Monitors
I have a set of speakers/subs that I purchased for my PC last year and I want to know if they acceptable for production/DJing as well.
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Acoustic-Authority-3780RB-Subwoofer-Satellite/dp/B0000CC7A9[/ame]
I don’t really know what exactly to look for in a set of monitors but I do know these plug in fantastically without an external sound card which I love.
Judging by the reviews on Amazon, those would be terrible for production.
What you should look for in a set of monitors is their ability to reproduce audio perfectly without adding colour. This means you should be looking at speakers that have a very flat response curve (i.e. all frequencies come out at the same volume) and no smearing issues (i.e. you should be able to hear everything clearly).
I’ve found that a good way to test monitors is to go to the store with a CD recording of something you know very well and use that to test the systems. If you hear something in the song that you’ve never heard before, that’s a good sign. If it sounds indistinct and blurry, that’s a bad sign. The output shouldn’t be exciting - most home and car stereos colour the bass frequencies to make music sound sexier, but that’s not what you’re looking for here. Be sure to compare as many brands as possible in as many different environments as possible. Don’t buy monitors before listening to them.
You might find this helpful: Studio monitor - Wikipedia
thank you, i have found a pair of KRK Rokit 5’s on Craigslist for a good price so I might pick those up.
A while ago I found a list of songs that the professional sound designers use to test out new monitors, speakers, etc.
Just make sure you go out to a shop that sells monitors and listen to the KRKs before you spend money on them. I was very keen to get some Rokits after reading about them online, but listened to them and hated the way they coloured the sound. A good set of monitors is an investment, and you shouldn’t just rush into it. Listen, compare prices, and consider saving up a larger budget since it’s better to buy one piece of solid quality gear than lots of cheap junk that dies on you.
I’ve heard great great great reviews of the Atom Monitor by Paradigm. Supposedly they’re some of the best monitors you can buy (~$275 per monitor)
Yeah I’m going to have to head to Guitar Center at some point and actually listen to them. I just hate going because they always always try and make me buy something.
OK so I went to Guitar Center today to compare the KRK Rokit RP5’s/6’s and the M-Audio BX5A’s. I think the BX5A’s sounded the best out of all of them but online polls and forums seem to agree almost unanimously that they aren’t great. Am I possibly preferring them because I am used to commercial speakers?
My best friend uses the BX5A’s and when I’ve been working with him, they’ve sounded really good. I haven’t noticed anything bad about them. Have never used the Rokit’s though, so I don’t have a comparison.