Home studio monitor recommendations sought
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  1. #1
    Tech Guru Bunford's Avatar
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    Default Home studio monitor recommendations sought

    I'm looking for some budget end monitors for my home studio. I'm running Ableton, Reason and Cubase and produce mainly electro, house and dubstep. I would also occasionally use the speakers for iTunes playback and DJing on.

    Any recommendations? Looking for a good but budget solution. So far, the most appealing setup is to buy these:

    Amp: http://www.studiospares.com/power-am...mp/invt/359860

    Speakers: http://www.studiospares.com/studio-m...10/invt/248000

    My thought process is that they're cheap, well reviewed and will allow me a cheaper upgrade ladder, only needing passive speakers and upgrading amp or speakers as and when, staggering the upgrade process out.

    Any advice or recommendations on anything different for similar price range would be hugely appreciated as looking to buy in the next week or so.
    Ableton 9.7.5, Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 11, MOTU 828 Mk2, Nektar Impact LX61+, Ableton Push, Native Instruments Kore 2, and a random selection of soft synths and sample libraries.
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit with Core i7 4960X Extreme Edition 12 core CPU, 64GB RAM, SanDisk Ultra Extreme SSDs and a GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming GPU.

  2. #2
    Tech Guru Bunford's Avatar
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    Anyone?
    Ableton 9.7.5, Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 11, MOTU 828 Mk2, Nektar Impact LX61+, Ableton Push, Native Instruments Kore 2, and a random selection of soft synths and sample libraries.
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit with Core i7 4960X Extreme Edition 12 core CPU, 64GB RAM, SanDisk Ultra Extreme SSDs and a GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming GPU.

  3. #3
    Tech Guru Tarekith's Avatar
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    I would actually recommend powered monitors in that price range. You're more likely to get something ideally suited for the monitors. Maybe some Alesis M1 Actives?

  4. #4
    Tech Guru Bunford's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tarekith View Post
    I would actually recommend powered monitors in that price range. You're more likely to get something ideally suited for the monitors. Maybe some Alesis M1 Actives?
    For what reason?

    They active monitors in this price range seem to only have a 5" woofer, therefore struggling for lower frequencies. However, the ones I linked to have 8" woofers, meaning a naturally wider bass spectrum. Just curious why you'd recommend the active monitors?
    Ableton 9.7.5, Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 11, MOTU 828 Mk2, Nektar Impact LX61+, Ableton Push, Native Instruments Kore 2, and a random selection of soft synths and sample libraries.
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit with Core i7 4960X Extreme Edition 12 core CPU, 64GB RAM, SanDisk Ultra Extreme SSDs and a GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming GPU.

  5. #5
    Tech Mentor Ham's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bunford View Post
    For what reason?

    They active monitors in this price range seem to only have a 5" woofer, therefore struggling for lower frequencies. However, the ones I linked to have 8" woofers, meaning a naturally wider bass spectrum. Just curious why you'd recommend the active monitors?
    Do you know what the frequency range actually is? I've had a quick look around and couldn't find a spec, just that is has 'extended bass response'

  6. #6
    Tech Guru Bunford's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ham View Post
    Do you know what the frequency range actually is? I've had a quick look around and couldn't find a spec, just that is has 'extended bass response'
    Can't find it now, but I'm sure one of the reviews I read said they were 38Hz or 42Hz to 25/30KHz Not sure which the bottom end was, but seem to remember it being 38 but looked up LOADS of speakers recently. I definitely remember that their range was much wider than the KRK Rokit 8's.
    Ableton 9.7.5, Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 11, MOTU 828 Mk2, Nektar Impact LX61+, Ableton Push, Native Instruments Kore 2, and a random selection of soft synths and sample libraries.
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit with Core i7 4960X Extreme Edition 12 core CPU, 64GB RAM, SanDisk Ultra Extreme SSDs and a GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming GPU.

  7. #7
    Tech Mentor Ham's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bunford View Post
    Can't find it now, but I'm sure one of the reviews I read said they were 38Hz or 42Hz to 25/30KHz Not sure which the bottom end was, but seem to remember it being 38 but looked up LOADS of speakers recently. I definitely remember that their range was much wider than the KRK Rokit 8's.
    Ah, fair enough. Well I can only speak on experience, I've been using Samson Resolv A5s for the last 6/8 months, they're 45Hz - 27KHz, which is a good, flat, wide response, also Active monitors, and I've been enjoying them.

    You're going to read a lot of mixed reviews on which ever Monitor you are looking/researching about, and the best piece of advice you'll get, is to go and listen to some, because it's the only logical way of buying anything, especially something that'll appeal differently to each individual.

    I (and many others) seem to think that Monitor choice shouldn't be lingered on to much, as which ever ones you end up buying, you'll learn to understand it's specific ins and outs, listen to a bunch of 'professionally' mastered tracks and figure out what it's emphasises are on and tune into its way of replicating certain sounds/frequencies.

    That's what I do anyway, seem's to work ok for me.

  8. #8
    Tech Guru Tarekith's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bunford View Post
    For what reason?

    They active monitors in this price range seem to only have a 5" woofer, therefore struggling for lower frequencies. However, the ones I linked to have 8" woofers, meaning a naturally wider bass spectrum. Just curious why you'd recommend the active monitors?
    Because there's a lot mroe to how a speaker responds and what frequencies it can produce than woofer size. I'd much rather have an amp custom designed exactly for that speaker and cabinet, the whole system functions better.

  9. #9
    Tech Guru grazz16's Avatar
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    I just bought a pair of the M1 Actives and I'm quite happy with them, plenty of bass response, def not an issue

  10. #10
    Tech Guru Bunford's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grazz16 View Post
    I just bought a pair of the M1 Actives and I'm quite happy with them, plenty of bass response, def not an issue
    Making what kind of music?
    Ableton 9.7.5, Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 11, MOTU 828 Mk2, Nektar Impact LX61+, Ableton Push, Native Instruments Kore 2, and a random selection of soft synths and sample libraries.
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit with Core i7 4960X Extreme Edition 12 core CPU, 64GB RAM, SanDisk Ultra Extreme SSDs and a GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming GPU.

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