Out of these monitors which would you recommend?

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nocarsgo

New member
Hello all,
I'm trying as much as possible not to ask "Whats the best...", but I may not be able to dance around it :D So I've been reading posts and weighing options of the monitors I should buy for 2 1/2 months now, and I think I've narrowed it down to a couple options.

(1) Yorkville ysm1p- I had seen it recommended a lot, and it is cheaper, however I am a bit concerned since its a 6 1/2 inch speaker. I imagine I should try to get an 8?

(2) Dynaudio BM5a- Seems really nice, but I'd have to buy used which scares me!

(3) Yamaha HS80M- Also heard great things, but have been told by several people there is a definite hiss. I don't know how bad it is, or if I should even care, but I may be able to get new.

If there are any others you guys would recommend I'm open. So with that in mind my budget is closer to $500. Sadly none of the stores around let people do a take home test, so I'm banking on my fellow forumer's wisdom :D Thanks,
-nocarsgo


http://www.yorkville.com/products.asp?id=118&cat=20&type=33

http://www.dynaudioacoustics.com/Default.asp?Id=3680

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail.html?CNTID=49338
 
nocarsgo said:
Sadly none of the stores around let people do a take home test
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They all do; it's called a "refund/exchange policy", which you really should take advantage of so that you CAN hear what they actually sound like before you settle on one.

One person's crap-sounding speaker is another person's perfect selection. What I like or don't like has no bearing on your decision unless you already happen to know that our ears like the same kind of sound from our speakers.

If you like accuracy in the extended ranges that will show the best and the worst of whatever you're listening to, try the Dynaudios. If you prefer a more common-sounding loudspeaker that forces you to get a mix to sound good on them, try the Yamahas. Some people prefer one, others the other; only you can determine what you need.

I have no personal knowledge of the Yorkies, so I can't comment on them.

G.
 
Thank you so much SSGlen, So I'll go ahead and rule out the Yorkies to make it easier. At this point I'm leaning towards the yamahas since I could get them new, I'm just worried about blown speakers. Is this being too cautious, or a legitimate worry? I buy a lot of used gear, but given the nature of this purchase I'm just a bit paranoid.
-nocarsgo
 
That depends upon where you're buying them from, I suppose. If you're talking eBay or Craigslist, there's always a gamble involved; it's up to you to determine just how trustworthy you think the seller is. If it's from a retailer or dealer, then just make sure they offer you a guarantee or refund/exchange policy or something like that, just in case. Personally I never buy anything as-is, all sales final unless the deal is just so good that I don't mind taking the gamble, or unless it's the type of product I know you can't really mess up that badly. But that's juts me; I tend to trust very few people unless I know them personally.

G.
 
Thanks man, I think I'll follow your advice and just go with a pair of new yamaha's. Its a big step for me (I was still using computer speakers!), so they should do well for me a couple of years. Then maybe I could step up a few levels or so. Thanks so very much Glen. I'll try to report back when I can give an overview.
-nocarsgo
 
nocarsgo said:
Thanks man, I think I'll follow your advice and just go with a pair of new yamaha's. Its a big step for me (I was still using computer speakers!), so they should do well for me a couple of years. Then maybe I could step up a few levels or so. Thanks so very much Glen. I'll try to report back when I can give an overview.
-nocarsgo
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I really wish you wouldn't make your choice based just on one person's opinion. It really puts the pressure on ;). Especially since I really didn't make a specific recommendation.

But here's the real bottom line. One of three possibilities will happen, no matter what model you buy:

1) You'll love the speakers you get and you'll be cooking with gas right out of he gate.

2) You'll really dislike the sound of what you get and regret both yourself and me for getting them until you replace them with something you like.

3) You won't really know for sure whether you like the sound of what you get, but you'll roll with them and learn to like them and learn how to use them just fine with a little practice.

My money is on #3 :).

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
My money is on #3
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Mine too.

I don't have experience with any of those monitors so I wouldn't hazzard a recommendation. But I know they're all established players in the market. To me the biggest thing with monitors is "learning them." What ever set you buy, listen to a lot of your favorite recordings on them. Get an imprint in your head of what good mixes sound like ON THOSE MONITORS IN YOUR ROOM. That won't make you a pro but it will take you a long way.
 
nocarsgo said:
(1) Yorkville ysm1p- I had seen it recommended a lot, and it is cheaper, however I am a bit concerned since its a 6 1/2 inch speaker. I imagine I should try to get an 8?
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I thought about 5s vs 8s when I was researching monitors and in the end got 6s. And you know what ? I love them. They have no bother in reaching the low zones. I kind of prefer them to my Gale stereo speakers.
SouthSIDE Glen said:
One person's crap-sounding speaker is another person's perfect selection. What I like or don't like has no bearing on your decision unless you already happen to know that our ears like the same kind of sound from our speakers.

