Which studio Monitors

K

kfoster

Weaksauce
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
65
Im looking for some good studio monitors to use with my computer under 200$ im looking at


Swan D1080MkII

M-audio av40

M-audio bx5a


Any suggestions on what is best or any other monitors i should look at ?

I listen to mostly rap and rock and have a Bic h100 sub

Thanks
 
Won't go wrong with either M-Audio set. The Swans are good, but the M-Audio will be better for studio work.

How do you like that sub?
 
M-audio bx5a

Is certainly the best on the list. What is your budget and source aka sound card?
 
Well then the BX5A certainly will match well with that. The bi-amping will keep the sound crispy clean.
 
Audioengine A2 or A5 (preferably). There's a pair of A2 being sold for 180 shipped on Head-Fi.

If you can afford it, don't bother with the AV40.

Also, the D1080 will sound awesome if you already have a sub.
 
I'll vouch for the BX5a as well. They are great monitors that produce ALOT of sound for their small size. I was floored when I first heard them on the demo floor. I think they pack enough bass that a subwoofer isn't necessary, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to add one at some point.

I will say that I think they are very sensitive to source. I'm fairly certain my less than ideal setup is preventing me from bringing out all their potential (work area is fairly messy, TOSlink cable to DAC has to coil up and around obstacles, uncertain whether ASIO and Creative Control Panel settings are ideal, my database of music consists of a fairly sizeable amount of low-bitrate mp3s, etc etc). High bitrate lossless, .ogg, and EAC encoded mp3s sound brilliant. Low bitrate crappy mp3s sound awful. As it should be.
 
Alai said:
Audioengine A2 or A5 (preferably). There's a pair of A2 being sold for 180 shipped on Head-Fi.

If you can afford it, don't bother with the AV40.

Also, the D1080 will sound awesome if you already have a sub.
Click to expand...

What's wrong with the AV40s? They sound awesome.

I have the AV40s, but if you can afford the BX5a's, definitely go for them.

The A2's are much smaller drivers, plus overload on bass I heard.
 
The AV40s are great unless you can afford the BX5As. That is all he was saying.
 
Lol. Also, just because a speaker set has a smaller driver, doesn't mean they have less quality, per se. More likely less quality, yes. But not definitely.
 
Alai said:
Lol. Also, just because a speaker set has a smaller driver, doesn't mean they have less quality, per se. More likely less quality, yes. But not definitely.
Click to expand...

The A2s just need to be crossed over around 80-120hz so that they don't try to do more than they are capable. Small drivers mean less bass usually. The A5s are nearly full range going down to about 45 hz.. The BX5As are even more powerful due to bi-amping delivery separate power to the woof and tweeter. Still, the BX5A probably does 42 hz tops before rolloff.
 
Huh, M-Audio are better for studio work???? Since when. The M-Audio's are made to make stuff sound "good". If you want real monitors then you need to look into the Swans. M-Audio monitors are way to "fake" in my experiences. Just my .02!
 
What is this guy babbling about? Isn't M-Audio products (like studio monitors) meant for mixing music on an accurate flat response?
 
Adreneline said:
What is this guy babbling about? Isn't M-Audio products (like studio monitors) meant for mixing music on an accurate flat response?
Click to expand...

He's not babbling. It is a valid point at the AV40 level. They are crossed over to present most recordings in a favorable light. Dead neutral is what people want when mixing. That way, you can tell precisely what each channel or instrument sounds like. The Omega 1 Stax have that in the headphone world btw.I think that the BX5A is a more neutral monitor than the AV40 though you could look elsewhere for a more neutral sound.
 
GJSNeptune said:
You think Swans are flatter than M-Audio?

...
Click to expand...

Possibly. You are saying flatter. Swans, however, are not flat. They sound warm, smooth, and soothing to me. But they might be flatter than the M-Audio.
 
Adreneline said:
What is this guy babbling about? Isn't M-Audio products (like studio monitors) meant for mixing music on an accurate flat response?
Click to expand...

M-Audio's at this price point are not really meant to be flat. Trust me, just place the Swans next to similar M-Audio's at this price and you should be able to notice that the M-audio's sound is "faker" than the Swans. It is a subtle difference, but it is there.

I am not saying that the M-Audio's are not bad monitors, but you have to spend a little more money on them to get the quality M-Audio monitors if you are going to be doing studio work.

For the money, the best small monitors are probably Audioengine, but they can be hard to find.
 
runnin17 said:
M-Audio's at this price point are not really meant to be flat. Trust me, just place the Swans next to similar M-Audio's at this price and you should be able to notice that the M-audio's sound is "faker" than the Swans. It is a subtle difference, but it is there.

I am not saying that the M-Audio's are not bad monitors, but you have to spend a little more money on them to get the quality M-Audio monitors if you are going to be doing studio work.

For the money, the best small monitors are probably Audioengine, but they can be hard to find.
Click to expand...

He's not babbling. It is a valid point at the AV40 level. They are crossed over to present most recordings in a favorable light. Dead neutral is what people want when mixing. That way, you can tell precisely what each channel or instrument sounds like. The Omega 1 Stax have that in the headphone world btw.I think that the BX5A is a more neutral monitor than the AV40 though you could look elsewhere for a more neutral sound.
Click to expand...

I'm not talking about the AV40s. He didn't say it's limited to the entry-level speakers in his original post, I thought he was talking about ALL M-audio products in general.

I definitely agree about the AV40s though.
 
Not sure if they're well suited to a "studio" setup, but Paradigm Mini Monitors are some of the nicest sounding bookshelf speakers you can buy.
 
Go with the Grado SR60, it's well under 100 and is a audiophiles headphone.

Visit headfi.com, those guys are really into headphones and amps, real audiophile stuff.
 
A pal of mine HAD a T-amp (i think it was a sonic) and some paradigm studio speakers (i'd get those off ebay now).....it sounded damn nice.Very crisp and clean. Even thoug the power rating of the t-amp was low, it could still rock.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top