Pleasure listening - Monitors or speakers? Which ones?

[rkmase]

When I'm not playing, I'm usually listening - most of the time, on my monitors. I started thinking about picking up a pair of consumer speakers to listen to my LPs with - you know, some of those giant floor stand type. While I like the sterile environment needed for recording, I like the warmth provided by consumer speakers when listening.

Of course, now I need recommendations What speakers do you like to listen to music with?

Bonus question: Which amp?

[Massive Master]

Speakers are either "reasonably accurate" or they're not. If your monitors sound "sterile" then they're probably not very good sounding boxes in the first place.

SO:

Go for "entry level audiophile" speakers. B&W's 600 series (DM602S3's if you can find a used pair) - The 685 is the new kid. Any good quality amp - Bryston, Rotel (high-current models), Hafler...

The thing is, when you hear what they sound like, you'll probably stop using your monitors anyway. Which is fine. Most speakers I've heard that say "Studio Monitor" on them aren't much to listen to...

[ofajen]

I've used the same Polk Audio RTA-12Bs and Hafler DH-200 for the last 27 years. You can buy an old DH-200 on eBay any day for a little over $100. Nowadays I use ASC Studio Traps in an Attack Wall configuration to control early reflections with the monitoring triangle at about 1.5 meters and even though they are "floor standing", I have the RTA-12Bs on 16" tall stands so that they are at the correct height for monitoring.

I really have no use in the monitoring room for small "studio monitors" with no bottom octave. I'm OK with systems like the Blue Sky where they engineer the subwoofer into the system design, rather than tack it on.

IMO, one of the important things about the RTA-12Bs is that the tweeter is up on top in its own little structure and set back the right distance to time align with the bass drivers. I've heard several Dahlquist speakers with this same configuration that are quite wonderful and would make great monitoring speakers. Of course, there's all those wonderful B&W speakers that have similar designs and are quite good and quite expensive.

I agree with Massive: accurate speakers are what you want. Ignore the labels and listen for accurate sound. You want full, flat frequency reponse, good transient response, minimal phase shift and linearity (no clipping or compression) over the whole frequency range all the way up to your maximum SPL. Good luck with whatever you pick!

Cheers,

Otto

[punkin]

Master said it nicely.

For me I've found a balance. I figure, most people listen to music in their cars or on their iPods. They seem to boost in opposite from what's really on the recording(s)..pumping bass and turning out the highs that were turned in the after ther original performance.

I'm listening to M-Audio SP-B5 (yup...cheapies) and Klipsche Heresey II for mixing.