mastered final sound.
- ZOOP0
Powered or passive?
- monospaced0
I have a pair of Alesis MKIIs, which are great, but if I were in the market for a new pair right now, I'd get a pair of Audioengine 5+ speakers, no contest. They have a passive model (P4) also. There's an option for the bamboo enclosure that's supposed to create an even more warm and natural sound too.
- Christian0
Yamaha HS80M
- ZOOP0
http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/gl…
Yamaha often uses class D amplifiers (square wave) in their powered monitors for solid low end response.
Best would be a bi-amplified monitor with class A or A/B to the tweeters and the class D woofer amplifier. Price goes up fast for bi-amp,so the Yamaha might be a good compromise. Roland makes good affordable monitors as well.
- ^ this tooZOOP
- BEST would be passive speakers and dedicated amps, wouldn't it?monospaced
- < Too expensive for his budget ^ZOOP
- absolute best though, yes sirZOOP
- Got it. Those are best for his budget. I'm a little cheaper.monospaced
- BEST:3 Crowns rack mounted to JBL 12" tri-amp w/active crossover & dsp. (personal choice)ZOOP
- Killer dsp to time and phase align everything post cross-over. Yes.mikotondria3
- ZOOP0
- prophetone0
i've got a set of irk k-rok's and a fresh set of these which are totes adorbs and good... and they emulate the goto ns10's, apparently.
i bought these based on my feeling about this article:
http://www.moozek.com/2008/01/09…
- prophetone0
- http://www.qbn.com/t…ZOOP
- love tannoy dual concentrics, had loan of some vintage golds for 6 months so nice.kingsteven
- enjoyed that vid - took me back cheers.fadein11
- holy crap, I'd saw off my own arm for a set of the Golds, nice one :)mikotondria3
- BANKattack0
yamaha HS80M's are my go-to's. I master things here when I can't send out of house and they've done the job just fine. I recommend.
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/m…
- kingsteven0
get active if you're planning on moving your set up. if not, and you're likely to want to upgrade at some point get the best passive bi-wired speakers you can get and a hifi amp... then upgrade the amp when you can. I had an active monitor power amp blow out once and haven't trusted them since. what use is one monitor?
- bi wired speakers usually come with binding posts so you can run them off a single ampkingsteven
- mikotondria30
I used the NS10m's for years, and honestly - they're brutally flat and neutral, like they can't even be bothered to get out of their chair no matter how exciting you try to spice up your sounds.
Of the above mentioned, I have the most respect for any Tannoy monitors, although you'll probably be most pleased by the KRKs. Check the used section of the GuitarCenter website for some good deals on those. With that budget, my first call would probably be some 10-15 year old JBLs off eBay, find some that sneak in under the radar on a Wednesday with a good shipping deal.- ebay sort by newly-listed + buy it now + used items to get the good deals. got my k-roks for $100 pair that wayprophetone
- haha :) That's exactly the searches I have saved, too - I probably saw your go by. Also 'vintage horns' is a gold mine.mikotondria3
- Good point, Ebay or Craigslist.ZOOP
- You could even barter and or cash for a great deal on CL.ZOOP
- Or bum-rush them at the meeting place.mikotondria3
- Miguex0
^
Miko, that's exactly why the NS10s are still used today by so many people. They have been discontinued because the wood they were made of was no longer available.- Oh yeh, totally - disheartening for an amateur though :) "My stuff sounds like dead ass !"mikotondria3
- mikotondria30
And - duh - of course.
Genelec.
Any type and size.
- 23kon0
Cheers for the list guys, going to look into the recommendations.
The KRK 8's seem to be popular and the 6's seem to be decent too.
The Audioengine ones certainly look the part mono!
- Noggin0
Have loved my Mackie HR-824's for years now and have the original accompanying sub... 2 x 12"
I actual miss them when I go traveling.- I'd 'settle' for a pair of the original SRM-450s powered wedge/pa things. Blindingly tight sound in a small room.mikotondria3
- autoflavour0
- by far the best monitors i have owned in 16 years of fucking around with musicautoflavour
- HS50s?23kon
- hs80sautoflavour
- sublocked0
I have a pair of Event ASP8's that I swear by...but they're discontinued now.
Don't like the KRKs I've heard.
Also enjoy the Mackie HR824s...
Really the biggest thing with monitors is to LEARN THEM and treat your room for proper bass response. Look into bass traps, etc.
- Yeh. You still need to hear your stuff on various set ups - auto, PA, tiny radio speakers, headphones. etc etc.mikotondria3