Please suggest affordable mid/far field monitors

  • Thread starter Thread starter greyman
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greyman

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Hi there,
I'm setting up my own recording studio. I'll be using YAMAHA MSP-5 for near field.
I'm also planning to add JBL-LSR32 with Alesis RA500 Amplifier for far field....... I can't afford Genelec 1037 etc...so in that case is it a right choice?
Please suggest some affordable monitors with kicking sound.
Thanx in advance,
greyman
 
GOOD mid/far field monitors are usually very expensive - expect $10,000++ minimum - but if you like how the JBLs sound, go for it..... However - you wouldn't want to be powering them with an Alesis amp (go for a Hafler or Crown instead)!!

Alesis makes some good gear - their amps, however, ain't one of them!

Bruce Valeriani
Blue Bear Sound
 
Yo Bruce:

How about the amps put out by Carvin? I keep getting a catlog from them; I am thinking about their wart plug-in with noise reduction in it, which filters the AC coming into the device.

They have some nice looking amps and since I'm still looking for a new speaker set up to work with my rig, I'm looking at all amps.

Thanks for your input about Alesis; Alesis also has some "nothing" reverb units.

Green Hornet
 
Green Hornet.... yeah, not to mention oh, say ... the 3630!!! :rolleyes:

I don't have any experience with any Carvin gear - I'd heard it was acceptable stuff but I doubt it is used in many studios as serious gear - to me it seems they're more of a live sound market...

The big boys are using the Hafler/Crowns/et al.......

Bruce
 
Greyman,

You might want to consider JBL LSR28p's to cover both your near and mid field requirements...surprising detail and loads of punch combined...and you already "like" this JBL line...after buying mine, I decided against adding a smaller reference speaker set...so far, no problems (translation to other systems, or otherwise!)

Just a thought,

BW
BrickWall Studio
 
What do you consider affordable? IE What's your budget?
 
I have to disagree with some of the opinions about Alesis. Their Wedge reverb unit is pretty decent...better than most $200 rack pieces, IMO...and much more adjustable. You can find them used for $125 without looking too hard. Their RA100 amp isn't so bad either...especially for the price. Having no fan is a big plus. If someone can hear the difference between the RA100 and a DC150 on a pair of sub $1500 speakers, they are full of s#!t. I might suggest a pair of JBL 4311's...some classics...but a great speaker if you can find them for around $400/pair. Even some dinosaur Urei, like the 813...a little more...like in the $1200 range, used...but they are out there. And IMO again, they will kick the squat out of these home targeted speakers you see in every Mars store. But...then again...I'd hook them up with a Crown DC300 to make me happy!
 
Sorry mix... can't agree with you on the RA100 - it has ZERO headroom and very poor transient handling.... I'd use a Samson over that unit any day (which isn't saying much!).... but that's just me!!

:)

Bruce
 
Not to go chiming in... but I have a Samson currently that is defective. The on/off switch has a short. I got it 6 months ago. My RA100 is 3 years old with no problems. I liked the Samson when it worked without killing my monitors. Has anyone dealt with them enough to know if they are usually reliable? Maybe I got the fluke.
 
question Bruce....if I wasn't cranking my system up near to the max and using a RA100, wouldn't there still be enough headroom that MIGHT also allow the transient peaks to squeak thru?...Btw...I always loved the Crown amps, but I felt that the Alesis had to be as "current" as a DC150 (but then also knowing "newer" doesn't always = better). I really have to admit I haven't given a fair comparision as the last time I used Crowns was in my PA system eons ago....not a side by side A/B setup, recently.

I find my studio recommendations (and my system too...what a coicidence!!) that a pair of Jbl's with the RA100, my amp isn't even starting to get pushed in my 10 x 12 room....hence my above question.
 
