Advice re: new monitors

Last Angry Man

Hi

Bit of help please. I am currectly using M-Audio BX5-As and I hate them. Really tinny and I find them tiring and my mixes sound muddy on anything else. I am thinking of maybe getting some better monitors and I am torn between The KRK Rokit 8s, Tannot Reveals or the Genelec 8020s.

So first off, am I mad? Are the M-Audios actually OK and I should get some ears on me or if I am right about them which of the options above would people recommend. I have a mate with Tannoys and they are nice. KRKs get great reviews and Genelecs seem really good too.

In short - help!

Thanks

LAM

DamagedTrax

genelecs are a huge step above the krk or tannoy. the only problem is the 8020 are a little small and would really require a sub. i'd advise saving that little extra and looking at the 8030 or 8040. also mackie hr824, dynaudio range or the adam range.

PaulBrewer

Last Angry Man wrote: »

So first off, am I mad?

No.

danjokill

If you can, test as many as you can in the same space/position/with the same test material ....... when i bought mine i made up a little test cd ...... various styles , sweeps, mixed , unmixed, mastered, unmastered, soloed instruments and tested all of this on a whole range of monitors. (I had to go to the uk to do this but it was worth the ryanair flight price)
............. Trust your ears ....... make a check list. Monitors should NEVER make something sound better ...... they should reveal whats wrong!

madtheory

IMHO you would achieve a far superior improvement in sound by investigating acoustic treatment, and spending money on that first. The M Audio's are not bad... yes, you could do better, but I would recommend treating the room first. Check out Ethan Winer's website. You will need bass traps. Don't waste your money on acoustic foam until you understand bass traps.

danjokill

madtheory wrote: »

IMHO you would achieve a far superior improvement in sound by investigating acoustic treatment, and spending money on that first. The M Audio's are not bad... yes, you could do better, but I would recommend treating the room first. Check out Ethan Winer's website. You will need bass traps. Don't waste your money on acoustic foam until you understand bass traps.

agree ....

i57dwun4yb1pt8

as the lads above have said - its your room , not your monitors.


you need to treat it , what you are saying is classic symptom of a non treated mix room .

trust me , been there done that .

if your room is well balnaced and treated , you should be a ble to pull of a decent mix on those monitors.

madtheory

DamagedTrax wrote: »

mackie hr824, dynaudio range

+1. The Mackies are very decent IMO, and the Dynaudio BM15 is a great monitor. IMHO the Mackie has the edge for accuracy, but I prefer working with the BM15.

danjokill wrote: »

when i bought mine i made up a little test cd

+1, great idea to have a repeatable test. Good article in SOund On SOund a while back on how to do it.

booooonzo

madtheory wrote: »

+1. The Mackies are very decent IMO, and the Dynaudio BM15 is a great monitor. IMHO the Mackie has the edge for accuracy, but I prefer working with the BM15.

I would say the opposite and I've had both, but i suppose doing a mix and seeing how it translates yourself is the only sure way.

PaulBrewer

What's your budget LAM?

i57dwun4yb1pt8

oh, and once you have a good sounding room

Focal solo 6 is the monitor to get .

Last Angry Man

Thanks for the replies.. Lots of good advice here.

I should have said that the room IS treated and is as good as it's going to get. I have bass traps in all four corners and acoustic foam on either side of my work station as well as above it and another panel on the back wall. The room was unusable before I treated it and it isn't perfect now but I am confident that it isn't too bad.

I think my problem with the M-Audios is that the bass is not too good on them and I find the top end very harsh and despite myself I over compensate on the mixes making the bottom end muddy and the top end non-existent. They also tire me out!

Part of it is my technique (I don't really know what I'm doing) but I think the main thing is the cheap speakers. I suppose I was wondering if there was a difference between what I have and say €500 worth of KRKs or Genelecs and the consensus seems to be yes.

My budget is around €500 max so I think it's going to be the KRKs or the Genelecs.... I'll have to go and audition some.

Thanks again!

splitrmx

If you've gone to the trouble of treating the room then I'd suggest you save up a bit more money to get a decent pair of studio monitors. If you spend only 500 Euro now you'll end up growing out of those ones too after a while.

DamagedTrax

exactly what he said ^^

i can 100% guarantee that you wont be happy with the genelecs without a sub. im not joking when i say that they sound like desktop speakers. albeit, very very good desktop speakers but still nothing capable of giving you the precision that you need for mixing.

the krk have a seriously hyped low end and you'll end up compensating in your mixes, giving you very bass light mixes.

if you really cant stretch your budget then id advise you go 2nd hand.

but please listen to advise. cheap monitors (and yes 500 IS cheap) will be like stuffing cotton woll in your ears.

