Are cheap studio monitors really that bad?

[Exilon]

Hello!

Few days ago I asked a question on different forum about really cheap monitors as I need ones.
Well, I don't have much money to buy myself..let's say.. krk rp 5
I just need a cheap pair of monitors.. I was thinking about alesis m1 320 but then I was told that there's no sense buying cheap monitors as they sound worse than computer speakers..

What do you guys think?

Sorry for possible mistakes
Exilon

 

[IK Obi]

If your room is treated even inexpensive monitors will sound great. Take a look at the Fostex PM Series.

 

[Lt. Bob]

Hello!

Few days ago I asked a question on different forum about really cheap monitors as I need ones.
Well, I don't have much money to buy myself..let's say.. krk rp 5
I just need a cheap pair of monitors.. I was thinking about alesis m1 320 but then I was told that there's no sense buying cheap monitors as they sound worse than computer speakers..

What do you guys think?

Sorry for possible mistakes
Exilon

first off even cheap monitors are better than 'puter speakers.

Secondly ...... when you're talking about cheap monitors the term 'monitor' means nothing. It's just a marketing term. There's a big misconception that anything calling itself a monitor is flat. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
So if you had say, an old pair of Advents or many other various good stereo speakers ..... they would do as well.

But definitely get yourself some kind of monitoring.

 

[arcadeko]

try this cheap monitor

jk there not cheap...

- with any speaker - it's all about the ears - go listen

 

[Lt. Bob]

I hear those are noisy ........ a lotta hiss.

 

[arcadeko]

I hear those are noisy ........ a lotta hiss.

And scratchy!

 

[Lt. Bob]

And scratchy!

and someone told me they'll bite your ear off so I'm guessing they're pretty bright.

 

[arcadeko]

and someone told me they'll bite your ear off so I'm guessing they're pretty bright.

Yeah they can give you permanent damage to the inner and outer ear (and pretty much any other body part you get close to them).

They sure are killer though!

 

[spule85]

i got a pair of cakewalks MA-7, sounds great for my room. ($200 AU)

 

[kentheriot]

Hi Exilon,

I agree with others here that for the most part, cheap studio monitors are usually better than computer speakers, at least they should be more "honest" than computer speakers, which are designed to make things sound good. You don't want monitor speakers to "make things sound good, you want to hear the truth...or as close to it as possible. But also, consider this. If you're doing your critical listening and mixing in a room in your house/apartment like most of us, even accurate/flat speakers are going to lie to your ears because boxy bedrooms (some worse than others) are simply going to accentuate certain frequencies (bass almost certainly), and eat others, causing you to add too much of the frequencies you don't hear, and subtract too much of the frequencies you hear too much of. Then when you listen to the mix somewhere else it'll suc (not enough bass and way too much in certain mids or highs for example).

Sooo is all lost? Of course not. As with anything else in this biz you need either time or money. If you can't afford good monitors AND room treatment (which can be expensive and easily done wrong), what you do is the "mix hokey-pokey' (my made-up term). Mix in your studio first. Then listen to the test mix on as many systems as possible, including the car (very important), ipod, other computers, your "good" stereo/entertainment system, etc. Make lots and lots of notes, come back to the studio and mix again, tweaking according to your notes. Repeat the process until it sounds good on all systems. That's my advice for getting by with cheap monitors in a home recording studio.

I hope that helps!

Cheers,

Ken

 

[Rimshot]

As with all things. Quality should not be judged by price. Usually (but not always) if something is more expensive, then it is more desirable and sought after, but not always because of the actual quality (it could be name recognition, types of materials and snob appeal). There are many many brands of perfectly good monitors on the market that are less expensive than the big name brands (and there is a lot of junk too).
I'm still using a pair of older Yamahas that aren't wonderful, but they are okay and serve my purpose. I have a very sophisticated stereo system with Corwin Vega cabs set up nearby with a hook-up to my DAW and Mac also and I find that I use that more often than my monitors (I set everything to flat).There are some speaker systems that are made for your computer which are excellent (and very expensive) but they tend to have a hyper-active sub woofer. If money is the priority and you have some time, go around to different audio retailers and listen. Then after a lot of trials, buy what you think will work. Just don't be seduced by the seductive sounds coming from very colored systems.