What kind of "hype" specifically are you saying exists in most pro audio monitors ?
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Low power, small, low cost quality studio montors, do they exist?
- Thread starter OhulahanBass
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What kind of "hype" specifically are you saying exists in most pro audio monitors ?
I'd suggest lurking in one of the dedicated home recording forums. Home recording connection is a great one. Not only will you get sound advice, there may be classifieds just like here on TB for used stuff. Chances are, if you have a question regarding home recording someone there has beaucoup hours of experience with exactly what you're going through. Just like here, but home recording based.
I bought a set of M-Audio small powered monitors some time ago, and to be honest I hated them for a while since the response was so flat. However, once I learned how to properly listen with them I learned exactly how cool they were. I'm very impressed now.
Having said that, it's all about the amplifier with monitors. Most hi-fi is going to add colour (I have a separate Hi-fi set up that I use to A/B recordings). Look for non-powered monitors and a small power amp. You should find bargains on those everywhere.
I bought a set of M-Audio small powered monitors some time ago, and to be honest I hated them for a while since the response was so flat. However, once I learned how to properly listen with them I learned exactly how cool they were. I'm very impressed now.
Having said that, it's all about the amplifier with monitors. Most hi-fi is going to add colour (I have a separate Hi-fi set up that I use to A/B recordings). Look for non-powered monitors and a small power amp. You should find bargains on those everywhere.
OK, I think there is a lot of truth in that and I think its probably right suggesting a set of monitors over hifi speakers to someone perhaps lacking the experience to understand when hifi speakers is a perfectly adequate choice. So I'd generally, in this instance, agree with you.
But you should also bear in mind that when working proffesionally at a good level many top engineers make no real distinction between good hifi and good monitor speakers above the $400 ish mark, with exceptions.
Initially, there are wierd frequency anomalies in all lower cost speakers (meaning anything under a few $k) and even many of the higher cost monitor speakers are not super flat.Speaker design is an absolute minefield of compromise from the word go and you can only get 2 of these 3 in one speaker - good bass, good volume, small physical size. So even a very expensive pair of small monitors is physically incapable of also providing a good low and AND a lot of volume.
Check out some mid range monitors (like the KRK V8's) and you'll see there are low frequency anomalies, a high frequency push and a little less detail in the mids. Thats fine, they are great speakers but you soon learn that the speakers used to make hit records every day are far from flat response.
NS10's and AR18s are another example of classic monitors with very odd response, they have hundreds of millions, probably billions of record sales to their name and both were designed as hifi bookshelf speakers! And ns10's in particular are far from flat.
I think that you are generally right, that getting a pair of reference speakers is probably a wise choice unless you have a lot of experience as they are designed with tracking/mixing in mind. But once you are confident in getting results and choice of speaker used to mix feels a bit like choice of bass used to track, in that you are aware of how the different choices will have an effect on the final product, then the type of speaker is rarely considered.
essentially, as long as a speaker has good transient response, has enough bass to suit the user, naturally has the amount of top a user likes, has satisfactory group delay and goes loud enough to satisfy then a speaker is in the running for a good mix speaker. Alternatively you can go with one of the quirky speakers that sound bad but create great mixes when worked out, like NS10's.
Though its true that in the lower end of the market hifi and monitor speakers vary a lot more in sound, as you get into the territory of 'better' speakers the differences become a lot smaller.
All the more important than speakers is the room they are in, anyway
get that sorted and you'll be amazed how good your speakers sound. I bought my old AR18s because I knew of their legacy and they were very cheap, but I was never that sold on them in my home mix room even though its fairly well treated. Then I took them to work and they knocked my socks off, I worked on them all week over the NS10's, KRK V8's, Monitor Audios and the silly £10'000 tannoys. I've since gone back to the V8's and NS10's but it was a real exercise in understanding what the room does to a set of speakers!KRK rockit's. 5 inch or smaller. Audioengine if willing to spend a little more for the pair. They would be a bit more audiophile grade sounding and worth the extra if you can afford them.
Hi all, OP here. I went with the Fostex P0.4. They are small and low power with better claimed LF response than any others in that price range. I think these will give me the quality I want at low non disturbing volumes when it would be rude to rock my living room KRK V8s, when I need solitude or in later hours of the day.
Plus they were $40 off typical price at music123 and I got them in my favorite color.
