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Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:55 am
by verine
Hey all,

As of right now i'm just running some sony 7506's out of my Mbox, i've been meaning to get some good monitors, but i don't really know where to start o.0

I'd like to spend between about 200-300 dollars, does anyone have any suggestions?

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:38 am
by hacktheplanet
I like my powered KRKs! Cheap and flat.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:49 am
by verine
what is the model?

i've heard that wharfedale dp8.2a are good... can anyone vouch for this?

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:34 am
by Bleep Blop Ima Robot
i use krk rokit 5's, so far ive really liked the sound that has been coming out of these lil bad boys

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:36 am
by Da hand
It is hard to reply because "good" and "$200-300" is not really on the same page.

Take for example your Sony 7506 - which cost around $100 - can be considered as a "good" pair of headphones. The same thing would probably not be true for a $30 pair.

I would consider a "good" set of monitors in the $500 - $1000 range. Anything less is on the cheap side, anything more is on the "quality" side.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:06 am
by lucien
the reality is that no one is going to listen to your mix on studio monitors. i use the KRK rokit 5's. they are decently flat and fairly priced. ive found that if i can get it sounding good with this it normally translates great to other systems, such as cars, computers, stereos.......the normal crap the average listener jams music on.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:17 am
by Da hand
lucien wrote:the reality is that no one is going to listen to your mix on studio monitors. i use the KRK rokit 5's. they are decently flat and fairly priced. ive found that if i can get it sounding good with this it normally translates great to other systems, such as cars, computers, stereos.......the normal crap the average listener jams music on.
It really depends what sound systems you are targeting your music for. If you target your music for clubs and full range sound systems, then you will need more than 5 inch monitors.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 9:33 am
by Guff Tong
Ive been window shopping for active monitors for the past 12 months and the general concensus seems to be that KRK's are full of win.

Get the size to suit your venue ; no need for 8" cones if your mixing in a shoe box and the little RK5's can be lost in a larger room.

Try before you buy as they say...

the Genelec's also seem to be favourite but slighty more expensive.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:11 pm
by channelite
I spent about $800 for Event PS8's in 2000. Still use them today. They are a 8" cone. I wanted to get the PS 5 or 6's (5" and 6" cones) but the sales guy at Guitar Center sold me on the more expensive PS8 because of their ability to go to the low hertz. So I hear the low basses which a smaller speaker will not be able produce.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:15 pm
by SubFunk
I am all Genelec, thru and thru

the 8000 series for home / budget studios.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 5:28 pm
by Superchibisan
for the price range:

Blue Sky Exo 2.1

nothing better in the price range.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 6:52 pm
by Tone Deft
I'm tired of people touting KRK Rokit monitors. they're the ones in Guitar Center's synth room, we've all heard them, they're crap. KRK's high end stuff is supposed to be good, their low end stuff sucks.

monitors should be some of the most expensive gear in your studio. who cares if you have a $2,000 synth if you're playing them through $200 speakers?

do not buy $200 speakers. wait a while, save up money and buy something proper. it doesn't matter what you do with Live, what your production chops are or how well you polish a song. use crap monitors and it's much much much more difficult to get a good sound.


Blue Sky, Adam, Genelec, all those are great. look to spend over $500 per speaker. don't waste your time with crap monitors.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:16 pm
by verine
so would i be able to get away with using my 7506's until i can get good monitors?

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:47 pm
by Tone Deft
I'm not familiar with them, but if they've worked so far, stick with them.

I'm thinking long term. you get the $200 monitors and 2-3 years from now you've grown into them and can hear how they lack. then you're back into the same boat, looking for new monitors.

if you're in the boat where money is always tight and this is a rare opportunity to drop $200 and it would be a long time before you can get another $200 together, it might make sense to get $200 monitors now. I always try to buy things once and buy them right.

I went from some mediocre Event PS5s to Adam A7s a year ago, it was amazing. half my stuff sounded better, half sounded worse. that still kills me... not everything sounded better. they're lots of fun to work with, I used to listen to monitors, now I work with them.

Re: Studio monitors?

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:47 pm
by rarelyseen
Tone Deft wrote:
I went from some mediocre Event PS5s to Adam A7s a year ago, it was amazing. half my stuff sounded better, half sounded worse. that still kills me... not everything sounded better. they're lots of fun to work with, I used to listen to monitors, now I work with them.
Another vote for Adams here. I had Genelecs before (the older 1030 model). Never got along with them. Sold them, got Adams and couldn't be happier.