Studio monitor recommendation?

  • Thread starter Thread starter larold
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larold

New member
I am putting together my first serious
home recording studio. I am willing to
spend about $600-$800. I was recommended
the Paradigm Active series, but I've
never been hot on the idea of speakers
integrated with the amp.

Can anyone recommend a good pair of studio
monitors? A good power amp? Should I not
worry about whether the amp is combined
with the speaker?

Thanks.

- Larry
 
give the Yamaha NS10's a try. They'll give you a good idea of how your mix will sound on the average hi-fi. They're near field monitors and they're great. Once you build up the studio, you should get different monitors to run along side the NS10's though.
You'll need a Samson Servo or similar power amp for the NS10's
 
This question has been asked and answered dozens of times on this BBS, and there is no "correct" answer.
All the monitors sound different and can only be judged on an individual basis... by comparing them side-by-side at your local music store.
It's just like walking into a Bresler's 33 Flavors ice cream shop and asking which flavor of ice cream is the best one.
The "best" is what works for YOU.

As for amps, Hafler is the top choice.

If you really want to read the numerous opinions on monitors, go to the search function in the upper right corner and seek them out.

Better pack a lunch before you start, though. ;)




[This message has been edited by Buck62 (edited 07-20-2000).]
 
EVENT 20/20's
event 20/20bas
event 20/20p
event 20/20 ad nauseummmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!
search Event 20/20-I did -I bought-I gave thankx!!!!
Event On!
 
I just went to guitar satan and hassled some guy into letting me listen to a bunch. Man I'd have to say the best overall monitors ended up being the 2020's. Super rich sounding without any super unbalanced frequencies.

I couldn't believe the difference in sound, but they all sounded really good. My favorite ended up being the Event PS6, but their super, super bass heavy. In a really good way, though, so it was a really tough decision. Monitors are going to sound good, usually, so I've heard it's best to buy "reference" monitors. I went with the Alesis M1 active and I'm pleased with them. I a-b'd them with my old stereo speakers, and they definitely have good clean definition.

Just my two cents.

Oh...I like the idea of frequency-specific amps and crossovers for speakers, but I worry about resale value. It'd be nicer to have two seperate pieces. It came down to money and headaches over which amp to buy for the money. I've already obsessed way to much on soundcard, software, etc.

Good luck.
 
Ok easy answer to this.. Yamaha NS-10M and if anyone would like to argue this point I could list at least 10 of some of the most state of the art studios in the USA. Soundkitchen being one.. Read the equip list on every studio they use them, even studio A.. Easy answer..

They dont make your music sound pretty like most of the others including the 20/20's which are nice speakers but If you want a good set of speakers and want to hear the real music so you can mix true then get the Yamahas. And for an amp I would suggest a Hafler they are great.
http://www.mp3.com/codyyoung http://www.offtherow.com
 
come on shakes the clown - they were OK for years which is why they are in all the studios - I got my first ones in the mid seventies! they were originally found by Bob Clearmountain who was buying some small bookshelf speakers for a friend with a $300 budget. He took them to the studio and tried them out to make sure they worked and was blown away with the accuracy of the midrange for mixing and through him they became an industry standard. Yamaha must have been blown away!! I used them for years as did everyone else Unfortunately they don't produce much under 100Hz so you really have to know your stuff to get a good bottom end mix on them and you have to make them bark a bit to be right. In my humble opinion the Event 20/20 is the NS10 of the new millenium. They are smooth and extremely easy to work with - no fatigue - they have a great bottom end so you can mix your kick and bass properly (which you can't do with NS10's) their high end pisses on NS10s and they are relatively cheap if you buy the unpowered ones.

[This message has been edited by John Sayers (edited 07-22-2000).]
 
LOL Well mr Sayers correct me if I am wrong, which I am not. But do studios like SoundKitchen, OceanWay, Emerald which are some of the most highly advanced studios in the world use 20/20's? umm no.
Do ALL of them use NS-10M's Umm yes! ding ding ding tell him what he has won! If you have a problem mixing with them maybe you should just get a little better at mixing. The NS10 is an awsome speaker hands down, dont even try to tell me that all the sudden the 20/20 Is the new speaker to buy. I have a friend with a pair in his little home studio and they do sound great, but I want my music to sound great on everything not just my beautiful sounding monitors. Sure the NS10's dont sound as good, but it sure does sound better later. P.S. How are things in that recording mecca Australia?
But I do have to give credit where credit is due with John, the site he has is very good and I am myself thinking of purchasing the recording manual,I believe in some aspects John you are really good but i tend to disagree with others. But hey if we all thought alike that would really suck ;-) I am building a new stuido from pretty much the ground up and I think there are some pretty good tips about construction in the manual.

