Speaker advice needed... please help

[cpmame]

Hi all, I hope I am in the right place but if not please forgive me...

I have been searching around for quite some time looking for a speaker system that is good for hi-fidelity music listening as well as capable of handling karaoke for room size of a typical living room. PA speaker is not an option because they are too bulky and look ugly. Something looks like Behringer B2031A or M-Audio BX8A is perfect...

But now back to the real question, should I be getting a Studio Monitor or a Hi-Fi speaker? Most people said the Hi-Fi speaker is not capable of handling the karaoke since it does not have the overload protection feature built-in. On the other hand most people said Studio Monitor will reveal stuff that you don't want to hear while you enjoy listening leisure music. So... to be honest I am quite lost... Please help...

[boingoman]

With karaoke, the only ugly thing that gets revealed is usually the singer's voice, and that's gonna happen no matter what speakers you get.

Personally, I'd get PA speakers. Not for quality, but for durability. Home karaoke can get pretty wild, and I'd hate to see you blow your tweeters some drunken night when you want to crank it up "just a little more". Most studio monitors top out around 110-115 db, that's nothing at a loud party. And I'd bet they won't sound pretty when they get there, either.

If you insist, though, I'd get some studio monitors like the ones you listed. And a subwoofer. For the same reasons I'd get PA speakers over studio monitors.

These are pretty nice-looking PA speakers, also very $$$, like $2000 per box.

http://www.daedalusmusic.com/sc1203.html

[petermiller]

are you talking about leaving them in one location or are you going to move them?
If they are for the home I would go with JBL control 28's or control 29a/v . These are capable of handling the singing + do a real good job with preprogram material as well and at 199.99 ea. for the 28 and about 330.00 each for the 29av. That in conjuction with a good limiter/compressor should work fine.

[cpmame]

Hi petermiller, the speaker will used for indoor, and prefer to put them with speaker stand instead of nailed them on the wall. The speaker you recommed seems to have a flat freq response like most studio monitor. Does that mean studio monitor also suitable for karaoke, as long as they can handle the loudness/power we throw in?? So in general for karaoke application, what kind of speaker characteristic should I be looking at, such as the frequency respond...etc etc?


Hi boingoman... my budget is around $300-600 range... it would be nice to have the system you suggest...

[bubbagump]

I would look around the type of PA speakers used in installed sound.... essentially PAs for movie theaters and nice restaurants/clubs/hotels etc. Folks like JBL and many others make them and they are designed to give the performance of a typical PA speaker but to be much prettier.

JBLs installed offerings

[fraserhutch]

And don't forget to post some samples in the MP3 forum when you're done.

[petermiller]

the speakers I suggested are suitable for vocal use as they can handle the transient signal associated with vocal performance. The type of speaker would generaly have to bridge the two worlds of continuous and program levels. The speakers you would seek for live performance would have to have a more rigid surround with a smaller excursion. The control 28 is a contractor grade speaker that has good specs for program music and are also used in pa type applications as well. I have used these in many types of enviornments as well as the application you have in mind. as far as the stand mount application can be a little tricky with those as they are not equipped witha 1 3/8" od pole mount socket. This is still possible however. There are of course other options but these would definately work better than a pair of reference monitors.

[cpmame]

Thanks guys! Does anyone know any local store in Los Angeles County where I can hear the JBL Control series speaker? Thanks