Budget Studio Monitors: Do They Work?

[brandondrury]

I've been pumping the new home recording gear review section of Recording Review with products today. I came across the studio monitor section and I have to say that I was very surprised to see just how many budget studio monitors are out there!

Now the big question:

Is anyone actually using studio monitors in the under $500 range and feel confident that there mixes translate well to the outside world?

Brandon

[alexp]

I'm running a set of Tannoy Reveals that I got for 300 dollars, and I must say, I have had all my mixes sound mint on a big system. I tend to have to put a bit more effort into a couple of diff monitoring situations (I monitor through computer speakers as well, as their small, tinny, and sound terrible), but if I can get a good mix between the 2 sets of speakers, I know I'm doing ok.

[Dick43]

I'm purely a hobbyist, trying to compile a CD in collaboration with friends I've made music with over the years. I use GB3. I bought M-Audio StudioPro B near field monitors and have been very happy with them. The mixes I've produced to date sound quite acceptable on a variety of systems, from car stereos to my iPod piped through a receiver. Good, inexpensive product that has met my needs.

[Charlie_M]

I've been using my Behringer 2031A monitors for several months now and will say this based on what I see so far:

1. They do pretty much suck

2. It doesn't seem to matter!!

My mixes seem to translate to the outside world pretty well these days (car, home stereo, baby's boombox...that's the hardest test right there I think).

Two big factors account for the improvement:

1. Investing in a better signal chain. As I've made upgrades on the front end (recent preamp upgrade, and to a certain extent with better reverbs and other processing) my monitors are something I use to get the levels about right, and not much else. If the tone is there, a reaonably competent mix comes about pretty easily. Making it interesting for the listener is always going to be hard of course, but that's the creative aspect. You either have that or you don't - I don't think monitors will help me or anyone else in that respect. I'm talking here about getting the balance right. I feel that happens pretty naturally if I have a good track to start with.

2. Other thing I read recently was some bigshot type engineer was saying when he wants to test a mix he runs the track and goes and listens from down the hall. If it sounds like shit, from there, it is in fact shit so... figure out why and then go fix it.

But I really have been surprised at the degree to which just getting my raw tracks sounding better has moved me a pretty good ways down the road there.

At this point I no longer wish I had better monitors really. I do wish I had: a top shelf vocal mic (coming soon I hope) and a greater variety of preamps to play with, maybe more effects boxes. Monitors are low on the list these days...

Don't get me wrong I'd love to have some really tits monitors, and a nice acoustic space for them. I think of that as a luxury that comes later. I do expect that if I did that it would yield some benefit. For example I may be failing to realize as varied and interesting a stereo field as I might with better monitors - headphones seem to suck for that, and ou can't tell that from down the hall - but even that I think I'm getting an OK feel for it with these crappy monitors.

I recognize this is complete heresy.... YMMV.

Charlie

[manthe]

I mixed on a pair of Samson Resolv monitors few a couple of years quite a while back. I made them work. I thought it was normal to take mix CDs and a notepad to 3 or 4 different systems and average of 6 to 8 times (correcting issues on each, subsequent mix). I made a lot of great mixes on those monitors. Even after I got used to them, I still found I had to do several mixes to get it right.

Once I bought 'quality' monitors, the difference was astounding. Only occasionally do I have to go back and correct some frequencies.

Seriously, budget monitors are just fine and great work can be done on them. But, when and if you have the budget to 'move up' you'll be astounded! It is all contingent on proper room treatment, of course. Super high end monitors in a crappy room won't produce as good of a mix as low-end monitors in an excellent room!

[kamistan]

My salesman is going to try to sell this to me.

I'm going to compare the BX5a with these

ESI nEAR 05 eXperience at DV247.COM

[bilco]

I've been pumping the new home recording gear review section of Recording Review with products today. I came across the studio monitor section and I have to say that I was very surprised to see just how many budget studio monitors are out there!

Now the big question:

Is anyone actually using studio monitors in the under $500 range and feel confident that there mixes translate well to the outside world?

