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Looking for monitors, perhaps used, need advice
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jsrobinson
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jan 7, 2012 20:16:38
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Hey all,
I'm starting to do some research on monitors. Price range would be as little as possible.
I'm looking some at the Yamaha HS80s. From what I've read there's not a lot better for the price range, but, could I get away with less? They're still a little steep for me, a pair being somewhere around $700 it looks like. (Based in the US.)
I'm also unsure if trying to find something used is a good idea or not, it'd depend on the offer I guess.
A few notes:
- I've been using Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones. They're great, the best audio experience I've ever had... but I fatigue way too fast partly because I'm constantly paranoid about levels.
- My only desktop speakers are a set of Altec Lansing ACS48's that I've had since early 1999. Here's the Specs: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?InvtId=ACS48W
I've never heard a set of nearfield monitors in person, and we have absolutely no music stores with this kind of gear in stock within traveling distance. So I need to know if it's going to be a reasonable upgrade going for a budget set, or if I should just keep using the Altecs.
I don't know much about speakers except enough to know it's causing a lot of workflow issues being unsure.
- The room is an upstairs medium sized bedroom. There's not a lot of reverb in here, for an untreated room it sounds pretty dry.
- I have no idea if I'd need an amp as well if I bought monitors. I'm going into a higher end Creative soundcard (in native ASIO mode). It's a gaming card (Soundblaster Fatality Pro,) but it's enough, no latency or colored sound issues. |
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supergroover
IsraTrance Junior Member
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1505
Posted : Jan 7, 2012 20:22
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makus
Overdream
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3087
Posted : Jan 7, 2012 22:11
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Well, considering you have low budget, HS80 or 8" Behringers (dont remember the model, but u can find it via Google) will definitely do it for you. You will be able to work and get pretty decent results. So don't hesitate, grab some of them and just work. I promise u that u gonna have better results on cheap nearfields than any headphones or hifi. They day will come and u gonna get something better.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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makus
Overdream
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3087
Posted : Jan 7, 2012 22:12
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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8087
Posted : Jan 8, 2012 01:21
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that not true at all imo how can you say any headphone and hifi? i think you never used decent hifi or headphone .i have some hifi speaker there that i rate as good as dynaudio..even dynaudio have hifi speaker that should smoke any crapy monitor.
would not be suprised if the ath give him better balanced mix than these monitors ,in fact you will get better mix by using both...
saying you can't make good mix in headphone is bullshit imo |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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8087
Posted : Jan 8, 2012 02:09
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have you ever heard about ns10 man? it started as a hifi speaker wihtout sucess it ended in most pro studio !
audiophile use highend hifi , they want the closest sound to original recording, wihtout any coloration , there is sure lot of hifi speaker made wiht that in mind that smoke lot of monitors |
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aciduss
IsraTrance Full Member
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1490
Posted : Jan 8, 2012 05:33
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You can find used Dynaudio BMA6 or 5 around that price. I'd go for a nice brand even if used... |
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jsrobinson
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
29
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85
Posted : Jan 9, 2012 07:42
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Do I need an amp or any other device between the monitors and my sound card? |
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aciduss
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jan 9, 2012 07:53
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If the monitors are 'active' (which means they have custom amps) they wont. If they are 'passive', then you will need an amp. |
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jsrobinson
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
29
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85
Posted : Jan 9, 2012 10:26
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Bit the bullet tonight and ordered a set of Yamaha HS80m's after much, much research and reading of reviews. Can't wait to get them here!
The wallet stings  |
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
Posts :
3087
Posted : Jan 9, 2012 13:45
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Quote:
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On 2012-01-08 01:21, PoM wrote:
that not true at all imo how can you say any headphone and hifi? i think you never used decent hifi or headphone .i have some hifi speaker there that i rate as good as dynaudio..even dynaudio have hifi speaker that should smoke any crapy monitor.
would not be suprised if the ath give him better balanced mix than these monitors ,in fact you will get better mix by using both...
saying you can't make good mix in headphone is bullshit imo
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Probably you have the point until you start to consider the price. Good hifi costs a lot. Decent headphones cost a lot. I can't mix on my $270 AKG 240 MK2 and even if I do I never dare to release / expose to public such a mix without checking it on monitors. Any monitors. It is true that I never tried to mix on at least a mid-budget HIFI system. Why spend money on it if for that price one can get decent monitoring?
