cheap powered monitors $350ish and down

[lancebug]

Before you blast me I already know the whole "if you spend a little more for the mackies" part. I have been making crappy music at home for 16 or 17 years and will continue to make music that will be mediocre at best. That said I would like to upgrade from my current $8 yardsale monitoring system to something that doesnt have a broken cd player built in. With a max out of around $350 I have most closely been considering the behringer truths(the new ones). I have also been looking at the samson resolv 65a but have found little written about them positive or negative. Whatever I get I need it to be powered and since I will probably be able to afford a sub any time soon at least passable bass response is important. I do want my mixes to translate into the outside world, but more importantly I want to enjoy the process of recording more and and I dont want my fiance to call off the wedding because I spent all the honeymoon money. I would also be happy with links to other forums reviews links etc. Thanks all. -Lance-

[Electricide]

Before Jef beats me to it, try the new Tapco line. I think the 5 inch are a bit lite on the bass, but are around $350. The 8 inch are probably more.

[mjau]

Well, I've got a pair of the Behringer Truths, and I feel like I can give you a pretty balanced view. Are they great? Not by far...some have described them as dark, others have said they lack any low end. I'd say I agree with both - but so do a lot of other monitors in this price range. They are quite powerful - more than enough for any home situation, and they seem to stay consistent going from soft to loud. I don't find them to project a very detailed stereo image, so that, combined with the lack of bass, are my two major complaints. Others have had problems with quality control - as is the case with anything Behringer - but so far I've luckily not run into anything with that. What I will say is that the monitors are probably the best thing Behringer makes, and they can hold their own against other brands in the price range. I looked at just about everything in this range and considered spending a little more even, but walked away with these. I hope to get a pair of better monitors in the next couple of years, but for the time being, I'd say they serve my purposes well enough. If you can, listen to a lot of different kinds of monitors, though. It'll help you figure out where your monitors are hyped or deficient.

[wenzel.hellgren]

I have been very happy with the M-Audio BX8's. If you want smaller or cheaper the BX5's are also good, just lighter on the bass.

I like them better than Alesis M-1's, which have no bass at all in my experience.

[pk]

I like them better than Alesis M-1's, which have no bass at all in my experience.

???????????????

I don't know which M1's you're refering to, as I know there have been a few incarnations over the years, but the newer M1mk2 Actives have plenty of bass, even too much if the room isn't treated right. The front ports are begging to be plugged. Having said that, I think they are by far a better monitor than any Samson, Behringer or Events in the same price range. After hearing all the horror stories regarding the Truths (blown tweeter, loose screws right out of the box, etc.), it made me hate the company even more (I had a bad experience with one of their mixers MX2004).

I wouldn't buy Behringer guitar picks - if they made them.

Opinions on monitors are so personal, best is if you can go listen for yourself. What may sound great to me will sound horrible to you. Besides, your room is the most important factor, it truly is the 3rd monitor. Good luck.

[Professor]

I know you said you wanted powered monitors, and perhaps this will sound snobby, but I've really not heard a pair of sub $350 powered speakers that I thought were better than a simple passive setup like an Alesis RA-100 (or current incarnation of that model) power amp and a pair of nice bookshelf speakers like B&W DM-303s. Poke around a little and I'll bet you can find that combination for under $350, and then you are in a position where you can upgrade later to larger speakers with the same amp, then upgrade the amp when you can. Separates are better for power, performance and upgrade path.

-Jeremy

[lancebug]

I hadn't thought seriously about doing the monitor/amp combo cause I just assumed it would be more expesive overall, but the component upgrade aspect is a good one. I guess nothings really written in stone. -L-

[fear of texas]

I hadn't thought seriously about doing the monitor/amp combo cause I just assumed it would be more expesive overall, but the component upgrade aspect is a good one. I guess nothings really written in stone. -L-

we just got a set of passive monitors...KRK st6's. 99 bucks a piece at Git-Tard Center. came highly recommended. let ya know what they are like after i get everything hooked back up from "blackbird basement studio re-vamp 2k4". werd.

[BigCats]

I don't know which M1's you're refering to, as I know there have been a few incarnations over the years,

Yeah - those would be the original M1 Actives, which I own. Bass was and is, for a long time, an adventure on these babies. I've mixed on them long enough that I know what's gonna happen, but man, it was an eduction early on. I have heard the newer MkII's or whatever they're called are a bit more in control.

As an aside - total agreement on the room comments (get a decent treatment) and the Behringer slams (friends don't let friends buy Behringer).

K

[lancebug]

Has anyone tried the evnt ps6's or the tr6's. It looks like they can be had relatively affordably if you look around.

[mjau]

there's a guy selling some monitors for $200 in buy/sell-trade thread right now.

[spiral]

Just to back up my already above stated for me opinion, I've mixed on the oft-recommended low-cost suspects: Tannoy Revels, Event 20/20bas, Alesis M1 and the Tapcos are the first monitors i've actually liked (in the low-rent district). The others were either too "loose" or too hyped on one end or another. The Alesis M1s were pretty good but the Tapcos give me a better balanced picture. If you live with Chris though, they won't rock your body hard enough (you doing Miami bass up there in R.P.?).

Although, why ditch your $8 yard-sale monitoring system. I have a similar system (probably near the same price too!) which doubles as my "entertainment system" and i've managed to make good mixes on that stuff for lots of years. It's all about using what you got and knowing what it sounds like. Unless you are really unhappy with something specific, you may not need monitors!

[Electricide]

Just to back up my already above stated for me opinion, If you live with Chris though, they won't rock your body hard enough (you doing Miami bass up there in R.P.?).

haha. Actually, I think there's some cancellation happening at my place. I futzed with the bass boost on the left speaker only, and panned a signal from left to right and back, and not much difference. Then I listened to them both expecting some of the bass to shift left (louder=closer in brain) and that didn't happen either. SO the lite bass comment is surely affected by my room.

[spiral]

(louder=closer in brain)

This is best equation ... ever.

[SLiM BiLT]

I have the early Alesis M1 Actives and agree that the bass is tricky. I have never really gotten totally accustomed to these monitors. My solution has been to keep the my equivalent to your "$8 yard sale" speakers up next to them and compare back and forth. It is only through comparison that I can get the bass where I want it in a mix.

As I said in another post, this was made incredibly easy by using a Furman Signal Router. (A plain old speaker switch works too.) I actually have three sets of monitors up (M1's, Optimus 7s, and a pair of Design Acoutics three-way home stereo speakers). I have the levels all set pretty much equal and I just switch between them using the Furman. Sure beats burning a cd and toting it around to try on different systems.

So, in other words, my adivce is to get some new monitors, but keep your original set-up too for doing comparisons.