Which Nearfield Monitors?

[semtek]

One of my JBL Lsr25ps has died, and the repair people are quoting crazy money to fix it.

 

Never been that happy with them anyway so I'm looking at some alternatives:

 

Mackie 624s

Bluesky 2.1 pro desk

Genelec 8030A

 

and so on.

 

Does anyone else have any suggestions or experience of these models?

 

My understanding of the Mackies is that they sound great, but do colour the sound.

 

I don't want to spend much more than $1000

[David Nahmani]

I have genelec 1030a and am not too happy about them, but I am also not too happy with the room I monitor in. I have used the Mackie 624 and they're pretty good. I've used the bluesky but not in situations where I was able to judge them.

 

Another couple of brands to keep in mind: Adam and Dynaudio.

[marcel72]

I have used the Mackie HR 824s, other Genelec models (1030As), and the Blue Sky surround systems. Of the 3 choices, the Genelecs would have my vote (although the performance difference from one model to another can be as great as from one manufacturer to another)...

 

I use Dynaudio BM-5As. I have learned to trust them and have gotten good solid results from them for quite a while now. They are, however, a little beyond your stated budget.

 

Do you have access to a retailer that will let you buy a pair, bring them back and exchange them for something else, etc. until you make your choice? This is probably your best bet.

 

Best, Marcel

[semtek]

Thanks, that's helpful, i'm going to check out the dynaudios.

 

The room I monitor in has a slanted ceiling and the monitors are placed parralel to the slant = ie it's ever going to sound perfect. I've not had good results from the JBLs though so I'm eager to make sure I get something as accurate as possible/

[nikkik]

My first two votes would be ADAM, and then Blue Sky System One (I do not know the other sets they have; I own the Blue Sky System One 5.1 system...could not afford the equiv in ADAMs-land ).

 

ADAM A7's (6.5 nearfields) would barely fit your budget. Have not auditioned those, but based on the rest of the line, I would at least consider them.

 

Dynaudio definitely worth a listen, would be my third choice I think. The BM6A's are sweet, but out of your range..unsure of other models, but like ADAM...

 

ADAM's have a slightly different...erm..."feel" to them I guess. I really like how they sound tho, very smooth and easy to spend hours in front of, accurate, translate well. Blue Sky System One includes a sub as part of the full range thing, and thus you get the full range represented. However, they are non-ported, and they almost demand the user has the room tuned or you will probably experience holes n bumps. I have found them to be very accurate, but they "feel" slightly less powerful than ported designs to me. But, those are out of your range....but I would assume their other lines to be similar (at best?).

 

I would seriously try to find a way to audition the A7's.

[RobS]

I use Yamaha HD-50's. Yes very much like the NS10's, they make you work on your mix, but boy when I get a mix to sound right there, it is rare that (at least EQ-wise) it doesn't sound consistent across various systems.

 

R

[dinofond]

I replaced my HR824'S with HS80M's, best thing I have done in a long time. I paid less then $525 out the door with tax at guitar center, almost half what I paid for my HR824's. Check them out if you can before you buy, I think you may be surprised at what you hear.

[RobS]

I replaced my HR824'S with HS80M's, best thing I have done in a long time. I paid less then $525 out the door with tax at guitar center, almost half what I paid for my HR824's. Check them out if you can before you buy, I think you may be surprised at what you hear.

 

Yup beefier bass without the sub. I have the sub on mine, and it fills in that lower end, however, subs are tricky to setup right and you could be messing with your low end without knowing it. So HS-80's are great on their own.

 

R

[Kent Sandvik]

I replaced my HR824'S with HS80M's, best thing I have done in a long time. I paid less then $525 out the door with tax at guitar center, almost half what I paid for my HR824's. Check them out if you can before you buy, I think you may be surprised at what you hear.

 

Yup beefier bass without the sub. I have the sub on mine, and it fills in that lower end, however, subs are tricky to setup right and you could be messing with your low end without knowing it. So HS-80's are great on their own.

 

R

Yes, I prefer any nearfield monitors that go down below without the need of a sub-woofer, 35Hz if possible. --Kent

[semtek]

so I went to audition some monitors and - this always happens doesn't it - the guy let me hear all the ones within my price range plus the dynaudio bm6as.