And I would kindly ask you to show some mix of yours which you did with headphones or HIFI only. Please, I will be glad to know there are people who can use home acoustics for work.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
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3087
Posted : Jan 9, 2012 13:50
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Quote:
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On 2012-01-08 02:09, PoM wrote:
have you ever heard about ns10 man? it started as a hifi speaker wihtout sucess it ended in most pro studio !
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So what?
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audiophile use highend hifi , they want the closest sound to original recording, wihtout any coloration , there is sure lot of hifi speaker made wiht that in mind that smoke lot of monitors
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Well I have a possibility to check my mixes on audiophile setup (Custom built player --> Lavry gold --> 2 BBC vintage tube amps --> Altec's Voice of Theater , all connected with mega expensive cords etc.) So I know what is a nuturally sounding PA. Yes it kinda helps. Yes it shows mixing errors. It shows even more - how unnatural most electronic music sounds nowayday. It sounds dead, absolutely dead. But I never ever met ANY other system cheaper than $10k that can come at least a little bit close to that sound. So do I really need to take that into account? Most of the people listen to music on their laptops anyways. Sure i wanna my mixed sound really good, but that kind of systems is truly overkill. Moreover most common mixing mistakes go not because of the monitors themselves. Room acoustics, monitor placement, little experience, tired ears... these things happen much much more often then mistakes from not-so-linear monitor's frequency-response.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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jsrobinson
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
29
Posts :
85
Posted : Jan 9, 2012 21:37
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Can anyone recommend a good source of worth-the-effort, but as cost-effective as possible sound treatment material?
I honestly dont think my room is going to need loads of it, and I'm going to wait until my new monitors arrive before buying anything else, but I'd like to start looking at prices and options. (If you look at several videos of Simon Posford's studio the guy has no sonic treatment visible whatsoever. What's up with that? Anyway.)
I haven't seen much discussion on sonic treatment other than "buy some bass traps and treatment", I'm looking for specific brands and vendors to not get ripped off basically. |
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jsrobinson
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
29
Posts :
85
Posted : Jan 10, 2012 00:36
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Also here's a question if anyone might be able to help... I have 4 line-out 3.5mm jacks on my sound card:
* Line Out 4 jack Connects to the Rear Left and Rear Right inputs on powered analog speakers or an A/V receiver.
* Line Out 3 jack Connects to the Front Center and Subwoofer inputs on powered analog speakers or an A/V receiver.
* Line Out 2 jack Connects to the Side Left and Side Right inputs on powered analog speakers or an A/V receiver.
* Line Out 1 jack Connects to the Front Left and Front Right inputs on powered analog speakers or an A/V receiver. Also connects to stereo headphones with a 3.50 mm (1/8-inch) plug.
I've of course up till now been using my headphones and consumer grade speakers from the stereo jack.
How would I connect these puppies? Utilize two of the line out jacks in some fashion, or just the single stereo jack from a single connecting 1/4''->3.5mm splitter cable of some sort? No clue what to do. The monitors have 1'4'' connections. |
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
Posts :
3087
Posted : Jan 10, 2012 01:33
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Quote:
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On 2012-01-09 21:37, jsrobinson wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good source of worth-the-effort, but as cost-effective as possible sound treatment material?
I honestly dont think my room is going to need loads of it, and I'm going to wait until my new monitors arrive before buying anything else, but I'd like to start looking at prices and options. (If you look at several videos of Simon Posford's studio the guy has no sonic treatment visible whatsoever. What's up with that? Anyway.)
I haven't seen much discussion on sonic treatment other than "buy some bass traps and treatment", I'm looking for specific brands and vendors to not get ripped off basically.
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Well, talking about cost effectiveness I think the best option is DIY bass traps. There is a LOT of info on that in google and youtube. I did 10 inch (25 sm) bass traps myself and they work great. As i have pretty small room, I had to go pretty crazy with the thickness of those, to fight the low end rumble that my room creates. I already have 10 of those but need at least 6 more.
These bass traps are really easy to do and they are cheap. Like 5 traps cost me maybe $50 or something like that. Also each one isnt very heavy, so you won't need to make a huge holes to hang it. Also I've got Auralex corner bass traps and several Mappysil grey square plates (pretty famous ones).
In the equipment section, there was a very nice thread by Orgytime who made same stuff but also pictured the process of making the treatment. His mixes are very tight and clean, so you can easily rely on his tutorial 
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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