# Studio Monitors: The best for the lowest price



## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

What are the best studio monitors available for the money? I know a lot of guys use the KRK Rockit ones, but what are some other alternatives that are just as good, and possibly cheaper?


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

Behringer truth b2030 ( I use them, I like them. 
Esi near *06* (do not get the 05.) (what most people would recommend)
Alesis mk2 (also really good)


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## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

Buy Alesis ProLinear 820 2-Way Active Studio Monitor online at Musician's Friend

^How about those?

I didn't see the MK2s on the site.


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## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

And I see no Behringer or Esi studio monitors on Musicians Friend or Music123


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

No behringer, that cause for riots.


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

Zepp88 said:


> Buy Alesis ProLinear 820 2-Way Active Studio Monitor online at Musician's Friend
> 
> ^How about those?
> 
> I didn't see the MK2s on the site.



"I was under the impression that I would get 2 monitors because thats the way they are pictured so I bought it, once I got it and plugged it in I was hooked and ordered the second one."


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## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

Odd, didn't read the reviews. 

They're usually sold in pairs....hrm.....


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## John_Strychnine (Dec 5, 2007)

I use some tapco S8's there pretty good for the money.

Bit boxey, but no complaints otherwise.

Maybe try the S5's if you want something smaller as the S8's are massive.


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## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

Christ the Tapcos are $300


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

John_Strychnine said:


> I use some tapco S8's there pretty good for the money.
> 
> Bit boxey, but no complaints otherwise.
> 
> Maybe try the S5's if you want something smaller as the S8's are massive.



It's not a bad idea to have a little bigger when it comes to monitors. a 8" element is better then the 5". IMO


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## John_Strychnine (Dec 5, 2007)

Desecrated said:


> It's not a bad idea to have a little bigger when it comes to monitors. a 8" element is better then the 5". IMO



Aye deifnatley,but it's also down to desk space at home etc, before i got my flat screen i was using a 19" CRT, with these 8" speaker monitors on the desk  

Quite a squeeeeeeze!


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

John_Strychnine said:


> Aye deifnatley,but it's also down to desk space at home etc, before i got my flat screen i was using a 19" CRT, with these 8" speaker monitors on the desk
> 
> Quite a squeeeeeeze!



I know that feeling, I now have a dinner table in my workroom, so that everything fits.


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## eaeolian (Dec 5, 2007)

I've been using the Yamaha HS50Ms. I can't say I like them, but they keep me very honest, which is more important.

The Samson Resolve series get very good reviews in the "very cheap" price range. The Yorkville YSM1P get very good reviews, as well.


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## jacksonplayer (Dec 5, 2007)

John_Strychnine said:


> Aye deifnatley,but it's also down to desk space at home etc, before i got my flat screen i was using a 19" CRT, with these 8" speaker monitors on the desk
> 
> Quite a squeeeeeeze!



I use 8" monitors, but 5" will work just fine. The key with *any* monitor is to learn its sonic characteristics, so you don't wind up with weird mixes. From time to time, I still go back and listen to some of my favorite CDs through my studio monitors, just to refresh my memory of how they sound.

Just about any monitor that gives you a detailed sound will work. In the end, to get a good mix you need to listen on a variety of different setups anyway (car, boombox, home stereo, etc.)

BTW, I've had good luck with my M-Audio BX-8 monitors, and they were very reasonably priced.


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## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

Where can I find the Samson and the Yorkvilles? Neither musicians friend nor music123 carry them.


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## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

I'll be listening to music, watching DVDs and recording with these monitors


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

jacksonplayer said:


> I use 8" monitors, but 5" will work just fine. The key with *any* monitor is to learn its sonic characteristics, so you don't wind up with weird mixes. From time to time, I still go back and listen to some of my favorite CDs through my studio monitors, just to refresh my memory of how they sound.
> 
> Just about any monitor that gives you a detailed sound will work. In the end, to get a good mix you need to listen on a variety of different setups anyway (car, boombox, home stereo, etc.)
> 
> BTW, I've had good luck with my M-Audio BX-8 monitors, and they were very reasonably priced.



I agree with you, but from my experience sometimes you need the 8", the behringer is 6,3/4 and I use my headphones to tune in the bass sometimes. I've been thinking about getting a sub for the workroom as well, but I don't know what my neighbours will think of that :=)


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## eaeolian (Dec 5, 2007)

American Music Supply has the Samsons. Yorkvilles are a little harder to find...


