OK, bought a mixer. Now I need monitor speakers

[chewmanfoo]

My little home studio now consists of a P4 PC with SONAR XL and a Delta44, a Soundcraft Spirit M12, some cheap mikes and instruments.

I really need monitor speakers. Any suggestions?

Also, a few questions:

1.) Active or passive? Is the difference strictly in the place where the signal is amplified (in the speaker, or externally), or more than that?

2.) Nearfield? What does this mean?

3.) I understand that one can spend $40K on one speaker, but what is a reaonable amout to pay for good speakers? On a budget of, say, less that $1K? Do you suffer if you spend less on speakers, or are you just getting one version of the mix (and you can get other versions after bvurning the CD and playing it in a home stereo?)

Thanks!
chewy

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo ChewFoo - Cousin of Confucius:]

If you peek through the threads herein, lots of stuff about monitors. True, you can spend mucho or poco or media for monitors.

For what your stated budget is, you can get very good monitors. If you can get to "hear" them live, playing your tape or CD, or anything, then you will have a basis upon which to judge.

If you are lazy, then I'd suggest the Yorkville monitors: you can get passive, very reasonable or passive, a bit more $$.

A "field of sound" will vary from room to room, and if your speakers are OFF the carpeting, elevated, angles and dangles also come into play. This is all done by YOU as you experiment to get the best possible reproduction, something that makes your ears happy.

You can get Yorkville on line and they will give you the location of the nearest dealer to you. Event monitors are good, as well as many others. Read the threads on the search function.


Merry Christmas
Green

Hornet

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

....
A) Any suggestions?...

B) 1.) Active or passive?

C) Is the difference strictly in the place where the signal is amplified (in the speaker, or externally), or more than that?

D) 2.) Nearfield? What does this mean?

E) 3.) I understand that one can spend $40K on one speaker, but what is a reaonable amout to pay for good speakers?

F) On a budget of, say, less that $1K?

G) Do you suffer if you spend less on speakers, or are you just getting one version of the mix (and you can get other versions after bvurning the CD and playing it in a home stereo?)

H) Thanks!

A. Events http://www.event1.com

B. Depends on your budget.

C. Read this.......... http://www.studiocovers.com/articles13.htm

D. Read this........
http://www.audioed.com.au/glossary_free1.html
http://www.rane.com/digi-dic.html
http://www.recordingeq.com/reflib.html
http://www.modernrecording.com/resources/glossary.shtml
http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/regular_htm/glossary.htm
http://www.emu.com/products/archives/glossary.html

E. Once again, it depends on your budget.

F. I'd say that would be a good price (under or round' about 1K.)

G. Different references will give you different images. It is a good idea to reference your created music on as many different speakers as possible. You can use your new monitors, home component system, car, computer speakes, boom box, sound system at the club, etc.

H. You're welcome.

Peace......

 

[sjjohnston]

Some quick, direct answers (without guarantee that they are anything more than quick and direct) to your quick, direct questions:

1.) Active or passive? Is the difference strictly in the place where the signal is amplified (in the speaker, or externally), or more than that?

That's the difference. Actually, there's a little more: because the amplifier is designed to go with the speaker, many active monitors have the amplifiers after the crossover, i.e. they're biamplified.

2.) Nearfield? What does this mean?

Pretty much what it sounds like. You sit close to them to listen to them ... so they don't have to be so big, and a greater proportion of what you hear is the direct sound from the speaker rather than the reflected sound from your room (so your lousy-sounding room becomes relatively less of a factor ... or at least you hope so).

3.) I understand that one can spend $40K on one speaker, but what is a reaonable amout to pay for good speakers? On a budget of, say, less that $1K?

$400 - $500. That's my answer anyway. Maybe you could get away with less. If you spend any more, and your total budget is $1K, you will not have anything left for anything else. Maybe you want to stretch that budget a teensy bit to get to the $400 mark.

Do you suffer if you spend less on speakers, or are you just getting one version of the mix (and you can get other versions after bvurning the CD and playing it in a home stereo?)

I'd say you suffer. The advantage of the better monitors is (again, my view): they still only give "one view," of the mix, but that view is pretty complete -- you can perceive the stuff that will get emphasized or covered up on various other systems.

 

[Cyrokk]

You can get decent monitors for under $400, an example being Tannoy Proto-Js. Shelling out more is ok if you have the cash, but you still are going to have to learn the sound of your nearfields, which is true regardless of the amount of money you blow.

Look into the aforementioned Yorkvilles or Tannoy, and save the money for the front end of your system, particularly decent instruments, mic's and mic preamps.

Cy

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

You can pick up the Event 20/20's for about $249.00 USD

 

[sjjohnston]

You can pick up the Event 20/20's for about $249.00 USD

If you find the 20/20bas (which are active) at that price, buy them! (Even if that's per speaker).

Assuming you mean the unpowered 20/20s (that would be a good price for them), you'll need an amp, and you're going to wind up in the $400-$500 range.