Monitors on a budget?

[Bigus Dickus]

I'm considering, as the last part of my "investment" into this project, adding a pair of monitors. As of now, I just have the klipsch computer speakers, but I was prepared to cross-reference the mix to similar material fairly often using some higher end home-audio equipment (several combinations), probably by dumping the mix to CD and doing a direct comparison.

That would probably be a very annoying process, but I could probably get a decent end result. The other option is buying some inexpensive monitors. I've thought about actives, or passives and picking up a decent integrated amp from ebay.

I know quality improves with price (as a general rule), but in my case I'm just unwilling to spend much on this. Lol, I wanted to keep the whole project under ~$500 or so, but I've already spent $1000, haven't made a decision on which software yet, and am now thinking about monitors.

So, if I could find something cheap or used, maybe $200 or $300, I'd consider it. Something that would be a definite step up from my Klipsch computer speakers, so that I wouldn't have to cross reference on quality systems nearly as often. Otherwise, I'll just stick to plan A.

Any suggestions?

 

[MISTERQCUE]

Tannoy Proto-J's @ $179.00 (or less in some places)are a great bargain!!

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo BD:

Yorkville passives or actives.

My local vendor offered me a pair of York actives for about 215 each. I have the passives and am happy with them but always looking for upgrades.

Or, you can get the number/address of the closest Yorkville dealer to YOU on the Yorkville site.

There are many good monitors out there and QQ's suggestion is a good one too.

Green Hornet

 

[Bigus Dickus]

Wow, sweet. You guys just got me excited!

I was really expecting some replies like "anything less than $500 is going to be a POS and not worth the trouble."

Good to know that some of the inexpensive options do actually sound good enough to be useful. Like I said, I know you get what you pay for, but sometimes "passable" is all that someone needs, like me, in my current situation. I'm glad the spectrum doesn't jump right from "junk" to "pretty decent" completely blowing by the whole "passable" range.

I'll check out the suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Bigus Dickus]

OK, another quick question. I wasn't able to spot any "volume" controls on any of the active monitors. Is there not a preamp built in as well, to adjust gain? If not... well...??

I thought the Hafler TA1100 amp + Tannoy Proto J Plus package for $380 looked pretty nice, but again, if it's a power amp, where is the preamp section?

 

[iwanarock]

You should probably also look at the M-Audio BX8 Studiophile ($480 pair) or the M-Audio SP-5B monitors ($300Pair). Both are active monitors and sound pretty darn good for the price. And yes most active monitors have a volume control. I just listened to the 8XB last weekend and liked them at a Sam ASH store. But they also had me listen to some Blue Sky active monitors with a integrated sub that blew me away. $800-900 bucks more for whole set up then the M-Audio's but I think I going to wait and eventually get those.

 

[Bigus Dickus]

If they could be bought for the same price, which would you guys prefer...

M-Audio SP8B or Yorkville YSM1P ?

 

[Bigus Dickus]

OK, so I ordered a pair of the Yorkville YSMP1's after reading pretty much every post here the search engine pulled up about them.

That's it... no more gear. None. Don't make suggestions, and I won't ask questions.

So much for my "$500" project budget. I always do this. Oh well, at least now I have a nice pair of mics, preamp, A/D converter, soundcard, monitors, and shortly software. Oh, and it took a new HDD and KVM switch to get my computer/network set up like I needed it. Oh, and then the mic stands, cables... sound damping materials. And tomorrow an expensive bill for voicing my piano I'm sure.

Thanks a lot guys.

 

[djc]

You won't be sorry for getting the YSM1P's. They are great monitors for the price.

 

[djc]

No more gear?

Bullshit.

You know it's just a matter of time.

 

[Bigus Dickus]

No more gear?

Bullshit.

You know it's just a matter of time.

Oh, I know. But I have to at least make it through the holidays without buying me more presents... there aren't many days left to by other people presents.

 

[ambi]

whoever said pretty much all moniters have a volume control might be talking about something different. As far as i know none of them have volume controls, maybe a few. I think you have to control the volume with a mixing board if you have them going through it, or your master volume in the computer. Unless they are passive and you are running them through an amp.

 

[Bigus Dickus]

Really? That sounds kinda weird. I was thinking an outboard preamp would probably sound better than changing the volume using the computer's master volume.

Maybe I'm just ignorant, but I didn't think my Delta Dio 2496 (much like the Audiophile 2496 as far as the analog output section) had an analog gain control in the preamp stage. I just thought it sent a line level signal out.

If that's true, then the only way to vary volume is to do it digitally before D/A comversion. That would blow, because now you're altering the digital signal you've worked so hard to get sounding right.

Keeping all levels in the computer's monitor/hardware settings at 0db, and using an analog gain in the preamp section should sound much better.

Unless you're telling me prosumer cards have gain control in the pre stage?

Well, if you have an analog mixer, that sounds all good and fine. If you have a complete computer based system, that kinda sucks. Maybe I should ask a question on this topic, since I'm sure most people have already started ignoring this thread.