Last Angry Man

Yep totally agree. I may be able to stretch the budget a bit and I was thinking Adam A7s.... I really cant go more than €750 odd and these seem like good value...

DamagedTrax

Last Angry Man wrote: »

Yep totally agree. I may be able to stretch the budget a bit and I was thinking Adam A7s.... I really cant go more than €750 odd and these seem like good value...

good choice :cool:

when i went for new monitors it was between genelec 8030, mackie 824 and adam a7

i found the genelec a little toppy for my tastes.

it really was a toss up between the adam and the mackie. both very similiar sound IMO (the adam are the slightest touch brighter).

i choose the mackie in the end as im not a fan of sub ports.

bikeblues

but the mackie has a sub radiator on the back , same thing as a port TBH

DamagedTrax

bikeblues wrote: »

but the mackie has a sub radiator on the back , same thing as a port TBH

nothing like a port TBH, totally differant design.

the passive radiator design moves much more air than a port, therefore producing less distortion at lower freqs and higher SPL levels.

Last Angry Man

Right. A7s ordered!!! Thanks for all the help guys.

DamagedTrax

:cool: good choice

madtheory

DamagedTrax wrote: »

nothing like a port TBH, totally differant design.

the passive radiator design moves much more air than a port, therefore producing less distortion at lower freqs and higher SPL levels.

Yes, it's quite effective actually. Gives a good transient response and a greater extension into the low end than you would expect from such a small box, without the hump of a port. There are various adjustments depending on how they're positioned in the room. You end up with quite an unflattering speaker for not much money. Brilliant.

PaulBrewer

DamagedTrax wrote: »

cheap monitors (and yes 500 IS cheap) will be like stuffing cotton woll in your ears.

Ha ! How things have changed.

I remember getting death threats about a year ago for daring suggest cheap monitors were, as a rule, Shyte.

DamagedTrax

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Ha ! How things have changed.

I remember getting death threats about a year ago for daring suggest cheap monitors were, as a rule, Shyte.

and i remember the post and remember agreeing with you .. so nothings changed here, they are little more than hi-fi speakers. the freq response may be tweaked a little flatter and the design may look more "pro" but thats realy all they are.

but yeah it is a shame when you hear people asking aboiut 300/500 monitors.. im aware everyone starts somewhere but looking back i wish i'd waited a few months, saved a bit more and started on a good set rather than running out and spending £150 (yes pounds!!) at the time.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

hmm, dunno , i had the mackie 624 and found the bass a bit unwieldy due to the radiator - the focals really showed them up .

i think the adams is a good one though ,

DamagedTrax

DaDumTish wrote: »

hmm, dunno , i had the mackie 624 and found the bass a bit unwieldy due to the radiator - the focals really showed them up .

i think the adams is a good one though ,

624? nah.. its the 824 that rock :cool:

PaulBrewer

DamagedTrax wrote: »

and i remember the post and remember agreeing with you .. so nothings changed here, they are little more than hi-fi speakers. the freq response may be tweaked a little flatter and the design may look more "pro" but thats realy all they are.

but yeah it is a shame when you hear people asking aboiut 300/500 monitors.. im aware everyone starts somewhere but looking back i wish i'd waited a few months, saved a bit more and started on a good set rather than running out and spending £150 (yes pounds!!) at the time.

And I recall getting sent a Virtual Horse's Head for suggesting one saves up fir stuff that's good.
As well as doing the job better it lasts longer.

Shall we put it down to 'progress' ?

DamagedTrax

PaulBrewer wrote: »

And I recall getting sent a Virtual Horse's Head for suggesting one saves up fir stuff that's good.
As well as doing the job better it lasts longer.

Shall we put it down to 'progress' ?

well being that you're a sales man you kinda should've expected it.

everyone hates a salesman!!!

PaulBrewer

DamagedTrax wrote: »

well being that you're a sales man you kinda should've expected it.

everyone hates a salesman!!!

The truth's the truth ! One would hope the smarter observers can see that - in fact it is the smarter ones who can.;)

PMI

PaulBrewer wrote: »

The truth's the truth ! One would hope the smarter observers can see that - in fact it is the smarter ones who can.;)

Totally true, and only when you get into the position where they really need to pull their weight will you notice.....

Now wheres my new ones? PMC's anyone?

PaulBrewer

Tryin to get the phuckers back ! Next week I promise !!

PMI

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Tryin to get the phuckers back ! Next week I promise !!

Ha... no probs looking forward to it