Monitors

Lephrenic · Post by **Lephrenic** » Sun May 11, 2008 3:02 am

Blue Sky?

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:44 am

a1studmuffin wrote:My advice - save up and get the better ones. It may seem expensive, but it's a one-off cost and settling for second best will affect everything you work on, and you'll want to upgrade after awhile. I simply found my old 5" Alesis monitors inadequate. My 8" HR824s are exactly what I was after - I can't see myself upgrading - EVER - unless I break them!

although i understand the rationale i dont really subscribe to it for all cases. ive been around audio gear long enough to know when im making an acceptable compromise. and really given the amount of time i have for my sound work and my other financial prorities i cant justify the extra $$ unfortunately.

its not like im looking at the cheapest anyway. i dont want to get pokey 5" $600p boxes, the rolands look like something that next level up without the $2000 madness - but so little online reviews... must be new?

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Mon May 12, 2008 1:08 pm

I haven't heard anything about Roland monitors, good or bad.

a1studmuffin · Post by **a1studmuffin** » Mon May 12, 2008 2:12 pm

FS - yeah fair enough mate, just get the best that you can afford. Whatever your budget is, I'd consider trying to get second-hand monitors that are a notch up (ex-display models or second-hand from ebay/trading post) rather than brand new ones that don't rate as highly. I was lucky enough to grab my HR824s from Derringers in Adelaide. They were ex-displays as the HR824s were superceded by the HR824 MKII. Ended up getting about $1000 off in total, so was pretty pleased!

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon May 12, 2008 3:52 pm

Direktor wrote:I haven't heard anything about Roland monitors, good or bad.

Seems to be the case everywhere... hmmm

you know of other monitors at that price/size point?

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Mon May 12, 2008 4:22 pm

Only the usual suspects that have been already been mentioned mate...

Samson Rubicon, M-Audio BXa series, Tapco, KRK etc

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon May 12, 2008 4:24 pm

yeah, think ill skip the m-audios, the 8" are comparable price but not quality IMO. Need to listen to the KRKs, theres also some yamahas too.

I still feel 5"s dont have enough, and at that price point 8"s tend to be overblown but maybe thats an incorrect assumption. it does help me to narrow down what im looking for though!

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:40 pm

had another listen today passing past allans, but need to bring in some bassier music. i like them, good mids seperation. compared them to the m-1s which sounded mipressive but potentially overblown in the bass- which i was told they have a reputation for...

will put together some dub and jungle to relisten, along with some breakcore and soundart stuff for the tops

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:41 pm

i know the dyns a better though

always loved dyns, working in high end hifi spoiled me!

Blaxter · Post by **Blaxter** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:43 pm

KRK's pop their cones too easy at high volume.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:44 pm

too ugly too. couldn't live with

Lephrenic · Post by **Lephrenic** » Tue May 13, 2008 3:15 am

Blue Sky?

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue May 13, 2008 8:23 am

might pop by that store sometime too. they had a few monitors last i checked

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:09 pm

Back from a listening session at alans. some thoughts (cant remember model numbers, but all speakers around $700-1200.

KRK's (8"?): best all rounder and $12/1300 retail. good bass extension and no major compromises. ugly as sin though

Roland DM7 (6.5"). Very good mids, highs, excellent seperation, tansient response. realistic bass but not much extension. no sense of physical presence in that regard but doesnt do anything it cant handle. The 8" was a real step up but more expensive - quite gentieel speakers

Alesis M1 680s: Didn't like. fake, fatiguing bass and when playing music where the bass wandered it showed although strong, was more of a one note wonder in the bottom end.

Yamahas (8"?): Nice bass but didn't like the upper mid balance. seemed skewiff and fatiguing

Berhinger 8": actually not bad sounding, but for the size of box etc the bass was really a bit of a trick - sounded well balanced but really had no extension when asked

M-audio 8": not good

Events were ok but sounded boxy, fatiguing. vibrated too

compared to the 8" mackies ($2-2300) of course they all sounded wak. actually the roland stood up well in the mids/tops but the overall presence, with bass, of the makies was WOW

Might make a trip to factory next. the krks seem like a good refernce point for an affordable speaker. pity about the looks!

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:25 pm

I recon the KRK's look wicked and sound rubbish! haha weird.

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:31 pm

if you wanna talk aesthetics the Mackies are the shittest looking speakers I've seen for some time.

I didn't really like the look of the dyns at all untill I got them home and realised how badass the little black metal tweater guards and the grey plates they sit in looked.

got nothing on big fuck of fluro yellow speaker cones though, hah.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:31 pm

yeah i certainly wouldnt say they amazed me in any way but felt that for the price all the compromises were evened out - nothing shocking in any freq range, but nothing amazing either.

other speakers seemed to strongly overdo or miss something for that price range

just curious, if you thought they were rubbish was this in comparison to more $$ speakers, or others around that point?

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:33 pm

flippo wrote:if you wanna talk aesthetics the Mackies are the shittest looking speakers I've seen for some time.

I didn't really like the look of the dyns at all untill I got them home and realised how badass the little black metal tweater guards and the grey plates they sit in looked.

got nothing on big fuck of fluro yellow speaker cones though, hah.

ive been in love with the slotty woofer design on the dyns since i was a wee tacker!

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:42 pm

FoundationStepper wrote: just curious, if you thought they were rubbish was this in comparison to more $$ speakers, or others around that point?

