Subject:recommend studio monitors

Posted by: fresnog

Date:1/11/2003 5:37:54 PM

Can anyone recommend a decent pair of powered monitors?
I have a poor man's budget of about $200 or so.
Am I even able to get close with that???

I am using KX drivers with a Live! card now.
I am listening through a pair of AKG Studio phones
and/or an old Advent satellite/sub computer speaker set.
The headphones sound much better..... but I need the monitor perspective.

Thanks,

Fresnog

Subject:RE: recommend studio monitors

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:1/11/2003 7:08:26 PM

Edirol came out with a few sets of monitors in that price range fairly recently (the MA series). It may not be top-of-the-line, but the specs look good.

HTH,
Iacobus

Subject:RE: recommend studio monitors

Reply by: Outlaw

Date:1/11/2003 7:18:33 PM

save up another 100 bucks and get the Event 20/20's non powered of course i use those here and they work real good for me

Subject:RE: recommend studio monitors

Reply by: SPP

Date:1/11/2003 8:24:39 PM

I can't tell you what to buy, but I can tell you what not to buy. I have a pair of Event Project Studio 6 powered monitors. They sound great when using Acid, Soundforge, or play a store bought CD. When I burn a CD from an Acid project that otherwise sounds great, the bass is painfully booming on other players. In my mind they are not accurate monitors. So I guess the moral of the story is to talk to as many people as you can before you plop down your hard earned money.

Steve

Subject:RE: recommend studio monitors

Reply by: MyST

Date:1/11/2003 8:42:15 PM

http://www.sweetwater.com/charts/index.php?chart=Monitor+Powered&action=setupchart

Time to compare at Sweetwater!! I was wondering if the Samson DMS80 speaker/amp combo would be good. It seems like a great deal, but I haven't heard them.They can be found at the link below.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DMS80/

M

Subject:RE: recommend studio monitors

Reply by: coolout

Date:1/12/2003 6:34:52 AM

here's my two cents.

i shopped for monitors for about 2 months before making my decision. i went to my local music superstore with different reference material about once or twice a week.

this is what i found out.

passive monitors sound a little bit better and offer a better deal over powered monitors unless you can afford the really good ones. ($600 and up)

my suggestion would be to bump your budget up a bit to about $400 total (speakers and amp) and check out the tannoy reveal (the red ones not the blue) or KRK passive monitors.

this is something you really have to check out in person. make sure you bring samples of the type of music you plan on mixing when you demo the monitors.

IMHO there was a really big difference between the sound of the $200 and below speakers and ones around $300-350, enough to really justify spending to extra $100-150. i couldn't say the same about the $400-500 monitors.

you can get reference amps pretty cheap second hand $75-$100. small studio monitors dont require a whole lot of power and the amps rarely go bad. if you're really in a pinch you can use a regular old stereo amplifier until you get a studio amp.

also understand until you get some really big nice monitors (around $800+) or a matched subwoofer you won't be able to hear the low frequencies well and you'll have to train your ears to compensate.

Subject:RE: recommend studio monitors

Reply by: fresnog

Date:1/12/2003 3:21:11 PM

Increasing my budget will probably be wise.
I am looking at M-Audio Studiophile SP-5B.
Coolout, your info is very helpful. I will
continue to check back here for more info.

Thanks people,

Fresnog

Subject:RE: recommend studio monitors

Reply by: L25

Date:1/12/2003 7:00:11 PM

The sp-5b's are very nice, in the future you can buy 3 more and a sub matching set and do 5.1. I saw douglas spotted eagle with this set up using a lap top and a mona. since youjust raised your budget you might also consider the hr624's or @ $1350. for 2.1 setup http://www.abluesky.com/p/p3s2.html (just kidding)

Also I recommend the Auralex foam isolatation stands for your monitors, basically a $50 piece of foam, but canted and the right density.

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: luces

Date:1/12/2003 11:00:27 PM

Hey, I saw where musiciansfriend.com has these going for $199.00 right now. I am considering getting my own set, but I need to do a little more research! Luces.

Incidently, I am using the Audiophile 24/96 card and the sound quality is EXCELENT! So the monitors may be equal!!!!

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: Nat

Date:1/12/2003 11:03:44 PM

You should also check the Behringers, even if the name sounds cheap, their monitors are pretty well reviewed.
check this
http://www.creativemac.com/2002/10_oct/reviews/monitor_shootout.htm

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: jam

Date:1/13/2003 7:15:04 AM

Here, I choosed Roland Ds-30A, powered monitors with digital input, very useful. They are really small but powerful, even if low frequencies are not the best of them. Great for little home studio with small room. Can be bought around $600 I guess.
My 2 cts,
jam

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:1/13/2003 9:53:44 AM

I use the Alesis copies of the Yamaha NS-10s. I've had them for about 6 or 7 years and they work well. The NS-10s are the studio standard, so my idea was to stay with that area.

After you get a decent pair of monitors then you just need to learn them. You need to know where they are weak and where they are strong. They best was is to just use them (even for casual listening).

Also, always listen to your mixes on a variety of systems; boom box, car stereo, etc. That helps you stay consistent for system to system.

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: Vocalpoint

Date:1/13/2003 1:53:59 PM

fresnog,

While I can understand the budget woes...I would respectively recommend that you try and save a few more bucks and try and hold out for something a little better than the $200 level. I understand that this can be an annoying feeling depending on how long you want to wait....but dropping good money on a crappy speakers will get you no where (except into more speakers).

I had the same issues as you last year...had about 300.00 to spend...almost blew it on some crap. Then a few of my studio collegues told me to hold on....first they suggested I get into demo mode on much better speakers (Event 20/20BAS, Mackie, etc) and see what sounded good in my room. I can't stress how important this point is....the biggest mistake most folks make when going for a new set of speakers is to listen to them at the shop. If you are shopping at a decent place...you will hear the speakers for what they sound like in THEIR room....get em into yours and a great speaker could sound like *hit real fast.

I eventully settled for the Event 20/20BAS (about 3-4 times more than my original budget) but WOW...what a great investment. Remember that good monitors are the sole bridge between your music and your ears. Take the time and make a solid choice.

Cheers,

Cuzin B

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: stusy

Date:1/13/2003 9:28:31 PM

Holy smokes...why not just get a $150 poweramp (or stereo amp or PA amp or whatever the hell friggin amp it's called, dammit..!), get some used home stereo speakers, keep it low vol, use the cans like usual from time to time...hey..the boston acoustics that came with my computer are NOT THAT BAD, folks...! we're talkin $500 easy with a pair and a poweramp...? and it's gonna suck anyway...? forget this, man...! life is short...

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:1/14/2003 10:51:27 AM

I can tell you that you will be much more satisfied with studio monitors. With them you can hear things that will never hear on computer speakers and all but the most expensive home speakers.

Consumer speakers are designed to make stuff sound good. Studio monitors should be designed to be accurate.

Subject:RE: SP 5B

Reply by: Vocalpoint

Date:1/14/2003 1:55:46 PM

stusy,

"Holy smokes...why not just get a $150 poweramp (or stereo amp or PA amp or whatever the hell friggin amp it's called, dammit..!), get some used home stereo speakers, keep it low vol, use the cans like usual from time to time...hey..the boston acoustics that came with my computer are NOT THAT BAD, folks...!

Yeah - they are that bad. If you had access to real monitors you would know what you are missing. Home stereo speakers will give you the wrong mix 99.99% of the time. There is no comparison between real flat response studio monitors and home speakers.