Monitors: Mackie CR4 vs M-Audio BX5 D2 vs ...

[rburtons]

Hello,

so simple question, do you guys have experience with any of these monitors? I'm setting up a basic secondary studio, since I'm spending some time away of my home base where I use the classical Yamaha HS 5, which work well for me.

Edit: I had a quick look online on 'best cheap monitors' a found good comments on the Erik 4.5 and Neusonik NE08, so more to compare...

Any guidance?

[eddiex]

i have 3 pairs of the BX5's two sets of the older style and one set of the newer ones. i use one set for my turntable set up. one set for monitoring while tracking synths and the newer set to mix on. i love them. they work well for me. i'm not saying they are the greatest monitors ever.... but for a bedroom studio, they are awesome.
if you want to hear the bx5's, they are the monitors all the guitar centers (in portland anyways) seem to use in their synth/drum machine/workstation rooms.

[rburtons]

Thanks for the tip!

About hearing them out, if only we had guitar centers in the country side of France!

[H20nly]

i can't speak specifically to those models... i have a set of M-Audio BX8a. i don't use them for mixing anymore, but they sound great for playing final mixes (loud and powerful). they could get you kicked out of your apartment fast, but i found them to be too muddy and bass heavy for mixing. the real kicker though... and the reason i am replying to this thread... they had rear facing ports. depending on your workspace this can become a challenge. especially if you're closer to a corner than you would like to be. if you are near a window, rear facing ports can make it rattle or cause weirdness with bass waves.

i replaced those with smaller flat response monitors with a forward facing port. in my case Adam F5 monitors, but i am not writing to plug those so much as to give you a point to consider.

good luck in your hunt.

[rburtons]

Thanks for that info H20nly, I hadn't thought of that; although not a problem in my case since I won't need to be too close to a wall.