Best studio monitors (2) in the $900 range for home playing

shredi knight

shredi knight

Power User
After becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the way my Axe FX sounds though my current rig (Carvin DCM600 ss power amp into two Avatar 4x12 cabs), I've decided FRFR is the way to go.

I've done a lot of researching and asked a couple of different forumers through private message, but I'm finding all the options a bit daunting and would like some more opinions/suggestions.

I'm leaning towards passive studio monitors so I can keep my DCM600 (and because they are generally cheaper), but am open to suggestions for actives if they are within my budget (want to stay around $900 for a pair). What matters most is the best possible sound quality for the money.



Here's my criteria/playing situation:

- Home playing only. I play mostly at low volume, but occasionally like to get loud. I know monitors will not be as loud as my 4x12s (nor do I really want them to be), but I'd like to be able to get up to "really loud home stereo" volume.

- Big, room filling sound (my guitar room is 10&1/2 ft X 9&1/2 ft) with strong, punchy bass and smooth highs. I just want a clear, transparent, natural sound that's not boxy or small. I don't want to feel like I'm playing through little stereo speakers (I never played through studio monitors, so I don't really know if that would be a reasonable concern or not). My main tonal focus is Mesa Mark series like heavy tones (ala John Petrucci), and 80's metal/heavy rock tones (Lynch, Van Halen, etc....), plus big chorusy lush clean tones.

- If I go with passives, they would have to be able to handle the power the DCM600 puts out. Here's the specs:

2 ohms - 300 watts (per side)
4 ohms - 250 watts (per side)
8 ohms - 125 watts (per side)




For passives, I've had the Adam ANF-10's suggested:


http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ANF10/


For actives, I've been looking at the Mackie Hr624mk2's. One of the few actives I've found that are (almost) within my budget, but I don't have any idea how good they are:


http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... B&ZYXSEM=0



Any opinions on these and other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Hey Shredi,

A friend of mine is using a pair of Dynaudio powered monitors (about $900) that sound great, but, (mojo intended) I picked up a pair of Klipsch RB-61's for about $300 (when Tweeter folded) and they can get very loud w only 50 watts and sound incredible in a small room. Plus, since Klipsch uses horns for their compression drivers, they sound similiar to a PA speaker.

I am also thinking of going FR indefinitly, and looking at a JBL SRX715 (pricey though) since I already have power amps.

Good luck in your search ;)
 
The Klipsch are also very efficient, so chances are you'll never turn your Carvin past 12 O'Clock. They are also very conservative on power ratings, very, VERY loud.
 
shredi knight said:
After becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the way my Axe FX sounds though my current rig (Carvin DCM600 ss power amp into two Avatar 4x12
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How come? You are not digging your cabs anymore? Why not change the drivers in them?
 
AlbertA said:
shredi knight said:
After becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the way my Axe FX sounds though my current rig (Carvin DCM600 ss power amp into two Avatar 4x12
Click to expand...

How come? You are not digging your cabs anymore? Why not change the drivers in them?
Click to expand...

Instead of typing the same thing out again, here's a copy and paste from a private message I sent to another forumer that explains why (I only quote from the best :mrgreen: ):


shredi knight said:
....I'm starting to become more and more dissatisfied with my tones lately, particularly at low volume. There's just a blandness to the sound (I'm mainly talking about heavy sounds here). It's like looking at the world through dark, dirty glasses instead of seeing everything in full color like it actually is. There's just a "sameness" to all the tones. I'm starting to think going the traditional guitar cab route was the wrong choice for me. I think my cabs are really coloring the sound and not letting me hear the Axe FX in it's purist form. I hear people posting all these great direct recordings on here that sound so much more alive and in your face than what I have coming out of my cabs.

After 7.0 came out, I hooked up the Axe FX up to my digital recorder so I could listen to it through headphone and play around with the cab/mic sims that I normally don't use (they are not meant to be used through real guitar cabs and sound pretty bad when you do). The amp sims sounded much more individual, raw, and alive this way. I was easily getting tones that I could never get to come out my cabs. It occurred to me that I was really limiting myself by using traditional guitar cabs and not utilizing one of the Axe FX's best features (the cab and mic sims). That what I was hearing through the phones without my guitar cabs coloring the tone (and correct me if I'm wrong here) was probably close to what I would hear coming out of decent FRFR speakers.
Click to expand...
 
gigawatt said:
Hey Shredi,

A friend of mine is using a pair of Dynaudio powered monitors (about $900) that sound great....
Click to expand...

What model?

Did you mean $900 for a pair? I'm looking to spend around that much for two - so monitors around $450 apiece.
 
Come on guys, 163 views and only 5 replies (and 2 of those are from me)? :(

I know nothing about this stuff and really need some help with finding what would be right for me and my situation.
 
I got my Mackie HR824MKIIs for $470 a piece, brand new from an authorized dealer on ebay it was a make an offer deal, also included free shipping. I am very happy with them. Partner that with a Presonus Central Station and you are in business.
 
