Wharfedale 8.2 vs Mackie HR824.

  • Thread starter Thread starter ecktronic
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ecktronic

ecktronic

Mixing and Mastering.
How much of a difference is there between these monitors? I know that there is a big price gap between them anyway!
Wharfedale 8.2s coming in at $400 per pair and Mackie HR824s at at a whopping $2000!
 
vice versa

i think H.Gerst actually did this comparison. if i recall the 824's were a bit more preferred...but the Wharfs were alright (and much cheaper).
 
I got much better translation from the Wharfies.

Passive original Diamonds, BTW... Don't have much time with the new active line.
 
Massive Master said:
I got much better translation from the Wharfies.

Passive original Diamonds, BTW... Don't have much time with the new active line.
You dont like active monitors? Why not?

So It would be a safe buy to get the Wharfedales, and save a shit load of money?
 
I don't think he ment that he didn't like them, more like he hasn't messed with them that much. (I could be wrong though. :) )
 
A little of both actually... I still have a set of original Diamond 8.2's. They're not the "mains" or anything, but they get a good workout.

As far as active monitors are concerned, I'm just not crazy about the amps in most of the "budget" stuff. Not that I'd really expect anything terrific for what they cost, of course.

Getting up to Gennie's and ADAM's are another story... Those start getting pretty nice. PMC's and (although I haven't had the pleasure as of yet) Barefoot's run Bryston amplification, which would go nicely with my Bryston tattoo... :eek:

Okay, I'm kidding about the tattoo... :rolleyes:
 
Ok, jokes aside now.

I own the 8.2A's, which are okay. There are a lot of things I don't like about them. You really have to learn them. The bass is wooly and loose and has a really unnatural hump centred around 116Hz. The high-end is soft and sweet, too much so for mixing. Doesn't extend particularily high, and definitely not very low. Midrange is also very sweet sounding, but lacks detail and seperation. Slight changes of levels, reverb, compression, and EQ changes are very difficult if not impossible to hear. There are other monitors in the same price range that do these things far better.
All of these are qualities that aren't paricularily good for monitoring. Strangely though, they're pleasant to mix on and translate reasonably well, maybe better than most others - so long as you have several "B" references. You really have to learn the monitors, too, and know that you have to shoot for something that isn't just sounding good (because most things do on these) but really sounds exceptional. And this is hard when you can't hear what your changes are doing. But it can be worth it, if you're willing to spend the time and effort. I guess that's the trade-off for the money you spend.

I've heard the Mackies a couple times and never liked them at all. The mids are weird and the bass is unnaturally big but loose. Highs are a little hard. For this kind of "Genelec-ish sound" I prefer the much cheaper Yorkville YSM1P's, which are very detailed and have pretty nice mids and an exceptional low-end. The highs extend way up and are very fast/detailed, which means reverb and sibilance strike at you. They're a little fatuiging though, and bright, which you have to compensate for.

I keep thinking that with a really high-end tweeter, the yorkies could really be something exceptional. I might mod mine soon.
 
Thanks all. And good point MM about the cheaper actives having not so great amps. Didnt even consider that!

Yeah Bleyrad, ive used the Mackie HR824s and i hear ya. The bass is pretty blasting but loose and the highs can be considerably harsh, but i suppose that can be a good thing about the highs if you get used to them. Means there is no posibility of using too much highs in your mix. I found the mids to be fine, but i suppose its easier to say about the high and lo.

Cheers.
 
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