really really cheap monitors/speakers

[FBH]

How can you get something even close to even across the spectrum for $100?

Buy used gear from someone who doesn't know what it is. That's one way. Surely there are others.

[aaronburr]

How can you get something even close to even across the spectrum for $100?

Buy used gear from someone who doesn't know what it is. That's one way. Surely there are others.

first of all, i dont think ill end up paying $100, thats a pipe dream. but under $200 is my ballpark.

second of all, what FBH said + a large dose of patience.

[trodden]

How can you get something even close to even across the spectrum for $100?

Buy used gear from someone who doesn't know what it is. That's one way. Surely there are others.

go hang out with crack heads, they'll sell you anything for $100.

[Chris_Avakian]

http://cgi.ebay.com/JBL-JBL500-SERIES-B ... dZViewItem

[fossiltooth]

I've always been curious about JBLs older large monitors and bookshelf speakers. They seem to have pumped out a lot of speakers before retreating from studio and home audio to focus more on live sound and car stereos. Anyone have the skinny on their old product line?

The look of some of those older JBLs will always remind me of the opening sequence of "Back To The Future"...

Well, the place to look for info on JBLs is the Lansing Heritage Society and their forum. The site has info on virtually every JBL product before 1995. Those monitors are very much in demand for use in home systems these days. The folks in the forum buy them off Craigslist and rehabilitate them out of love for the sounds of large speaker cones moving. And frankly, you haven't heard music until you've heard in on a well-tuned set of large-format studio monitors.

Bob

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

And frankly, you haven't heard music until you've heard in on a well-tuned set of large-format studio monitors.

I've heard many sets of "bigs" in my life: tannoys, ausbergers, and whatever other obligatory soffit monsters haunt all the "major" studios. Not really a fan. I recently heard Joel's big JBL's over at G and said to myself... "Hmmm... you could actually mix on these things.. cool!". I've been curious ever since.

Loud and fun to listen to without being too flattering. Not scooped or hyper articulate like many "conventional" bigs. If anything, those big JBL's sounded a little too boxy whenever the mix sounded a little too boxy (in its early stages, of course).. just like god intended! Too many big systems are too polite to expose the midrange in its true form. Many studio "bigs" can be like having an army of smiling "yes men" standing right in from of you.

Then again, it can be fun to have a giant set of awesomely flattering giant wall monitors around... I just wouldn't spend my money on that type of sytem. When it comes to mixing, I'm mid-fi to the death, baby. It's been improving my mixes dramatically. (I can sense RWC cringing at my lack of taste from across the east river... )

Crap. I'm ranting again. Oops. I'm just really excited about the subject of monitoring recently. I feel like I finally "get it". It's making my work better, and I'm compelled to share. Hopefully it'll help somebody.

What was this thread about again? Speakers under $100? Oh yeah...

Try a bunch of boomboxes from off the street until you find a set that makes your mixes sound better.

Done. Monitoring is about results. Nothing else.

[aaronburr]

picked up a pair of wharfedale 8.2 monitors for $165 on ebay.
thanks for all the advice!
ill probably pick up a pair of those realistic minimus 7s at some point so i can have my ns-10-ish reference. cool.

[FBH]

How can you get something even close to even across the spectrum for $100?

Buy used gear from someone who doesn't know what it is. That's one way. Surely there are others.

go hang out with crack heads, they'll sell you anything for $100.

Funny you should mention it. I bought a pair of JBL L110s off a guy this week, and he may well have been a crack head. He was a little tweaky, and he certainly lived in the right neighborhood for it. Even with new foam surrounds, I will come out well south of $100.

[skiltrip]

...deleted.

[littlesongs]

+1

My pair was a whole lot less than $100 on CL and came with a box of cool old junk.

[Jonkan]

Since there is some discussion about older jbl speakers...
I have a pair of the smaller jbl 4406 monitors that i modified with charge coupled crossovers that sound absolutely great. Much better than anything in the budget range of newer speakers i have heard (as good as alot of more higher end systems to my ears actually)

For help on how to build the crossovers, check out the jbl heritage forum that was linked to earlier. Btw, you can build charged coupled networks for other jbl speakers aswell (probably most speakers actually).

They sounded pretty good before mod aswell, but seem more "relaxed" now in the midrange to me. Definately worth the hassle.

/J

[rwc]

I've heard many sets of "bigs" in my life: tannoys, ausbergers, and whatever other obligatory soffit monsters haunt all the "major" studios. Not really a fan. I recently heard Joel's big JBL's over at G and said to myself... "Hmmm... you could actually mix on these things.. cool!". I've been curious ever since.

I agree in the opposite direction.

I've heard good speakers built around the 604s that give you the full picture and I've heard other 604s that don't just hide the midrange but make good sounding, mastered CDs sound muddy.. I wouldn't want to mix on them, OR use them as a rock out/enjoyment speaker.

I like to mix on my thiels because they give the full picture, then to the speakers in my sony computer screen to finish it off.

I thought of buying auraones, but why bother when I have so many freebie "auratones"... tv speakers, lcd speakers, laptop speakers.. IMO for under $100 it's more worth it to get a crap pair of speakers that will do a good job of representing what joe listener will be using than to go for a pair of "accurate reference" monitors because that shit just doesn't exist at that price point. and as many have said, there's a good argument to be made for using that "crap" over proper speakers!

hi-fi speakers that are good at being hi-fi speakers, that are accurate and detailed and natural, are good at telling you what is there. shitty speakers like boomboxes and auratones and televisions are good at giving you an idea of how the public will hear it but ALSO, by omission of detail, good at telling you when you've fucked up and not made something "point" as it should.

really cheap powered monitors don't fit either. they often hide the truth but don't sound bad enough to omit detail that tells you you've fucked up and don't emulate cheap consumer systems likely to be used, at all. I honestly find them useless.

P.S.

It's amazing to see a well made pair of 604s playing loud, only to see that they're directly connected to a walkman! Efficient, amazing design for something out of 1938!

[dynomike]

There used to be lots of hype for the Realistic Minimus 7 speakers. You can pick up a pair on eBay for about $30 plus shipping generally. People seem to want the metal ones without the port on the back. Some folks hype the early, MIJ versions, but I doubt it matters.

FWIW, I have a pair of Minimus 7's, and they are pretty detailed and have a nice sound stage. They may need to be paired with a small sub for mixing purposes, but, as with any speaker that is fairly flat through the mids, you may be able to listen to a bunch of reference CD's and learn how to get a good low end with them.

Have you considered going to a friend's house/studio for mixing purposes? Surely you know someone who would let you use their room, and you could save yourself the money on a pair of "just okay" speakers.

thats one i'd recommend on a budget. i got my pair for $7. also look into used hi-fi stuff if you want something that sounds 'bigger' - boston acoustics, jbl, b+w, psb all make SOME good speakers

[rwc]

axioms will sound like B&Ws for 1/3 the price

comparing the m60 to the 703 always makes me laugh.