Best Studio Monitors

[Marcury]

I'm upgrading and can spend up to $600 for a pair.

Any Suggestions?

 

[The Owl]

Yamaha HS50M

M-Audio Studiophile BX8a Deluxe

Mackie MR8

ADAM Audio A5

Tannoy Reveal 5A

ADAM Audio A5

 

[Marcury]

Any thoughts on the relative merits/demerits of each.

 

[chrisp2u]

I'd add the BlueSky Media Desks to that list. They don't get super loud, but they sound real nice. Some might find the satellite/sub combo to be a prob... you have to work out the placement. On the plus side, they probably have more accurate bass than most stuff in that price range, since the norm in that realm is smaller bass drivers.

If it were me, I'd wait a few months and save up a $300-400 more and your options will get much better (like the Event ASP8's, and Adam A7's for a couple examples). If you can't do that, many of the other suggestions should suffice... you won't know until you try them. You should try to audition as many (preferably in your recording/mixing environment if you can) before purchasing. Listen to CD's of stuff you really know and like the sound of on them. This kind of thing is very subjective from one person to another... though there are obviously some things that are just that good that they garner wide acclaim, but that usually comes with a price.

Good luck.
---
c

 

[stuntbass77]

Most are pretty decent. When I am done I take a recording of the material out to the car (usually more than one car) and listen to It there flat eq. Most people listen to music in there car not coming out of hifi studio monitors. If it sounds good in more than one car flat eq than your in the right direction.

 

[elpezpr]

I can vouch for the Yamaha HS80M. The are $350ea @sweetwater and they're well worth it. They are very transparent and mixes translate very well.

 

[ric1312]

Most are pretty decent. When I am done I take a recording of the material out to the car (usually more than one car) and listen to It there flat eq. Most people listen to music in there car not coming out of hifi studio monitors. If it sounds good in more than one car flat eq than your in the right direction.

That is the point of GOOD studio monitors. They are supposed to be flat eq and not change or color the sound of the mix so much.

 

[FF Petro]

I have a set of Tannoy Reveal monitors, I like them quite well.

I also often wonder about the Event monitors because I actually like them better than almost anything else. And I think they are great for the price.

Both would be great for most studio needs.

 

[Marcury]

Thank for the input guys. Since I live and work in an apartment a subwoofer it out, so good bass reproduction on the monitor matters.

I've been looking at the Tannoys but the more ideas and opinions the better. Those Adams seem interesting too.

BTW I'm upgrading from a pair of first generation M-Audio Stereophiles.

 

[FF Petro]

I'd like to add that I think subs for monitors would be a bigger hassle than anything else. Mainly because it is extremely hard to make sure that it is completely level with the other monitors.

Any one of the listed choices would be a great upgrade from those M-audios.

I wish I could tell you something about the ADAMs. I hear good things about them but I have no first hand experience with them.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

HS50 M will be the best for your money...

Anyhting else below 600 is not worth it IMHO..

 

[Marcury]

Well SLaPINFunk you certainly werer right about the Apogee. I got it all set up today and it's awesome. I'll have to take a look at those Yammys

 

[J.Wolf]

A used pair of Dynaudio BM5A's would be the way to go. Exceptional sound, everything sounds accurate and neutral, and they're small, and powered. A used set could be had for around that much I think. Thats my vote.

 

[MohawkHarry]

I'm using a cheap set of KRK Rokit 5's and think they sound great, have'nt compared them to anything so I dont know any better.

 

[DanielleMuscato]

Ah, who cares? People are just gonna be stealing it to listen at 128 kbps MP3 on their iPod white earbuds, anyway

(Here is a pretty decent intro to studio monitors from Sweetwater: http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/studio/studio-monitors/buying-guide.php )

 

[full_bleed]

if you can go up to 700 I would say Yamaha HS80 hands down

under 600
either Yamaha HS40, KRK RP-8 Generation 2 or Alesis Monitor 1 Active MKII

These 3 are considerably different. Call up your local music shop in advance and have them line up some monitors for you to test out in this price range.

 

[McThumpin]

I'm pretty happy with my Wharfedale Diamond Pro's. I use Mackie and Event stuff at work, and even at their lower price point, the Wharfedales are flatter, bit more bass responsive, and just better to my ears. You could save a couple hundo's to boot....

 

[treebranch13]

KRK is the way to go hands down. I can't say enough about them, just go read about them and how many different studios use them.

 

[Kosko]

You can get a pair of KRK g2 6 inch speakers with a 10s sub for $600 on ebay. Now that would be a killer setup. For both studio monitoring and regular music listening.

 

[GrfxGawd]

Ever seen anyone pictured in a studio at a console, or perhapse maybe some video footage of them? Have you ever noticed that regardless of how many other, or how large of speakers you may see pictured there's ALWAYS a 2 way black speaker cab with a white cone in it there as well? Almost without exception. Wonder what that is in nearly every recording studio in the world?

HS50 M

Sometimes it might be the 40 or the 80. But pretty much it's always the HS50 M.

World standard. Think it over.