| Author
|
What are the current best nearfield monitors + DAC?
|
a212121
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
87
Posted : Jan 3, 2008 19:22
|
Hi, so after asking if something new is going to be released this year: http://forum.isratrance.com/any-website-about-studio-monitors-news/
And after reading: http://forum.isratrance.com/beginning-of-a-new-era-klein-hummel-o300-benchmark-dac-1/
I think i'll already have like 6000 euros in the next 3 or 4 months! 
What are the current best studio monitors? nearfield please? and a DAC?
Should i get the "Klein & Hummel O300 + Benchmark DAC-1" combination? wich has very good feedback!
I want the best for ELECTRONIC music only
But about the DAC Alex Roudos said that "everyone that compared it to the DAC1 said that the DA 10 is better"
and he also said "i'll wait until and if i have the money to upgrade to the highest end of dacs like the Prism or Lavry Gold."
Are those DAC's really better? should i save a little more and buy them? where can i find them in europe?
Thanks all |
|
|
PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
162
Posts :
8087
Posted : Jan 3, 2008 22:17
|
|
if i had the money for new montiors i ll try the adam s3a ,kh 0300,barefoot(very expensive) and Pmc with lavry converters. |
|
|
|
a212121
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
87
Posted : Jan 3, 2008 22:24
|
Thanks!
I don't think you can buy barefoot in europe  would have to import them from the states and pay a lot!
What are "lavry converters"?
And what about the DAC?
Thanks for your reply |
|
|
|
Tomos
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
84
Posts :
981
Posted : Jan 3, 2008 22:36
|
Lavry is a DAC. Similar to the DAC1 we discussed in your other thread.
You will never get a straight answer out of anyone if you ask questions like 'what is the best...'
Everyone has a different opinion and everyone has a different taste in sound and what they want from their setup.
You need to HEAR these speakers before you buy them and make an subjective choice.
I have to ask, are you just looking to buy for a project studio or are you going to be making money from your investment.. as if you go down the route you seem to be aiming for there are untold hidden costs like quality cables, acoustics, stands for your monitors, will you need a subwoofer..
Is your current level of expertise enough to justify such a spend? Can you personally tell the difference between a £7000 and £10000 top end DACs?
You should be spending at least half as much on acoustics as on your monitoring setup, otherwise you will have wasted your money. I'm serious, the room is as important as the speakers.
If you're looking to just be the best, then remember many many brilliant pieces of music come from people with the bare minimum, but they knew their setup well and how to get the best out of it. |
|
|
|
Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
411
Posted : Jan 3, 2008 23:06
|
As i mentioned the Lavry seems to be better according to many people who compared it directly to the DAC1. But keep also in mind that the differences are not that big anyway and all the people that said that were really pro studio people(producers, mixing and mastering engineers) with great experience, great sounding rooms, great sounding equipment and if not golden very trained ears. Therefore, i don't think that most of us(including me as well) in this forum are in a level to really tell the difference between them. I chose for the DAC1 for all the above reasons and because for its extra versatility and aesthetics.
From what i read it's not really worth it to get a super high end 10.000 euros da converter as the quality difference is audible but not justifiable at all considering the difference in price.
As for your quest for monitors. Don't wait until something new comes out in the high end. It doesn't happen very often at all, and you'll probably wait way too long.
Admittedly the O300s are the ones for electronic music, as many people have reported in the gearslutz forums, and i can definitely confirm that.
In my opinion you have two choices. Either you wait until the Barefoots will be available in Europe and pay probably more than 6.000e or get the O300 plus the 0800 sub and you'll have probably the best 4-way monitoring system available. Add to that the Lavry DA10(if you like it more than the DAC1) and you'll have literally the pro high end sound.
 A friend told me once that the biggest mistake we make is that we believe we live, when in reality we are sleeping in the waiting room of life. |
|
|
|
a212121
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
87
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 01:12
|
I thank you Tomos and Tomos so much for your time
I do agree that for a home use maybe i'm thinking about something too good
The klein hummel 300 + dac1 usb would be more than enough
One of the things i can't forget is that i can't play my music loud! I live in a old house so maybe i'll just get the k&h 300 without the sub, right?
How important is the sub if i buy the k&h 300 o? Will I be ok without it?
Check out this review: DAC1 VS Lavry
http://studioforums.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/694106689/m/6611090261
And where can i buy Lavry in europe?
My last question is if i buy this two products what soundcard should i get? I only work with a laptop!
I still don't get difference between the Benchmark DAC-1 and the USB version?!?