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## Zepp88 (Dec 5, 2007)

Samson Resolve 50a Active Reference Monitors Pair at AmericanMusical.com


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## JBroll (Dec 5, 2007)

Avoid the Behringers.

I've heard a lot of good things about the M-Audio BX series.

Jeff


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## John_Strychnine (Dec 5, 2007)

The behringers sound fucking errible, but it's a good thing in a way, coz ull have a good mix when everything sounds good (kinda like Yamaha NS10's i guess) 

Although with the NS10's u would need another set of monitors as those things have no bass what so ever.

Studiospares sell a replica of the ns10's, as the ns10's sound so bad, might be worth checking out i dunno. Nice monitors doesn't always mean good.

The M audio BX5's are real nice too.


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## JBroll (Dec 5, 2007)

John_Strychnine said:


> (kinda like Yamaha NS10's i guess)



No... there's still plenty of odd shit that can go all but unnoticed on Truths that'll fuck a mix really well. 

The NS10s make mixes sound worse by pulling off the beer goggles, wiping off the lipstick, yanking out the pushup bra, and trading the fuck-me boots for bunny slippers. The Truths make mixes sound worse by trying to fit a sequined dress and apply stage makeup while looking in a funhouse mirror. Fuck that.

Jeff


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## stuh84 (Dec 5, 2007)

KRK Rockets are always worth a look definitely, I've heard a lot of good things about them, and they sound alright.

I use Genelecs myself, but you are unlikely to find any reasonably priced ones, even the 8020A's are a pretty penny.


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## thadood (Dec 5, 2007)

stuh84 said:


> KRK Rockets are always worth a look definitely, I've heard a lot of good things about them, and they sound alright.
> 
> I use Genelecs myself, but you are unlikely to find any reasonably priced ones, even the 8020A's are a pretty penny.



 

The studio on campus has a set of these: Genelec Inc. - Genelec 1037B

Talk about a pretty penny..

Anyway, I heard them mentioned.. avoid the NS10's. They're completely unnatural in their sound. They have a boost in the upper-mids that can wreck a mxi you're working on, not to mention the lack of bass. You'll end up with a hollow, bassy mix with them.


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## JBroll (Dec 5, 2007)

thadood said:


> Anyway, I heard them mentioned.. avoid the NS10's. They're completely unnatural in their sound. They have a boost in the upper-mids that can wreck a mxi you're working on, not to mention the lack of bass. You'll end up with a hollow, bassy mix with them.



The kind of hollow, bassy mix only guys like Andy Sneap, Chris Lord-Alge, and Colin Richardson can get.

Jeff


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

JBroll said:


> Avoid the Behringers.
> 
> I've heard a lot of good things about the M-Audio BX series.
> 
> Jeff



You always diss behringer stuff


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## JBroll (Dec 5, 2007)

Desecrated said:


> You always diss behringer stuff



It always needs fixing (I tinker with guitar pedals... and when their switches and jacks are all that need replacement I've got an easy job on my hands) or replacing (the Truth monitors are about as worthy of their name as Fox News is of its slogan) in my experience. I insult a lot of gear, though, so it's not just them. When your build quality is cheap and your designs are ripped off of other people (even with insultingly obvious attempts at hinting at what they're ripping off... Bugera 6260 anyone?) you don't make friends easily.

Jeff


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## Ze Kink (Dec 5, 2007)

Desecrated said:


> Behringer truth b2030 ( I use them, I like them.
> Esi near *06* (do not get the 05.) (what most people would recommend)
> Alesis mk2 (also really good)



I also use the B2030A's, and I think they're very good for their price. The B2031A's were even better, but too big for me. There's a new and more expensive version out now too, but I've no experience with them. The only downside of the B2030A's is that I have to use headphones to mix the bass side well, as the monitors don't go very low. I'm still very happy with them.

I've heard much good about the Esi's too.


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## stuh84 (Dec 5, 2007)

I can agree with the avoiding Behringer Truth's, used them at uni. My hifi speakers at home were better for mixing on than them.

If you can afford it, any of the 80x0A range of Genelecs are to die for (my 8030A's are unbelievable), but there are a lot of decent priced monitors nowadays. The M-Audio's are pretty alright too.

JBroll, you seem to missing something about the NS10's when just mentioning names of people that use them. Most that do have other reference monitors.

