Sorry to have to do this....

  • Thread starter Thread starter Be Loveless
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Be Loveless

Be Loveless

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I need monitors. $250.00 or less not more. I primarily record/mix clean electric guitar, 5 string bass and vocals on a tascam 488-8 track cassette. I use an old sansui integrated amp to power my current speakers(optimus lx-5) do I need to up grade that too. So I guess that I'm asking for a LOW budget yet adequate monitor(passive) and amp combo that would be better than I already have. you can get an idea of what I do at www.soundclick.com/thebluehumours
 
Well I'm sorry too ;)

If you want to hear the B string on that bass properly you're not going to get ANYTHING in that price range
 
KRK ST6's are $200.00/pr and are unpowered, so your Sansui would be needed. BTW there are some old Sansui integrated amps that are very much in demand by audiophiles...

Also, Fostex PM05's are very nice, powered monitors. Below 40hz you won't get much info -- but maybe headphones can help in this regard?
 
get on ebay and keep an eye out for a good used deal. I picked up a pair of Event 20/20s plus an alesis Ra-100 for right around $300 a few years back. They were and still are in perfect shape and working order.
 
Wireneck said:
get on ebay and keep an eye out for a good used deal. I picked up a pair of Event 20/20s plus an alesis Ra-100 for right around $300 a few years back. They were and still are in perfect shape and working order.

Yo' wireneck, you shoul have kicked that drunk's fat-@ss for putting his hands on you and otherwise ruining your evening!!
I got your back!!;) (REF:R.P.)
 
i would consider getting a pair of headphones and mixing with those untill you have $500+ to spend on a monitor upgrade.

between a nice pair of headphones and your current speakers you could get some decent mixes.

there are a few things to learn about mixing with headphones... but once you get it down, you can do a decent job.

my recomendation: grado 80's... $80. made in the USA.
 
Thank ta thankya I usually find that about halfway between my optimusususus' and my headphones (HD280 sennhiesers) is where I find the mix that translates adequately, But I know that I must be making some major compromises because it's still a lot of guesswork and I can't really hear what I'm doing. I've also heard good things about yorkvilles, but thier bass response might not be adequate. The st6's sound nice but will a 6 inch driver do the job? It does'nt make sense to me to buy any other equipment until I have more useful monitors, even if I had a wonderful channel strip (for example) I would'nt be able to hear it. Frustrating.
 
i still believe that you arent gonna improve your speakers much with $250. also, keep your sennheisers, but for mixing purposes you really want open can . much better bass...


again. if you find a place that will take returns, try the grados and see if your mixing improves.
 
WAITAMINUTEWAITAMINUTE......LADY!

I thought that mixing with just headphones was a big NONO. Most of ya are telling me to go that way....or use them in combination with my speakers....which is what I am already doing......so I'm guess I'm screwed until I can blow a grand on some kinda teknojunk............they're has to be at least one more way of doing this..............not just buy some expensive monitors or keep doing what your doing........SOMEBODY GET INNOVATIVE WITH ME BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!
 
You can mix on anything. You just have to learn how they translate.

I agree that a good pair of cans is probably the way to go. It's the only way you are going to hear the full dynamic range of your bass for that money.

Worth looking at the Beyerdynamic DT990pro

http://www.beyerdynamic.com/com/product/sheets/d241.php3

Transducer type Dynamic
Operating principle Open
Frequency response 5 - 35,000 Hz.
Nominal impedance acc. to IEC 60268-7 250 Ù /System
Nominal SPL acc. to IEC 60268-7 > 96 dB
Nominal THD acc. to IEC 60268-7 < 0.2%
Power handling capacity acc. to IEC 60268-7 100 mW
Sound coupling to the ear Circumaural
Average pressure on ear acc. to IEC 60268-7 3.5 N
Weight without cable 250 g
 
I am one of those who think you should NOT use your headphones for mixing. You should base whatever judgements you can make on the music as it moves through the air. It was the poor translation of headphone mixing that led me here in the first place.

I don't know the wattage of your amp, (and you'll definitely want enough wattage so as not to blow your speakers from cranking up the volume), but look into these:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProtoJ/

They have decent bass response as any in that price range (possibly better), but as with nearfields, you will still need to learn how to translate the low end properly.

In the meantime, I suggest you learn your stereo speakers as best as possible, and take note at least not to boost the mid range in your mixes to compensate for the lack of frequency response in that area as is most typical of consumer grade speakers. While you
will still have translation problems, at the very least when you get monitors you will be able to compare and contrast much faster between the two speaker types.

Cy
 
Mr. Moustache Salami

What's up with 20/20 bashing? I like 'em. I really wanted them instead of the Reveals, but since everybody and his dog tried to convince me that the Tannoys were better, I went with them. I kind of still wish I had gotten them. I thought they were extremely smooth, with a full, but not hyped, bottom. What don't you like about them?

Oh, and to me the Proto-J's sounded lifeless, but that's just my .02
 
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