[This message has been edited by ShakesTheClown (edited 07-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by ShakesTheClown (edited 07-22-2000).]
 
Too bad sonusman's out of town. This is his platform; when it comes to monitors since he's always in different studios using lots of different monitors.

Pretty much, the entire consenence is that if you don't already completely know the NS-10Ms in and out, there's really no reason to. But if you do, they're something you can rely on.

Why not make it more pleasing to listen when trying to get to know your main near-field monitors?
 
I am editing what I have said because there is no way to argue this point any further. I will continue using my outdated and hard to use NS10's to mix.(industry standard) While you can use whatever you like. I would just rather have someone learn the right way and use what is used in almost ALL major studios, than take the easy way and get something gay. But ya know I use Logic Audio which most people will tell you not to get cause its to hard. Just guess I like things the best and done right, the hard work pays off in the end. I am making a very comfortable living off the music bussiness so I must be doing something right.

[This message has been edited by ShakesTheClown (edited 07-23-2000).]

[This message has been edited by ShakesTheClown (edited 07-23-2000).]
 
Hey there, RE. Here's one of Ed's replys from another thread:

"I more or less agree. No matter what monitors you are using, you will spend a few years "getting to know them", and let me tell you, getting to know the 20/20's is a lot more fun then getting to know NS-10's. In fact, the 20/20's offer a detail of sound that NS-10's cannot even get close to! Plus, they are far less fatiqueing the listen to.
Skakes, I am not bashing you here. But many fine engineers who are NS-10 users recommended the Events for anybody who is not already used to mixing through another system. They are accurate, and dependable, and easy on the ears. They said they "couldn't" switch over because they cannot afford the learning curve. I get on NS-10's and without fail, I use too much reverb, and cannot place the bass at all. I don't like guess work. But, this is a relative thing. I have used my Events for 3 1/2 years now, and am very used to them. I only have to use NS-10's here and there, and really don't enjoy the experience. Just because the Record Plant uses only means that the Record Plant has many clients that are used to NS-10's, NOT that they are any better them many monitors available in the year 2000. But you can bet that many studios now are providing "other" monitoring systems to make sure they have their bases convered for the newer engineers/producers coming through who prefer, or are used to another monitoring system..."


Ed
 
Sorry Shakes the clown - you are wrong as ED the sonorusman just said - he's had 10 years recording experience - I've had 30+ - but if you prefer NS10's fine use what ever you like I used NS10s for 20 of those years and loved them but technology moves on. I know I'm just a small fish in littl'ol australia but recording is recording. An album just relaesed had the top 100 australian recordings of the century - I did 6 of them.

[the edits are cos I'm pissed (Sorry pissed is a coloquial OZ expression for drunk) tonight!!



[This message has been edited by John Sayers (edited 07-23-2000).]
 
Anyone who reads this thread may want to talk to a lot of the engineers at a lot of those pro studios using the NS-10Ms and ask what budget monitors, available these days, they'd pick to get use to.

I'll give you a hint... It won't be the NS-10Ms.
 
And Thank You tdukex for finding what Ed had said for me.

I completely agree with ED on this one.
 
I just want to say that In no way did I mean to disrespect anyone in my posting, as far as this subject goes we all know where we stand ;-) but I just wanted to post one more time to make clear that I respect everyones opinion here. That aside hey John have you ever heard of a Aussie guy named Wayne Horsbaugh (dont know the spelling.
 
Thank You ShakesTheClown for making sure that was clear.

Nor have I, here. Ever!
 
Hey shakes - I'm not trying to be disrespectful of what you said - most studios offer NS10's which is why you see them at most studios - but if you ring them you will find that they offer a range of nearfield speakers and usually most engineers carry their own. Some engineers use tannoys, some genelec, etc etc etc. I've used most and I recommend events - that's all. (metallica's producer uses events) Yes I have heard of Wayne. A word of advice to you guys about looking at photos of studios and drawing the wrong conclusions. I recently went to a studio that was build by looking at photos and it looked like a pro studio until I discovered that where he had cloth on the wall he had exactly that - cloth stretched over particleboard- from the photo he hadn't realised that there was probably 1 - 3 feet of trapping behind the cloth in the photo he saw.

[This message has been edited by John Sayers (edited 07-24-2000).]
 
Dang you guys,

I just had to go order a pair of NS10ms before reading this post.

And I would only have paid $50 more for a pair of powered Alesis M1's

WOE IS ME
 
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