Partly my own stuipd fault for starting of listening to shit that was mroe expensive. but If I put a limit on myself, I would have easily gone the event TR series over the KRK's if I was getting cheaper ones. They were a bit hyped though, but yeah I felt the midrange was passing through a paper bag on the KRK's

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:48 pm

understand what your saying. they certiainly didn't have the clarity of say the rolands, but were adequate for the price i thought

there are some new mackies out id like to hear, the MR5" and 8"s, $800 and $1400 retail respectively

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:49 pm

no one seems to have samsons in town?

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:50 pm

not allans, factory or awave from what i see

soundcorp has the other ribbon ones, the adams

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:53 pm

Didn't see samsons at either factory or awave. Awave only had mackies, genelcs and dyns and that was it.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:42 pm

Maybe try Arck for Samson's... 9489 8822

They're located at:
WH1, 650A Nicholson St, Fitzroy North

I just rang Mark there, and they definately have stock.

Any stores that don't have stock should still be able to quote your prices and order stock in within a day as we have plenty of stock here (at the wholesalers).

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:49 pm

PS: Samson's won't have overly strong bass representation for those with big studios (and if this is the case, just fork out a few extra dollars for the added sub). Id say they are a good all-round monitor - with good detail, especially for their price point.

They beat everything in the their class in the Future Music review.

I'd also recommend only getting the Samson Rubicon 5A's or 6A's, as the 8A's tend to have a boomy bass.

a1studmuffin · Post by **a1studmuffin** » Tue May 13, 2008 8:05 pm

flippo wrote:if you wanna talk aesthetics the Mackies are the shittest looking speakers I've seen for some time.

I didn't really like the look of the dyns at all untill I got them home and realised how badass the little black metal tweater guards and the grey plates they sit in looked.

got nothing on big fuck of fluro yellow speaker cones though, hah.

Talking monitor aesthetics is like discussing the furniture at a porn shoot.

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Tue May 13, 2008 8:52 pm

a1studmuffin wrote:
flippo wrote:if you wanna talk aesthetics the Mackies are the shittest looking speakers I've seen for some time.

I didn't really like the look of the dyns at all untill I got them home and realised how badass the little black metal tweater guards and the grey plates they sit in looked.

got nothing on big fuck of fluro yellow speaker cones though, hah.
Talking monitor aesthetics is like discussing the furniture at a porn shoot.

was tongue in cheek

Lephrenic · Post by **Lephrenic** » Wed May 14, 2008 1:48 am

flippo wrote:Partly my own stuipd fault for starting of listening to shit that was mroe expensive.

Yeah, bad idea. I did that and ended up buying PMCs.

It is so hard to go backwards once you've heard really good monitors.

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:00 am

you're a level above me when it comes to hardware geek-out though Leigh!

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Thu May 15, 2008 10:47 pm

went to hitek today, compared the new mackie mr5, mr8, with the tapco equivs and the krk 6"s. and the proper mackies for a point of reference

in summary:

while i previously said (and stick my it) the krks seem like a reasonble all rounder for the price (not great but evenly compormised) the mackies killed them in detail, imaging and tranient response. krks are so dead and matted together sound in comparison. the mrs are very good value fo this end of the market

the mr5 is screwy (pretty sure the eq setting was even, i hope so). it was the same as the alesis 680 - didn't really go low (and cant be expected to) but overcompensated by a forceful upper bass (120-160 Hz). when it needed to drop lower did the one note thing again. the bass "sounded" louder on the 5s than the 8s which is not a good thing

the mr8s are ace. they are well balanced, good detail/imaging. amazing value. fucking massive though. i really like them! was wanting a little more detail in the very tops but a more than acceptable compromise for the price ($1400 rrp a pair)

the tapcos sound like absolute shite, cant belive they are even a released product.

and of course the hrs are just great, but very difficult to justify the massive price jump!

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Thu May 15, 2008 11:20 pm

gotta get something to make noise on yet...

anyway mot making tunes, making installation work

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:19 am

Ha! Good to see someone else who hates the Tapco's!

I've got a few mates (who's opinions I usually respect) who love 'em... but I reckon that they're beyond flat (if that makes sense) - everything sounds bland and same, same. I think they were the S8's I heard???

Don't Mackie make Tapco? I thought they were Mackie's cheap alternative.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:35 am

Yes they do. i dont think they will sell any tapcos now these cheaper makies are out

unsoundbwoy · Post by **unsoundbwoy** » Fri May 16, 2008 1:13 pm

i think the transient response on the 7" tapco monitors is one to two weeks, frequency dependent

mr8 worked for me, could wank on about it for a while but cbf

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Sat May 17, 2008 10:36 pm

sitting here at home with a nice pair of m8s looking at me...

got em from soundcorp. good listening setup there

LÃ³s Kasinoâ€” · Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:15 am

I'm about to buy... tossing between..

Samson Rubicon 5A

or

M Audio Studiophile BX5a

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:19 pm

For mainly production of DJ'ing purposes?

I'd rank the Rubi's ahead of the M-Audio's if it's mainly production, and the other way round for mainly DJ'ing.

safire · Post by **safire** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 12:58 pm

anyone heard the focals? they are nothing short from amazing really. )
after months of searching for the right high end monitor.. these were the ones.

if u guys havnt head them drop into awave some time to have a listen, even next to adams they sound sonically superior...check out what everyone on gear slutz has to say bout them vs the adams (see links below)
what makes them nicer is they are no way near as colored as those adam ribbon tweeters., the crossover curves in them are the cleanest ive heard.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/good-new ... twin6.html

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end ... l-sm8.html

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much- ... am-a7.html