Sneap has Genelecs and Dynaudios, Lord-Alge uses them in conjuction with a subwoofer, Richardson uses other references (I saw Yamaha MSP10's mentioned). NS10's are fantastic for showing your mix up, but having them on their own, without any additions, will get your mixes sound like they have been done on NS10's, which by very nature, are a bassless midrangey set of monitors.


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## Drew (Dec 5, 2007)

I've been using Truth's for some time now - there's better speakers out there, I'm sure, but they're perfectly functional. Still, I do plan on upgrading some day.


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## JBroll (Dec 5, 2007)

stuh84 said:


> JBroll, you seem to missing something about the NS10's when just mentioning names of people that use them. Most that do have other reference monitors.
> 
> Sneap has Genelecs and Dynaudios, Lord-Alge uses them in conjuction with a subwoofer, Richardson uses other references (I saw Yamaha MSP10's mentioned). NS10's are fantastic for showing your mix up, but having them on their own, without any additions, will get your mixes sound like they have been done on NS10's, which by very nature, are a bassless midrangey set of monitors.



I had pointed out earlier that they were used to show exactly everything that could make a mix sound poor. That was the point. Yes, I know they use other monitors for other parts... I just said right before that post that they were used to make sure a mix wasn't hiding anything nasty.

Jeff


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

JBroll said:


> It always needs fixing (I tinker with guitar pedals... and when their switches and jacks are all that need replacement I've got an easy job on my hands) or replacing (the Truth monitors are about as worthy of their name as Fox News is of its slogan) in my experience. I insult a lot of gear, though, so it's not just them. When your build quality is cheap and your designs are ripped off of other people (even with insultingly obvious attempts at hinting at what they're ripping off... Bugera 6260 anyone?) you don't make friends easily.
> 
> Jeff



Thats weird, because I have a bunch of behringer stuff, my workroom is almost entirely behringer and half my studio is behringer and I've never had any problem with switches and jacks.
But I've heard about some of their gear being malfunctioning so they are not perfect, I've just been very lucky with them and a lot of other people as well. 



stuh84 said:


> If you can afford it, any of the 80x0A range of Genelecs are to die for (my 8030A's are unbelievable), but there are a lot of decent priced monitors nowadays. The M-Audio's are pretty alright too.



The 8030's are great, with a sub, I tried both the 8030 and the 8020, and for some reason I like the 8020 more, and with a sub it sounds really good. but then where not talking cheap monitors. 



Drew said:


> I've been using Truth's for some time now - there's better speakers out there, I'm sure, but they're perfectly functional. Still, I do plan on upgrading some day.



+1
But I wont upgrade my speakers before I upgrade my room, having a good room is even more essential when you have nearfeild monitors.


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## ShawnFjellstad (Dec 5, 2007)

are all of these monitors you guys are suggesting flat-response?


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## techjsteele (Dec 5, 2007)

Zepp88 said:


> Samson Resolve 50a Active Reference Monitors Pair at AmericanMusical.com


 
I have a pair of Samson Resolv 65a's and I love them!


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## Drew (Dec 5, 2007)

Desecrated said:


> +1
> But I wont upgrade my speakers before I upgrade my room, having a good room is even more essential when you have nearfeild monitors.



Um, I had to check this on wikipedia to be sure, but...



Wiki on "studio monitors" said:


> A near-field speaker is a compact studio monitor designed for listening at close distances (3&#8217;-5&#8217, so, in theory, the effects of poor room acoustics are greatly reduced.)



...the entire point of a "near-field" design was to minimize the role a room had on the sound of a monitor by putting the listener within the monitor's "near field," so that the sound coming directly from the speaker was much more prominant than the room sound. 

I mean, I'm not saying that the room doesn't count, because that's obviously not true... Just that if you're really monitoring from within the near field, that the room matters less than it would with far-field speakers...


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## Desecrated (Dec 5, 2007)

Drew said:


> Um, I had to check this on wikipedia to be sure, but...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



since it's on wikipedia it must be true. but I think that studio monitors are affected more from the room then hifi speakers. Maybe my rooms are weird 

Also with studio monitors it's harder to find that sweet spot where they sound really good.


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## Drew (Dec 5, 2007)

Desecrated said:


> since it's on wikipedia it must be true. but I think that studio monitors are affected more from the room then hifi speakers. Maybe my rooms are weird
> 
> Also with studio monitors it's harder to find that sweet spot where they sound really good.



Wikipedia was just the fastest place I could look up the actual definition of "near field."  If you want something a little more reliable, read that long thread on mics I just linked, and about 15 pages in or so they start talking about the difference between near field and far field from a mic's standpoint. 

