Studio Monitors Budget

[ProjektLight]

Hey guys,

I've been looking a good pair of studio monitors, but I don't know a great deal about them (mainly just been looking for a much better amp).. I'd play mostly progressive metal stuff like, periphery, monuments, veil of maya, volumes etc...

I'd be looking for a pair that can stay consistent every time I set-up/play and when I switch from a clean tone back to my original prog-metal tone

My budget is less than £600 (any cheaper would be sweet), but I am looking for a best quality pair for at most £300/ per monitor...

Let me break it down for you wizards from 'merica, ~$450 per speaker, < $900 budget.

Thanks!

 

[ProjektLight]

any recommendations would be awesome! bump

 

[Ishan]

If you're short on cash, go for these : Behringer B3031A Truth - Thomann Irish Cyberstore
Easily the best in the price range you are in. They are clean and relatively balanced, pretty much perfect for home studio use.

 

[Rook]

Screw that they're awful!

£600 would buy you some Adam a5x's, used Mackie HR624s or possibly even used 824's, I'd suggest going that route. If you think the A5x might be for you maybe consider getting a sub at some point, but for bedroom volumes it shouldn't be necessary.

Otherwise my HR624 mk2's were only 680 new and I absolutely adore the sound of them, wouldn't change them for anything. Now they've aged a wee bit too, after listening to stuff on them everything else sounds a bit mediocre haha.

EDIT: The HR624's are cheaper than I thought! Maybe they were 580 then hahaha

Mackie HR624 Mk2 Monitors at Andertons UK

 

[ProjektLight]

Screw that they're awful!

£600 would buy you some Adam a5x's, used Mackie HR624s or possibly even used 824's, I'd suggest going that route. If you think the A5x might be for you maybe consider getting a sub at some point, but for bedroom volumes it shouldn't be necessary.

Otherwise my HR624 mk2's were only 680 new and I absolutely adore the sound of them, wouldn't change them for anything. Now they've aged a wee bit too, after listening to stuff on them everything else sounds a bit mediocre haha.

EDIT: The HR624's are cheaper than I thought! Maybe they were 580 then hahaha

Mackie HR624 Mk2 Monitors at Andertons UK

Awesome thanks! I've heard a LOT of good things from mackies, misha recommends them for consistency and clarity, so definitely a consideration

 

[Floppystrings]

I have some KRK's rokit6es but my friends smaller Mackie MR5's are better IMO.

 

[Thep]

Don't forget that you'll have a much more effective rig if you get slightly cheaper monitors (KRK for instance) and spend the difference (and probably save a little bit more) on acoustic treatment. If you're in a room without bass traps and lots of reflection, it won't matter what monitors you get. Many professinals wouldn't even recommend purchasing monitors until you have a budget for room treatment and would rather mix with headphones instead. Of course, your results may vary.

 

[ProjektLight]

Don't forget that you'll have a much more effective rig if you get slightly cheaper monitors (KRK for instance) and spend the difference (and probably save a little bit more) on acoustic treatment. If you're in a room without bass traps and lots of reflection, it won't matter what monitors you get. Many professinals wouldn't even recommend purchasing monitors until you have a budget for room treatment and would rather mix with headphones instead. Of course, your results may vary.

Yeah, with headphones it would be handier... I've never had any experience with monitors before, would they be good for just general play/practice, or just recordings?

 

[Rook]

I use my Mackies for both. And I don't entirely agree about the room thing. Room treatment is great and everything but we're talking about £600 monitors which have a marked improvement in performance over some cheaper ones - noticeable regardless of the room, we're not talking about the difference between thousands of pounds worth of monitors. I've heard a couple of different monitors in my untreated room (as I'm lucky enough to have friends with monitors lol) and sure they sound different in my room to what they do in their studio but they still sound better than the crappier monitors I've tried.

