decent studio monitors?

  • Thread starter Thread starter gusfinley
  • Start date Start date
G

gusfinley

New member
I am going to be buying almost $4000 worth of music equipment and am looking into studio monitors at the moment.

I am looking for a pair of active monitors at around $300 for the pair. Any suggestions?
 
So far, out of the ones I tried, the Event TR5N's sounded decent.
They're very similar to PS5's.

There may be some PS6'S left at your local Guitar Center.
They were on sale for $180 each at mine, and are much
better than the smaller PS5 and TR5N IMHO.

Don't laugh :D, but I came home with one KRK V4 because I'll be recording/mixing primarily in...mono!
 
what about

the alesis prolinear 730 (w/o DSP)

seem to be within my budget. Anyone know how good they are?
 
The only halfway decent monitors I know of in that price range are the Yamaha MSP3s and the M-Audio BX%s, and really, they're nothing at all to write home about. If you care to check 'em out, though, they're $149 each, which, for a pair, is exactly what you're looking to spend.

As the others have said, though, you might want to consider rearranging your budget a little to set aside a little more for monitors. $4000 is a good amount of cash, and if you could, say, double your monitor budget, your options are much greater -- especially if you use Ebay.
 
Yea,

I think you should really pay about $600 at least for monitors.

I'd LISTEN to:

JBL LSR 25P's
Yamaha NS10's
Event PS (6 or 8) series or 20/20's

I'm no expert, but all these sound completly different. It's all about what YOU need to hear in the mix, and what your problems are. You know what I mean?
 
Yeah, when you're budgeting you need to weigh the importance of each item. Which items affect the sound the most? By far the weakest links in any recording system are the transducers and the acoustic environments they live in. So first you have the microphones and the recording room. Unquestionably these have the biggest impact on the sounds you record. Then you have the monitors and the control room. Unquestionably these have the biggest impact on any decisions you make about the sounds you record.

Great mics, monitors and room acoustics will get you much, much further than any fancy electronics in between.

If I had $4000 to spend, and considering the weakness of every link in the chain, I would budget it something like this:

Decent software ~ $300
Decent sound card ~ $300
Decent neutral mic pre ~ $300
Two or three good mics ~ $800
Good Monitors ~ $1200
Sturdy cables ~ $100

And I would combine the remaining $1000 with a lot of sweat and elbow grease to build some good acoustic treatment in my room.

I would also get creative about finding great sounding locations to record some of my tracks. Reserve off hour times in a great sounding library, church, or wherever... that sort of thing... preferably for free!

Thomas

http://barefootsound.com
 
the situation

let me explain a bit........

I am working on a senior project for electrical engineering and need to do some testing an analysis of sound in general and waveforms for noise considerations.

Part of the equipment I'll be purchasing is a Gisbon Les Paul faded double cutaway and a Marshall JCM200 DSL401 amp. That alone takes up almost $1500. Then I'll need to get a predal board setup with 9 pedals, powersuppy, cables, and that will tie up about another $1000

then of course I'll need the standard mics SM57 and so on and so on.

The whole point of this is centered around guitar effects. So I am not looking at spending much on studio monitors, simply because with all the other stuff I have to get- I only have $300-$400 to spend on monitors. Also, considering that I'm using a $15 pair of computer speakers at the moment almost anything would be an improvement.

I am sharing an apartment with five other guys, and live in a room with plaster walls and cielings, so it is not going to be the best place to record anyway. I'm not looking to setup a full-blown recording studio I just need some input on what could be the best pari of monitors that I could get on a college student's budget of $300-$400.

Also, there are no local stores that I can go to and check this stuff out- its gonna have to be mail order so I am hoping to get some good opinions, here.

So, keeping the above in mind, does anyone have any realsitic suggestions? (thanks to those of who understood the first time)
 
Re: the situation

gusfinley said:
let me explain a bit........

I am working on a senior project for electrical engineering and need to do some testing an analysis of sound in general and waveforms for noise considerations.
Click to expand...


