Monitors for Recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter stingrat
  • Start date Start date
S

stingrat

New member
I lokking at getting a Boss BR-1200-CD.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Recording/Multi/Track/Recorders?sku=241013

I'm brand new to recording. I am not planning on sending in demos or starting a studio; I'm just playing around. That being said, I would like something that wouldn't sound like a cassette recorder on my car stereo. I know I need some monitors (not head phones). I'm on a budget; I don't want to spend any more than $200 for both monitors (cheaper is better).

1. Do I need a flat frequency response monitors?
2. If the ad does not say "flat freq response," does that mean it's not?
3. What is reasonably flat? Some adds say 55kHz - 20kHz. Is that from the -33 dB points? Some say +1/-3 dB, and some say +/- 1.5 dB. What is reasonably good? What do I assume if it doesn't say?
4. Do I need active speakers (powered)?
 
You don't nessicarily need flat frequency response monitors. In fact it would be hard to find some of those in your price range. The most common monitors in the industry are Yamaha NS-10's and they are far from flat. 55Hz-20KHz is pretty good considering that the human ear can hear from 20Hz-20KHz, so anything close to that would be acceptable for what you are doing. I use a pair of M-Audio Studiophile DX4's and I really like them. They are right around your price range. And finally, you will want to get active monitors in order to avoid having to buy a power amp.
 
Hooboy, lots o' questions there....


1. Do I need a flat frequency response monitors?

****It sure helps. The whole idea of monitors is to give you an accurate "view" of the sound. So monitors that aren't flat take away or add something that isn't there. So the question then is, how can you make a good judgement if the speakers are giving you a filtered image? That said, there is a lot to knowing your monitors. There is no "perfect" monitor. They all have their differences. To add to this, you also have to worry about your room. Your room is mean, nasty and evil and works against your nice flat monitors. Reflecions and echoes in the room screw with phase, cause room modes, null points, etc.

2. If the ad does not say "flat freq response," does that mean it's not?

*** See above, there is no such things as a perfectly flat response. Ads are just that, ads. They want you to buy something.

3. What is reasonably flat? Some adds say 55kHz - 20kHz. Is that from the -33 dB points? Some say +1/-3 dB, and some say +/- 1.5 dB. What is reasonably good? What do I assume if it doesn't say?

***Assuming I am following you... a spec like 55khz-20khz +/- 1.5 db means that from 55hz to 20khz there will be no more than a 1.5db difference from 0db... which gives you a absolute value of potential error of 3db. Below 55hz in this case, who knows. Most of the time things roll of sharply from the low end spec.

4. Do I need active speakers (powered)?

***Not necessarily. You will either need to get passive speakers with a poweramp or active speakers. Personally, I prefer a quality active speaker with an active cross over... but that is just me. Plenty of good records were made for years on passive speakers.

At the end of the day, I would recommend you check out several models. What I usually do is make a "mix" CD with a combination of material that I am intimately familiar with. Then I listen for speakers that make all the amterial sound "right" to me as if I am comparing mixes to other things I have heard, I want them to be in the same ball park.
 
Im on a budget; I don't want to spend any more than $200 for both monitors (cheaper is better).
Click to expand...



For that amount of money you will not find any monitors worth using! save up about $500 then go shopping ;)
 
You aint gonna get decent monitors around $200. If ur willing to pay $200 for each monitor, then yes. the M-Audio DX4's are cheap and quite crappy. they are very tiny and suitable for casual music listening.
 
Thanks for the help (most of you). I guess what I'm looking for are monitors that allow me to record something and play it in my car stereo and NOT have my wife say, "why did you record that underwater?"

When I read ads, what should I look for. When they give bandwidths and specify no dB levels, should I assume that the bandwidth is from the -3 dB points?

Does anyone know anything about the Boss BR-1200CD recorders?

Thanks again
 
stingrat said:
Thanks for the help (most of you).
Click to expand...
If that's me you're talking about, just trying to lighten the mood a little. ;)

Have you seen/considered these ?
 
 
Out of that list I'd go Bx5a (I own the original Bx5's and like them but they lack in the bass dept. to me the 5a's aren't as bright as the 5's), then Tr5. Check out the KRK's, I picked up a pair of RP8's a few weeks ago for 400 at GC so far I like them, krk rp5-6's are worth looking into and are in your price range kinda.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top