Hi Guys! Had a pair of old M Audio monitors that went defective a couple of month ago! However, at home I now use a pair of Sony headphones. For some reason I now would like to play through monitors too!
Any suggestions? I was looking for Tannoy Reveal 502/ 802, Yammis HS7 and JBL LSR 305.
Need some help! 5", 6", 7" or 8"? At home the room size is not bigger than approx. 15qm!
I have the LSR 305s. They're pretty good, but they're ported in the back. You might want to find some with ports in the front if you have to put them near a wall.
Jim
Kronos 2 73, Hammond M3 chopper, Cubase 8.5 Pro
Slowtrain: Thank's for your reply! The monitors might be placed near to a wall, similar things have eben reported with the HS7 from Yamaha which has the port in the back too.
These are about the same price, and the review is pretty good. http://www.attackmagazine.com/features/ ... onitors/2/
I watched a comparison of the LSR305s, Rokit K5s, and Yamaha HS5s (not sure if I'm remembering the Yamaha model number), and the Yamaha had a pretty serious midrange peak, the Rokit has a lot of bass, but the JBLs had a pretty flat frequency response. It sounds like the PreSonus have a nice flat response as well. I think I'd have got these if I knew about them before I got mine. My space is pretty small too, so they're close to the wall. If you're putting them near a wall, even with a front port, I think you'll want to put some Aurilex 2'x2' sound absorbing panels behind them. I read on Gearslutz that that's the second best thing to having them away from the wall. Even with the front port, I think having them right by a wall has a negative effect on the sound. I'm also going to put a 2'x4' piece of Aurilex on the center of the wall to my left. Apparently, putting sound absorbing panels directly across from each other (like on the opposite wall from the monitors if you already have panels behind them) doesn't work as well as putting the next piece on the side wall. Then, I'll get some bass traps and another 2'x4' for the back wall when I have some extra cash. I'll be pretty much out of space for sound treatment then.
Good Luck, -Jim
Jim
Kronos 2 73, Hammond M3 chopper, Cubase 8.5 Pro
This is all so subjective it's almost pointless to discuss here. I don't believe there are huge differences within the same price bracket and then what works in one room for one style of music might not work for another. Best advice I can give is to bring a few of your own mixes and some cds you know well to a shop with a decent listening room and try a few types.
And speaking generally, spend a few bucks to do some basic treatment on your room. It'll make way more difference than the difference between the mentioned monitors will.
A Corgy said: "Mixing at least with 7" better 8" woofer. Yamaha offers HS7/8 and MSP 7. If you have the budget check out Neumann KH 120 A."
I use the Yamaha HS 8 since quite a while and still think they are the best in that price range for a neutral sound in your home studio.
For listening at my computer I use the smaller HS 5. My general impression is that 5' or 6' speakers are ok for listening (especially with a small subwoofer), but not for mixing. At least I never heard a small speker which is really able to deliver a neutral image with enough dynamics and loudness.
The Neumann KH 120 A will some day replace my Yamahas. Why spend so much money? Well because the speakers are the perhaps most critical key element in mixing, and a neutral speaker saves you hours and hours of wrong mixing efforts.
Kronos 73 - Moog Voyager RME - Moog LP TE - Behringer Model D - Prophet 6 - Roland Jupiter Xm - Rhodes Stage 73 Mk I - Elektron Analog Rytm MkII - Roland TR-6s - Cubase 12 Pro + Groove Agent 5
jimknopf wrote: ... Why spend so much money? Well because the speakers are the perhaps most critical key element in mixing, and a neutral speaker saves you hours and hours of wrong mixing efforts.
That's exactly the point. Mixing/Mastering monitors are not made for enjoying music, they are tools. The more "truth" is revealed the more efficiency will be gained.
I love a statement that I have seen in a video at sonicstate.com about the Yamaha MSP series. It says:
WARNING! These speakers will not make your mix sound great ... UNTIL IT IS.
Note that these are for playing through and not as a recording mixdown monitor system. Room is small, with hard walls, no corner bass traps and the Korg is relatively close to the speakers.
I *do* have the Rokits up on Ultimate Support MS-90 stands, which isolate the speakers from the floor well.
I've got them EQ'd relatively neutral for the room. Very acceptable and, I think, best bang for the buck.
I have a pair of Equator D5s that are fantastic for critical listening. They're ported in the front and have a dsp switch in the back that you set based on what's behind them (corner, flat wall, or open space). They're an amazing step up from the M-Audio BX8s I was using before.
So far the recommendations have been
JBL LSR 305
Yamaha HS7/8 and MSP5/MSP7
Neumann KH120A
KRK RoKit 5, 6 and 8
PreSonus Eris 4.5, E5 and E8
MonoPrice 5" and 8"
Equator D5
That's more than the amount of people participating in this thread. Which reinforces my point that a lot of this is really subjective and you would honestly be best served by going to a shop and listening to a few pairs. And doing some room treatment.
One advice is absolutely right, taking well known tracks to a shop and listen carefully to some speakers. But at the end of the day, the most expensive gear may sound quite under par at the own studio.
If somebody wants to listen to music, or to showcase tracks to clients, a pair of good speakers that sound beautiful and/or "right" is a good choice.
I think, many professional audio engineers will agree that for mixing and mastering on a (semi) professional level neutral and true translating speakers should be the best choice. A look at waterfall diagrams showing how the frequency response is developing over time will tell much about linearity and unwanted resonances. A suited test for mixing and mastering speakes would also be, to send some white noise and tuned sine waves to it. This may reveal unpreferable characteristics before purchase.
I approve JBL LSR 305 as well. But Equator, damn they're great. Personally I'd love to have a pair of D8, but I've heard D5s in action many times. Such detail, exquisite midrange (which is the most important part of the mix). Doesn't extend very low but doesn't matter for the most part. Extremely well balanced monitors.
Slowtrain: Thank's for your reply! The monitors might be placed near to a wall, similar things have eben reported with the HS7 from Yamaha which has the port in the back too. 
