what are your favourite monitors?

[johnlewitt]

So I've been using the KRK VXT4 monitors in my studio for a long time now and after reading some articles I thought I'd look at what's out there that are better. And boy oh boy, of all the gear I've bought over the years, there seems to be a lot of choice with too much info - so how does one wade through all the noise? I'm reading a mixing 'textbook' at the moment and there's a whole section on ported monitors and what to be aware of.

So I'm curious as to what everyone's favourite monitor is (and when responding let us all know what style of music you mostly work in).

And for fun, what would be your dream monitor be, regardless of cost?

John

[funsongs]

Dear Santa,
Just in case you stop by to visit the forums, please note that a pair of JBL LSR305 studio monitors are near the top of my Christmas list. And if, in your assessment, I've behaved myself well this year,
(you can even ask my mom) the 308s would be more than a welcome surprise.
Have a nice summer; hope you, the Mrs, the elves, and your beloved reindeer are all in good health.
Your Pal.

[Kolstad]

Yeah, research is tough due to all the stuff you have to dissect.

The most basic advice on monitors could be small monitors for small rooms, due to bass build-up. If you mix in a small room, big monitors (I guess about 8' and above) are more prone to stack unwanted bass frequencies in the room. Besides that, setting them up with some space to the wall (due to the same issue), or tilt them with some heavy duty trap behind them, could work. Check bass in (flat studio) headphones when you work on small monitors like yours, and get used to the amt of compensation you need to make ("learn" your monitors) to make the mixes work on other systems. If you do that, you can make most anything work, but of course you'd want it to be as effortless as possible when the work piles up.

I have a pair of NHT m-00 (made in California, US), which I'm very, very happy with. They are a little midrangey (Mark Knopfler uses them), but work really well for mixing gtrs (which I do a lot) and are easy on the ears, while still translate exeptionally well to other systems. I don't have the Sub, so monitor bass with a cheap pair of Shure SRH440, but they are very flat and revealing and translate the bass I can't hear on my NHT's really well. Couldn't be happier. If I were to upgrade, I'll stick with NHT's if I can, and also the Shure's, maybe the SRH940's. If not NHT monitors, I'd look into Genelec (Finnish brand), as they are very open sounding and translates well too for my main genres (pop/rock, singer/songwriter).

I've only had Soundking and a pair of Yamaha's before, so I don't have that much to compare with though. Just some thoughts from what I know and have experience with.

[lesmac]

+1 to what Kolstad said. Although I don't have many years of experience I have worked through some issues with monitors.

I think I read the same book as you so eventually I got the Blue Sky media desk for about $800. That model is now discontinued. I have one Avantone Mix cube to check in mono/grot.
BUT.....before that I was 'talked into' buying the Event Opals by a well meaning audio salesman. Well, in my little room with the speakers set up in the corner with the all the bass rolled off they were unusable. Turn them up more than a whisper and the bass went through the roof. That was a $1000 lesson for me [when I sold them] Any 8" speaker would have done the same.
I have some Mackie hr624's but switching between them and the 2.1 system is like night and day. They don't have the bass and thinking you get extra bass by sitting them in the corners is false economy- they just don't produce sound below their design specs.

I used the down and dirty technique to place the sub. I put the sub at my listening position where my ears would be and used a frequency analyser on my phone to find the spot with the most even low end so that is where it now sits.
So..I'd say something pleasing , not too fatiguing, switch to something that is harsh and revealing, kick back and listen, look at the ceiling

[sabalsounds]

johnlewitt - I suppose your referring to Mike Senior's tome Phenomenally great book...and thoroughly depressing...as he tells you why you'll never achieve pro studio status. I use Yamaha HS80M's (rear ported...there I admit it Mike Senior! ) and a single Behritone C50A (auratone knock off) as well as headphones (low budget Sennheisers and Audio Technica).

Just a thought...may you would do better purchasing a really nice pair of pro headphones that you could trust to mix/master with.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ ... gQodYaoAIQ

[Paulie]

Word on the street is that all the cool kids are mixing with headphones and earbuds these days. I have a pair of Samson Resolv 50a's but I almost exclusively mix using headphones (Sony 7506's).

[andygabrys]

Senior's book is good.

in my case, its a 12 x 13' room, and my monitors Event TR-8's sit about 2 ft off the walls. Which helps prevent woofy low end, and I usually monitor pretty low. I have never had a problem with bass build up like you'll are describing. On the other hand, my room has ~ 10 x 4" thick OC 703 Panels on the corners and such.

so I guess my favorite monitors are the Event TR-8 cause I have had them for 8 years.

If I could spend big tomorrow - it would be either the Focal SM-9 or the Barefoot MM27.

[sansharbour]

I use Presonus Eris 5 monitors
Not the most bass filled monitors but they reveal a lot .
Fairly flat and clear.

Best to learn your particular monitor.
Listen low listen high.
Mono and stereo.

i use the earbuds that came with the iPhone 6
Then of course the car

Using the combination of speakers through various devices give you the confidence that your work will sound pretty good on most systems.
I think that when you have that you can go to town and feel good about your work being heard the way it was intended.
Then its back to the songwriting.

Don

[johnlewitt]

This is great.

Yes it's Mike Seniors book I'm reading - it's making me feel like I'm back in university, as I'm re-reading sections just to confirm I understood what he wrote.

The headphone comment is an interesting one. In everything I've ever read, it always says it's a no-no. Now I've got a nice pair of AKG K612 Pro Open Can headphones that I do up my quick mixes with, more to check out the parts I've just recorded. Then when it comes to mixing the complete song I switch over to the monitors.

I see Blue Sky is in business, but they just discontinued the model he referenced? It's amazing that when it comes to monitors that there are all these companies that exists that I've never heard of before!

And those Focal sM-9's look nice (how come there is no drooling smilie?).

John

[andygabrys]

Hah. Good point. Likely cause they are so expensive it likely I would never buy a pair unless things were REALLY cooking.