Help with buying monitors?

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Lane

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I've been doing the cans and computer speaker thing for mixing - time to graduate. Need some recommendations on low cost monitors that are'nt total cheapos... I've seen some in the $100 - 200/pair range (Edirol MA10A, Roland MA8BK, YAMAHA MS101) Any of them any good?

Just for home recording use - I dont need anything big and fancy - looking for practical, affordable and decent.. .
Thanks
 
Monitor speakers are a personal area. What ever you do, make sure you have a good return policy (because they may sound good in the store, but as soon as you put it in you small home studio, the cramped space changes the acoustics and they sound poor). Also, be sure that the speakers have the range you are looking for.

I have a pair of Samson Resolv 50a's and they don't have the low end response in my studio that I expected. But, they do have a good flat response that has helped me make some adjustments in my music that I think are for the better. And they were within my price range at $250.

I have heard the Yamaha MSP3's and they sound ok. They are 150 each, though, which may be out of your ball park. Make sure the pricing you are seeing is not per speaker.

Another pair that should sound good are the M-Audio Studiophile BX5's. They are $300 a pair.

Frequency response is also good to look at, but responding to frequency does not mean you will necessarily hear it.

I still make use of my Creative 5.1 speakers to review my sound in addition to my monitors and my headphones.

Hope that helps

Tuorum
 
Tuorum is right! Look into the return policy. They might sound nice in the store's acoustic environment, but when you put them in your area, they might not be what you need/like. I use KRK V4 series2 for my secondary monitors and I love them. Very clear, precise, and tight. Not as flat as Genelec, but for the price they rule! They cost around $499.99 per pair. Set a budget and do some online research about monitors that are in your price range. Hope this helps.
 
If you find something, let me know

I have the M-Audio Studiophile BX5's which sounded the best to me for 5-inch monitors. They are very crisp and fairly powerful. On the other hand, I find them completely worthless on low frequencies, both for individual instruments or a mix. I consistently eq too bass-heavy (or over compensate) with them. I don't like the idea of subs for monitors, and really wish i'd saved my $$s and bought an 8-inch system.

I noticed just now (I don't work for GC/musiciansfriend or have any affiliation with them) that musiciansfriend has the m-audio bx8's listed for $299 a pair - the same price as the bx5's!. This is a steal - I'm fighting gear-lust right now.

martin
 
I got a pair of Alesis active M1 monitors off ebay for 200 total with shipping...and they are incredible...i strongly believe the best in their price range.
 
I'll have to agree on the Alesis M1's. I've got 2 Mk2s for nearfeilds, and they sound good. A bit lacking in the bass, but if you're in a small room, you can barely notice. Mids to high is really clear.

Also, you'll find that most dealers are willing to knock quite a lot off the price, I got more than half off (admitantly, I was paying cash and buying some otehr stuff at the same time)...

Plus, they've got a blue power LED. I'm just hooked on blue LEDs... they look funky... and (cough) professional
 
I use Event 20/20 passives myself, and I really like them. Their published specs are 38hz to something like 20khz +-3db.

But I do have to say, I feel that room acoustics are more important than the small differences between monitors, to a point. If you have a small room that's totally untreated acoustically, it won't matter if you have Edirols or Genelecs, you won't get anywhere near a decently flat response. My 20/20's are in the low end of the monitor food chain, but with my room thoroughly acoustically treated I get a nice tight flat response and my mixes translate very well. Granted, it would be better with Adam or Genelec monitors, but in my opinion you should treat the room first and then get monitors.

Great sounding speaker + bad sounding room= BAD SOUND

Decent sounding speaker + great sounding room= GOOD SOUND

And as I said, this is only to a point. If you're mixing through computer speakers, home stereo speakers, or Edirols even a nice room ain't gonna do squat. Just like if you're mixing in a horrible room, Genelecs ain't gonna do squat.
 
a-men on the room sound, people don't give the room enough stress
(thats not to say i wouldn't like a 3000$ pair of gentlics)
 
martinn said:
I noticed just now (I don't work for GC/musiciansfriend or have any affiliation with them) that musiciansfriend has the m-audio bx8's listed for $299 a pair - the same price as the bx5's!. This is a steal - I'm fighting gear-lust right now.
Click to expand...

Yup. Ordered mine last Saturday, got them Wednesday. Barely had enough time to have a quick listen Wednesday night. About to start playing with them again. One thing, though... they're so many orders of magnitude better than what I'm used to that suddenly I notice all those reflections off the walls nearby.

So basically, those $300 speakers just turned into another $50-100 to do acoustic treatment of the walls in that corner of my living room.... :D (And I really do think it will be that cheap. I'm only talking about maybe a total of 5' of wall.)
 
My input: We just got a pair of the M-Audio BX8's - and we just hooked them up to our new Firepod! They sound great and clear with very nice bass control and response. Real nice clarity - great buy for $400.00!
 
news

BX8's are on sale right now at Musicians Friends for $279 pair...
 
Behringer 2030A works for me. Like you, it's all home brewed music for fun. I set the controls while listening to commercial CD's of music I like when I first got 'em. Now, with practice, I've got my music sounding respectable on my house and car systems. Not the best monitors, but awful nice for the price. Way better than 'phones.
 
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