ART SLM-1 Studio monitors

[Meelo]

Just got these babies second hand for approx 300$ (I live where Resolv65's cost approx 700$ new), and this has been my first go at monitors rather than hi-fi speakers, at least for personal use -
and for those of you who haven't made that transfer yet, or are considering their budget monitor options, i can't recommend these enough.

It's a simple design, no fuss and no smart-assing. 40hz-20Khz, and they do reach 20Khz well enough (unfortunately, i can actually hear these frequencies. that's why i don't watch TV ).
I can't believe the punch on these things - and it's not that i've been using laptop speakers before, but this is really something unusual.
Spatial imaging is very good, though maybe inferior to the dynaudios i've heard at the store.

One more note, though - the ART SLM-1 is precisely the same as the Yorkville YLM-1i, as a simple google check would uncover.
These don't have the 2db cut/boost for highs and lows, but other than that they're made from the same components at the same canadian factory.

[brandondrury]

So how are the monitors working for you now? I'm always looking for monitors that stand the test of time.

Brandon

[Meelo]

I'm loving them more each day.
They stand atop my 4-way hi-fi speakers so as to be at ear level, and a subwoofer completes the package for hi-fi.
For studio use, they finally capture that high-frequency grit I've only been able to hear with headphones up 'till now.

Their lack of spatial imaging compared to the dynaudio's, for example, turned out to be a result of their being very directional and quite short-ranged. I've gotten to trying 5 or 6 other monitor sets by now, and i've found that so long as you keep them pointed at you and about 1 meter from your ears, they can top pretty much everything in the price range.

The only drawbacks i can think of are that they're heavy as hell - not to mention fairly big,
and are a bit too transparent in the low to low-mid section. The sound is there, and acoustic guitars can occasionally 'oomph' my furniture to buzzing, but it sounds too transparent.
Anyway, nothing a second pair or a decent woofer can't fix.

All in all, great buy.