Best $400 monitor system

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WithoutREason

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What is the best i can do for 400 for a set of monitors. Been mixing on headphones. *shudders* Please help me out.
 
I bought a pair of Alesis mk2 actives a month ago. They were new with stands for $400 and I'm pretty happy with them, though from other posts I've seen they're not very popular among the HR.com crowd.
 
Yo Minus Ratiocination:

Yorkville passives will do the job. Lots to check on about those monitors on this site via el searcho.

You can also get Yorkville on the net and they will tell you the closest dealer in your locale.

I'm still using mine. It may be that Alesis are pretty good -- I used to own a pair -- it's just that the Yorks are much better.

Green Hornet:D :p :cool: ;) :p
 
You might check with your local Guitar Center and see if they're still blowing out the old Event 20/20 passives for a 100 bucks a piece. If so, then you could pick up a couple of those, and a Hafler TA-1600 amplifier (have them price match it from 8thstreet.com ), and you could walk out with a pretty decent monitoring setup for about 400 clams.
 
Well i ended up getting the M audio BX 8s. They had the best sounds out of what was at guitar center even in the 800 range. Unfortnately i didnt get a chance to hear the 20/20s. I like the way they sound and with cables and all i paid 470 out tha door. Not too bad since the sale price on tha speakers was 490.
 
I picked up a set of those too, should have them sometime next week... I wasn't able to audition any monitors, can you try to let me know how they sound???
 
they sound pretty clean and have good low end resoponce. I haven seen how they translate to cd yet though.
 
I think the Alesis M1 Active Mk2 has inherited the original M1's reputation... And that's in short - that most home recordists have had them and don't want them back... Alesis sould have called the Mk2's something else to get a better response, because they are actually pretty good... I have them and like them a lot.

/Anders
 
Sorry Boray, but I have to disagree (well, for me anyway). I found the Alesis (Active in my case) were far too hyped in the bass, even with foam bungs in the bass ports. I followed Massive's suggestion, for a cheap set up, of a good clean reference amp and Wharfedale Diamond hi-fi speakers, and the improvement (no change in room, position etc.) in clarity was huge.

YMMV
 
^^^

Garry Sharp said:
Sorry Boray, but I have to disagree (well, for me anyway). I found the Alesis (Active in my case) were far too hyped in the bass, even with foam bungs in the bass ports. I followed Massive's suggestion, for a cheap set up, of a good clean reference amp and Wharfedale Diamond hi-fi speakers, and the improvement (no change in room, position etc.) in clarity was huge.

YMMV
Click to expand...

Agreed on the Alesis... Way to bass heavy even with the ports plugged..
 
Didn't want to start a new thread for this.

I haven't been able to audition too many monitors, except the Dynes BM6 which are way out of my price range. I can choose between:

1. BX5
2. Alesis M1 MK2 Passive
3. Yorkville YSM-1i (Passive)

Which do you think I should buy (I'm going in 'blind' as I don't get to audition and these monitors cost 1x my monthly salary - not too many studios in here just allow you to walk in) and my instinct says no but the Yorkvilles seem to be getting a lot of thumbs up around the forums...
 
yorkvilles. they're the right size and enjoy a strong reputation.
 
Thanks

I got committed to the purchase before I posted, but thanks a lot. Your reply instills a lot of confidence in me that the Yorkvilles are pretty good.

I've been mixing so far on cans and using a home stereo as a basic reference, so my mixes have been a little thin.

Now for building my monoblock amplifiers! But that's for another forum!!
 
Bstage and Gary Sharp, Are you sure you just haven't placed them to close to a wall or something? I'm no expert, but the low end sounds just fine here, and I have no bass ports plugged at all. I even get more bass now compared to before I placed them better. If you want to hear some of my mixes made on them, then go here:
http://user.tninet.se/~hlw771b/cds_eng.html
All mp3s except for "Long Wait" was mixed on them...

/Anders
 
Boray - agree with your point about placement / room issues, what I was saying was that in an identical setting the W'dales were significantly more transparent. I heard a whole ton of stuff that I didn't on the Alesis. Many others have commented on the bass hype. Perhaps it just that those particular monitors happen to work well with your particular room.

Anyway, if it works then good on you, that's the whole point.
 
Garry, Could also have to do with that I listen at a rather low volume...

/Anders
 
Well, let's see if Blue Bear comes along (or do a search in this forum on 85dB);)
 
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