Hey, your from that terrible Weezer equipment forum!

Well, here save yourself some money and time. But, use the cheap stuff you have now, once you've made the demo or prototype for your senior project take it TO A STUDIO to do the tests! It will make you look better anyway!

They will most likely have all this standard equipment you want to buy. I know it does not sound that fun, but wait till you know what your doing a little more before you deside what your going to do, maybe the quarter or semester after your first Junior year.

I know you live in Utah or something like that, but there has to be a studio. Where else would Donnie & Marrie record?
 
Re: the situation

gusfinley said:
Also, there are no local stores that I can go to and check this stuff out- its gonna have to be mail order so I am hoping to get some good opinions, here.
Click to expand...
That isn't going tyo work at all, I'm afraid.... you hear with your ears, not your eyes or other people's opinions.

Monitor choice is extremely subjective - period. What works for someone else may or may not work for you.......

So there really is no other choice but to "go shopping".........
 
Re: the situation

gusfinley said:
Part of the equipment I'll be purchasing is a Gisbon Les Paul faded double cutaway and a Marshall JCM200 DSL401 amp........I am sharing an apartment with five other guys, and live in a room with plaster walls and cielings, so it is not going to be the best place to record anyway.
Click to expand...

I don't know that all the people in this forum are guitar players, but I am.....


You cannot record that amp in an apartment.


Sure you can record a low volume for a certain "effect", but you are more than likely buying a Marshall because of "the Marshall sound". That is achieve via cranking the amp into oblivion. Tube amps do not stay quiet.

I have to suggest getting an amp modler. I haven't used a Pod, it is a popular one. I use the stuff in my Roland 1680. But even if you mic that amp in an apartment...its going to sound like shit because of the acoustics. I will attest to this first hand. ...and by the time you realize it sounds like shit, the cops will be at your door (Either that or a very strong fat man who wants to beat your ass.)


Now onto guitar selection. Don't by a Faded Gibson if you haven't played one. Don't by any of this if you haven't used it. You are in college. Go on a Road Trip!
 
pushing the budget near $400 does wonders.....

Event TR6N's
Yorkville YSM1P's
Tannoy ProtoJ's with a Hafler TA1600 amp
 
nevermind...........

Okay, I have played the gibson faded DC and I love it !!! The P-90s rule!!!

As for the amp, It is going to be used to test for any noise that me be added by this "project" that I am working on. ANy reconding will be to analyze waveforms of signals for added noise, not to try to accomplish the same things as a $100,000 studio!

Tube Amps are also noisier than solid state amps, and P-90s are really noisy so with this setup extra noise will be VERY apparent.

I am not trying to build a freaking recording studio out of my tiny rented room!! I'm just wondering what monitors would do a pretty dencent job to compare two recorded sounds and test for any coloration added and I think any step up from the $15 speakers I have now would be a dramatic improvement.

This equipment will be for long-term use and testing, so renting a studio is out, as is borrowing equipment or anything else. I am purchasing it as an education research expense, because I need it available to me quite often!!

Thanks for those of you who actually gave helpful suggestions, and actually read my entire original post and kept in mind the budget. As for the rest of you...... I probally won't be looking for much more advice here!!!

(still open to HELPFUL suggestions, though.....)
 
Re: the situation

gusfinley said:
So I am not looking at spending much on studio monitors, simply because with all the other stuff I have to get- I only have $300-$400 to spend on monitors. Also, considering that I'm using a $15 pair of computer speakers at the moment almost anything would be an improvement.

Click to expand...


Those I listed are in that range.....mostly right at the $400......if you want to get away with $300 try the TR5N's but going from TR6N's to them gives up a bit of bass response.....of course if you are working in an acoustically challenged environment, that isnt bad at all........advantageous, as a matter of fact......
 
Re: nevermind...........

gusfinley said:
Okay, I have played the gibson faded DC and I love it !!! The P-90s rule!!!

