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-- Entry level studio monitors for under $500 USD suggestions?
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Funny thing...I was going through one of the latest issues of Future Music magazine and noticed some top 10 charts. For nearfield monitors, guess what is at #7? Rokit RP5 G2's(listed price 270 euro's). Except for The #4 slot at 235 euro's, every other set of monitors on the chart are 2 to almost 10 times the price as the Rokit's. Interesting tidbit.

Absolutely. Either chose quality or budget.

@ the OP, if you only have a couple of hundred bucks to spend then consider headphones maybe. Then save up for monitors later down the track. I think you get more out of a $200 pair of headphones in terms of long lasting usefuleness than a 400 dollar pair of monitors. Also, unless you live on your own in a detached house, you'll be using the headphones quite a bit anyway.

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Originally posted by floyd741 I think he means headphones: If that is the case, I think most people here will recommend the AKG K240S, for ~$100 they're probably the best in that price range. I would not buy in-ear headphones, I've found that every pair I try sounds disgusting.

I have the AKGs and a pair of shure in ears. They sound ok. But I mainly use them for DJing. They have a very nicely controlled top end, you can hear all sorts of clarity up there that you can't on the 240s.

Oh yeah, and if RANN says something then it generally is the law of the land. Unless I disagree with him.

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Originally posted by Stylz Funny thing...I was going through one of the latest issues of Future Music magazine and noticed some top 10 charts. For nearfield monitors, guess what is at #7? Rokit RP5 G2's(listed price 270 euro's). Except for The #4 slot at 235 euro's, every other set of monitors on the chart are 2 to almost 10 times the price as the Rokit's. Interesting tidbit.

Funny tidbit, did you turn over the page and find the advertisement for KRK on the other page? I wonder if thats a coincidence

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Originally posted by kitphillips @ the OP, if you only have a couple of hundred bucks to spend then consider headphones maybe. Then save up for monitors later down the track. I think you get more out of a $200 pair of headphones in terms of long lasting usefuleness than a 400 dollar pair of monitors. Also, unless you live on your own in a detached house, you'll be using the headphones quite a bit anyway. I have the AKGs and a pair of shure in ears. They sound ok. But I mainly use them for DJing. They have a very nicely controlled top end, you can hear all sorts of clarity up there that you can't on the 240s. Oh yeah, and if RANN says something then it generally is the law of the land. Unless I disagree with him. Funny tidbit, did you turn over the page and find the advertisement for KRK on the other page? I wonder if thats a coincidence

What's your point? There is a 1000 ads in that mag.

Well, I'm sure they're going to give a realistic review and analysis of that piece of kit when the manufacturer has just blown thousands of dollars advertising with them.

Focal, or K&H, or Adam, or dynaudio generally don't advertise half as much as KRK. Maybe thats why their gear is better value, because they actually spend more time developing gear than they do marketing it to noobs like you.

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Originally posted by kitphillips Well, I'm sure they're going to give a realistic review and analysis of that piece of kit when the manufacturer has just blown thousands of dollars advertising with them. Focal, or K&H, or Adam, or dynaudio generally don't advertise half as much as KRK. Maybe thats why their gear is better value, because they actually spend more time developing gear than they do marketing it to noobs like you.

lol!

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Originally posted by Mad for Brad Perhaps he was pointing out the oxymoron of saying something is warmer and cleaner. You don't really get it both ways.

We have a winner

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Originally posted by Kit Funny tidbit, did you turn over the page and find the advertisement for KRK on the other page? I wonder if thats a coincidence

Bingo. FM, CM, even SOS are all just paid for editorial for a few interesting interviews thrown in. I can't tell you the amount of times I've seen favourable reviews for equipment in these mags, only for them a few months later turn around and slate them while promoting the next paid for piece and telling you how this new thing is so much better than the last. There's only a handful of journalists at these mags that have integrity - the rest are literally advertising account executives that write pay for play editorial.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MR5/ (x2)
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Reveal601a/ (x2)

Do you have any suggestions on headphones for producing or know of any forums? In the $200-300 USD range? I have a room in a small apartment, so that's why I was asking if there were headphones that were "good enough for producing."

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD280PROs and sony mdrv700 (my brother bought those, not me) that I use for multipurpose + bedroom DJing. Obviously, the sony's with their high bass suck balls though.

The term "studio monitor headphones" is way too general and even the shitty sony v700s are called "studio monitors" -_-

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Originally posted by kitphillips @ the OP, if you only have a couple of hundred bucks to spend then consider headphones maybe. Then save up for monitors later down the track. I think you get more out of a $200 pair of headphones in terms of long lasting usefuleness than a 400 dollar pair of monitors. Also, unless you live on your own in a detached house, you'll be using the headphones quite a bit anyway. I have the AKGs and a pair of shure in ears. They sound ok. But I mainly use them for DJing. They have a very nicely controlled top end, you can hear all sorts of clarity up there that you can't on the 240s.

Lets try turning this thread around and making it somewhat helpful.

What are people's thoughts on second hand monitors?

I saw a pair of genelec midfields that were in apparently good condition go for like 2k on ebay the other day. