M-Audio BX5 vs. Samson Resolv 50a

[ChristopherM]

OK, I wish I had the budget for expensive monitors, but I don't. I'm sick of mixing by burning CDRs and playing them everywhere. Redoing the mix, burning another CDR, etc. over and over and over is getting old. Something has to be better than nothing.

Having done some research, I've narrowed it down to these two. I'd like to wrangle up enough cash to buy them both and compare, and then send back what I don't like. Don't know if that's gonna happen or not.

Any comments on one over the other?
M-Audio BX5 vs. Samson Resolv 50a

[ChristopherM]

No one?

[knightsy]

Mate there is a reason that the cheap monitors are cheap... Can you figure it out yet?

Save more money, buy better speakers, it will make a world of difference. If you buy the cheap ones now, you will still be frustrated, and you will still end up having to buy decent speakers.

Maybe search for some secondhand ones with a reputable name?

[StevenLindsey]

aw baloney. Just get some BX5s, learn how they translate, and mix up some music. When you get richer, sell em and get some Adams or some Genelecs or something.

[ChristopherM]

Originally posted by knightsy
Mate there is a reason that the cheap monitors are cheap... Can you figure it out yet?

Save more money, buy better speakers, it will make a world of difference.

So you're saying I'm better off staying with my current mixing method (Logitech computer speakers, car stereo, boom box) than buying some actual monitors? It's going to be a while before I have eight Benjamins for a decent set of speakers.

To me, that's like walking ten miles to work everyday 'cause I only have enough money for a Hyundai, 'cause ya know, I'd be really smart to save for a while so I can get a Camry.

Really, I know they're cheap speakers, and I know the gear snobs are going to turn their noses up...what I'm looking for is something to get me by for a while. It'll be spring (tax return) before my budget allows the kind of monitor purchase I'd LIKE to make.

[shackrock]

i completely disagree. don't ever do your main mixing on comp speakers, that's just ridiculously a pain i'd say.

i just got some Bx5's, cuz yes - i am also broke. they rule, get them. I was mixing on some expensive Advent Home Stereo Speakers before....which worked well. But the Bx5's are just easier to listen too - and i definately notice an improvement... it's easier to track it right, AND mix it right - so you'll need less messing around in the long run.

of course, i still burn some "test mix" CD's to play in different systems - but usually only 1 or 2.

scott

[ChristopherM]

OK...so that's two votes for BX5s and one vote for a municipal bus pass

[knightsy]

Well I think Chris that you've gotta look at what your goals are in the industry. If you're in for the long haul, you've got to plan your buying accordingly. If you're just playing around with the idea of being in this game, then buy the cheapies, by all means.

The problem comes when you decide you ARE in for the duration, but you've bought a heap of crappy cheap gear. Which you then have to replace, getting little or no money back on the gear you already bought. So you have to start back at square one.

BTW this is not gear snobbery, it's economics, plain and simple. As a friend of mine says, "most people spend $7000 the first time (on their home studio), $7000 the second time, then $15,000 the third time."

If it's gonna be spring before you can buy what you're after, then wait till spring. You can probably get by on headphones in the meantime.

[ChristopherM]

Gear packrat that I am, I'd probably keep the cheapies as a second reference. Heck, I JUST got rid of a crappy Radio Shack mic I've had since I was fifteen (over two decades).

[knightsy]

Sorry, I was talking Australian dolars there. Didn't mean to freak anyone out.

Sounds like you've already made your decision anyway.

[StevenLindsey]

Of course, you can always do all your stuff on CDRW and then get players in your house, car, boombox...etc that all play RWs. Then burn, test, erase....burn, test, erase....then burn to CDR when you're satisfied with the mix.

And if you're actually serious about getting into recording bigtime in the distant future sometime, what are you going to be out if you buy BX5s. 300 bucks? So what? What's that compared to the hundreds of thousands that you're going to spend then? They will always be useful for something.. like a secondary reference.

[ChristopherM]

Originally posted by StevenLindsey
Of course, you can always do all your stuff on CDRW and then get players in your house, car, boombox...etc that all play RWs. Then burn, test, erase....burn, test, erase....then burn to CDR when you're satisfied with the mix.

It's not the CDRs that bother me, it's the pain-in-the-ass and all the time doing it.

