Powered Monitors..... ????

[AnalogElectric]

Speakers are subjective thing. What sounds great to one person sounds awful to another. I personally hate NS-10's i have to mix so this and bright for it to make sense anywhere else. But i know people who do great mixes on them. I would go listen to some Behringers, M-audio, Event, Alesis ect. and make sure you bring some cd's you really love. Whatever sounds good and somewhat normal to your ear will work fine.

Totally...I think my biggest thing was the complement between my monitors, other stereos, and my headphones. It took me YEARS and lots of MONEY to narrow down what I finally like and it's ALL subjective.

What really did it for me was I found headphones I really liked that translated perfectly to how <i>I</I> wanted to hear things then I searched for monitors reflecting that. It took me over 12 different sets of monitors over 10 years both powered and passive to solidify exactly what I am now accustom to.

Okay to jump back to the original post...I don't know what you could get for the price range you're looking for regarding self powered monitors these days but really it's up to what you like to hear and it's something to me where I've realized it doesn't matter if they're self powered or not, it's about how I know how it works to my advantage (the end result). Sure Westlake $12,000+ speakers sound great but I wouldn't rest a mix on those it's more for impressing the band before they pass out for the night. If I know what monitor?s works for me, translate to other lesser or greater systems then that's the thing worth pursuing. It?s a never-ending cycle ?till it?s realized and even then I sit back thinking ?these monitors are great but maybe I should look in to something else??ack.

--Adam Lazlo

[pk]

Another quick opinon after reading your post.
Dynaudio BM6A vs. Mackie HR824's? No contest, the Dyns have a much tighter bass response and overall depth and clarity. i would think twice about that move. You can get the Dyns for $1500 if you shop right.

[PatrickBrown]

The Samson Resolv 6.5 inches are in that money range,,new. They sound pretty good.
Tannoy are a good bet, but more expensive,,the Reveal about twice what you have.
I have the 800A's and I'll keep them till I can get some Adam's. Probably keep them then.

[Reminor]

...You can get the Dyns for $1500 if you shop right.

Please, I'd love to be enlightened on "shopping right" cause I am sold on BM6A. I want those!!

I saw some on eBay for $1530 a pair, new. That's the cheapest I have seen anywhere. Any hints?

Thanks!
P.S. Or maybe ADAM monitors are better?... Hell, here we go again..

[pk]

I remember that BM6A auction on Ebay, I actually bid on them but fell short in the end.
Contact Tom at Tidepool Audio, he's a nice chap and he can help you out (but don't quote me on the price, it was in that vicinity). Tell him Patrick refered you (I haven't bought them yet, but we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago and he was very helpful, I'll be buying a pair in a few weeks).

www.tidepoolaudio.com

[Reminor]

I remember that BM6A auction on Ebay, I actually bid on them but fell short in the end.
Contact Tom at Tidepool Audio, he's a nice chap... www.tidepoolaudio.com

Tom was very nice indeed and he quoted me the best price in the country, so now I am expecting.
Thanks for the tip!

P.S. I can't wait...

[kdarr]

i'd check out the tannoy active reveal's. i've heard good things and the reps at AES NYC were very helpful and friendly. you could start with the 6" or 8" and then save up to get the active sub with built in cross-over. that'd be a great home setup.

Hot damn, these are the monitors I have!

When it came time to buy a pair, my studio partner/guitarist and I went down to the GC and listened to every pair they had (in our price range) for about 2 hours total, and these were the only ones that really sounded like the midrange was accurate. I thought all the KRK's were mushy sounding, and Mackie 824s had this artificial-sounding high end and scooped mid thing... we both actually liked the 624s better.

But obviously, not as much as the Tannoy's, since that's what we took home.

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[pk]

I remember that BM6A auction on Ebay, I actually bid on them but fell short in the end.
Contact Tom at Tidepool Audio, he's a nice chap... www.tidepoolaudio.com

Tom was very nice indeed and he quoted me the best price in the country, so now I am expecting.
Thanks for the tip!

P.S. I can't wait...

Reminor, did you ever get those Dyns? Let me know how you like them so far! I'm buying monitors tomorrow, don't laugh but it's between the $1500 BM6A's or $700 KRK V6 'SERIES 2', which I find absolutely incredible for the price (blew away everything in the showroom on a recent GC visit). No place has both for me to hear back to back, which makes it more difficult to decide...