 

needless to say the bm6as are much more expensive than i had hoped, but also sounded very even and revealing even at low volumes. difficult to gauge the stereo image due to the room, but they were noticeably better than the others i tried.

 

i've seen some second hand, but is it a good idea to buy monitors second hand? my gut instinct says probably not, especially if they're not under warranty. what do you reckon?

[Kent Sandvik]

 

i've seen some second hand, but is it a good idea to buy monitors second hand? my gut instinct says probably not, especially if they're not under warranty. what do you reckon?

It really depends on how they have been handled, if they have stayed in one single studio, and no crazy overloading, they should be fine -- but as you said, you never know where the monitors have been... I would actually recommend getting a brand-new pair, just to be sure. --Kent

[RobS]

so I went to audition some monitors and - this always happens doesn't it - the guy let me hear all the ones within my price range plus the dynaudio bm6as.

 

needless to say the bm6as are much more expensive than i had hoped, but also sounded very even and revealing even at low volumes. difficult to gauge the stereo image due to the room, but they were noticeably better than the others i tried.

 

i've seen some second hand, but is it a good idea to buy monitors second hand? my gut instinct says probably not, especially if they're not under warranty. what do you reckon?

 

I say if your ears told you what you like, wait just a wee bit longer and save up to buy the speakers you really like and really give you what you want. You don't buy speakers every couple of months, you want something that's an investment for 5-7 years or so, something that will guide you and be your tool for creating great mixes. Getting anything less than what you like will probably make you struggle while working. Stress is not worth it.

 

Used speakers for me is a buyer beware. We spend enough money on our equipment that having some kind of warranty is a nice peace of mind, even if just for 1 year.

 

R

[nikkik]

Hi!

Second hand is rough, unless you know how, where, and how long they were used. As speakers age, the materials do just like us: they deteriorate. Plus, if a speaker is used imporperly (such as driven too hard), they can become...*flabby*. If the speaker feels stiff, and if the travel is good, then there should be no real problem.

 

Powered (active) monitors also have the amplifier(s) to contend with. Luckily, with most good compaies, a "swap replacement" for a blown or failing amp is wicked cheap, comparitively. As an example: My $2K+ Velodyne home theatre HGS15 "blew" recently. Amp sent in, returned rebuilt/new one, all for just over $200. Dynaudio is a quality company (IMO), but check with others on their support.

 

Buying used requires knowing the person or place will stand behind what they are selling IMO. The BM6A's are damn niice tho...would have been my third choice I think...

[shivermetimbers]

I went with the EVENT SP8

 

I was looking at a range limit of $200 per speaker. The more I looked the higher my limit went. Finally I found the SP8's at a little over $600 per speaker.

 

My room had not yet been soundproofed (3 blank walls and one giant window).

 

I brought them home and I must have sat there for hours listening to all styles of music. The smile had to be surgically removed. I was happy. I have no regrets and the money spend was an excellent investment.

 

The 8" bass speaker has a big advantage over the 6"

[Kent Sandvik]

I went with the EVENT SP8

 

I was looking at a range limit of $200 per speaker. The more I looked the higher my limit went. Finally I found the SP8's at a little over $600 per speaker.

 

My room had not yet been soundproofed (3 blank walls and one giant window).

 

I brought them home and I must have sat there for hours listening to all styles of music. The smile had to be surgically removed. I was happy. I have no regrets and the money spend was an excellent investment.

 

The 8" bass speaker has a big advantage over the 6"

 

Events are nice, I have a pair here, too, great value. --Kent

[Dama]

Hello!

I use a pair of Genelec 8030A. My room is not right for monitoring.. but i'm very happy with my genelecs. They're not big, but have a more detailed lows, than, say, other monitors in this range IMO All my friends says only positive opinions on genelecs' quality.

In FM mag 8030s are the winner in this price range. You can download some reviews from www.genelec

I'm working more with hiphop music..

But what can i say, is that different audointerfaces give different imaging of sounding.

I had an Mbox (first) and after changing it on TC Electronic Konnekt 24D, I was very surprised how the same tracks sounds different on the same monitors. Unfortunately TC refused to work with my Powerbook and I sold it. (( So, now i'm with built-in ))) hoping not for so long

[Dante310]

i'm surprised nobody has mentioned KRK V series monitors. they are a mainstay in every pro studio i've seen recently and some are quite affordable.

