New home studio, need some help!

[GregLongman]

What's up guys,

Not posted a lot here but I would be very greatful for your help. I've been researching studio monitors for my home studio. I've got a 3.65m x 2.75m room that is fully treated including bass traps. My budget is around £1000 for the pair and I'm currently looking at the Adam A7X and the Dynaudio BM6A. I'm going to test some monitors out this weekend but I wanted to see what you guys would recommend? I'm looking for clarity and definition without any muddy low end that will translate well to other systems.

I have had a search through the forum but nowhere seemed to mention room size vs speaker size, etc. I've been recommended a 7 or 8 inch speaker for my room size, what do you guys think?

Just wanted to add that I am upgrading from KRK RP6's which (now I've done a lot of research) I should have never bought, so anything will be a major upgrade. I've also heard a lot of great things about the Yamaha HS80M pair, and they come in waaay under my budget.

I would ideally like to grab a MIDI keyboard with the monitors, any opinion on the M-Audio Axiom 61 or the Novation Impulse 61? The Impulse might push me a little above budget with the Dynaudios or Adams.

Thank you in advance!

Greg.

[Libra]

For that budget the adams are pretty good, especially for the size of the room. If you are used to the 'krk' sound, you should demo the vxt range they do.

[Libra]

Scrap that, id use the tried and tested mackie hr824s. Or even top end of your budget genelec are the ones.

[outbound]

My vote's on those A7X's get those bad boys and don't look back!

[AxeD]

Both decent picks, but if those are your choices I would instantly go with Dynaudio, otherwise Genelec.

As a lot of hi-fi geeks/engineers will tell you: ribbon tweeters aren't as strong in the lower mids.
Therefor, ribbon systems are usually 3-way ones as opposed to the cheaper Adam monitors.

They do usually have better high frequency response, purely because it's so light.. the ribbon basically acts as the coil and diaphragm.

[GregLongman]

Yeah I guess I am used to the KRK sound, but I hate it haha. I will give the VXT's a chance though.

Also, about the ribbon tweeter. The cutover frequency from the woofer is 2.5khz, up to 50khz so I can't see how that would affect the low mids (?).

I will bare the Mackies in mind, I will try them and some Genelecs in my price range a try out tomorrow for sure. Thank you for your help.

[drewspuppet]

Another option, I reccomend because I am very happy with this setup... Yamaha MSP 7 's plus sub... I got the matching sub...used, I don't think they have them new anymore.
I am in a similar room... 12' x 13', fully treated with bass traps. The clarity and imaging on these are great. Definitely would want a sub with these, or if in a pinch good headphones to check bass levels.

[AxeD]

Also, about the ribbon tweeter. The cutover frequency from the woofer is 2.5khz, up to 50khz so I can't see how that would affect the low mids (?).

''Getting such a strong and transparent-sounding mid-range from a two-way speaker is quite a challenge, but Adam seem to have managed to coax something like a three-way performance out of a two-way box''

Seems like it's not much of a problem with the a7's. Although that quote is from SoS and they are positive 99% of the time

[Augment]

I've got the VXT 8's and I love them, they're awesome

[GregLongman]

Awesome! Thank you for all of your replies, much appreciated. I will try the VXT's out just to give them a chance.

Now, here's my next dilemma. I'm swinging for the Adam A8X, just because most reviews I've read have said if you're going for the A7X you will probably want a sub with it, but the A8X gives out more than enough sub frequencies. My room is treated, I shouldn't have any real troubles with trapped and bouncing frequencies.

At the end of the day, I'm upgrading from RP6's so my mixdowns WILL get much better won't they? That's why we all lust over better gear right? Better quality and truer sound will always have massive benefits.

[Augment]

Your mixes might get better, but that's up to you and not the monitors :p But yeah, you'll get a better sound

[GregLongman]

Your mixes might get better, but that's up to you and not the monitors :p But yeah, you'll get a better sound

Hahaha yeah man, I didn't mean it's going to instantly improve my production skills

Okay, so I really want a pair of A77X's now. I'm going to having to try out all three along with the Dynaudios and Mackies.

[Tom_Autobot]

I have got the a8x, much preferred them over the a7x and a77x.
Great

mackie 824 mk2s are awful, all bottom and tops and the KRK VXT's 8 have got a wierd resonant lower mid bump that like someone stuck a single bar of a graphic eq up by 6db.

[GregLongman]

So I tried out the BM5A, A7X and the A77X. The A8X's blew up so I couldn't try them, gutted.

The A7X's killed the BM5A. In my opinion, the mids were much more detailed, stereo image a lot more atmospheric and the highs were just a 1000x clearer and more precise.

However, the A77X pair are just the best thing I've ever heard. My god, they are just heaven in monitor form. The lows are much more liquid and transparent, the mids were a lot less "muddy" than the A7X and of course, the tweeter is just aural bliss. The headroom and accuracy is far beyond anything else I've heard.

A77X it is!