Monitor choice £200-300

M

mcmac74

Active member
Hi, not sure if there’s a sticky thread somewhere for this question so my apologies if so.

I’m looking for a pair of monitors for recording in an untreated room. Been using headphones for years and thought it was worth a try doing it differently. Recording is just a hobby and the the room is untreated, about 4m x 3m and 2.5m high, so not looking to spend big money. I’m using a Scarlett 2i2 interface. My style is indie/ acoustic rock with no live drums if that assists in the best suggestions.

Thanks, Mark
 
Hi Mark, much depends upon your expectations, do you want some speakers that will go pretty loud and make a "nice noise" or something that is more accurate but maybe won't annoy the neighbors? I am sorry but you cannot have both under about £1000 new and I would be very wary of S/H monitors.

For 'loud enough' speakers you cannot, IMHO beat the Presonus Eris 3.5s. I bought my son a pair and he is very happy with them except they won't do 'party' levels! So, my boring advice would be, get the Eris setup (sub £100) and start saving for better! I myself am fairly happy with my Tannoy 5As but have visions of better. Being very mutton I want quality AND more SPL than most speakers can deliver, don't need it most of the time but one does like to freak out to DSOTM now and again! Been a very expensive couple of years but IF nothing else goes wrong in 2024 I might be able to bend the plastic to two bags or so.

Now, "no room treatment" can range from just plaster walls and a cane chair to my setup, carpet over wooden floor, 3 seater sofa, heavy curtains in a bay W and a LOT of junk! Most basic for mixing is some absorbent at the "mirror points" then some bass trapping but now it gets expensive. Do go to www.soundonsound.com and find their back articles called "Studio SOS".


Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Hi Mark, much depends upon your expectations, do you want some speakers that will go pretty loud and make a "nice noise" or something that is more accurate but maybe won't annoy the neighbors? I am sorry but you cannot have both under about £1000 new and I would be very wary of S/H monitors.

For 'loud enough' speakers you cannot, IMHO beat the Presonus Eris 3.5s. I bought my son a pair and he is very happy with them except they won't do 'party' levels! So, my boring advice would be, get the Eris setup (sub £100) and start saving for better! I myself am fairly happy with my Tannoy 5As but have visions of better. Being very mutton I want quality AND more SPL than most speakers can deliver, don't need it most of the time but one does like to freak out to DSOTM now and again! Been a very expensive couple of years but IF nothing else goes wrong in 2024 I might be able to bend the plastic to two bags or so.

Now, "no room treatment" can range from just plaster walls and a cane chair to my setup, carpet over wooden floor, 3 seater sofa, heavy curtains in a bay W and a LOT of junk! Most basic for mixing is some absorbent at the "mirror points" then some bass trapping but now it gets expensive. Do go to www.soundonsound.com and find their back articles called "Studio SOS".


Dave.
Click to expand...
Cheers Dave...loudness is not important...accuracy is. I've grown a little tired of mixing everything on headphones only to find dynamics are all wrong when I play the mix back on a car stereo or other headphones. My headphones are decent open backs made for monitoring but I'm guessing there's no substitute for having actual speakers in a room.

Mark
 
"but I'm guessing there's no substitute for having actual speakers in a room." Quite so. There have been great advances in sophisticated cross feed systems and even a gizmo that can stop "the room moving with your head" effect but at the end of the day we hear real sounds 'out there'.

Monitors have got steadily better, flatter response and DSP room correction, none of that can be done with headphones which will always be influenced by the unique shape of your personal ear cavity.

Dave.
 
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