2 QSC's used for a bit more, I know it is out of your budget a bit....I have seen them for 550 shipped which is a good deal.

I would buy used if you can, then if you want to move to the Atomic stuff when it comes out, you won't take such a hit.

edit...just remembered you want passives..... :oops:
 
shredi knight said:
Come on guys, 163 views and only 5 replies (and 2 of those are from me)? :(

I know nothing about this stuff and really need some help with finding what would be right for me and my situation.
Click to expand...

I've been reluctant to reply because I'm not sure my opinion of 'there is not one right answer' would be helpful, but if you insist.

There is a saying, "Your mix will be bad at what your monitors are good at."

Here's another: "Monitors are for mixing, not for listening."

Not all monitors are really that flat, and even if they were, you don't always want flat.

Try to play the Axe through as many stereo speakers as you can and observe what you hear.

Besides running the Axe-Fx into various guitar cabs, I've also played the Axe-Fx through a pair of PSB three-way floorstanding speakers, and two different pairs of two-way bookshelf speakers, Onkyo and KEF.

When playing music through theses speakers, the PSB's sound large, deep, heavy on the bass. The Onkyo's OK, a little bit unrefined. The KEF's smooth, even, very nice resolution, organic.

The results of playing the Axe-Fx through these speakers surprised me. Generally, the floorstanding speakers were too bright, KEF's were too smooth, and the Onkyo's just right.

If you can afford the time and expense to explore and experiment, I think you'll be able to find what you seek.
 
oddb0d said:
I got my Mackie HR824MKIIs for $470 a piece, brand new from an authorized dealer on ebay it was a make an offer deal, also included free shipping. I am very happy with them. Partner that with a Presonus Central Station and you are in business.
Click to expand...

I found that dealer, thanks (giving the Mackies consideration).
 
Have you checked out the genelec 8020a's? They are a well trusted brand and although the monitors aren't LOUD they sound pristine and rich. Good on the ear as well in regards to ear fatigue.
peace
p.s i'm in the same situation as you are and i'm almost committing the these but i still want to listen to a pair of dynaudio.
 
I am actually going through a similar process right now shredi!

While I am absolutely loving the tones I get with my Mesa Simul Satellite and 4x12 cabs, I love the idea of letting my Axe do everything.


Several firmware versions ago, I used a pair of QSC's and really liked them, but missed some of the "bigness" of 4x12's for some high gain applications. I am now wondering, with the improvements via firmware updates, if I should give it another shot. I know I am missing out on quite a bit of what the Axe brings to the table by not using the cab models.


My initial inclination was to buy another QSC, but there are some good suggestions in this thread. I need to do some more research and maybe give the FRFR powered route another go.
 
Thanks mctallica1. :)

Having no experience with studio monitors, the thing I'm having trouble getting my head around is going from something as big as my two 4x12s. to something so small, but that cost roughly the same $$$. I'm just afraid they are going to sound small. I'm assuming they are generally bigger sounding than they look.
 
shredi, call your local music stores and find out when the slowest day of the week is, then bring your axefx, power and guitar to the store and start trying out each different speaker. it's the only way you're going to truly find out what you think sounds best. you've already gone this far with shaping your tone, might as well hit the last hurdle and do it right!
 
I use and highly recommend the Dynaudio BM5A's. You should be able to find them for ~$900. The 6A's have more range, but are around $1700 a pair. Very flat response, and very non-fatiguing to listen to for lengths of time.

Note that I primarily use them for actual mixing, where accurate sound is more critical and desirable than a bass-heavy sound. The problem is one of translation. If it sounds great on not-so-accurate monitors, chances are good that it will sound terrible on other systems.

If you're only playing on these monitors, you'll be able to find monitors that sound more "pleasing" for less than the Dynaudios. However, if you do any recording for distribution, or want to tweak the Axe to play through other FRFR speakers, or even distribute AxeFX patches to others that translate well, getting something accurate and getting accustomed to them will be a better investment.

Whatever you get, I'd spend at least a couple weeks listening to your CD collection through them to (a) break them in and (b) become attuned to how other recordings sound through them.
 
I just ordered 2 of the Dynaudio BM5A active monitors. I got them for $399.95 each, which is at least $100 cheaper than what they normally go for (they were scratch & dent items). If I don't like them, SeasonOfPain gets all the blame. ;)

Thanks for every one's help (including the forumers I annoyed with my numerous questions via private message). :D
 
Shredi,

How are you liking the BM5a's? I'm really thinking of getting a pair seeing that I'm not in a band and just play in my bedroom. I'm on the Fratomic list but I would really rather stay away from tubes and I'd like to play in stereo for under a grand. I was at GC today and asked the guy what kind of deal he could give me on a pain of BM5a's and he said $450 each. I had to go pick up my kid so I didn't want to take more time to haggle. I wonder if I go back and offer $800 out the door for a pair if they would bite??
 
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