Which Monitors For Home Studio??!!

[grendelprime]

I have everything I need for my home studio except monitors I can mix with. I've narrowed it down to Yamaha MSP5, Fostex PM1, and Wharfedale DP8.1A. Which one will give me the truest transparency??!!

[Cheeky Monkey]

Originally Posted by grendelprime

I have everything I need for my home studio except monitors I can mix with. I've narrowed it down to Yamaha MSP5, Fostex PM1, and Wharfedale DP8.1A. Which one will give me the truest transparency??!!

So far as the Wharfedale goes, it's the Diamond Pro 8.2a you'd want, not the 8.1a. There's been a lot of (positive) discussion here lately about the Wharfedale's. Do a search for them and the others you mention.

[firby]

Event 20/20s or Yamaha NS-10s

Don't go for those new monitors that are the hot things now. That is just a waste of time. Near Field monitors have not changed since the stone age when led zeppelins flew over the earth broadcasting nazi hate propoganda from gigantic tube amps and tinny PA speakers. That new stuff is just a waste of money. Also, Why you are at it. What are people going to listen to your music on ? A stereo ? Well then you had better monitor on stereo speakers right ? And what kind of stereo will most people have ? Not some audiofile system from the nerd shop. Most people will have some mid level system from best buy. So go to best buy and get yourself a pair of stereo speakers and git her done.

You have got to budget your money and spend it in the wisest way possible. And where is that ? Cabling. Get the best cables money can buy. I mean the best. Even if you have to fly to germany and get them hand built. Get a lot of different colors too. You will want different colors of cables to inspire you. After you have all of the colors you really need to move into prints and pastels. Haven't seen a pastel cable ? then you aint never been to a real studio.

Next up, Furniture. You will want to change your studio around alot to facilitate the recording process. I suggest bean bags and TV trays. Bean bags are the quinsential spark of the recording process but they don't hold food very well so thats where the tv trays come in handy.

Also how cool could they be with a name like wharfdale ? Think about it. A wharf sits partially underwater. Do you like the sound of muddy low end. Well wharves generally all have muddy low ends. It's true. You are better off with stereo speakers from best buy. Also .... Dale. Dales are valleys.

See here from Wikipedia:

A valley is a landform, which can range from a few square miles (square kilometers) to hundreds or even thousands of square miles (square kilometers) in area. It is typically a low-lying area of land, surrounded by higher areas such as mountains or hills.

So muddy low end and a scoop (valley) in the mid range. These monitors suck. Might as well get some JBLs or some Bose stuff from best buy. Get a TV too. Everyone needs inspiration.

[apl]

I've got Event PS6 monitors I picked up for less than $300 on eBay. I like them a lot.

[Lambo]

Tapco (made by Mackie) S8.

[Reggie]

Firby, you are either delusional or joking heavily (which is fine ).
Even if you could get a mix to sound good on one set of Best Buy stereo speakers, chances are it would sound wack on a different set of consumer speakers. Soooo....either get some good translatable nearfield monitors, or spend a bunch of money buying the top 10 or so consumer stereo systems to check your mix on each of them. They are all hyped in some way to give a pleasant sound inspite of their build limitations. They might all have some lows, and some mids, and some highs, but the consumer speakers don't cover ALL the frequencies correctly and their range varies greatly from one model to another.

BTW, I don't think nearfields have been around all THAT long.

[corban]

I gave firby a big disapprove, and then read his post more carefully and have come to the conclusion that he is definitely joking (or insane). If you care bout your rep, firby, let me know and I'll remedy my wrong. For monitors I'll put in my two cents and suggest the Behringer Truths. People might knock me for recommending Behringer, but their products have been improving, and these monitors are basically a knock off of the Mackie HR824s that go for at least twice the price. I'm not saying they're just as good, but they're definitely similar. I've had a pair of truths for several years, they've served me well, and they're excellent bang for your buck. I think they're currently going for cheaper than the monitors you've listed, but I haven't heard those, so I can't compare. But definitely get the highest quality monitors you can afford, none of this Best Buy crap.

