Decent Monitors

James Rock

James Rock

New member
Decent monitors for under 500
Looking at Behringer, M-Audio and Alesis at the moment (problem with Alesis is they are really hard to find in australia) at least 5" woofer.
 
Re: Decent Monitors

Your room is far more important than monitors to be honest.
Better to find some monitors off someone you know for free (I currently have my Behringers that I'm using for free for the next few years until the owner comes to get it) and then use the money to acoustically treat the room
 
Re: Decent Monitors

You're probably best off just looking for a good pair of hi-fi speakers over dedicated monitors as you'll get better choice and value for money.
I have an old pair of Mission floor standers I use these days, which sound great.
Amp wise they're driven by a Cambridge Audio A1 amp.
Obviously these makes may not be that available down under but I'd most definately look into second hand hi-fi than throwing money at new behringers
 
Re: Decent Monitors

Petrovsk Mizinski said:
Your room is far more important than monitors to be honest.
Better to find some monitors off someone you know for free (I currently have my Behringers that I'm using for free for the next few years until the owner comes to get it) and then use the money to acoustically treat the room
Click to expand...

+1

Bass traps, bass traps, bass traps.
 
Re: Decent Monitors

You sure that's gonna be 500 bucks by the time it's shipped here?
Click to expand...
Well from what I've seen of the M-Audio, Behringer and ESI's they are only about 100 more in Australia. The Mackies are way out of my price range and the Alesis are just out so I'm looking closely at the ESI and M-Audio 5" Models
 
Re: Decent Monitors

http://www.digitalprosound.com/2002/10_oct/reviews/monitor_shootout.htm
Thought this was interesting. I know everyone hates Behringer but still the best sounding monitors I've heard although .... only 1 year warranty. I think I'll go to allans and Dj warehouse and hear as many as I can. The only thing last time was they played Californication which is mastered to be very loud which I think can hinder judgement so I may bring my own cd's.
 
Re: Decent Monitors

What are you planning on running through your monitors? Just voice? Voice & instruments? Indulge me, please...
 
Re: Decent Monitors

Well both general listening and a few demo mixes of both guitar based music and electronic stuff. I don't have great gear and my room is fairly small but I want something that will last when I upgrade to better gear (I don't want just another stereo system). I'm just thinking with better monitors then well my stereo (just a cheap AIWA system thats about 8 or 9 years old) I'd get be able to mix better and learn better.
 
Re: Decent Monitors

The M-Audio's for the money are not bad. You can mix on anything, the key is to check your mixes on other consumer systems and A/B your mixes to commercial CD's. After time you will learn your monitors and room and be able to zero in on a decent mix. Spend a lot of time just listening to commercial CD's on your new monitors. Some people are naturals at mixing you may be one.
 
Re: Decent Monitors

James Rock said:
http://www.digitalprosound.com/2002/10_oct/reviews/monitor_shootout.htm
Thought this was interesting. I know everyone hates Behringer but still the best sounding monitors I've heard although .... only 1 year warranty. I think I'll go to allans and Dj warehouse and hear as many as I can. The only thing last time was they played Californication which is mastered to be very loud which I think can hinder judgement so I may bring my own cd's.
Click to expand...

The Behringers are actually decent in the budget range. You get a little mid range fatigue after a few hours, but you can get good results that translate pretty well. They do go down to 50Hz pretty acturately, just give yourself some distance to let the low end develop properly (about 8 feet back).

Just augment your monitor by referencing through any other reproduction. You can gauge where your ears sit with them and adjust them accordingly. The switches on the back do what they say and are fairly important.

I did a remote recording session and set the monitors for the room I was in...I forgot to set them back to "normal" for my room....the mix I mastered that night could cut your head off with high mids (I remixed the next day after I discovered my error).
 
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Re: Decent Monitors

The switches on the back do what they say and are fairly important.
Click to expand...
|
That is the main interest of the Behringer for me cos at the moment the only place I can put the monitors are fairly close to the wall so being able to compensate (also for the wood and glass in my room) is good.
 
Re: Decent Monitors

You might look into some of the mini monitor systems, 3 or 4 inch. You'll have to learn how to get the bass right by checking your mixes on other systems but you won't struggle with the neighbors or bass frequency build up in your room.
 
Re: Decent Monitors

You might look into some of the mini monitor systems, 3 or 4 inch. You'll have to learn how to get the bass right by checking your mixes on other systems but you won't struggle with the neighbors or bass frequency build up in your room.
Click to expand...
Is it alot better having small speakers then using headphones?
 
Re: Decent Monitors

I mix all my stuff on my $80 maudio studiopro3s!


I use headphones for vox and to check volumes of bass. great monitors and a treated room would be nice but if it aint in the cards just get to know your monitors as they compare with your car stereo and various sets of headphones and so on.

dont mix with headphonez?!?!?!?: http://www.bluebearsound.com/articles/headphones.htm
 
Re: Decent Monitors

I found the fatiguing qualities of the Behringers went away when you played with the frequency compensation switches.
Not only did the hearing fatigue go away but my mixes translated much better too after reducing the high end on the back of the monitors
 
Re: Decent Monitors

Thanks for the help I still think I'd like bigger monitors then the cheaper small ones (as these always sound small and tinny to me) but I won't rule them out
 
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