If you like accuracy in the extended ranges that will show the best and the worst of whatever you're listening to, try the Dynaudios. If you prefer a more common-sounding loudspeaker that forces you to get a mix to sound good on them, try the Yamahas. Some people prefer one, others the other; only you can determine what you need.
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I wouldn't worry about blowing the speakers unless you're going to run them and everything through them at max volume !
Glen's point is so important here. While recommendations are welcome and valuable and form an important part of research and even the eventual purchases, in truth, every buy is something of a gamble. Even if you've had the gear before or used your friend's and decide to get your own. Who knows what gremlin or good fairy lurks within each individual component ?
 
Thanks guys. And thanks Grim for your comment about the Yorks, I may need to reconsider. My main concern isn't as much them sounding fun to listen to, but having mixes translate better. You all are probably right that I will be unsure if I like them, but being as they will be my first set designed to be more flat, I'm going into it thinking its going to be an adjustment. That probably sounds bizarre, that I'm thinking I won't know what to think!
Just the fact you all took the time to respond means a lot. When i say I trust your judgment, its okay if I have a different opinion in the end. I just think it would be irresponsible to not ask the advice from people who have more experience.
-nocarsgo

Completely random, but does smiley :-)laughings:) annoy anyone else?
 
nocarsgo said:
Completely random, but does smiley :-)laughings:) annoy anyone else?
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Only when what it follows isn't funny, notwithstanding that I don't understand or appreciate everyone's sense of humour.

nocarsgo said:
Thanks guys. And thanks Grim for your comment about the Yorks, I may need to reconsider. My main concern isn't as much them sounding fun to listen to, but having mixes translate better. You all are probably right that I will be unsure if I like them, but being as they will be my first set designed to be more flat, I'm going into it thinking its going to be an adjustment. That probably sounds bizarre, that I'm thinking I won't know what to think!
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I spent so long reading peoples' posts about getting to know your monitors and playing your CDs/tapes (well, no one said tapes !) on them to break them in and how different it will sound that I kind of got it into my head that all my stuff would be exposed for the badly recorded over bassy cluttered pap it really is ! :D And when I heard my friend's monitors one night, I couldn't hear the bass. I got him to play some Deep Purple stuff that I knew Nick Simper, Roger Glover and Glenn Hughes had put some very noticeable bass on. Just couldn't hear it. So I was decidedly nervy and when I bought mine, it was close to 3 months before I got them out and I expected the worst..........
Funny ha ha ! Shouldn't have worried. Mine may be a cheapo no account pair but hearing my stuff at a flatter response has been nothing but encouraging. So far. I sometimes describe myself as someone that doesn't know enough to come in out of the rain, but the adjustment hasn't been any different to the adjustment I've made to new stereos or a walkman.
 
2 very important things:

1)Listen to them both in the store and at home, lot's of places do this and give no hassles when you bring them back, just make sure you keep everything that came with them and keep the boxes nice and clean, cut the tape with a blade when you open them.

2)Ask for a frequency response chart, if one is not available, ask for something that has the frequency response noted. you want to try to find as close to 20 hz to 20 khz, That's pretty much impossible to find in a speaker anyway, but close, 30 or 40 hz should be well enough, also any good frequency response chart will tell you how many +/- decibels the speaker may be off from being perfectly flat. Obviously the closer to zero you get, the flatter it will be, acceptable ranges would be no more than +/- 2 decibels, any more than that and you're going to have a hard time getting an exact mix.

The Yamaha's are 42hz-20khz +/- 2 decibels
The Dynaudios are 50 hz-21 Khz and have a +/-3 decibels
The Yorkvilles are 40hx-20khz and are flat! The frequency response chart shows flat all the way across depending on how you have them pointed at your ears, kind of unbeleiveable but who knows.....

The Yorkville's according to the spec's look like the best one's but listening to them is a good idea
 
The DynAudios are the awesomest of your choices, although you're right to be worried about buying used. Mics and speakers have a significant mechanical component that degrades with use (degrades heavily with abuse).
 
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