Thank you for all the advise, I'll come back with comparison to my KRK V8s when they are delivered.
Plus they were $40 off typical price at music123 and I got them in my favorite color.
Thank you for all the advise, I'll come back with comparison to my KRK V8s when they are delivered.
Yes, do let us know, they seem like a good choice. What made you choose them over the AV-40 or AV-30?
I never heard of them until dave_p suggestion. But I only ever knew of our KRK V8s before I started this search. All of my speaker search in the past was for Bass cabs.
p0.4 and AVs are the same size and power but the Fostex claims to have a wider frequency response....we'll see!
Fostex P0.4
Enclosure system: 2-way bass-reflex system
Drivers: LF 4 cone speaker / HF 6/8 soft dome tweeter
Freq. Response: 60Hz to 30kHz
Low Freq Cut-Off: 60Hz (-10dB)
High Freq Cut-Off: 22Hz (-10dB)
Output Power: 18W (LF), 18W (HF)
Input Terminals: 6mm TS Phone (unbalanced), RCA Pin (unbalanced)
Distortion: Less than 0.1% T.H.D. @12W, 4-ohm 20Hz-20kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio: Less than 75dB, 20Hz-30kHz, unweighted
Power Consumption: 40W
Physical Dimensions 144mm (W) x 220mm (H) x 180mm (D)
Net Weight 3.75kgs
M-audio AV40s
type: two-way desktop reference monitor
low-frequency Driver: 4" diameter, magnetically shielded and curved cone with high-temperature voice coil
high-frequency Driver: 1" diameter, magnetically shielded silk dome tweeter
frequency Response: 85Hz - 20kHz
crossover Frequency: 2.7kHz
RMS SPL: 101.5dB @ 1 meter
signal-to-Noise Ratio: > 90dB (typical, A-weighted)
input Connectors: left and right RCA line input, left and right 1/4" TRS input and 1/8" aux input
polarity: positive signal at "+" input produces outward low-frequency cone displacement
dynamic Power: 20 watts continuous, per channel into 4 Ω
input Impedance: 10 k Ω unbalanced, 20 k Ω balanced
input Sensitivity: 100 mV pink noise input produces 90dBA output SPL at 1 meter with volume control at maximum
protection: RF interference, output current limiting, over temperature, turn on/off transient, subsonic filter
indicator: blue power LED ring around volume knob on front panel
power Requirements: 100-120V/~50/60Hz, 220-240V/~50/60Hz; powered via detachable 2-conductor line cord
dimensions: 8.75" (H) x 6" (W) x 7.25" (D)
weight: 14 lbs./6.34 kg
Got them today, they are close to perfect for the application. At a decent volume my never leaves the house roomie can't here them from his room below or the living room down the hall. They seem a bit mid voiced but have enough lows to where it sounds good to plug in my bass. I could see a sub helping out in the lows department but that would defeat the non disturbing the roommates purpose. (Our KRK V8s are for when loud is appropriate).
These are smaller than expected, my first thought was I could have gone low power 5s but I think the 4s are ok, would prefer a bass roll off at 50k over 60k.
Don't expect these to get to loud. I can pump them in my small room and hear plenty of volume sitting in front of them but suspect a larger room would call for larger speakers.
The KRKs tone differs at low volumes and thrives at medium loud IMHO. This makes them hard to compare. I think the Fostex are great at medium low- low. They both increase the mids on my bass in a similar way and both sound great. I would say the KRKs give a tad bit more mid grind around 800ish. Same goes with my Audio Technica M50s, similar clarity with difference in mid color.
Keep in mind I am not a sound pro, more a novice.
These are smaller than expected, my first thought was I could have gone low power 5s but I think the 4s are ok, would prefer a bass roll off at 50k over 60k.
Don't expect these to get to loud. I can pump them in my small room and hear plenty of volume sitting in front of them but suspect a larger room would call for larger speakers.
The KRKs tone differs at low volumes and thrives at medium loud IMHO. This makes them hard to compare. I think the Fostex are great at medium low- low. They both increase the mids on my bass in a similar way and both sound great. I would say the KRKs give a tad bit more mid grind around 800ish. Same goes with my Audio Technica M50s, similar clarity with difference in mid color.
Keep in mind I am not a sound pro, more a novice.
