Need studio monitors. can't break the bank.

RFR said:
Lots of people like the JBLs, but too much plastic for me.
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I'm one of them. The LSR 308's were detailed without being harsh, smooth and even through their range. Best mid-level speakers I've heard. And they're on sale for something like $199 each this month. Amazing deal.

My ears tend to like good wave guides and horn-loaded enclosures though.
 
RFR said:
I know a lot of people like KRKs and they are all over youtube, but having owned a set I think they are shit. (no offense if you like them).
:D
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i tested a bunch at GC two weeks ago. All of the KRK's performed poorly, IMO. I couldn't imagine mixing on them. I liked ADAM's and Yamaha HS8's, though the ADAM's were a little more suited to something I would want to LISTEN to music on...but still very clear. The Yamaha's seemed the best choice to me. When/if i decide to use monitors, it'll be those.
 
jimmys69 said:
I will give a personal 'don't do it' for the KRK G2 5's. They were seriously hyped in the low end and mixes did not translate well for me. And this was in the same treated room I am in now.

To be honest I stopped using my KRK G2 8's ($300 used) for mixing in preference of Event TR8's ($300 used). The Event's don't go down very low in frequency range but I have a sub for that. They are way clearer/accurate in the mids. KRK 8's are a bit scooped in the mid range.

Just my opinion.
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I'm still using my G2 5s for near field. I only turn them on (for the most part) either to test a "done" mix, or to watch Netflix. Highly not recommended.

andrushkiwt said:
last year, i went to GC to test out monitors. (still on hp's). I recall the differences between the models so incredibly drastic that it was overwhelming. I wondered about buying the set that made my mixes sound best, but then wondered if that would be leading me astray.
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Taras has done some amazing mixes on his headphones. You guys should give some of his latest stuff a listen. :)
And then there's this excellent point: Taking stuff you'd LIKE to sound like (i.e. your reference tracks) as well as test tones and sweeps was how I picked up my M3-8s. What makes YOUR mixes sound great, may not be what makes a track you'd like to sound like sound good...

andrushkiwt said:
i tested a bunch at GC two weeks ago. All of the KRK's performed poorly, IMO. I couldn't imagine mixing on them. I liked ADAM's and Yamaha HS8's, though the ADAM's were a little more suited to something I would want to LISTEN to music on...but still very clear. The Yamaha's seemed the best choice to me. When/if i decide to use monitors, it'll be those.
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I had a similar issue with the Adam 7s when I went to GC.

Would love to see local shops carry the Equator D5s. I bet they'd sell a lot better (especially at $400 a pair) This is a strong recommendation, especially if you can get a chance to hear them. They really are amazing. I know I'd buy a pair after hearing them. :)
 
BroKen_H said:
Taras has done some amazing mixes on his headphones. You guys should give some of his latest stuff a listen. :)

I had a similar issue with the Adam 7s when I went to GC.

Would love to see local shops carry the Equator D5s. I bet they'd sell a lot better (especially at $400 a pair) This is a strong recommendation, especially if you can get a chance to hear them. They really are amazing. I know I'd buy a pair after hearing them. :)
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hey thanks man, i appreciate it. HD280's, if you were wondering.

I asked them about Equator's after remembering our conversation about them. They didn't carry them. The guy working the "studio" room wasn't very informed about monitors or mixing, in general. They probably have a tough time keeping educated people around - the one guy i most trusted there has since left to do his own studio work.
 
RFR said:
That IS a good deal. haven't heard the 8s but have heard good things about them.
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they blew away the fives, and not just b/c they go lower. Smooth crossover transition and much more open, with an easy sense of power without being at all pinched or pushed.

(I disagree with the SOS review that describes the 5 and 8 as roughly equivalent except for low end extension. The midrange is 1970's speaker smoove but still detailed. The fives were just not getting the same thing happening in my shootout.)

Anyway, they also seem to convey that power at lower volumes, which is where I like to live when mixing. This bass player has stood next to too many drum sets.... Something that achieves a full open sound at medium low volumes like that is where it's at.

Kind of the opposite of my old Cerwin Vega D3's. They hang out in my living room but are really only decent when taken up to frat house levels, such as today, when the local indie station was doing its black history month fundraiser and my hand went to the volume knob when Isaac Hayes came on...
Good times.
 
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BroKen_H said:
Yeah, have heard the HD280s are amazing. I went for the HD380s and they're pretty amazing, too.
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My buddy/drummer friend has them - compared side by side and they were drastically different. This was a year ago, and I can't remember the exact differences, but one was certainly brighter than the other.
 
Is it worth getting monitors if you're room is bad and speakers would have to be off center due to the room's shape and layout? Or are you better off with headphones at that point...?
 
Nola said:
Is it worth getting monitors if you're room is bad and speakers would have to be off center due to the room's shape and layout? Or are you better off with headphones at that point...?
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I would say good monitors at low volume even in the shittiest room ever would still give better ability for accurate mixing and translation to other systems than headphones. That is my personal opinion tho.
 
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