Looking for monitor advice

[eichler]

Hi everybody -

I just discovered this site so I guess that makes me a newbie. Please forgive me if I am rehashing familiar ground but it is the best way for me to learn.

I am a musician and am now in the process of putting together (notice I did not say building) my home studio. I was also a recording/mastering engineer back in the late seventies and early eighties but then went on to become a computer guy (for lack of better term.)

I am currently in the proess of choosing monitors and recently spent quite a bit of time at the local Guitar Center A-B'ing monitors. I have also done quite a bit of reading to try to narrow down the choices( though I tend to trust my ears more than my eyes when it comes to speakers.)

Here's question #1 - Is it me or do the JBL LSR 28ps sound that much better than the Mackie HR824s, the entire KRK V line and the Events? I honestly don't ever remember hearing such a flat and clear sounding pair of speakers with such incredible imaging. The funny thing is, I was ready to buy the Mackies sound unheard before I decided to listen to the JBLs as a goof. I used to use the big JBLs in the mastering studios but never expected their nearfields to be that good. It's not like I had to strain to like them better, it was obvious to me. Do the JBLs sound that good in most rooms?

Question #2 - My studio is currently located in my basement where there is a low ceiling with acoustical tiles and plenty of dropped soffts inside which HVAC ducts reside. The floor has indoor/outdoor carpeting over a poored concrete slab and the walls are paneled. The sound is actually quite dead and the room is very quiet when I turn off the dehumidifier. The size of the room is approximately15' x 20' and I was hoping to place my monitors next to my computer monitor (I am using Cakewalk). My concern is that the LSR 28ps will not be that good at that close a range. Any comments?

Thank you all in advance.