Again, I'm not saying that a room doesn't matter for nearfield monitoring, but that it should matter less than a set of commercial speakers designed to be heard in a room....


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## eaeolian (Dec 5, 2007)

ShawnFjellstad said:


> are all of these monitors you guys are suggesting flat-response?



All claim to be. Some are flatter than others.

At this level - hell, at ANY level - monitor taste is harder to nail down than taste in women.

I'll agree that the NS10s are less than ideal overall. However, ALL of these are less than ideal, so learning them is important. I've spent a lot of time with the HS50s, and I know most of their issues.


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## Jeff (Dec 5, 2007)

I would stay far away from M-Audio speakers. the entire volume pot assembly just fell apart within a week, and upon looking inside, the construction is absolute crap. I fixed it, but am definitely underwhelmed with the build quality. 

Funny some of you guys bagging on Behringer, but liking M-Audio. Where do you think M-Audio's stuff is made? China, just like Behringer. 

Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, but having owned M-Audio speakers, and owning Behringer stuff (mixers, other minor stuff) I'd go with Behringer next time. 

For more money, KRK is the way to go though.


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## JBroll (Dec 5, 2007)

Jeff said:


> I would stay far away from M-Audio speakers. the entire volume pot assembly just fell apart within a week, and upon looking inside, the construction is absolute crap. I fixed it, but am definitely underwhelmed with the build quality.



I guess that's one difference - I've never had a problem with the stuff.



Jeff said:


> Funny some of you guys bagging on Behringer, but liking M-Audio. Where do you think M-Audio's stuff is made? China, just like Behringer.



I don't dislike Behringer because it's made in China. Just because something is made in China doesn't automatically make it shit - sure, it may have lead and mercury just waiting to poison us and small, easily removed parts for hours of child-choking fun, but...

I dislike Behringer for making shitty copies of things, changing the bare minimum of this-and-that to make it not intellectual property theft, and pretending that their stuff is original... or, worse yet, an improvement over what it's ripping off. 

I've had great experiences with all of my M-Audio stuff, and shitty experiences (like being the guy fixing the boxes) with Behringer stuff, so they're losing points for build quality there. They may both be in China, but that isn't the entirety of what people base their choices on.

Jeff


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Dec 5, 2007)

Zepp88 said:


> What are the best studio monitors available for the money? I know a lot of guys use the KRK Rockit ones, but what are some other alternatives that are just as good, and possibly cheaper?



KRK RP8 Rokit Powered Studio Monitor Specifications 

Drivers: 
Woofer: 8 inch Glass Aramid Composite Woofer 
Tweeter: 1 inch Neodymium Soft Dome Tweeter with Ferro Fluid 
Input: XLR (3-pin), RCA & 1/4 inch TRS - 10k Ohm Balanced/Unbalanced 
Amplification: 140 Watt Dynamic Power Bi-amp
24 dB Octave Filters 
Frequency Response: *45Hz* - 20kHz 
Video Shielding: Yes 
Dimensions (H x W x D): 15 x 10 7/16 x 12 inches
38.1 x 26.5 x 30.4 cm 
Shipping Weight: 30 lbs. (15 Kg) 

I'm not sure I could rely on them with that extreme of a bass rolloff.

The Event ASP6's look interesting to me.
Event Studio Precision 6 Biamp Powered Studio Monitors Pair 6.5 Inch 280 Watts at AmericanMusical.com

http://www.americanmusical.com/manuals/event/eveasp_manual.pdf


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## jacksonplayer (Dec 5, 2007)

Jeff said:


> I would stay far away from M-Audio speakers. the entire volume pot assembly just fell apart within a week, and upon looking inside, the construction is absolute crap. I fixed it, but am definitely underwhelmed with the build quality.



I haven't had a single problem with mine. My main fault with them is that they are slightly trebly. They reproduce plenty of bass too, but their bias seems to be toward the high end. Because of that, I have to be a bit careful in order to avoid bass-heavy mixes.

Really, my main piece of advice for someone looking for nearfields is to go to your local Guitar Center. Most of them have a "studio gear room"; bring along your favorite CD and you can test drive a whole bunch of speakers against each other. That's what I did. If money was no issue, I would have gone with a Mackie HR824 or Event TR8 setup, but of the ones I could afford, the M-Audios tickled my eardrums the best. I thought they blew away the Behringers.


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## ibznorange (Dec 6, 2007)

m-audio ftw


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