Mixmkr - if you're not pushing it, you're probably right - but the RA100 is essentially and 75 watt amp (at an 8 ohm load), so you don't have a lot to play with from a power perspective anyways. The big difference in amp specs is not so much freq. resp and noise (it's pretty easy to get flat response and low-THD in amps), but the levels of IM disortion and the ability to provide high-current transient handling is what separates the low-end from the big boys (Crowns and Haflers).... ....actually, circuit instability and bad IM distortion (at different signal frequencies but especially at the extreme ends of the spectrum) are 2 of the basic differences between the low-end and high-end of any studio gear - from consoles to outboard units.

But you're right, if you don't push it, and you're not hearing any problems - you're probably allright. The problem'll occur the time you want to crank it for a bit in the heat of mixing a hot track!!!

Bruce
 
Hey Bruce,

Don't you have the PS series nearfield monitors? I know they are biamped but do you think the amps are good enough, headroom and sound, etc. Also, why did you choose PS series and not say the 20/20bas which has more power.
 
Hey Stan.... yup, I've got PS6's and I use them in conjunction with the Tannoy PS100(?) sub... At the time that I was shopping around for 'em, the dealer didn't have the 20/20s, so I couldn't check 'em out.... I ended up comparing the Event PS6s to Tannoy Reveals and Mackies (824?? or something like that) - I really liked the sound of the Events overall (after a good hour and a half of comparison listening!!!)

Since I am using a sub, and actually diverting the low end to it (via crossover), the PS6s have more usable headroom and power (since the low-frequencies aren't sucking it away). Overall, I have more than enough monitoring power between the two components!

I find the PS6 sound very usable for my tastes - clean mids and airy highs, and I can translate mixes very easily on them. It's all about what you like to hear from nearfields!

;)

Bruce
 
one more Bruce...

What do they sound like without the sub, or did you intend on using the sub from the start.
 
I intended on using them with the sub, but I didn't buy the sub right away - on their own PS6s have very decent bottom end - just not enough WAY low-end for my tastes, especially when judging the kick-drum/bass relationships on mixdown.

I liked them enough (without the sub) to buy 'em, but with the sub in place now, I absolutely LOVE my monitoring system!!! :D

Bruce
 
I've used different Carvin stuff over the years and I have an '82 DCA300 (100 watt/ch @ 8 ohm) stereo amp that sounds great on everything -- I have used it in my living room, for a headphone amp, on many gigs, and it now sits in my rack driving my monitors for recording and cabs for performing. Mind you, it's not a gazillion watts, but it has a very clean sound without anomolies that have to be eq'd out. Plus, it has been it the shop ONCE since I bought it new, when a speaker output wire came adrift and touched the chassis... and all that did was short out the sound from that channel. My local tech fixed it for free. I was almost hoping it was something major so I could buy a new --wait for it -- Carvin amp! (a new one has 4-1/2 times the RMS watts at the same weight and size [3U]). However, I guess I'll be using that old beast forever, now.
Don't forget that Carvin has a return policy so if it's not got the sound you can send it back.
John
 
my pocket allows $3000 US only

Thank u all for such a detailed discussion on this topic.
My budget for these monitors is some where near $3000 US.
How about JBL-LSR32 with Hafler 9505. Has any one ever worked with Hafler 9505 or P7000?
What do u think about this combination Bruce?
 
Hmmm... I can't comment from a listening perspective on the JBL ('cos I haven't heard 'em!) but others seem to beleive they're quite solid.... and you certainly can't go wrong with a Hafler amp.... only problem is the speakers are around 2000$ US and the amp is another 2K.....

Bruce
 
Check out Tannoy or quested. The tannoy 215 system I belive is close to that range.
 
Tanoy System 215DMTII are around $6500 US...so they are out of consideration.
I think I must stick to the JBL-Hafler combination which is around $3700 US ($1900 for JBL-LSR32 and $1800 for Hafler 9505)
My near fields are YAMAHA MSP-5....cheap'n best..
I really liked them.
so MSP-5....JBL-LSR32 & Hafler 9505 ...cheap'n best setup for a guy like me who doesn't have deep pockets !!!!!
 
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