[semtek]

Yes, interested if anyone else uses KRKs. Haven't heard them yet but they certainly have a good brand reputation...

[carrmar]

I own Dynaudio BM5As.

 

They sound great. I love them.

 

However, in order to "feel" the bass, they have to be turned up. The sound is still great when the volume is low, but the bass lacks the depth that I want it to.

 

Keep that in mind.

[triplets]

I use KRK's Rokit 8. Amazingly flat. Great low end response. 8 inch speakers that you can't beat for the price. So many speakers are so colored nowadays especially in the highs and lows, just to make them sound "awesome".

[semtek]

Just compared the Adams to the BM6as and the KRK V8s

 

The KRKs are nice and flat, not enough bass extension imo but fairly clean and natural sounding.

 

The Adams, to my ears, were distorting a little around 1khz and seemed very forward at high frequencies. The bass felt a bit loose at high volumes, but was absent at low volumes. Must say I am a bit dissapointed. This in a dedicated listening room with acoustic treatment, good stereo imaging etc. Did I get a duff pair? I even swapped the outs and the cables with the dyns to check that it wasn't an issue somewhere else in the chain.

 

The Dyns sounded great again. I can tell that they're pushed back in the mid-range a bit, and I'd be careful to check that I wasn't overcompensating when I mixed, but the bass response at all volumes is impeccable, and when I played mixes I'm working on through them I found that I could hear the reverb tails like never before. They really are quite something. Looks like a trip to the bank is in order.

[nikkik]

Wow...that sucks about the ADAMs, but is something I would have been afraid of when realizing they would have sacrificed *something* to get them even half the price of the "good sounding" set, let alone going a fifth of the price or so...

 

I think finding a set of monitors you really are comfy with across the spectrum is really rough. To allow yourself to "untense" enough to not focus, and *see* (hear) what happens. One set of personal studio monitors I had was the Event BAS8 (I think that is the model...was like 12-14 years ago). When I got them, I never felt comfy, but never had a chance to audition, and went on a whim. Never again. When I replaced them, the difference with what I chose was night and day. Low-end tightened, spread was nice and even, and one of the most important things- mids were solid. Low mids with those Events were so loose....almost complete mud. But, initially, I felt I could simply compensate. When replaced them, I discovered that I should NEVER have comprimised like that.

 

Then again, maybe the comprimise was worth the lesson alone...

 

Very interested in what your final choice will be!

[BassBottom]

I have tested many speakers with 8" woofers side by side for their frequency response and found problems with many of them.

I have a pair of KRK v8 and the KRK V12 sub and I love them.

You will need a space of about 20 ft to get a proper low response on the V8s.

They are not full range speakers but they certainly have a flat response.

I use the V12 sub to get a full range setup.

 

I personally don't like the mackie HR824 because of the enhanced low frequencies which does not sound natural to me.

I tested one Event and noticed a drop on their high mid frequencies,

 

I prefer a natural sound to come out of my speakers so that's why I chose the V8s.

[dinofond]

Oddly enough I found the KRK V8's and the RP5's (I have owned both) very colored to my ears.

 

semtek did you by chance get to hear the HS80M's against other monitors in the same room yet? I know I'm sounding like a broken record here but you will be surprised.

[BassBottom]

Oddly enough I found the KRK V8's and the RP5's (I have owned both) very colored to my ears.

 

semtek did you by chance get to hear the HS80M's against other monitors in the same room yet? I know I'm sounding like a broken record here but you will be surprised.

Wow, you went from a KRK V8 to a Mackie HR824? I wonder how that transition was in terms of colored sound.

 

I've never tried HS80M's but if they are anything close to the NS10's then they are a bargain and would probably be a good choice.

[semtek]

Oddly enough I found the KRK V8's and the RP5's (I have owned both) very colored to my ears.

 

semtek did you by chance get to hear the HS80M's against other monitors in the same room yet? I know I'm sounding like a broken record here but you will be surprised.

 

I haven't, though was never a fan of the nsm10s. However I'm going to have another listening session soon - this is turning into an epic quest - so I'll try to audition them there.