Brandon

I got a pair of KRK RP5s 2 years ago. I did an A/B comparison in the GC using a couple of CDs I brought with me. The KRKs won out over the M-Audio in the same size and price range and one other pair, but clearly were not as good as the KRK RP8s. I was trying to keep down the size and the $ spent, so I went with these. My mixes done on these tend to sound boomy in my truck or in another car's CD player. They also don't seem to have a lot of highs to them when I am listening to a reference CD in the room. I think they are not as flat as the pair of JBL 4301s I had back in the 80's (why did I ever let those go????)

Having said that, I am confident that the bigger limiting factor than these monitors is:

1. My engineering skills, even after 30 years of doing it as a hobby
2. The room is not treated

I bet that Brandon or any real engineer could use these monitors for a few months and be able to work with them to turn out solid mixes. Everone acknowledges that the NS10s were not really flat monitors, but lots of good mixes were done using them in spite of that fact.

It's the ear, not the gear

bilco

[cooldude11]

I have been using Alesis Monitor One (non-powered) for about three years. I bought them used and power them using a high-powered amplifier. I spent months planning and experimenting to get a sound that would reproduce the same on any other outside system.

Its really a combination of things that make this happen. You can spend thousands on monitors but THAT wont get you the result. I know in the mastering world everything is debatable and purely subjective. But I use my experience as my own credibility and have been told by a large number of important people that my demos were comparable to store bought cds. No bragging intended here.

Understanding frequencies and how they respond to any given material is important to consider. Physiological factros MUST be considered. You dont hear the same way every day. So therefore, electronic equipment should be supplemented to help "create" a room that gives off a certain reponse that allows consistent results. Once you "get the hang" of working out a system customized for your particular setup, you learn to produce A1 material that translates well outside. But, remember that you can purposely compress the hell out of a recording and it might be unconventional to some people but cool as hell to someone else. If we get too caught up in convention we end up with demos all sounding the same, as has become so apparent in mainstream music. EXPERIMENT!!

The good ole days of analog is what gave us originality. But it is possible with the digital world. The biggest and best thing I have learned on getting results that translate well is all about LOW END. Dont be fooled by what your speakers tell you. Every room has a way of fooling your ears. But you can analyze your output over time by running the master bus through a big high quality EQ that gets tweaked over time to balance the actual sound out with reflections of the room. Eventually you start hearing the material for what it actaully is and you end up with a template of success. But it always helps to have a tv, walkman, small stereo, etc lying around to do comparisons. Over time your ears remember what they hear.

SOunds like a helluva lot? A master sound man wasnt born overnight.

[dusty2all]

My salesman is going to try to sell this to me.

I'm going to compare the BX5a with these

ESI nEAR 05 eXperience at DV247.COM

I own a pair of these but haven't used them enough to give a decent review. I am impressed by how sturdy and well constructed they are, though. You can find out what Sound on Sound magazine thought of them here: ESI Pro Near05 Experience SOS has reviewed a number of ESI products. Just do a search in the reviews sections of the website.

I have been following ESI for a number of years now and I have been very impressed by the quality, features and value of the products they sell. The company is better known in Europe than it is in the States. It is now based in Germany. For more information, go here: ESI - News

[knelt]

For the last two years I've been using both the Event ALP 5's and a pair of Grado prestige series SR 125 open air headphones. The combined price is about $550. At this point, my mixes seem to pretty much translate exactly on anything. I actually had a $200 an hour mastering engineer tell me that there was no need for me to use his services on one project, 'cause it was already pretty much right.

What I've kind of started doing is always eq'ing at high volume, always balancing levels at low volume, always checking the mix outside the door, and always flipping back and forth between the two systems every time I make a decision.

That's about all I can say about that.

[Wavne]

I have a pair of Behringer Truth B2031 monitors. I bought them about 4 years ago, they were $400. There was a time I remember when these monitors were about $800, and have been told they were more than that when they came out.

My room is untreated so I would probably sooner put any money into that before buying different monitors. I have always checked my mixes on as many different sources as I can find, always do the car test and outside the room (down the hall, outside, etc..) . I am happy with them for $400. My mixes translate well.

