Building a Mini-Studio

[Santos10]

Looking to start a studio for my self at home...currently have a macbook pro with a second display, NI Maschine, Logic, Ableton, Audio 8, (2) home stereo speakers I use as monitors

to start off i was looking to buy:
Imac
Studio monitor (can anyone recommend me a sold pair)
Possibly a sound card for just the studio

and one of these pianos:
M-Audio Oxygen 49 USB MIDI Controller
Novation 25 SL MkII Keyboard Controller
Alesis Q49

any recommendations or suggestion are welcome hopefully you guys can help me out with this thanks

[ToOntown]

KRK Rokits are pretty good and really popular monitors.

active monitors all the way and don't go cheap... you get what you pay for. you can go cheap on just about anything but sound.

like keyboard... don't break the bank on keyboards.

[Santos10]

KRK Rokits are pretty good and really popular monitors.

active monitors all the way and don't go cheap... you get what you pay for. you can go cheap on just about anything but sound.

like keyboard... don't break the bank on keyboards.

what KRK's should i go for 5,6,8? or are there any other good monitors?
and i was thinking the same thing for keyboard..

[dj stifffy]

all you really need is something with nice feeling keys, since there midi it doesnt really matter on brand, a good controller to map to your daw i think the behringer ones are nice, and speakers

[WhatsADJ?]

I have an M-audio axiom 25. Its a 25 key keyboard and works pretty well. Has bends 8 knobs and 8 beat pads. Can get them for like 120$ on ebay. they are great keyboards i recommend looking into it.

[Garygary1]

what KRK's should i go for 5,6,8?

bigger monitors for bigger rooms

[Nesquigs]

the mpkmini is a solid midi keyboard.... does everything i need it to for sub $100

[Santos10]

ya im going to get a piano but its the least important due to you can always find a good deal on one used or just a simple one for a good price not really going to go all out for a piano...

but you think i should get a soundcard for the studio or just use my audio 8 and route some channels thru to my DJM 800

and with monitors i heard the adams were good too
& i found KRK 8's (pair for 200) and a pair of 5's for 90....is it better to get (2) 8's or (4) 5's

[dj stifffy]

4 5's have a mini club atmosphere in the studio

[sardu]

you want to make stereo music? buy 2 speakers. you want to make 4 channel (surround) music? buy 4 speakers.

for a studio, you want imaging and accuracy out of your nearfields, you ain't gonna get that playing left and right signals out of 4 different cabinets (unless we are talking subs).

you only need a larger woofer monitor if you need higher spl or lower frequency response. The only reason you need higher spl is if your going to use the monitors for midfield monitoring versus nearfield monitoring. most people have a separate system for midfield monitoring (usually a couch and nice full range stereo system, like a pair of B&W 802).

So what I'm saying is a good pair of 6.5 or 8 woofer nearfields should serve electronic music mixing just fine. If you find that they are lacking in the sub 35hz category, you can add a subwoofer.
I like an easy to listen to speaker with less ear fatigue. I'm not a fan of the Adams ribbon tweeter. I like softdome-tweetered monitors with a "waveguide". a waveguide for the tweeter really helps imaging. My personal peference are genelecs, but there are a bunch of other similar (and less expensive) monitors that are great.
on the cheap end, I like alesis, mackie, and the krks.
also, TL/DR. cheers.