Which monitors? (Also soundcard)

willferal · Post by **willferal** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 1:12 pm

This question probably gets asked all the time here but I'm looking for some specific advice. I'm finally going to upgrade from my shitty M-Audio AV40 monitors to something better but I'm not sure which ones to pick. At the moment it's a toss up between the KRK Rokit RP5 G3s or the Yamaha HS 5s. I know that everybody always says the Rokits have way too much exaggeration in the lows and highs, but for the type of music I'm making (grime mostly) is it worth sacrificing that inaccuracy for a wider frequency range? Basically what's more important, ten extra Hz in the sub range or a more accurate overall picture? I know the real answer is just to buy a sub for the Yamahas but that's not in my price range right now.

Another thing is my soundcard. As it is right now my wee Behringer Xenyx 302 USB mixer is acting as an interface to the speakers, would the money be better spent on a decent soundcard? I don't really need any inputs or preamps so I'm unsure what actual improvement in quality a new soundcard will give me other than lower latency.

Cheers.

_Agu_ · Post by **_Agu_** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 1:27 pm

I mostly don't use my monitors and i'm not an expert, but i'd say room treatment affects the sub a lot more than the 10Hz difference. "Hearing" your sub with monitors is hard anyways when compared to good headphones.

soronery · Post by **soronery** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:01 pm

willferal wrote:This question probably gets asked all the time here but I'm looking for some specific advice. I'm finally going to upgrade from my shitty M-Audio AV40 monitors to something better but I'm not sure which ones to pick. At the moment it's a toss up between the KRK Rokit RP5 G3s or the Yamaha HS 5s. I know that everybody always says the Rokits have way too much exaggeration in the lows and highs, but for the type of music I'm making (grime mostly) is it worth sacrificing that inaccuracy for a wider frequency range? Basically what's more important, ten extra Hz in the sub range or a more accurate overall picture? I know the real answer is just to buy a sub for the Yamahas but that's not in my price range right now.

equator d5s

willferal · Post by **willferal** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:06 pm

soronery wrote:
willferal wrote:This question probably gets asked all the time here but I'm looking for some specific advice. I'm finally going to upgrade from my shitty M-Audio AV40 monitors to something better but I'm not sure which ones to pick. At the moment it's a toss up between the KRK Rokit RP5 G3s or the Yamaha HS 5s. I know that everybody always says the Rokits have way too much exaggeration in the lows and highs, but for the type of music I'm making (grime mostly) is it worth sacrificing that inaccuracy for a wider frequency range? Basically what's more important, ten extra Hz in the sub range or a more accurate overall picture? I know the real answer is just to buy a sub for the Yamahas but that's not in my price range right now.
equator d5s

Mate they're twice the price of the speakers I'm asking about, I'm sure they sound great but it's just not possible right now.

soronery · Post by **soronery** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:09 pm

so save up utnil you have enough

id rather mix on headphones until i could afford equators than buy rokits

obviously this is not for everyone just my opinion

fragments · Post by **fragments** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 7:15 pm

The Yamahas for sure. Maybe check out PreSonus Eris series as well.

Last year I sold my Rokit 6s to get Equator D5s. I certainly don't miss the boomy low end of the Rokit 6s.

There is truth in the statement that your signal chain (the listening one in this case) is only as good as its weakest link. But considering the monitors you are looking at, I'd say get the monitors. You'll be able to pick up a Focusrite Scarlet 2i4 (what ever the cheapest with MIDI ports is) pretty cheap, though I'm not sure that'll be better than that USB mixer/interface.

NinjaEdit · Post by **NinjaEdit** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 8:57 pm

Pretty sure Focusrite will be better than Behringer. The difference in monitors will be more significant, though.

fragments · Post by **fragments** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 9:29 pm

NinjaEdit wrote:Pretty sure Focusrite will be better than Behringer. The difference in monitors will be more significant, though.

Fwiw the quality issues I have had w Behringer have been build quality more often than sound quality. But focusrite make a hell of an interface for the money

NinjaEdit · Post by **NinjaEdit** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 9:37 pm

fragments wrote:
Fwiw the quality issues I have had w Behringer have been build quality more often than sound quality.

