Monitor Speaker advice please

[Mfx]

Ok it's time to get some new monitor speakers as the work reels in ... hooks empty again!! grrr

Had a cheap set of Spirit Absolute 2 for the last decade for monitoring and some B&W floor standing for playback once mixdown complete. using an Alesis amp at the moment but active speakers would be nice unless someone can sway me of a better mix. Mainly electronic recording (synths and samples). Soundscapes/Electronica and the such (see kit list) so no acoustics or live vocal/drums yet...

What do people recommend please (I know this is a wide field)?

Price ranges (including amp if passsive)
£350-500 recommendations
£500-750
£750-1000
£1000-1250

Thanks

[Softy]

That's too subjective an area for me to make any assumptions in as far as your needs are concerned. I'd recommend looking at what's available in those price ranges, and listening to them yourself, using your own system and room. Then make up your own mind. If you need more advice than that, then read some of the stuff written by people like Philip Newell and Bob Katz.

My own opinion is that if you want to do it right, you must pick all of your components to work together. The individual pieces don't mean much by themselves. To get proper monitoring, The monitor speakers themselves get chosen and then the room gets built for them. And then of course the choices of other components are dependent on those speakers too. Choosing stuff like that is like choosing a wife. Other peoples' opinions and biases may have some relevance. But ultimately, your own opinion is what will matter. The way that you hear (compared to the way other people may hear) has a lot to do with it.

If you are just going to buy some monitors and hook them up in an untreated room to a mixer full of cheap op amps, then I recommend buying something with decent frequency response and good resale value.

[Animus]

I am using Focal Solo6be's. They are fantastic. About $2100 though.

[TerryG]

I recommend one speaker for mono, two for stereo, three for triangulation coordinates... oh, wait... that would be cell towers.
...nevermind. :wink:

[Sound Drifter]

I am using Focal Solo6be's. They are fantastic. About $2100 though.

Me too, but you would want a sub for dance music.


Take a look at the Event ASP8s. That's where I came from and there was plenty of low end in those speakers. Pretty good speaker for the money and used market are a good buy.

[Sound Drifter]

Well, looks like the ASP8s are discontinued, so no chance to hear them. One thing I will say with them is I never got the bass as tight in a mix as I do with the Focals. Same room different speakers. I always thought the ASP8's were too big for my room and caused this.

Good luck with speaker hunting.

EDIT:

Have a listen to Dynaudio BM5-A and a sub. The bm5's, when I demoed them for a 1/2 hour, were a very pleasant sounding speaker. Not much bass, and the mid and high end sounded good. Not too articulate though. Just, smooth sounding.

[Mfx]

That's too subjective an area for me to make any assumptions in as far as your needs are concerned. I'd recommend looking at what's available in those price ranges, and listening to them yourself, using your own system and room. Then make up your own mind. If you need more advice than that, then read some of the stuff written by people like Philip Newell and Bob Katz.

Yep always very subjective regarding speaker, I agree and listening/doing a demo is why I'm trying to narrow things down.

Brands that are in my head Adams/Dynaudio bm6/Krk8s/Focal CMS 50.

After opinions really. Don't want to get carried away with pricing and will probably stay around the £500($700) mark. As far as acoustic treatment in the room will soon be on the move so holding back for the time being.

Will do some more searches and get a short list.

[Sam]

Not sure on the pricing where you are - but I have been really happy with the EMES monitors in my studio for 5 years now....I have listened to many and worked in a heap of different rooms, and I am always glade to come 'home'....I take my monitors wherever I work if possible too....

I have the Pink TV active set with an Amber HR sub - but for you I would check out the Violets, they have great bottom end - and they just dont seem to tire me out mixing all day on them either.....

They are'nt a big pop culture brand, but I really think they wipe the floor with a lot of the competition for a lot less money (in this country anyways)....

[colony nofi]

I forgot you had the emes sam :)
Yup, have a surround set of them here as well. For post pro, and to an extent, orchestral (film score) mixing, they're great! And any atmos / ambient / electro music I've mixed on them has turned out great.
But, turn on focal twin 6's, and !!! Loving them. Esp for rock, but also for post recently as well. Makes the HR626's at the second composing suite I use seem absolutely HORRID. No mid detail, cannot really "hear" the bottom end - even though there's plenty there...

I'm not a dynaudio fan... spent too long in bad rooms mixing on them I guess (post suites in sydney are full of them) - but thats subjective of course.
I love O300D's (K&H) but they are expensive, and if you're doing rock - um - some people don't think they go loud enough. But if you get a chance to listen to them, do. Really changed my perception of monitors when I first heard them. Ditto the PMC's, but I have only ever "listened" on them, not mixed.
But the clarity of the K&H's is amazing.

The only other monitor I really love to mix on in are ATC's. But you pay big $ for them, and by the looks of it, they are out of your range.
I've never spent any amount of time listening to ADAMS, so cannot offer any opinions.

HTH.

(Budget wise, I'd really recommend getting in a set of the emes.......)

[OpenMind]

I am using KRK VXT8 + ERGO in my completely unoptimized LivingOfficeCreativitycenterStudio.

Without the ERGO, the VXT8s sounded very nice and detailed, but the sound was far from studio-quality. Phasing low, little muddy mid and accented high spectrum.

ERGO changed that completely... suddenly the VXTs sound like they are top speakers in a fairly nice optimized controlroom!
Powerfull steady lows without any smearing, very detailed stereo field... I'm using this system for about six months now, and I'm still recovering from the shock :icon_cool:

[LEX]

Personally, I've never liked any KRK speaker.

They are like razors cutting my head off. I can't use them for more than 6 hours without my ears bleeding.

Adams are good.

I biased toward the JBL 6328 P's. Extended low end and smooth all the way up.
Revealing and clear.
The other ones, 4300 and the newer ones are good speakers on a tighter budget.
You aren't giving up alot with them. The 6300's are the big boys.

About 2400 US.

LEX

[ibmcgovern]

Yamaha makes decent studio monitors as well. But, I'm biased too :)

[D]

I biased toward the JBL 6328 P's. Extended low end and smooth all the way up.
Revealing and clear.
The other ones, 4300 and the newer ones are good speakers on a tighter budget.
You aren't giving up alot with them. The 6300's are the big boys.

About 2400 US.

LEX

I recently bought a pair of the LSR2325p for our widescreen TV. Blow the built ins away, naturally, but they really do sound quite nice. Very nice for a budget too, only $199 each.

[LEX]

I recently bought a pair of the LSR2325p for our widescreen TV. Blow the built ins away, naturally, but they really do sound quite nice. Very nice for a budget too, only $199 each.

Those the new ones I was talking about.

Big sound, great sound for the price. Beats everything in its price range and in the price range plus 500.

LEX

[blob]

+1 for JBLs

I've got 5.1 4300 series and they translate great. The room software works pretty good as well, at least for measuring distance from the sweet spot .
Will upgrade for the big boys soon.

[Jonesy]

Do you prefer soft dome or the hard dome tweeter sound? Personally I don't care for metal dome tweeters, although I do have a pair of Genelecs, but I much prefer the sound of soft dome tweeters....