And if you're actually serious about getting into recording bigtime in the distant future sometime, what are you going to be out if you buy BX5s. 300 bucks? So what? What's that compared to the hundreds of thousands that you're going to spend then? They will always be useful for something.. like a secondary reference.

Yup. I've made up my mind. Now just have to budget the cash. Had an unexpected visit to the doggie doctor

[knightsy]

Originally posted by StevenLindsey
And if you're actually serious about getting into recording bigtime in the distant future sometime, what are you going to be out if you buy BX5s. 300 bucks? So what? What's that compared to the hundreds of thousands that you're going to spend then?

It's not just the $300 on monitors, it's the whole approach to gear that needs to be carefully considered. $300 on monitors here, $150 on a cheap compressor there, budget microphones, etc.

It all adds up, or rather, takes money out of your pocket. So when you go to the bank asking for a loan your savings history won't look as good for a start.

More to the point though, when you realise that all the cheap gear is of absolutely NO use to you (this is usually after you finally start buying the really good stuff), it just sits and stares at you, takes up room, and generally pisses you off.

A guy I was partner in a small studio with tried to convince me to go down the cheap road using that same logic ("you can buy the good stuff later, blah, blah, blah"). And I almost succumbed. But now I have put my foot down and bought (and built) some great gear that is a real asset.

And I won't be embarrassed when other engineers see my gear either.

[christiaan]

How many people start learning to ride a cycle on a carbon fibre reinforced ultralight weight bike?
How many people will get a Lamborghini as their first car?

Having a few extra months or even years of AE experience on less than stellar equipment may be more valuable than the savings you get from waiting until you can afford to shop at mercenary.com.

Talking down prosumer gear is just too easy when you've passed that stage already.

Buying second hand is in many cases the way to go though. I saved quite some money doing that and if I come to a point where I want to sell some of it again, I'm pretty sure I won't lose much on it if at all.

[StevenLindsey]

ALL of my cheap gear has been of use to me. I've learned something from each piece. And had I waited until I could afford "pro" stuff, I would still be waiting to learn how to record a song. Some of my cheap gear will continue to be of use to me, especially my M-Audio SP8Bs that I got fer $300. Very nice cheap little monitors. I'm going to have them for several more years if they last, of course. What if you spend a bunch of money on "pro" gear right up front and then find that recording just isn't your bag? Different strokes for different folks but for most of us home reccers, it makes more sense (not to mention that it's a necessity because many of us are poor folk) to start at a lower level, with decent lower priced equipment. Once you've mastered that stuff you'll know if you really want to spend a bunch of money on "pro" equipment or if you'd rather have that Harley you've been wanting. Now, if you're already decided that recording engineering is the way you're going, no doubt, and you have the available cash, then yes, buy the best stuff you can afford...in that case the advice given by knightsy makes perfect sense.

[Seanmorse79]

Ghetto fabulous guy that I am, I agree that cheap stuff is better than no stuff.

Having said that, I have wasted considerable cash on some things I ended up upgrading a short while down the road - regrets a-plenty.

My point is, if you're going to buy cheap, but hope to upgrade within 6 months, then buy really cheap or borrow if you can to minimize the damage to your gear budget. And buy used - if the gear you're buying is a stepping stone, save every buck you can.

[ChristopherM]

Originally posted by knightsy
And I won't be embarrassed when other engineers see my gear either.

I'm not an engineer, I'm a musician.

[knightsy]

Fair enough. Mind you I am definitely on the committed path of Audio Engineering, so my outlook is a bit different.

I have gear sitting here right now that I should never have bought. Wondering how much I can get for it...

Probably not much.

[christiaan]

Originally posted by knightsy
Fair enough. Mind you I am definitely on the committed path of Audio Engineering, so my outlook is a bit different.

I think so too but that's cool.

We surely appreciate the input of pro engineers, at least I do, but many of us are simple HOMErecordists though (hence the name homerecording.com) and monitors like the BX5 (or my Tannoy Reveals) should fit the bill to get passable results and help us enjoy what we do without breaking the bank.
Many of us don't even have the proper room and acoustics to justify the cost of pro monitors.
Decent budget monitors will have their use, even if they're replaced down the line. Just hook 'm up to your TV. Should make a world of difference in any case.