The guy's also talking about playing guitar. You wouldn't take the room into account if you were choosing between a Marshall MG and a JCM800. There are also simple and cheap ways of helping the state of your room as regards the monitors like hanging a curtain or duvet over a wall, using sponge to isolate the speaker from the stand/desk/floor and 'blurring' corners.

tl;dr I don't think an untreated room negates the benefits of good monitors.

 

[wakjob]

Last time I whipped out my 6" pale 'merican magic wand in managed to conjure up a pair of German made Adam A3X's.

Flat out abra-cadabra amazing.

 

[Rook]

^what?!

 

[Aevolve]

Last time I whipped out my 6" pale 'merican magic wand in managed to conjure up a pair of German made Adam A3X's.

Flat out abra-cadabra amazing.

He exposed his penis and studio monitors appeared. He was impressed with their performance.

 

[TheKindred]

I use Yamaha HS80's which I got because I liked a friend's HS50's.

They reproduce tasty mixes quite diversely and full flavoured.

my

 

[Rook]

He exposed his penis and studio monitors appeared. He was impressed with their performance.

That's what I thought he said

 

[Krucifixtion]

Yamaha HS80m's

That x1000.........considering your budget. Unless you want to drop more $$$ and go with like Adam A7x's.

 

[wakjob]

He exposed his penis and studio monitors appeared. He was impressed with their performance.

Yeah, I'm really sorry. I was way tired and very grumpy the other night and the "wizards from 'merica" comment rubbed me the wrong way.

Peace Love and Respect...John

 

[ryanoddi]

I have some KRK's rokit6es but my friends smaller Mackie MR5's are better IMO.

I can't comment on KRK's because I haven't used them, or any other studio monitors for that matter, but when I bought my MR5's, it was between them and the KRK's... I'm very happy with them so far. I don't record a whole lot currently but am trying to get more into it. Glad to see I bought some decent monitors!

 

[MildlyMoist]

Dare i say used yamaha NS10's ?

Anyway, i'd avoid those KRK things they are dog dirt.

As backwards as it sounds, check out these
Alesis M1 Active Mk2 Monitors (Pair) at Gear4Music.com

Unofficially announced as Alesis' version of the " fabled " (i guess) NS10's
i couldnt be more surprised or happy with them, they are FULL SIZED (not compact like the KRK's in your budget range). Although, the do have the tendency to be a bit loud, 75w for nearfield monitors can melt your earballs so be carful.

Pic's on request should you consider my point of view

 

[Ryan-ZenGtr-]

Theme of the thread; however much money you possess you can always find monitors to spend it on.

I visited a friend's place. He has Adam A7's in a small rectangular room, positioned near a corner and facing the closest wall. As a living space it makes sense, but it's about as bad as it can get for acoustic integrity.

We listened, laughed and chatted for about 4 hours, seeing how the monitors played back different tracks. The thing that struck me most was that with well recorded mixes the Adams (or other quality monitors) gave a real sense of the space the recording took place in. The psychoacoustic enviroment was extremely prominent with simple recordings especially; stereo pair, PZM's and spot mic's for reinforcement, in which the sound of the room is well captured.

Inferior speakers can't do that.

It also changed what music was pleasurable to listen to. Busy and complex music was demanding and tiring, more ambient and relaxed styles became intricate and refreshing.

All in all, a pretty trippy experience which convinced me that £700 retail for a pair of A7's is very good value for money. I'm sure there are many other quality speakers out there, my example just happens to be the Adams.

The tough part is once you've mixed on decent speakers translation to inferior speakers, like laptop speakers, cheap home audio and headphones is brutal to your lovingly crafted audio.

The amount of low mid needed to compensate for poor bass reproduction is a dark art.

 

[wakjob]

Yep, my cousin got new monitors the same time I did a couple of months ago.

I got the A3X's. He got ikey m6-something or other.

My first impression when I heard his was, where's the mids? I love my Adam's and I don't need anything bigger for my space.