 

Your enthusiasm has got me interested...

[dinofond]

Oddly enough I found the KRK V8's and the RP5's (I have owned both) very colored to my ears.

 

semtek did you by chance get to hear the HS80M's against other monitors in the same room yet? I know I'm sounding like a broken record here but you will be surprised.

Wow, you went from a KRK V8 to a Mackie HR824? I wonder how that transition was in terms of colored sound.

 

I've never tried HS80M's but if they are anything close to the NS10's then they are a bargain and would probably be a good choice.

 

The V8's were taken so unfortunately it was not by choice

 

The Mackie experience was just a bust all the way around, color was one of the many issues.

 

I do admit the HS80M's don't sound exactly like the NS10, but they do have the very flat characteristics the NS10's had. I would never use a Sub with these monitors but that just me, I'm an old school otari 2" tape guy. There's enough bottom end frequencies in these for my ears and I would say without reviewing the Mackie Statistics more to my ears then the HR824's.

[dinofond]

Oddly enough I found the KRK V8's and the RP5's (I have owned both) very colored to my ears.

 

semtek did you by chance get to hear the HS80M's against other monitors in the same room yet? I know I'm sounding like a broken record here but you will be surprised.

 

I haven't, though was never a fan of the nsm10s. However I'm going to have another listening session soon - this is turning into an epic quest - so I'll try to audition them there.

 

Your enthusiasm has got me interested...

 

If you look around the web there are lots of people pretty excited about these monitors. I was lucky I came across them at NAMM and thought they sounded really good but NAMM is in such a big room it's hard to tell. Then I herd them at GC in Covina, they just remodeled their pro audio room and tuned it nice with Foam and ceeling defusers. They sounded great in there too so I bought them.

[Logic Pro]

I've never tried HS80M's but if they are anything close to the NS10's then they are a bargain and would probably be a good choice.

Why would anyone look for monitors that sound close to NS10s?

NS10s sound like crap and having the right amp plays a serious role.,

 

The NS10s only became the most popular non-powered monitors for the price during those years before powered monitors rolled out into the market, and it was a long time too before this took place, regardless how many NS10 tweeters blew or how thin they sound Yamaha was just lucky they had the standard.

 

Been the standard does not mean they are good, just means they are popular and everyone is used to them, today the NS10s are NOT the standard no matter how bad Yamaha would like to claim this with there new MSP7s, in fact Mackies seem to take the lead as a cost effective standard since powered monitors have arrived these days, then Tannoys, DynAudio 6A's and smaller Genelics for reliable favorite reference monitors based on the room and project with out over coloring the mix.

 

Size is the question beyond DynAudios and Tannoy's, as for the Genelics, they are just a cool name brand that makes clients in post houses happy to listen too but also sound nothing like the source.

 

Depending on what your using them and the size of the room seems to effects what you will compromise, so if your not willing to compromise DynAudios rule here, been some people think there mids are a bit here or there all depends on the room and position your placing them, but yes some think if the room is not that small a bass woofer helps., they are 6" so Tannoys play a good role in that area.

 

Mackie "HR824"

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/HR824.jpg

 

Tannoy "Reveal 8D"

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/Reveal8DA.jpg

 

DynAudio "Dynaudio BM 6A mk II"

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/BM6AmkII.jpg

 

Sweetwater online displays a decent over view

[semtek]

I can well believe that people have issues with the mids on the dynaudios. I think they're very smooth and accurate, but much more so than even very good speakers so I suppose they're not necessarily the best final reference. However, in tandem with another less expensive pair of monitors I reckon they will provide a great combination.

 

General consensus on the mackies, judging by the posts in this thread, seems to have changed in the past 5 years. They are coloured, especially in the bass, though I can understand why you might go for them if you were making d'n'b or metal.

 

The tannoys I haven't heard, so can't comment.

 

My conclusions of this discussion are that you get what you pay for. At the 1000$ mark you get something like the adams or the krk v8s which are more than adequate. You have to stretch to 2000$ before you can really hear a difference against those monitors. I've never heard anything more expensive than this, but I imagine that it works according to the law of diminishing returns. That's why I['m saving for some dynaudio bm6as.