[Reminor]

I got those Dyns. The best way to describe them that they are "deep" -- they allow to paint the sound picture very precisely. They are more 3D so to speak. But at the same time I feel they are more flattering somehow. It is much easier to mix something on them, something which sounds nice ON THEM. I feel I have to really "dive" into the mix, to let it under my skin so to speak, only then I can find the right balance of levels, pan and EQ. In contrast, my old Alesis M1 Actives were very "naked" -- I did not have to meditate into the music to hear things are wrong. My mixes almost always sounded wrong on them LOL. And if I manage to make a nice-sounding mix on them (it is rather hard) -- I knew it WILL translate well.

3D-feeling of Dyns is not necessary a plus as I find those mixes translating to other systems not so well (I am still learning though).

Maybe it's just my room (which is far from perfection) or/and my ears. Room will be no more soon -- I am moving to a house, and I'll have a chance to setup a real project studio in my new basement. Then I'll be able to judge Dyns better. I will probably set Alesis side-by-side with Dyns. They still appear to be a great "reference' for me.

[French Movie Theme]

Well, ya know, I don't really agree with any of this. I have a pair of Fostex powered monitors with a subwoofer - under 300, and they sound good to me. I also believe that you will eventually need more speakers. I have 4 pair in the control room. Jensen Concert 70's, Yamaha NS-8s, Altecs, and of course good 'ol Fostex. and I like the way those sound best. And they are my main monitors. Call me a fuckup, but they work for me. So, just listen to some. Buy and return if you have to. Maybe give Fostex a try... PS 3.1 I believe. I mixed some stuff on M- Audio studiophiles, and I assumed it would be really shitty, 'cos I didn't understand the speakers, but it turned out really well. They seem to translate well. In my experience. Think maybe older speakers.... thrift shops are great for this, especially if you are in a big city ... I got my Jensens for 14.99 and my Altecs for 20. And then you could buy an amp. Good luck, and buy what YOU like. You'll figure out how to make it translate other places.

[drew w]

I have a pair of Fostex powered monitors with a subwoofer - under 300, and they sound good to me.

just wondering what the model number (are they recent or still in production?) on those is if you have it and if that $300 is a new or used price...also looking for affordable monitors for my small studio.
thanks!
For what it's worth...
just looked for these (Fostex ps 3.1)...musician's feind says "This product has been discontinued."

[Derrick]

I need everyone's opionion on some honest, high quality, best kept secret, would kill the person who stole, near field, powered, monitors for my home studio for around 200-350 bucks.

Man, it amazes me that this cat asked for "monitors for my home studio for around 200-350 bucks" and people always come up with Genelecs, Adams, Makies, etc. Look, in his price range, it is possable to get something usable. I assume he's not in a $150,000 and up pro studio situation OK? Ceeelow, I just went to CG and spent 2 1/2 hours listening to EVERYTHING they had and forgot about everything I've read/herd. This helped me a lot because I could make up mu own mind. Just do it. There are two huge CG in your area (one in Baily's Crossroads VA, and one in Rockville, MD). To me, there were nice monitors in the cheap, mid, and expensive range. I also found things I didn't like about monitors people tout... like the KRKs were cloudy in the lower mids. The Aleses sounded very bad but I didn't fiddle with any adjustment switches in the back (if there are any). That's also a very important point... check to see that the back adjustments are set the same on both speakers, and that they are set best for the room and your tastes. I did this and found to my suprise that the M-Audio BX-5s are some of the best sounding (I thought) cheap monitors. It was mentioned that whatever speaker you end up with you will have to learn and know where to compensate. I compensat only by mixing a bit less bass as these only have 5" woofers but everything else is spot on. Pretty good for $200-$300.

[French Movie Theme]

oh shit, discontinued.... damn. well, I bought mine from sam ash, and i still see them in the store sometimes, when i am forced to go. um, yes, they are ps 3.1 give sam ash a try. if you are in LA, call the one on sunset. yes, they were abo 300 new. but then they dropped to like 200!!!! a year later. maybe they didnt sell well. if you can pick em up for 200, DO IT. but only if you like em. i bet they are cheap as hell on ebay too. see ya, good luck.

[bigtoe]

after 1/2 a year on some BM6a i'll add to the comments that i'm happy with em... but not a huge amount of low end and it's still hard for me to make midrange decisions on em.

over all...mixes sound much more balanced anyway...

under 300 i'd look at some stereo stores for some paradigms (sp?) and use a cheaper amp.

just found out a friend from work is leaving in two weeks. double monday drag,

Mike