As for the amp, It is going to be used to test for any noise that me be added by this "project" that I am working on. ANy reconding will be to analyze waveforms of signals for added noise, not to try to accomplish the same things as a $100,000 studio!

Tube Amps are also noisier than solid state amps, and P-90s are really noisy so with this setup extra noise will be VERY apparent.

I am not trying to build a freaking recording studio out of my tiny rented room!! I'm just wondering what monitors would do a pretty dencent job to compare two recorded sounds and test for any coloration added and I think any step up from the $15 speakers I have now would be a dramatic improvement.

This equipment will be for long-term use and testing, so renting a studio is out, as is borrowing equipment or anything else. I am purchasing it as an education research expense, because I need it available to me quite often!!

Thanks for those of you who actually gave helpful suggestions, and actually read my entire original post and kept in mind the budget. As for the rest of you...... I probally won't be looking for much more advice here!!!

(still open to HELPFUL suggestions, though.....)
Click to expand...

Then don't look here for advise. I bet you wear those stupid black 1960's glasses with beastie t-shirts of stupid Emo bands.

But for the bulk of your post, I have no idea what you just said.

But I do feel utterly disapointed that someone would purchase a perfectly good Marshall to "analyze waveforms". If you want an amp that makes alot of noise, you could buy a Create for a lot less money.

I was just telling you that when it comes to tubes, too many watts will ruin the amp. Especially if you are in an apartment. And you want this amp to hum and make noise? You gotta turn it up, bud.

Jeeze. Try to give some friendly advise from guitarist to the next. But thats what you get from the Weezer crowd.............fucking fascists........
 
by the way......

No one strayed from your original post but you. You brought up the way you are deviding you money. Don't speak in public unless it is public buisiness.
 
Re: nevermind...........

gusfinley said:
As for the rest of you...... I probally won't be looking for much more advice here!!!
Click to expand...
Then you'd be a complete idiot because there are many at this website that know their shit and are very helpful.......

Just because you don't get the answers you want to hear doesn't mean the advice you were given was wrong or unhelpful.

Take your head out of your ass and you may learn a thing or two.......
 
Last edited:
Bear, why don't you tell him how you REALLY feel?

IMHO, all the responses were helpful, however, we all have a different "style" of presentation.

I still think you ought to try out the Event PS6's.
You could score a pair at GC for under $400, if they still have any in stock, and they may be able to transfer them from another store. With tax, the newer TR6N's might come out just slightly more than $400.

Chris
 
hmmmm....

Once again, thanks for those of you who are being helpful and not just posting for the puropse of flaming someone for asking for help.

I've seen a lot of responses about the Event PS5 or PS6 monitors. Sadly, I don't know of a place within 100 miles where I can listen to some, but then again I wouldn't know what I was listening for anyway.

I saw some Event 6's (not sure what line they were) marked as "Blem" for $300 at musicians friend. I hope they will still be around when my funds come in. If not I'll look for them on e-bay.

Gidge, did you say that in an acoustically challenged environment the TR5's or TR6's would be better. Sorry, I couldn't tell by the wording...............

By the way, I truly had a hard time convincing myself that I wasn't just buying all this stuff just because I wanted some good equipment, Especially since I have to go out and get a loan to buy it all! Mostly the setup will be used to rock out, while listening to the sound, and once or twice I will record the sound to checkout the waveforms. It is going to be an awesome project, and I am totally excited for it- and all this gear will make a great addition to my live setup, too!!

once again, thanks to those of you who are tactfull and helpfull!!
 
Re: hmmmm....

gusfinley said:
...but then again I wouldn't know what I was listening for anyway.
Click to expand...

I bet you wouldn't.


gusfinley said:
Mostly the setup will be used to rock out, while listening to the sound, and once or twice I will record the sound to checkout the waveforms.
Click to expand...

Well you won't be rocking out with a Marshall tube amp in an apartment anytime soon.


But have fun checking waveforms so you can try for a carbon copy-Weezer sound.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top