Replace my Alesis M1 actives with KRK V4?

[jeak]

Would this be a reasonable upgrade?

One of my M1s is on the fritz. I am also moving my bedroom studio to an even smaller space and would really like my replacement monitors to be smaller.

I've read good things about the V4, but will I miss the bigger Alesis woofers (6.5") compared with the smaller KRKs?

I've been looking at the V6 too, but it's about the same size box as the Alesis. Also pondering the Wharf 8.1 Pro (5" woofers). Smaller than the Alesis but bigger than the V4.

Bottom line: Do those 4" KRK woofers cut it? Would I need a sub? I'm recording instrumental jazz-fusion and electronic orchestral stuff, plus some vocal pop. There's some 5-string bass involved as well (down to low B).

Thanks.

[jeffree]

Jeak, I've never used the KRKs, but I have tried the Alesis M1s in my small studio. I'm quite sure that you'll notice a big drop in bass response. The M1s were actually very bass-heavy in my studio, which led me to move to 5" monitors with an adjustable sub. Personally, I'm sold on the 2.1 approach, if set up very carefully, but I'm sure that some other 6" or 8" models (without a sub) would work well, too. I'm guessing that you should look in one of those directions if you want to maintain the low end you're familiar with.

Of course, try to audition a few models before buying. Trust no one's opinion too much, especially mine.

Best,
J.

[noisedude]

A very good small monitor would be the Genelec 8030A ... a lot better than the Alesis (which I have) but more compact too, and come with those useful iso-pods to stop them vibrating through your desk and floor

[jeak]

Thanks, guys. I live deep in the sticks, but I'll look for a place to audition some stuff next time I venture out. I think the nearest place is 2+ hours away.

Those Genelecs look really nice, but I should have mentioned that my price target is $300-$500 for a set. Looks like a pair of Gens runs $1,200+. I'll get there someday!

Another question is whether I could learn to use my ear to compensate for a small monitor's lack of bass. Is this not advisable? Better to get speakers that can truly handle that 30Hz?

Sorry for such a newbie question, but I'm trying to differentiate between the goals of a reference monitor and those of a home hi-fi system.

[mrbowes]

If you're recording a 5 string bass with a low B, a 4" woofer will not cut the cake. In the end, you'll most likely be guessing on the low end during mixing. Still, the V4s do sound decent, but in your situation would be necessitate a sub.

The KRK V6's might be the ticket - I've seen several go on eBay for under $500 shipped. These are great monitors with substantially more low-end than the V4s.

Good luck on the search - there's lots of options, so read up!

[SonicAlbert]

I have a pair of V4's and love them, but I think they would be too small for your main monitors. The KRK V6's would be something to seriously consider, and maybe the Mackie HR624's.

[jeak]

Thanks so much, guys. The searching and reading have begun!

The used V6s would be very doable. Or I might just take my time and wait until I can afford something like the Gens or Mackies.

My Alesis MKIIs are getting me by for now. I think my low B blew a woofer, though I notice it only at higher volumes.

I see that the MKIIs don't get much good press around here, but my ears have known them for 4 years now. I can probably survive with them a bit longer while I embark an exciting search.

Thanks again.

[jeffree]

Originally Posted by jeak

Another question is whether I could learn to use my ear to compensate for a small monitor's lack of bass. Is this not advisable? Better to get speakers that can truly handle that 30Hz? .

Jeak, I don't pretend to be an expert, but I know from my meager experience that it's possible to compensate if you really know your monitors well and take the time to check your mixes on various speaker systems. The related question, though, is how much guessing do you enjoy? Once I (carefully) integrated my sub into my system, I was soon able to stop guessing. My mixes are nearly always spot on now on other systems. OK, plenty of problems remain, but not related to my guessing about the sound I'm hearing. I'm saving a lot of time, and really more importantly, enjoying the ride more.

My 8"/100-watt sub handles freqs down to 40hz, and that's low enough to cover most of what I do.

Good luck,
J.

[jeak]

Hi, Jeffree. Thanks for passing along the wisdom. This is exactly what I gathered from the previous posts. While I would really like to have tiny monitors for space reasons, I don't want them to be at the expense of a pleasant working procedure. I think I'd rather make room for bigger boxes than have to guess at bass. While the Alesis M1s aren't too popular here, one thing I'll say for them is they have plenty of bass. Maybe too much. Their 38Hz rating seems like a dubious spec for the model's size and price, but I don't feel like I'm guessing on the low end.