Thanks all |
|
|
|
a212121
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
87
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 01:52
|
|
EDIT: So after reading more i see that the usb version if for people that don't have a soundcard? I can just buy a good laptop soundcard and connect it to Benchmark DAC without needing usb, right? |
|
|
|
Tomos
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
84
Posts :
981
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 02:06
|
You may want to consider that if you live in a house with people to disturb sub frequencies travel pretty much through anything, the lower the frequency the more energy required to produce it, and the further it travels.
I can hear my neighbours car when he returns home when his music is only on moderately from the other side of my house inside my studio because of his subwoofer.
With the K&H, if your acoustics are good, you shouldn't need a subwoofer, although if you want the whole 'sonic picture' down there you may find adding one helps.. but once again - it really isn't worth it unless your room is properly treated, adding to sub a room can cause chaos (picture the amount of sound energy that will build up in the room - considering I can hear cars with subs 100ft away inside a house)
You'll need to absorb all the excess bass or you're mixes will go haywire.
I read that Benchmark vs Lavry review before I bought my DAC1, but I really don't think I could hear the difference between them, plus the price of the Lavry put it a little out of reach, and I much prefered the look and features of the Benchmark. Besides, I found a company that will do a quite costly modification on the DAC1 to improve it - but we're entering into audiophile voodoo territory when talking about modifying expensive high end gear. An upgrade to consider in the future if I'm feeling particularly rich some day.
As for soundcard - it only matters what features you need on your card, as long as it has digital out, the DAC will handle the conversion, the soundcard does stuff like record inputs and keep the latency low.
The USB version of the DAC1 is for people without soundcards looking to make their PC into a great sounding jukebox. I don't think its really necessary in a studio environment, and I don't know what the deal with latency is when using it. Stick with the original and save yourself $300.
|
|
|
|
Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
411
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 02:11
|
You definitely don't need the 0800 sub, unless you want to raise the overall output of the 0300s and go down to 27hz. The 0300s are very powerful for a normal sized room and they go down to true and detailed 40hz.
The DAC1 USB from what i understand is supposed to be a usb audio interface as well. Which means that you don't need an extra soundcard if you don't make any recordings. But i would email Benchmark to confirm that.
I found this seller for Lavry products in Europe :
http://www.truetrackrec.de/LavryOnlineEU.htm
And here's the list of their european dealers :
http://www.lavryengineering.com/index_html.html
A friend told me once that the biggest mistake we make is that we believe we live, when in reality we are sleeping in the waiting room of life. |
|
|
|
a212121
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
87
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 02:53
|
Thanks so much for the replies!
I have this sound card http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/CardBus/IndigoDJ/index.php
"Finally, a portable solution for the digital DJ. Indigo DJ offers two independent stereo 1/8 inch analog outputs one for setting up your cue mix on a pair of headphones, and the other for the house mix. Each output features 24-bit/96kHz converters for the quality you deserve. Also included is a 6 foot audio cable for RCA or 1/4 inch connections."
So i guess it won't work... it doesn't have digital outputs |
|
|
|
Tomos
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
84
Posts :
981
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 03:08
|
|
Your laptop might actually have a digital out on the built in sound card, then you can use the Asio4all driver to lower your latency. Have a look. |
|
|
|
Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
411
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 03:15
|
No the Indigo DJ won't work.
What other equipment you have and how you plan on connecting them after you get what you want?
And to be more precise, what is it exactly you want to do in terms of music production?
A friend told me once that the biggest mistake we make is that we believe we live, when in reality we are sleeping in the waiting room of life. |
|
|
|
a212121
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
87
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 03:24
|
Going to use just my laptop, cubase and vsts... i still don't have any external instruments but i'm thinking about buying a nord or something later
"Your laptop might actually have a digital out on the built in sound card, then you can use the Asio4all driver to lower your latency. Have a look."
Hmm the indigio soundcard as the the same output as my laptop soundcard, a stereo 1/8" connector, i have a Xone 92 professional mixer, i used to connect the soundcard to the mixer line input and the mixer outputs to my shitty alesis speakers
So what kind of soundcard should i get to use with a laptop and dac1?
Thanks again so much for all of your help |
|
|
|
UnderTow
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
1448
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 12:30
|
a212121 You need a sound card with a digital output to connect to the DAC-1. As no actual sound will be going through the sound card (just bits and bytes) the important thing to look for is stable low-latency drivers.
UnderTow |
|
|
|
PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
162
Posts :
8087
Posted : Jan 4, 2008 12:42
|
|
if you buy some hardware synth i ll go with the lavry blue cause it s modular, first you can buy only 2 d/a chanel and then add 2 a/d or more... (they are around 800/900 $ wihtout the rack if i m right) imo it s the best you can get wihtout spending lot of money (like getting the da 10 and then the ad 10 or a benchmark dac 10 and then a other one... in the end you loose too much money vs the blue and it s better or as good as the da 10 ) |
|
|
|
