Sorry for my first post being a question, but I’m in a dubious spot right now and would like some advice on DJ-centric speakers.
I did a search on the forum, but could not find the answer I need. The suggestions were either too expensive or too big. Please help!
To aid in advice, here is a bit of background:
-I DJ a mixture of vinyl/digital
-Need bookshelf-sized speakers
-Need very good value (inexpensive) speakers, as wife and I just moved to Tokyo (less than $200 USD)
-Speakers need not go really loud, as we don’t want to get chopped-up by ninja-neighbours
-But there needs to be enough low-end for proper mixing (tight, punchy low-end, some bassline coming through would be great, too)
-self-powered would be fantastic, as it would be space-saving to not need a separate amp
Please keep in mind that these speakers are meant for DJ’ing at home just to have fun and to make proper mixes – not for producing or for house parties. No need for them to be “reference” monitors.
I was checking these out (sorry for the Japanese):
Fostex PM04n
Behringer MS40
They both cost under $200 USD. What do you think of them? Could you suggest anything that would be better for home DJ’ing?
Yeah, but how is it for DJ mixing? “True to sound/flat response” is not one of the requirements. The speakers must be good for DJ’ing.
I was thinking of actually hooking in an EQ just to shape the sound how I want, so that tells you how much I don’t care about production-quality sound. I just want to be able to mix kicks, hats, stabs and snares tightly.
Great suggestion: the JBL’s are self-powered (a consideration of mine) as well as within my budget.
However, another question is: do Reference Monitors (like the aforementioned Fostex PM04n and the JBL Control 2P) really have enough kick for DJ mixing? I’d like to audition these speakers before I lay down any Yen, but what is your opinion? I had a pair of Energy home theater speakers back in Canada before the move and those were really good for DJ’ing. Would reference monitors be comparable in terms of bass?
Drat. I’ll try to find a local store to see if I can audition these… I don’t need anything too loud, but if what you say is true, then I’ll need some other options.
I did think about a stereo system, but what I like about self-powered monitors is that they don’t need a separate amp. And in a small apartment in Tokyo, efficient usage of space is key. Also, I’ve found that all-in-one stereos usually have overkill on the bass: I want tight bass and clear highs. A basic home theater setup would be out of my price range and I’d rather not go used…
Haha, thanks fishing for the link – very cool of you.
I actually checked out a Shimamura location today. They didn’t have any Fostex’s in the store, but said that they could order them in. I’d be obligated to buy them if they did order them, so I’m still searching for a place to take a listen.
You should save up another $100 and buy the m-audio bx5a’s… They’re quite loud for their size and have a decent response for the price. You can EQ them if you don’t care for flat response.
I think you’d be really happy with those. Great for apartment life!
I was looking into those, but, yes, they are kind of out of my price range. I’ve read some reviews on them following your suggestion and they’ve been quite positive: highs seem a bit too bright and the lows might not be quite enough, but, as you said, if I EQ them, I can shape the sound myself. I won’t be pushing the speakers anywhere near their limit, so I’ll have some room to boost the bass with the EQ.
I’ll talk to the wife about springing another few bucks on these speakers, but, as it stands, Tokyo life is proving to be more expensive than we had planned for (and we planned for it to actually be expensive!).
Any other more value-oriented alternatives are welcome. (That’s my sneaky way of saying “cheaper”).