Ableton Forum

Which studio speakers do you recomend under $400?

i haven't tried many but have just researched the field and bought some... went over budget in the end (genelec 8020a, ~$600). But within that price bracket, Tannoy Reveal 5a active seem to be the popular and recommended thing.

A lot of it is down to taste apparently anyway - try them out and see what you like the sound of.

Speakers are a really personal thing. Compare as many as you can, in the same place if possible. Listen to music you know well through them.
I ended up with Alesis M1 active mk2s, they are respectable considering the price.
Here's the specs; http://www.alesis.com/products/m1active/
And here's the review at sound on sound;
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Aug02/a ... esism1.asp
I have a lot of respect for sound on sound reviews, and it did have a influence on my decision. I'm happy with them.
Good luck!!

400 each or 400 for the pair??


I just bought a pair of event TR8xl because i desperately needed monitors at a resonable price.

Ultimately i don't like them as much as i like the mackie 824s, but they have enough range for electronic stuff, are relatively flat, and they certainly are loud enough for my room.


but y'know what, i just didn't have 1200 to spend on monitors and i got a hella nice deal on the events at about 300 each.




.lm.

leisuremuffin wrote:400 each or 400 for the pair??

that price is well out of date - I think they weigh in at just over £200/pair now

please excuse, i'm in the us, so i'm talking $'s

and when i said $400 each or for the pair i was asking what his price range was, not the price of a specific speaker.

as i said, i spent $300 each for for TR8XLs, it would have been a bit cheaper if i just got the TR8s, but i felt like the chunkier amp was worth the extra cash.



.lm.

The best sounding speakers I've heard in that price range are the Tascam VL-X5. They sell for $300 USD for a pair.

That said, you'd be doing yourself a big favor saving up for a pair of Genelec 8020.




>Hey Muffin, how's circus life? Have they asked you to be fired out of the cannon yet?

how are KRK RP5's in a 9'x10' bedroom?

Hey McBoob,

i've escaped from the carnival with all of my teeth and limbs intact. Wish i could say the same for my dignity. The carnival did pay for the TR8s though, so that's nice.



Anyway, back on topic, how good can a pair of $300 monitors really be? I mean yeah, they can be better than all the other $300 a pair monitors. I also say save up. At the end of the day it's the only thing in your studio you actually hear, so it needs to be the best you can afford, like really. I even feel shitty i stopped short of what i really wanted and got the events, but yo, i really really couldn't afford anymore.



.lm.

Sales Dude MC Boob wrote:

That said, you'd be doing yourself a big favor saving up for a pair of Genelec 8020.

bar none YES!! do it! wait and get a pair of genelecs!!!

everything else is a cheap, rubish compromise. period.

Alesis M1 active mk2s

a tad bass-heavy, but they are my favorite in the price range. i've been very happy with mine.

At that price wait and look for something used. In a year you'll be fed up with cheap monitors and will be exactly where you are now and $300 poorer. If you don't have good headphones, get them, they're a necessity.

Danny Futuro wrote:how are KRK RP5's in a 9'x10' bedroom?

Dunno Danny, but I can tell you they're very good in a tiny 3ft x 4ft cupboard... It depends how you are going to situate them in relation to your mixing position, since they're made for nearfield monitoring. And what the room 'sounds' like. But they are plenty loud enough if that's what you mean. Loud with a capital "jesus christ".

And not too expensive right now either...

The only thing with something like those krk rp5's is that you're not going to have enough lows for most electronic music.

freq range was one of the biggest factors for me deciding on the stupid events.



.lm.

leisuremuffin wrote:...the stupid events..lm.

Funny, TR6's were my second electronica music gear purchase years ago, they put the ASS in BASS. I don't hate them but they lack in the low end. The 8s are better, 20/20s are solid. One day I'll get Mackie 828s because I've lusted over them for so long or the Genelecs because just the name is alone is enough to give me a woody.