[dzent1]

Hi gang. Just a quick weigh-in with an observation that nearly everything we use for budget recording nowadays is about as good or better than what many classic tunes were recorded on in the 60's , 70's and 80's. As someone noted earlier, ain't the gear, it's the ear. Sound equipment is fun, but don't obsess or you'll lose inspiration. If the goal is a deal with a label, get the soul of the piece captured - the record company is probably going to want to re-cut on their machines anyway (so they can over-charge your advance for it). If you're just a gear slut - well, that's another story...go forth and buy! But there's never any one right way or piece of gear; otherwise, everything would sound boring and same-same. You know why the Beatles are still so well loved? They never checked creativity at the door in favor of technology. Should that apply to us? Hell yeah! Have fun. BTW, Brandon, you're doing an awesome job - don't give up.

[lcswoosh05]

Well I' am right now using M-Audio AV-30 and they do sound better and have more power than the StudioPro 3 monitors that are older. I got a good deal on the AV-30 for $94.99 pair at Best Buy. Normaly other stores sell them for around $130 pair so I got a good deal on them. The StudioPro 3 has only 10 watts per channel but my AV-30 has 15 watt per channel even they are both 3in woofers also the all of the AV series has a new waveguide that really helps so you can move your head around and still hear the highs well. Also the AV-30 feq response is 90hz to 20khz and the old StudioPro 3 only goes from 100hz to 20khz I guess they just improved the StudioPro 3 and made the AV-30. But anyways I' am amazed that they can make monitors that are very precise and clear for around between $100 - $200 a pair.

[jonnyspall]

I've been pumping the new home recording gear review section of Recording Review with products today. I came across the studio monitor section and I have to say that I was very surprised to see just how many budget studio monitors are out there!

Now the big question:

Is anyone actually using studio monitors in the under $500 range and feel confident that there mixes translate well to the outside world?

Brandon

I agree with Brandon here, I am using some Reveals myself but I wouldn't recommend using them exclusively. I also run a couple of JBL Control 5's, a set of normal Pioneer hi-fi speakers and I've even been known to play mixes through my TV to get a better idea of the final result.

I find the Tannoys a little "low-end-mid" heavy, giving too much response to the higher ranges of bass guitars and sounding a little muddy. However, they are excellent for a general idea and so powerful!

Is there a speaker set up that counters for all listening situations? I would love to know! This is an important point, I've lost count of the times I have taken a CD away from a fantastic sounding studio, onmly to sound awful as soon as I get it home!

[brandondrury]

Wow! This had turned into a badass thread!

If the tone is there, a reaonably competent mix comes about pretty easily.

While this is technically true, how do you know if tones are there in the first place without a good studio monitoring system.

Making it interesting for the listener is always going to be hard of course, but that's the creative aspect. You either have that or you don't - I don't think monitors will help me or anyone else in that respect.

Again, I'm not sure I agree. I've heard way too many times from bands I've worked with that a given effect, trick, or thingy sounded badass on my monitors and flat out stupid on other systems.

At this point I no longer wish I had better monitors really. I do wish I had: a top shelf vocal mic (coming soon I hope) and a greater variety of preamps to play with, maybe more effects boxes. Monitors are low on the list these days...

Interesting. I have some high end mics and preamps and I consider them nearly useless without great monitoring.

Don't get me wrong I'd love to have some really tits monitors, and a nice acoustic space for them. I think of that as a luxury that comes later. I do expect that if I did that it would yield some benefit.

It's clear that your monitoring system is way better than you let on. I GUARANTEE that you wouldn't have this attitude if you played on mix on other stereos and wanted to pull out a gun and start shooting. This is has been my experience over the years.

I thought it was normal to take mix CDs and a notepad to 3 or 4 different systems and average of 6 to 8 times (correcting issues on each, subsequent mix). I made a lot of great mixes on those monitors.

This has been my experience with my Mackie HR824 studio monitors. I can often get a mix right in 3 or 4 tries if the tracking was good. If the tracking wasn't so good (including crappy song or performance) it takes more like 6-10 mixes.

Brandon