[tooki]

So since I moved back to Switzerland, I don't have computer speakers because my previous ones were 120V only, so I didn't bring them.

Since I listen to music more on the computer than anywhere else, my computer speakers are critical, and I've really never found computer speakers I like. (My previous ones were Jamo CS-5 active monitors.) So I've been looking at studio monitors. Because of price, I've been looking at things like the Yamaha HS80M and Mackie MR8, and their little siblings, the HS50M and MR5, respectively.

Do any of you have any experience with those, or with other studio monitors in the $400-600/pair range?

[danviento]

I'm partial to M-Audio gear myself. Their pricepoint is much lower than Mackies, and the sound is great. My current setup utilize a couple of BX5a's and a BX10s (sub with active crossover). These work great for my small recording/mixing space. You might want to try the BX8a's, or even the DSM's- and you can usually find them for $100 less than the MSRP that M-Audio lists:

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=...studiomonitors

If I had more space, and the means, I'd want some of their EX66's. A friend of mine has those at his work and they sound AWESOME along with having an excellent coverage field both spatially and across the frequency spectrum.

They have my vote, especially for the price.

[Spheric Harlot]

I really, really hesitate to recommend anything Behringer that isn't at least twenty years old and thus designed by the man himself, but I've heard nothing but good things about their Truth series.

Vastly better than they should be at the price, so I hear.


The Mackies are nice for dance stuff.

[Veltliner]

Me, too, I'm looking into getting speakers for the computer.

Do you really need speakers specifically designed for computers (USB2), or can you connect any speakers (how do you manage the USB connection?)

[brassplayersrock²]

Originally Posted by danviento 

I'm partial to M-Audio gear myself. Their pricepoint is much lower than Mackies, and the sound is great. My current setup utilize a couple of BX5a's and a BX10s (sub with active crossover). These work great for my small recording/mixing space. You might want to try the BX8a's, or even the DSM's- and you can usually find them for $100 less than the MSRP that M-Audio lists:

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=...studiomonitors

If I had more space, and the means, I'd want some of their EX66's. A friend of mine has those at his work and they sound AWESOME along with having an excellent coverage field both spatially and across the frequency spectrum.

They have my vote, especially for the price.

I've had the BX8a setup for about 3 years now, and am still wowed after not listening to them for a while. I'm still saving up for the sub though :/

[tooki]

Originally Posted by Veltliner 

Me, too, I'm looking into getting speakers for the computer.

Do you really need speakers specifically designed for computers (USB2), or can you connect any speakers (how do you manage the USB connection?)

Well, the ones with USB have the potential to have a better digital-analog converter (DAC) than the computer. Or, specifically, it moves the DAC outside the computer housing, where it is less likely to receive interference from all the other computer components.

That said, you can totally connect standard active (self-powered) studio monitors to your Mac's audio outputs. You just use cables that go from the single 1/8" jack on the back of the Mac to two 1/4" jacks that go into the monitors.

And you can always get a better USB or FireWire DAC later on if you want, but for everyday use it's unnecessary.

[Veltliner]

Originally Posted by tooki 

Well, the ones with USB have the potential to have a better digital-analog converter (DAC) than the computer. Or, specifically, it moves the DAC outside the computer housing, where it is less likely to receive interference from all the other computer components.

That said, you can totally connect standard active (self-powered) studio monitors to your Mac's audio outputs. You just use cables that go from the single 1/8" jack on the back of the Mac to two 1/4" jacks that go into the monitors.

And you can always get a better USB or FireWire DAC later on if you want, but for everyday use it's unnecessary.

Thanks, Tooki, good info. I like that modular approach that lets you buy good parts one by one and build a system.

[tooki]

OK, so I did some comparison listening (not under ideal conditions, and at various stores), but here's what I've figured out:

Listened to already:
(overall impression via smilies)

• ADAM A5: excellent highs and mids, accurate but weak bass
• Mackie MR8: seemed to be well-balanced all around, need to listen to again
• Yamaha HS-50M: good highs and mids, accurate but weak bass
• Yamaha HS-80M: good highs, slightly weaker mids, better bass
• M-Audio BX8a: weak highs
• KRK Rokit 5/6/8: weak highs
• Prodipe Pro8: weak highs, weak mids, thumpy, muddy bass

Monitors I'd like to hear:

• Behringer Truth 2030A and 3030A
• Behringer Truth 2031A and 3031A
• Mackie MR5
• Genelec 8030A

Anything else in the 5-8" woofer/$400-600 (~Fr. 500-1000) range I should audition?

[Veltliner]

What music did you test it with?

Here are two people who were really pleased with the Yamaha 80

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-HS80M-8...4429025&sr=8-1

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by tooki 

OK, so I did some comparison listening (not under ideal conditions, and at various stores), but here's what I've figured out:

Listened to already:
(overall impression via smilies)

• ADAM A5: excellent highs and mids, accurate but weak bass

Actually, the highs are overblown - they remind me of that "emphasis" effect on early CD players.

Makes Adams sound really "crisp" and "accurate" - but in reality, they're faking it through weird EQ'ing (and there's something weird going on with phases as well). NOT what you want in a "monitor".

They sell well, but knowing a couple of studios that have Adams of various sizes, I find that they creep me out after anything but the briefest of listening sessions, with that "just not right" feeling you get when something's ****ing with the signal.

Might just be me, though.

[Veltliner]

By the way, tooki, why a studio monitor, and not just speakers.

Are you mixing sound and need precision in the playback?

[OreoCookie]

If you always sit close to your speakers (because you're working on your computer for instance), you need near-field monitors -- studio monitors, for instance.

[Spheric Harlot]

One thing, though:

Most people ask for studio monitors, but that's really not what they want.

Good budget studio monitors aren't necessarily built to sound pretty. Ideally, they're built to show you what's wrong with a mix - IOW, to expose the worst in your material.

This is why the NS10 Yamaha's are such a studio staple: They sound so **** that if you can make your mix work there AND on "big" speakers, it'll sound good pretty much anywhere.

[ccrider]

I recently purchased these:

AudioEngine5

Very happy

[Veltliner]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

One thing, though:

Most people ask for studio monitors, but that's really not what they want.

Good budget studio monitors aren't necessarily built to sound pretty. Ideally, they're built to show you what's wrong with a mix - IOW, to expose the worst in your material.

This is why the NS10 Yamaha's are such a studio staple: They sound so **** that if you can make your mix work there AND on "big" speakers, it'll sound good pretty much anywhere.

Good to know.

Looks like you're doing a lot of audio/mixing.

[tooki]

Originally Posted by Veltliner 

By the way, tooki, why a studio monitor, and not just speakers.

Are you mixing sound and need precision in the playback?

Because 1. I want near-field speakers, and 2. from using them already, I'm used to the naked precision of them. I find that many hi-fi speakers mask parts of the music that I'd like to hear.

Besides, hi-fi speakers of similar quality, plus an amp to run them, aren't really any cheaper.