Studio Monitor Speakers

[sn0wday]

I have a pair of Audiotechnica ATH-M50, which are great spinning, listening and definitely useful in production.

But long hours if producing they get hot, and kinda tire my ears out. And IMO, dont really give me a good feel to the mix down, especially with drums and very low frequencies.

i think i would really benefit from some speakers, and keep thr headphones for on the go.

What are some good, dont have to be the BEST, but i am willing to spend up to like 500 on thrm if i have to. Id like to buy a pair that will really last, and something ill be happy with for a long time.

Any suggestions? im willing to spend more, if its going to be worth it.

[Fauster]

If you can find a pair of HS80M's for 500 I'd say go with that. It shouldn't be too hard.

[Mazak]

HS80M's are $299 (ea) at Guitar Center right now. If you're in the states.

And there's a $100 coupon online if you spend over like... 400 i think.

[ill mindset]

Here they are for around $220.

Not a very well known vendor though

http://www.ecost.com/p/Yamaha-Monitor-A ... dp.gecbiaa

[Mazak]

Newegg.com has them for $269 I think and they're well known. Give em a look.

[sn0wday]

Alright, checking those out, any other suggestions? Not really familiar with Yamaha as a brand, so i dunno...

[Electric_Head]

Yamaha is a great brand.

[dublerium]

Yamaha is a great brand.

This. I have the HS80ms and can't rate them highly enough.

[Electric_Head]

Yamaha is a great brand.

This. I have the HS80ms and can't rate them highly enough.

I had some NS10s a couple years back.
Solid to say the least.

[sn0wday]

Well it looks the like the usual cost of the hs80ms is about $350, and that one place has em on for $215. And after googling about them, it seems they are legitimate.

I think these take the cake, UNLESS, there is another tier of monitors just a little bit higher in price. I KNOW there is always sort of an end-all audio item in different price tiers.

Also, I'm hearing KRK's are generally better than other monitors for Dance music (which is all I would be producing). Is this true?

[Aphile]

Well it looks the like the usual cost of the hs80ms is about $350, and that one place has em on for $215. And after googling about them, it seems they are legitimate.

I think these take the cake, UNLESS, there is another tier of monitors just a little bit higher in price. I KNOW there is always sort of an end-all audio item in different price tiers.

Also, I'm hearing KRK's are generally better than other monitors for Dance music (which is all I would be producing). Is this true?

the KRK's go very low even at small sizes.

[Mazak]

Yeah the rp8s go low but in my opinion they lack clarity. The yams are noticably more clear so I went with them and paired them with a sub. If you learn them well it shouldn't be an issue though I suppose. I love my yam setup though.

[goldengrime]

Don't believe the hype with KRK RP range, they are garbage. The HSs are better, maybe go second hand and get some adams or mackies for that price if ya really lucky?

[sn0wday]

Yeah the rp8s go low but in my opinion they lack clarity. The yams are noticably more clear so I went with them and paired them with a sub. If you learn them well it shouldn't be an issue though I suppose. I love my yam setup though.

Ackk, I don't wanna go out and get a sub, I want some damn monitors that will help me produce. Getting a sub to go with soem monitors just sounds like a headache, how do I keep it the right volume with the monitors? how will it stay flat?

I'm, sure there is an explanation and way to do it, but I just want to produce, and not deal with that.

Do the Yams REALLY need a sub?

[Mazak]

Yeah the rp8s go low but in my opinion they lack clarity. The yams are noticably more clear so I went with them and paired them with a sub. If you learn them well it shouldn't be an issue though I suppose. I love my yam setup though.

Ackk, I don't wanna go out and get a sub, I want some damn monitors that will help me produce. Getting a sub to go with soem monitors just sounds like a headache, how do I keep it the right volume with the monitors? how will it stay flat?

I'm, sure there is an explanation and way to do it, but I just want to produce, and not deal with that.

Do the Yams REALLY need a sub?

My way of setting the sub volume is to listen to tracks that have been mastered and find a nice volume. Then i'll keep it there and use it as a guideline for my own stuff. And no, you wouldn't technically need a sub for the yams, its just nice to have. They have a pretty decent low end. Not as hyped of a low end as the KRKs though. Which is probably a good thing.

[Fauster]

Ackk, I don't wanna go out and get a sub, I want some damn monitors that will help me produce. Getting a sub to go with soem monitors just sounds like a headache, how do I keep it the right volume with the monitors? how will it stay flat?

I'm, sure there is an explanation and way to do it, but I just want to produce, and not deal with that.

Do the Yams REALLY need a sub?

The yams don't need a sub any more than the krks do. I've owned a pair of RP5s for around 2 years, and a pair of HS80Ms for about 7 months now. If you have the choice, definitely go with the yamahas. They're the successor to the most popular (among professionals) studio nearfield monitors of all time, the NS10s.

[sn0wday]

Well, what I'm asking is, if the music i'm producing is ALL bass heavy, does that mean I need a sub to go with monitors more, or less, than if was producing any other kind of music?

Cause if the sub will make the bass more powerful, wouldn't that misrepresent and completely defeat the purpose of a studio monitor? And producing on monitors with less bass, would essentially create more bass heavy music on the average system because in the mixdown one would hear weaker bass, and therefore increase it?

minds going in circles hhaa.,

[Mazak]

Well, what I'm asking is, if the music i'm producing is ALL bass heavy, does that mean I need a sub to go with monitors more, or less, than if was producing any other kind of music?

Cause if the sub will make the bass more powerful, wouldn't that misrepresent and completely defeat the purpose of a studio monitor? And producing on monitors with less bass, would essentially create more bass heavy music on the average system because in the mixdown one would hear weaker bass, and therefore increase it?

minds going in circles hhaa.,

You would cut frequencies below say... 100 Hz on your monitors, and you're sub would have the task of producing >100Hz. Basically just giving you a wider representation of your frequencies. Again, you don't need a sub, its just nice to reduce some of the guess work.

[wormcode]

No you don't need a sub, plenty of people don't use subs, especially with an 8" monitor setup. It also depends on your room though. Smaller rooms a 8" monitor setup could be a bit detrimental not to mention a sub.

Also $215 seems about right for the HS80 because they were selling for under 200USD a few months ago, a friend of mine got em for 189. I'm surprised to see the prices go up that much.

[sn0wday]

Alright, well after a week of research heres what I've come up with...

I've realized it seems the room is much more important than the monitors, I have no diea how fit my room is for production. But regardless I will be producing in it.

My room's ceiling is 8 feet high, and the walls are 10 feet apart, walls are all the same length. in one corner I have Windows about 3 feet from the floor in both directions, wood walls, and I'm producing the left side of one wall.

Thats' all I know about my room and I don't know jack about acoustics.

I was almost set on buying the HS80Ms, but then then good deal disappeared and they seem to be back at about 350 each, which I cannot afford.

I was then almost set on a simply pair of Rokit 5s, seeing as my room is very small, but then I read a string of reviews speaking of how awful they are; http://www.gearslutz.com/board/reviews/ ... t-5-a.html

Any other suggestions? I just want some damn monitors, but they're expensive and dont wanna just throw my money at something that isn't worth it...

I'm hearing only good things about the hs80ms, but I think them being 8" is absolutely overkill. What are some other good yamaha's in maybe a 5" or 6"?