[apl]

I've tried the stereo speaker approach and my mixes sounded awful when I went anywhere else. But when I started mixing on the Events they sounded as expected elsewhere.

And even the pros will tell you that Yamaha NS10s suck but everyone's used to them.

Do consider Event TR6s or used PS6s.

[fernandoesmaron]

Did hear all 3 side by side.

wharfedale 8.2 actives are the winners.

couldn´t hear the yamaha msp5 for 10 minutes. My Ears couldn´t hear the highs longer. The Fostex can´t beat the wharfedale´s. Not Flat enough. Midrange problem. Pm2 is flatter in the midrange.

8.2 is really better than 8.1. But if you have not enough money they are a right choice too. Not enough bass and a thiner midrange sound.

Did hear also KRK rp 5 and rp6 with the 8.1 and 8.2. Wharfedale is flatter, have better stereo image and ist the better serious monitor.

my mixes with the 8.2´s translates very well. I am happy with them.

Ok they are not perfect but which monitor under 1000 €/$ is perfect ?

hear them before you buy any other in A/B.

[firby]

Originally Posted by corban

I gave firby a big disapprove, and then read his post more carefully and have come to the conclusion that he is definitely joking (or insane). If you care bout your rep, firby, let me know and I'll remedy my wrong. For monitors I'll put in my two cents and suggest the Behringer Truths. People might knock me for recommending Behringer, but their products have been improving, and these monitors are basically a knock off of the Mackie HR824s that go for at least twice the price. I'm not saying they're just as good, but they're definitely similar. I've had a pair of truths for several years, they've served me well, and they're excellent bang for your buck. I think they're currently going for cheaper than the monitors you've listed, but I haven't heard those, so I can't compare. But definitely get the highest quality monitors you can afford, none of this Best Buy crap.

Definitely joking. Monitors and good monitoring space are the cornerstone of a quality studio. I have Event 20/20s and an Alesis RA100 sometimes I use a Hafler DH500 as well. I would say get monitors that you can spend a lot of time in front of. Back in the dark ages when I got mine, you could still get yamaha ns-10s. The ns-10s sounded kind of nasty to sit in front of for a long time so I got the 20/20s. After a while your ears will have heard the a/b comparison between nearfield and car and nearfield and stereo and friends stereo so much that you wil know how to mix on them even if they don't completely sound perfect on the monitors.

Just make sure you get a good flat response amp to go with them/or active so you are not wasting your money. If you have not had near field monitoring before be prepared for your mixes to really improve pretty fast and your ear will get much better as well.

Personally, I have a distaste for things behringer. I own a preamp from them and a Composer compressor. However, I have not heard their monitors but I have used the Mackies and I love those.

[MadAudio]

I just added a KRK RP-10 sub to my Wharfedale 8.2 actives, and I am hap-hap-happy!

[wangchung]

I use Harbeth monitors and find them to be truly amazing. They are powered with a samson 260.

[junplugged]

just make sure you hear them first, and hear a few and try out the m-audio bx5 if you can.

[krimson]

How about Blue Sky?

[tubesrawsom]

ns-10 cant beat em

[Scoob]

i've used a set of custom speakers for the last 5yrs
no problems i learn how my speakers actually play
cheap yes, my mixes sound almost the same everywhere
only exception is that i need a sub soon. choose what u like, learn to mix with it
compare your mix everywhere u can
transparent almost never is otherwise all monitors would sound the same.
food for thught though: How many average people listen to music on monitors?
mix for a baseline sound

[Myriad_Rocker]

I have a nice set of pioneer's that I got at an electronics store for $30 each.

[Scoob]

just for clairification i don't have anything against monitors
i use a set of 20/20's in another studio they are great but could use powered sub also
hiphop and r&b / pop are to bassy not to have one