I agree.

legend4ry · Post by **legend4ry** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 9:55 pm

Headphone it till you can spend 700-800 on a pair of monitors, otherwise you'll end up spending 400 now and then 800 6-12 months later. Trust.

In relation to Soundcard, if you're around the 100-200 mark they're all pretty much the same if you're not using the inputs for recording.

willferal · Post by **willferal** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:00 am

Appreciate
all the advice in this thread. I've got a set of HD-
25s that I use for mixing sometimes but they're way too tight to comfortably use for extended sessions.

I've been doing
a bit more looking, does anyone have any opinions on the JBL LSR305s? From what I've read they might be the best of both worlds. I don't think I've got the patience to wait until I have enough money to drop nearly a grand on monitors, these av40s
av40s are killing me.

If I was to get a sound card it'd probably be a focusrite
2i4.

legend4ry · Post by **legend4ry** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:33 am

I'd go Yamaha over KRK or JBL any day.

If you want best bang for your buck under say.. £400 I would suggest the controversial but more sensible choice ...

Get a good pair of hi-fi speakers!

Why you might ask, they ain't going to make my mixes better?

Nor are monitors at your price point. You'll have to learn the monitors defects in sound just as much as the hifi speakers and they are just as apparent.

What you do get for £250 in hifi speakers are much beefier, louder with a bigger frequency spectrum.

A lot of 'budget' monitors are glorified PC speakers - you might as well go hifi.

cyclopian · Post by **cyclopian** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:35 am

Equator d5's are 399 for a pair

a single hs5 is 199 per monitor

Not sure how that works out to be 'double' what you're looking at.

fragments · Post by **fragments** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:54 am

cyclopian wrote:Equator d5's are 399 for a pair

a single hs5 is 199 per monitor

Not sure how that works out to be 'double' what you're looking at.

Equator's cost way more in Europe. Twice as much, I think. That might be why. If you live the the US, however, you are a fool if you buy anything buy Equator D5s for a pair of monitors at 399. Unless you find an amazing used deal on something else maybe. Equator D5s seriously changed my life, even in my weirdly shaped, untreated room.

legend4ry · Post by **legend4ry** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:05 am

fragments wrote:
cyclopian wrote:Equator d5's are 399 for a pair

a single hs5 is 199 per monitor

Not sure how that works out to be 'double' what you're looking at.
Equator's cost way more in Europe. Twice as much, I think. That might be why. If you live the the US, however, you are a fool if you buy anything buy Equator D5s for a pair of monitors at 399. Unless you find an amazing used deal on something else maybe. Equator D5s seriously changed my life, even in my weirdly shaped, untreated room.

Nope, they're £400

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Equator-D5-Coax ... B00669UEP0

They was double with shipping costs / import rates when no UK suppliers had them. They do now!

The D8s are only 600 as well!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Equator-Audio-D ... B00EZ9TFMG

fragments · Post by **fragments** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:26 am

legend4ry wrote:
fragments wrote:
cyclopian wrote:Equator d5's are 399 for a pair

a single hs5 is 199 per monitor

Not sure how that works out to be 'double' what you're looking at.
Equator's cost way more in Europe. Twice as much, I think. That might be why. If you live the the US, however, you are a fool if you buy anything buy Equator D5s for a pair of monitors at 399. Unless you find an amazing used deal on something else maybe. Equator D5s seriously changed my life, even in my weirdly shaped, untreated room.

Nope, they're £400

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Equator-D5-Coax ... B00669UEP0

They was double with shipping costs / import rates when no UK suppliers had them. They do now!

The D8s are only 600 as well!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Equator-Audio-D ... B00EZ9TFMG

Right on then. : )

willferal · Post by **willferal** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:47 pm

The reason I said the D5s were twice as much is that I can get a pair of H5s or RP5s for about £230 here http://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_hs_5_bundle.htm

soronery · Post by **soronery** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:59 pm

save until you can afford equators imo

fragments · Post by **fragments** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 6:09 am

soronery wrote:save until you can afford equators imo

Yea. This. For the extra 170 you are getting at least 10x better monitors.

benjam · Post by **benjam** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 11:03 am

+1 on equators

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