Thoughts on 6.5" Vs. 8" Monitors

[Nate74]

I've tried to search the forums for threads on this, but haven't had much luck. I'm wondering what some of the consideration are when choosing driver size for monitors?

Any good threads on this or thoughts?

Thanks

 

[mshilarious]

8" monitors are going to extend your useful bass response lower. I use 6.5"s, after a while I added a sub to get a full-range response.

 

[Nate74]

Any drawbacks to 8s? Besides size that is.

 

[mshilarious]

Any drawbacks to 8s? Besides size that is.

I dunno. Price?

The only thing I can think of is if you need ultralow bass, like for soundtracks or something, then you still need a sub, but you'll be hesitant to get one since you already have the 8"s . . . OK, that was pretty weak

 

[Carter]

I dunno. Price?

The only thing I can think of is if you need ultralow bass, like for soundtracks or something, then you still need a sub, but you'll be hesitant to get one since you already have the 8"s . . . OK, that was pretty weak

But I understood you! Its true 6.5" arent to bad depending where you are sitting at in the triangle for your monitors,(I mean stereo field). I use my 6.5" PS6 for all types of music but when its low end heavy I switch to my 8" 20/20 passives... OK that was weak too!

 

[thane1200]

Bigger = Better as long as quality is the same. Price increases with size. What monitors are you looking at?

 

[Nate74]

In the 8 range I've been thinking about on the low end possibley the KRK RP8s and on the high end the Mackie HR824s. In there would also be 20/20s. I don't really want to spend 1k but could stomach it if I must.

On the 6.5" end, the mastering lab where my last album was done had a set of Alesis M1 MkIIs and they sounded fabulous. However, that was in a room that cost close to 20k to design and build. My YSM1s would probably sound good in there I'd also have to look at Wharfdales I guess if I go with the 6 inchers.

???

 

[Massive Master]

...the mastering lab where my last album was done had a set of Alesis M1 MkIIs and they sounded fabulous.

Whuh?!?

 

[mshilarious]

Whuh?!?

Gee, Massive, I'm sorry you spent all that money, if only you had known

 

[notbradsohner]

psh, massivemaster must not know anything about mastering if hes not using alesis monitors!



p.s. since you are such a good contributor to this board massive, I am willing to trade you my mkIIs for yourr B&W's. sound fair?

I dont even have alesis monitors......................want another pair of wharfedales?

 

[Nate74]

Ha ha everyone. Bash the little Alesis monitors that the local guy uses.

He also had three or four other sets of monitors in there that I could get if I sold a lung or my splene. I brought up the Alesis monitors because they're something I could see actually having myself along with the above mentioned body parts that I'd kinda like to keep. (Not sure what the splene does actually so that might be negotiable).

But uh, what about my original question? The room they will go in will be about 11' x 12', I'm planning on doing some sort of accoustic treatment on the wall, and I can either put them on the top shelf of my home made desk or buy stands for them.

 

[mshilarious]

Ha ha everyone. Bash the little Alesis monitors that the local guy uses.

He also had three or four other sets of monitors in there that I could get if I sold a lung or my splene. I brought up the Alesis monitors because they're something I could see actually having myself along with the above mentioned body parts that I'd kinda like to keep. (Not sure what the splene does actually so that might be negotiable).

But uh, what about my original question? The room they will go in will be about 11' x 12', I'm planning on doing some sort of accoustic treatment on the wall, and I can either put them on the top shelf of my home made desk or buy stands for them.

Don't worry we're just playing with Massive. I'm so cheap I built my own monitors

In a room like that, you'll have big bass problems without significant treatment. In that case sometimes it's best to use 6.5"s just so you don't further compound a problem.

 

[Nate74]

Don't worry we're just playing with Massive. I'm so cheap I built my own monitors

Inside joke? Funny enough for me to ask about?

In a room like that, you'll have big bass problems without significant treatment. In that case sometimes it's best to use 6.5"s just so you don't further compound a problem.

Huh... I must be thinking about it incorrectly. So the small size will exaggerate bass response? I was thinking that since lower frequency wave lengths are larger, that a larger room would exaggerate bass and that getting enough bass in a smaller room would be harder... not so I gather?

So given that room size, should I go for a 6' sided equilateral triangle with the monitors?

 

[mshilarious]

Inside joke? Funny enough for me to ask about?

Not an inside joke, I was merely implying that he didn't get any better results with his lavishly equipped studio

Huh... I must be thinking about it incorrectly. So the small size will exaggerate bass response? I was thinking that since lower frequency wave lengths are larger, that a larger room would exaggerate bass and that getting enough bass in a smaller room would be harder... not so I gather?

No what happens is that short reflections off the walls form 'standing' waves, where you get reinforcement and cancellation at different points in the room, called nodes. In a larger room, the reflections have much longer to travel, which means that it's tougher for nodes to form because of phase differences and loss of amplitude.

So small rooms are often bassy, but not evenly so, meaning that different places in the room will have different bass response, and different bass frequencies will be reinforced or cancelled. If you test your room with a real-time analyzer, you can get a really funky-looking bass spectrum, like somebody drew a sawwave on your spectrum.

Using smaller monitors is kind of a band-aid: doesn't fix your room, doesn't let you hear bass accurately, but limits the extent to which you will suffer your room's problems.

Moral of the story: treat your room with plenty of low-frequency absorption.

 

[7string]

Moral of the story: treat your room with plenty of low-frequency absorption.

Would a bed, blankets, 4 pillows, computer desk, tv, radio scanner, telephone, two dressers, a fan, lamp, stereo system and multiple pictures hanging on the wall qualify as low-freq absorbers?

Sorry... couldn't resist...

 

[Nate74]

Not an inside joke, I was merely implying that he didn't get any better results with his lavishly equipped studio

He he... I've seen my share of that. In fact, I was a blues jam the other night and a kid with an old Silvertone guitar with a strap held on with duct tape proceeded to play circles around everyone there... so I hear what you're saying. As my old mentor used to say, "Money doesn't mean talent, just means you have (or had) money."

I appriciate the insight on the room. I got a book recently on home studio design but haven't delved into it much. This room is in a house that I'm only now in escrow on... been fairly busy

So assuming I treat the room sufficiently, I'm still back to the question of 6.5 vs 8...

I do almost all "organic" music. No electronic drums sounds or heavy synth. Blues, Pop, Rock, even did a jazz quartet a while back. Not really sure I need "thumping" bass, but don't want to skimp ya know?

 

[mshilarious]

Would a bed

Yes.

blankets, 4 pillows

A little.

computer desk, tv, radio scanner, telephone

No those are all reflective surfaces

two dressers

If you open the drawers, yes

 

[7string]

I'll be back right after I get this crap that's ruining my sound field outta here!!!!!

 

[mattamatta]

My bass treatment is a desk, shelves, a stand-alone closet, washing machines, curtains, fiberglass insulation EVEYWHERE and exposed, a pinnball machine, bookshelves, big room with high angled cieling.

Garage full of crap with none of that garage sound.

Sounds so dead it's gross for tracking, so I move my stuff into the kitchen, which sounds nicer. Luckily I've already got some big massive items in corners and it's worked pretty well for me so far.

 

[7string]

Sounds so dead it's gross for tracking, so I move my stuff into the kitchen, which sounds nicer. Luckily I've already got some big massive items in corners and it's worked pretty well for me so far.

Hope you don't have a General Electric stove. They are HORRIBLE on the mids.