Recommend me studio monitors at $300-400

[sear]

I'm looking for studio monitors in a budget range of $300-400 per pair. So far my short list is:

1. Yamaha HS5
2. Equator D5
3. Mackie MR5 MK2

Anyone have personal experiences with these, and/or recommendations they'd like to share?

My priorities in order from highest to lowest are:

1. Accuracy & detail (especially midrange and highs, I know I won't get great lows out of small speakers)
2. Mix translation to other speakers (stuff I mix on them should sound good on other systems)
3. Listening enjoyment (I have headphones for critical/audiophile listening and that won't change, but I need monitors for accuracy, depth and stereo image)

I know everyone likes the Equator D5s, but I'm concerned that I won't be able to demo them in advance. Also shipping costs/returns suck due to it being a US company that only sells direct, so I'm very iffy on these.

 

[Konfyouzd]

I honestly feel like sometimes the best set of monitors is a good set of headphones...

 

[MatrixClaw]

I'd go for them in this order:

1. Equator D5
2. Yamaha HS5
3. Mackie MR5 MK2

The Equators really are the best of those bunch, but I suppose it's understandable that you don't want to take the risk since the shipping costs are high.

 

[sear]

I'd go for them in this order:

1. Equator D5
2. Yamaha HS5
3. Mackie MR5 MK2

The Equators really are the best of those bunch, but I suppose it's understandable that you don't want to take the risk since the shipping costs are high.

Thanks. Could you describe and compare them, either objectively or subjectively? And do you have any alternatives to recommend?

 

[bcolville]

I recently got the HS5's. I'm pretty happy with them, the mid range is pretty revealing. It lacks bass like any 5 inch speaker. In a few years, I think Ill save up for the HS8's

 

[deathbyguitar]

I'd still go with the D5's. Best purchase I've made in years. I'm sure someone in Canada would be more than willing to buy them off you, worst case scenerio, considering all the (well-deserved) hype they have around them.

 

[davidgotmilk]

I've got the mr5 and I feel they're more honest than the HS5, the HS5 sounds papery (not too sure how to describe it) to me, atleast at the store where I was comparing them. I haven't heard the D5's so I'm not too sure how they sound, mr5's are my choice.

 

[greglecompte]

id go with the equator d5s and if you don't like them send them back they have a 30 day no question return policy

 

[7stg]

Yamaha HS5 is in budget. There 8 inch version receives lots of love. If you could save up a bit more that would be a worth a look. With their new refresh they released a HS 7 which looks to be a good option too.

If you can bring some familiar music to a store and hear the monitors in person that would be best.

 

[sear]

Yamaha HS5 is in budget. There 8 inch version receives lots of love. If you could save up a bit more that would be a worth a look. With their new refresh they released a HS 7 which looks to be a good option too.

If you can bring some familiar music to a store and hear the monitors in person that would be best.

I do plan to test them out in person shortly, though obviously the Equator is off the list.

The HS8 does indeed get a lot of praise, but that's almost twice as much money. Not willing to drop that much for an untreated and smallish room or for my random non-professional home studio stuff.

 

[MatrixClaw]

^Call around to stores by you and see if anyone still has the HS80Ms. I got a pair from Amazon, brand new, for $400 since they're now discontinued. Fantastic monitors... So fantastic, I'm actually selling my $5000 pair of Adam S2As, as they cover significantly more of the spectrum, and while they're not quite as clear as the Adams in the high/high mids, they should be more than good enough for what I'm doing

 

[Drew]

If you can bring some familiar music to a store and hear the monitors in person that would be best.

Definitely do this - I did a few years ago and ended up with a set of HS80s. No regrets at all, great speakers, and I knew by the end of an hour of experimentation that they were the ones I liked the best in my price range.

Also, I'd take ANYTHING with an 8" driver over the ones on your list, especially given that this is a forum dedicated to guitars that tune to B or lower.

 

[tedtan]

Also, I'd take ANYTHING with an 8" driver over the ones on your list, especially given that this is a forum dedicated to guitars that tune to B or lower.

Not sure I agree in this case, Drew, because:

Not willing to drop that much for an untreated and smallish room or for my random non-professional home studio stuff.

Small, untreated rooms tend to be hellholes of low frequency resonant nodes as it is. Adding even more low end via larger speakers with more extension will only exaggerate this phenomenon. And when you have lots of low end in the room, you tend to mix bass light, making for a weak, thin sounding mix. I think the OP might be better off with one of the 5" options in this case.

Either way, sear, it will be best if you can get your hands on these monitors and try them out in your own room, ideally shooting them out against each other and choosing the winner. Some pro audio dealers will allow you to do this and return the one(s) you don't want, so it might pay to find the right dealer.

 

[DMONSTER]

I have M-Audio BX5's and absolutely love them.

 

[Drew]

Not sure I agree in this case, Drew, because:




Small, untreated rooms tend to be hellholes of low frequency resonant nodes as it is. Adding even more low end via larger speakers with more extension will only exaggerate this phenomenon. And when you have lots of low end in the room, you tend to mix bass light, making for a weak, thin sounding mix. I think the OP might be better off with one of the 5" options in this case.

Either way, sear, it will be best if you can get your hands on these monitors and try them out in your own room, ideally shooting them out against each other and choosing the winner. Some pro audio dealers will allow you to do this and return the one(s) you don't want, so it might pay to find the right dealer.

Be that as it may, it's easier to adjust for something you're hearing too much of than try to mix something that isn't there at all. I agree that a small untreated room is hardly ideal, but a 5" driver won't solve the problem, either - it'll just create a different set of problems.

 

[Floppystrings]

I have owned KRK rokit6, Mackie MR5 mkii, and now KRK rokit5s.

Out of those the Mackies were my favorites.

 

[sear]

^Call around to stores by you and see if anyone still has the HS80Ms. I got a pair from Amazon, brand new, for $400 since they're now discontinued.

Ahahaha, good luck finding that price.

 

[TheDepthsWillRise]

I got a pair of the Yamaha HS50Ms for $250 and I absolutely love them.

 

[tedtan]

Be that as it may, it's easier to adjust for something you're hearing too much of than try to mix something that isn't there at all. I agree that a small untreated room is hardly ideal, but a 5" driver won't solve the problem, either - it'll just create a different set of problems.

You definitely need to go with what works for your ears in your room, so to each his own and YMMV.

I'd still take something like the Equator D5's plus a decent set of cans in the OP's situation. I mean, it's not like the D5's can't produce notes down to that B you mention (61.74hz) - they're usable down to around 50 or 55hz, so you'd be good down to G or G#. If we were talking about hip hop or EDM, I would agree, but for rock and metal, almost everyone I know of is highpassing the overall mix somewhere around 45 to 55hz (and guitars between 75 and 160hz) anyway to prevent those lower frequencies from eating up all the headroom. Don't get me wrong, you'll get more low end (both volume and extension) from the larger speakers, but the D5s are entirely usable for rock and metal (regardless of tuning) and will exacerbate the existing room problems to a lesser extent than will the larger speakers.

 

[HANIAK]

I have the Yamaha's HS5 and they're cool!