Monitors... Unpowered or Powered?

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JonathanRay

JonathanRay

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I'll be needing some monitors for "home studio" soon.

Should I get powered or unpowered monitors. If I get unpowered monitors, I have to purchase an amp right? Which type of amp should I get? Thanks!

The budget it probably around $300
 
That budget doesn't leave very many options...... for an amp, the Hafler T-series is probably the minimum I'd consider on a budget - for passive speakers at the price - maybe the Tannoy Proto-Js.... but both together will still be higher than your budget.... you may want to consider saving up until you can afford more....
 
M-Audio BX5's are also $300 I believe, and they are powered.

I personally like powered monitors, although I started out with unpowered and an amp. Powered monitors are convenient, and I like not hearing the amps fan going all the time.
 
$300

JonathanRay said:
I'll be needing some monitors for "home studio" soon.

Should I get powered or unpowered monitors. If I get unpowered monitors, I have to purchase an amp right? Which type of amp should I get? Thanks!

The budget it probably around $300
Click to expand...

I went passive and amp to offer easier A/B. But tried some actives too.
There's alot of pro's and con's for each as you've probably read.

started to upgrade form my MD8/Rams+Onkyo-Adcom...
~ several years old, both in great shape.
Sold the MD8, am selling the Rams.

after several weeks and a few sets of try outs...
wound up with a TASCAM PowerAmp $150, Tascam 2488/replaced the MD8,
and some mint condition B&W DM303 $150pr just showed up Friday.
sound really nice, small box with 6.5" ($30 shipping).
and according to a SOS article their "technically flat freq response" and were recommended...
my ears like 'em.

So thats a $300 +/- 30 setup. All Ebay stuff.

and added $70 ADCOM 6 way speaker selector, for A/B ing!

just maybe some ideas for you....

passive RAM Studio monitors, i'm getting rid off.
2-way. 6.5"/1" tweeter- gold lugs/ 200Watts
....made and designed in the USA.
Thats all i could find on them.
They work great, near perfect shape, I've had em for about 6years.
I'll probably put 'em on Ebay so you can see 'em if you like.
RAMS have way too much mid freqs for my taste.
I'll sell 'em for $75 pair (shipping ~$30).
really don't like to mess with shipping and boxing but I don't need em,
PAwn Shop probably won't do sht...you never know with those guys, very strange business?? Probably go Ebay.

My tax return is coming, i'll be trying some others Dynaudio and maybe cheap ADAM's and then I'm done for awhile.
that is a nice thing about Passive/Amps...the speakers are about 50% cost of Actives.

Example: Wharfedales-~ $339 Active, $189 Passive. Shipping included.

liked & tried some Active KRK RP8's, which were just too "big" for my nearfield taste damn...loud and had a great sound.
Of course you'll have more mobility with Actives, but I'm just a domestic-type...no travelling with my gear.

Some say the Active have better Crossover with dual amps, others say the amps aren't as good as dedicated amps and can add more "crap" in the chain..it just goes around and round...like a wheel. pro/con...

Its a fun hell...these monitors are.
 
Jonathan,

> Should I get powered or unpowered monitors. <

Here's my standard blurb on that:

There are many advantages of active monitors for the typical project studio, besides a simpler hookup with less pieces to carry if you ever do remotes:

Active speakers are typically bi-amped, which often yields a cleaner sound with less distortion. And bi-amping offers more ways to optimize the crossover performance because it uses active rather than passive components. Also, the power amps will be well matched to the speakers, they won't have a fan, and the wires from amp to speaker are shorter which improves damping. But to me the overwhelming advantage, as implemented in the Mackies anyway, is that the woofer cone's motion can be included within the power amp's feedback loop to reduce distortion by a significant amount.

--Ethan
 
Ethan Winer said:
Active speakers are typically bi-amped, which often yields a cleaner sound with less distortion. And bi-amping offers more ways to optimize the crossover performance because it uses active rather than passive components. Also, the power amps will be well matched to the speakers, they won't have a fan, and the wires from amp to speaker are shorter which improves damping. But to me the overwhelming advantage, as implemented in the Mackies anyway, is that the woofer cone's motion can be included within the power amp's feedback loop to reduce distortion by a significant amount.
Click to expand...

right on, definetely go for active ones if you got a tight budget
 
I know it comes up almost *too* much, but Wharfedale Diamond 8.2's fit right in there...
 
monitoring at $300

Massive Master said:
I know it comes up almost *too* much, but Wharfedale Diamond 8.2's fit right in there...
Click to expand...

yeah, of course the infamous Wharfs 8.2,

still leaves the Passive or Active?

I think Passive is cheaper long run, unless your a mobile type guy.
Strictly Home Recording Bedroom studio, passives allow some flex ability.

or how about a bunch of Actives to A/B???

Electronics in a $150 Active Speaker is probably not as good a $600 Active Speaker. Amplifier could be a deciding factor.

I was reading a thread where someone was claiming a certain brand was scooping the mids on Active Studio Ref speakers to "sound better" in GC.
some reason i believe it, capitalist pigs...thats sacriligous-ex-pe-ali-doe-shus

:)
 
I generally prefer passive - My amps are better than anything they're going to throw in those boxes...
 
Massive Master said:
I generally prefer passive - My amps are better than anything they're going to throw in those boxes...
Click to expand...

Yeah, but a lot of people are going to spend most of their money on the speakers and then buy some totally underpowered cheapo amp. At least with actives the amps and speakers are matched, even in the cheaper models. You have to have a seriously good amp to beat that.

I'd say it's better to spend more money on the amp than on the monitors. I mean, ideally it's all well matched and carefully selected, but shouldn't the weighting be more toward the amp?

But for me, I've just ended up liking powered monitors better. Mackie HR824's have worked well for me, and I have a pair of KRK V4's on the way.
 
pass or active or both?

JR, did you get your speaks yet?

2more cents.....
Passives:
pro's:
+ Can add A/B/C speaker sets cheaply
+ Can upgrade Amp
+ Can BiAmp in the future!! growth potential to top of line.
+ Can change out speakers easily if you decide you want to try another pair
+ Passives are ~50% cheaper than Actives
+ Passives won't have the internal fails most likely, less heat and electronics
con's:
- Mobility
- Crossover
- Resale
- more wires

hell....try a set of each! see what floats your boat.
once you decide on passive or active........
then you'll still have to decide which brand/model...doh!
 
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