[MF_Kitten]

sooo, i´ve got about 700 bucks, and i want studio monitors. the problem is that there is such a monstrous variety to choose between, so i have no clue what i should go for.

there are some concerns:

1: i can´t listen to them before buying, there are NO places around here that carry studio monitors, and if they did, they wouldn´t let you listen to them :P

2: there´s the whole "what should studio monitors sound like?" argument.

elaborating on the second point:

there are two basic types of people when it comes to studio monitors.

there are the ones that think studio monitors should sound flat-as-fuck, and that you have to know what a good mic would sound like IN RELATION to these monitors. that means that if you make your mix sound awesome and powerfull with a ballsy low end on these monitors, you´ll end up with an EXTREMELY boomy low end on other speakers, because you made the mix sound hyped on under-hyped speakers, and already-hyped speakers would kill it.

then there are the people that think studio monitors should sound GOOD, so that when a mix sounds good, it actually does. the problem here, is that if you mix something on these, and it sounds awesome, powerfull, ballsy low end, all that, on these, then you could end up with a dead-sounding mix, because your speakers were too hyped to start with (that´s my problem ATM)

so basically, i want speakers that sound balanced. i don´t want to compensate my mixes and stuff like that, i want it to sound good, but not hyped. i want the high end to be realistic, and i want the low end to be realistic. so basically, i don´t want something like yamaha NS10´s or something, i want to hear a kicking low end if it´s there, but i don´t want it to be hyped. if i make a mix sound huge and powerfull on the monitors, i want it to sound huge and powerfull on ordinary speakers too.

so i´ve looked at the Fostex PM1 and PM2 series for some time, and from what people are saying (having compared them to lots of the "studio standards", is that they sound nice, meaning no ear-fatiguing high-mids peak, no lacking low end, but at the same time no lack of high end, and no hyped and peaky low-end.

anyone here know if this is a good choise? lots of people trust their KRK monitors too, while lots of people also say that the KRKs are like the first type i described...

any suggestions? i need to be able to hear lots of low end, so no "100 HZ cutoff" stuff, i want to be able to hear really low frequencies too, as i tune down alot (see my "drop E baritone" clip :P)

[Blackrg]

I agree about NS10s - I hate them too, I see no point in suffering all the way through the recording process..

if you can stretch $$ then Adam A7 Very accurate, not fatiguing, good detail. 6 inch driver, good for small room, some say you need a sub

On the budget side, check out Tannoy Reveal or Precision

I havent had good experience on KRK, my buddy has V6s = painful high end.. I'd go with Fostex over KRK


What you could do is buy a couple of sets by mail order

Then return the one you dont like...

[Matt Crooks]

I am assuming you want powered monitors. If so, on that budget I'd look for a pair of used Mackie HR824s...

[PeteLaramee]

Originally Posted by Matt Crooks

I am assuming you want powered monitors. If so, on that budget I'd look for a pair of used Mackie HR824s...

+1 I heard these for the first time a few months ago and will be getting some in the near future.

Hey Matt - How the fuck are you?

[Matt Crooks]

Originally Posted by PeteLaramee

+1 I heard these for the first time a few months ago and will be getting some in the near future.

Hey Matt - How the fuck are you?

Good. I'll send you a PM...

[MF_Kitten]

i´ve heard that those mackie HR824s are great, but have some sort of weird harmonic at the middle C... but i´m pretty sure that´s not the monitor, but the guy who said it´s fault :P

so if i´m choosing between fostex or mackie, which one is the best for my kind of taste, and thinking about balance soundwise?

edit: just checked out the mackies, and they´re quite out of my price range. so were the adams, and so i´m left with the fostex at the moment. i won´t be able to afford more, as i´ve got ther things i need, and i have to put limits to the expences :P

[Matt Crooks]

I have no real experience with the Fostex, but I owned the Mackies for a couple of years. You can not go wrong with the Mackies for that budget. They are a little hyped and muddy in the low end, but not too bad.

[Ryan]

KRK RP6's are on sale. That's what I'm getting Beats the shit out of my 1989 Magnavox Home Stereo speakers.

[KaLeVaLA]

I would reccommend KRK V series 2, or Dynaudio. Dynaudio BM5A is amazing, but they are a bit pricey ($900-1100) im going to buy theese verry soon.
Maybe yoou wanna buy the ones i have now? Alesis m1 Active620. Norway here too you know

[MF_Kitten]

but how do they sound like? all of you who suggested things that you have, or have had, can you somehow describe the characteristics of the monitors, and why it´s good? :P

i´m really leaning towards fostex at the moment, as they seem to fit my needs very nicely, having the kind of characteristics i´m looking for (from reviews, comparisons and specs that is)