Budget monitors/headphones

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eventide

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This is the final part I need for the mini studio set-up I'm putting together for Xmas for my better half.

I've already overspent, so I really need this to be as cheap as is humanly possible, without sounding like absolute %$£^. I'm not expecting anything spectacular, just something ok enough to tide her over until I can afford better.

A decent set of PC speakers would do & I'm in the market for them anyway, so that would actually suit me better...

Help will be muchly appreciated- I'm mega stressing now because I've spent hours looking for the "best stuff on a budget" and think I've done alright, but if I don't get some decent speakers its going to sound like crap anyway -.- Budget ~$50/£30 considering I'm happy to scour ebay for it!

Cheers
 
A set of powered speakers for $50 is going to sound like crap. Beware on Ebay of Chinese-made counterfeits.
For $100 or less you may be able find a set of small used M Audio Studiophiles which won't be great but certainly better than computer speakers. You can find some cheap but serviceable headphones on Ebay too - I picked up Sony MDR -V800s for $8 plus shipping (plastic, but useable)!
 
Buy a lepai tripath amp for $21 and plug in an extra set of bookshelf speakers. If you don't have an extra set, go to parts express and order a set of cheap bookshelf speakers. There are a few that will keep you in budget there. This set up will sound far better than any computer speaker for the money. It will fill the gap and you will find a use for it even after buying a high end pair of monitors.
 
That Lepai amps' distortion number at full power (10%) put it the same as the cheapo Pyle little amps. If you can live with distorted sound, or want to hear what others will hear with your music on their cheap playback systems (or those devices that you slip an MP3 player into) .... (not much good for mixing).

Spending money you have now on cheap equipment inevitably leads to spending more money on better stuff later, and a POS in the closet that never gets used again.
 
Thanks for the feedback. If it helps at all, the rest of the setup:

SM58
Saffire 6
My PC (Win7 32bit, Phenom II x4 @ 3.4GHz, 4gb RAM) running Reaper

Looking at Sennheiser HD201 & Sony MDR-V150 just now...would be happy to get them AND some speakers, seeing as their cheap. Would a set of hifi speakers need the amp you mentioned, or can I plug em straight into the Saffire? I'm a bit of a dummy when it comes to audio...

Like I said, I'm not looking for a miracle, just something usable for just now.

Cheers
 
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'Hifi speakers' - most probably are 'passive, i.e. don't have a built-in amp. You need passive speakers + amp or active speakers (which have built-in amp(s)).
 
mjbphotos said:
That Lepai amps' distortion number at full power (10%) put it the same as the cheapo Pyle little amps. If you can live with distorted sound, or want to hear what others will hear with your music on their cheap playback systems (or those devices that you slip an MP3 player into) .... (not much good for mixing).

Spending money you have now on cheap equipment inevitably leads to spending more money on better stuff later, and a POS in the closet that never gets used again.
Click to expand...


Give me a break...the guy wants a $50 fix. The Lepai with a couple of bookshelf speakers is exactly that. If he had the money for a good quality set of monitors he would have said so. The lepai and a pair of the Dayton bookshelf speakers will run less than $50 and can be used somewhere else in the house later, like for the bedroom tv...or as a 2nd set of playback speakers to see what your mix will sound like through a cheap, $50 system. Of course he will end up buying something for more $ later.That doesn't mean the $50 system is a pos that will be stuck in a closet...are we in the GS forum? I'm confused!?!

Right now parts express is having a sale and you can get both the Dayton and lepai for $45 total! Will they perform like a $600 set of monitors? No. Will they sound better than a set of computer speakers? Check out the reviews on parts express...the general answer is a qualified yes. They definitely make my bedroom TV sound way better, too.
 
Juan, thank you for the help- really really appreciated! Unfortunately I'm in the UK and the speakers you mentioned aren't available from anywhere that I can find, and the amp comes in at nearly twice the price in £ as it is in $. Damn country >.>

Have been looking at Acoustic Solutions bookshelf speakers AV21 on amazon.co.uk (can't link, posts are too low), do you think they'd be worth the £25? I will of course still sue them once I've upgraded to monitors (or the wifey does it herself).

Do I always need an amp? Or can they go direct into the PCs audio interface? I'm still audio clueless :/

Cheers
 
I didn't realize you were in the UK...yes, shipping pretty much kills anything from the US. I did a quick look around the UK amazon site to get an idea of pricing over there, and it looks like everything costs a little bit more. I don't think you're going to find anything for less than 30 pounds over there except computer speakers. The lepai amp and the speakers you found look like the cheapest thing you can get at fifty pounds. I would also look at the Behringer MS16 personal monitor system - it comes in at 56 pounds and is self powered. The next step up looks like a pair of M-audio AV40's, but those run 92 pounds which is 3x your stated budget. The speakers you found look very similar to the ones I suggested, and the reviews look pretty good.
MJB's 3rd post (post #6) answers your amp question. Good luck, whatever you decision.
 
I know it's not what you asked but I would go for a quality set of headphones at that budget, that way you have a decent monitoring solution that's not money wasted when you can afford speakers.
 
Last piece of advice, I promise!

I got my hands on some free speakers today (long story) which may or may not be any good. But they were free, and free is good when you're skint.

They're Eltax Millenium 100's and I'm wondering if the Tripath amp will be ok to power them. Details:
Music Power 100W
Sinus Power 80W
Impedance 4-8 Ohm

Did my best but I have no idea what those ratings mean :S

@brusier thanks for the advice! I picked up some headphones as well, and will aim to upgrade both in the future :)
 
If you decide to enter the realm of headphones, might as well consider the Etymotic Hf5's. For $90 on B&H right now, these are incredibly all around functional for the price. great isolation and frequency response, I use them for mixing over my Sennheiser hd280's.
 
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