Monitors

[grandmatarkin]

Hi there,I've been using M-Audio BX-5's to mix now for the past couple of years, and I really think it's time to upgrade. Let's say that I had somewhere in the range of $1500 to spend... I've heard so many different opinions about it, but I know that probably whatever I get will be better than what I'm currently using. Anybody? Any and all opinions are appreciated.I should also mention that I live in a fairly small town and don't have the luxury of actually testing these monitors. The music stores here have a fairly narrow selection... Thanks in advance David

[mikehelms]

Hey David, I'm not sure what to suggest type wise I'm sure Mazz or somebody will know better.. But I could suggest going to Guitar Center .com(everyones Love'm or Hate'm)... But at least there you can read up on what's new, available, and get a price range to compare later Michael

[mazz]

If I had 1500 to spend I'd check out Dynaudio and JBL. Powered speakers for sure. Lots of pros like Dynaudios and JBL has improved a lot in the past few years. Apparently they have a pretty cool room calibration mode that I've heard works pretty well. I think Andre has JBLs so maybe he can chime in. Those new M-Audio monitors look pretty cool but I haven't heard them yet (the ones with the tweeter in the middle).Guitar Center will give you 30 days to bring them back no questions asked. Same with Musician's Friend (45 days I think) but you may have to ship them back on your dime, check out their policy. Either way, you can bring them home and try them out and then return them. Heck, you could buy 2 pair and bring them back before the credit card bill hits if you time it right! I'm not kidding. If possilbe, listen to them in your own space. (I would have included Adam in the mix but according to a guy at GC in San Francisco, you can't bring them back. It's apparently an Adam policy and not a GC policy. I love the sound of ribbon tweeters and am seriously considering Adams for my next monitor upgrade.)Remember that your room will influence the sound of your speakers. There are many theories out there about how to treat a common bedroom studio because of the inherent flaws in those boxy rooms. You may want to include some room treatments in your speaker budget. A pair of 1500.00 speakers in a bad room is a bit of a waste, IMO. Then again, you may know how to mix around the flaws in your room and a new pair of speakers will take some getting used to but you may be OK. (The BX5s aren't bad but if you have 1500 to spend, you'll notice a big difference.) It's a bit science and voodoo all mixed up in to one. Primacoustic, Auralex and Real Traps all have some good info on their websites. My room isn't treated but I have so much stuff in it (art, books, gear, etc.) that it seems to diffuse the sound somewhat and my mixes are generally OK but I've learned to cope with the bumps and holes in the response. They can always get better and I'd like to get the room sorted out but I can't convince my wife to let me glue weird looking foam pieces to the walls and ceiling, what's up with that?!? Good luck, let your ears be your guide! Mazz

[davewalton]

Quote:Remember that your room will influence the sound of your speakers. There are many theories out there about how to treat a common bedroom studio because of the inherent flaws in those boxy rooms. You may want to include some room treatments in your speaker budget. A pair of 1500.00 speakers in a bad room is a bit of a waste, IMO. Amen to that.Since everything I do is with keyboard based virtual instruments, I only need a good sounding room for mixing. I originally had my "studio" in a spare bedroom which was almost a perfect cube. BAD idea. It was impossible to get a good mix because there would be no bass in one spot and nothing but muddy booming bass in another spot not far away from the first.I wound up setting my setup halfway between our kitchen and family room which is one large, continuous open area. MUCH better. The bigger space, furnishings, plants, etc, give me a very realistic sound. If it sounds good there it sounds good everywhere.I just basically use a pair of Alesis M1 Active monitors which are triangulated with me based on where I sit. I actually have another set of big, o-l-d Technics speakers about twelve feet behind me at the end of the family room (a setup which horrified Andre ) but for some reason it works. They seem to smooth everything out (no artificial highs or lows) and also act as kind of a subwoofer but in a subtle way.I've discovered that getting the right room is the first thing to do and actually more important than the expense of the speakers. FWIW,Dave

[zink]

I use a set of Mackie HR 824. I'm quite happy with them. They were a huge step up from my last set (6" Events) and they recently dropped in price, too. I know some people poo poo them, but they're certainly worth looking into.Z

[ernstinen]

I've hear a lot of good things about Blue Sky Monitors.http://www.samash.com/catalog/search.as ... godp0CUagI haven't listened to them, but I know Nick Batzdorf owns a system.Last time I shopped, I bought KRK V6's. They're about half the $1500 budget, but you'll probably have to add a sub.I STILL depend on Yamaha NS 10M's paired with some custom 3-ways with 15" woofers when I want a serious mix that translates well on other systems. Yamaha doesn't make them anymore because they can't find the old wood fiber they used for the woofers, which made them the standard of the industry. There are some on eBay, but that's taking a risk.A lot of people swear by larger Dynaudios, Mackies, and Genelecs.I agree about the room, too. Something else to think about!My 2 cents,Ern

[mazz]

Quote:The only people that poo poo the HR824's are the gear snobs. And they poo poo everything but the kitchen sink.There's been PLENTY of hit records using them.I think you could find someone that will poo poo on just about anything, even the most expensive monitors. But can they get a great mix?As much as I love to talk about (and buy ) gear, the most important piece of studio gear lives on either side of my head. No amount of money can buy the time and practice it takes to train one's ears to create great sounds and mixes. It's a lifetime process, just like mastering an instrument or composing or songwriting.Some people swear by NS10s, some people can't mix without Genelecs. Some can get a great mix on just about anything. But at the end of the day, it's all about the ears, ultimately. We're blessed in this day and age with fantastic, affordable audio equipment. In order to use it well we have to be a jack of many trades, writer, engineer, mixer, etc...... It's a mixed blessing. Just my usual 3 cents Mazz

[zink]

Quote:The only people that poo poo the HR824's are the gear snobs. And they poo poo everything but the kitchen sink.Quote:I think you could find someone that will poo poo on just about anything, even the most expensive monitors.Agreed... These are the same morons that spend 7 grand on a volume knob. Z

[davewalton]

Quote:These are the same morons that spend 7 grand on a volume knob. I'm kind of partial to their $1,080 RCA connectors myself.

[ernstinen]

Quote:As much as I love to talk about (and buy ) gear, the most important piece of studio gear lives on either side of my head. No amount of money can buy the time and practice it takes to train one's ears to create great sounds and mixes. It's a lifetime process, just like mastering an instrument or composing or songwriting.Some people swear by NS10s, some people can't mix without Genelecs. Some can get a great mix on just about anything. But at the end of the day, it's all about the ears, ultimately.Mazz, I couldn't agree with you more. It takes YEARS of dedication to learn how to get good mixes.I remember reading that Frank Zappa mixed on some crappy home stereo speakers. "I know what they sound like, man."BTW, when I had my successful arranger/producer thang going, I ALMOST ran an ad with, in bold type, "Best Ears In The West!" Then I realized that was a bit pretentious. Ern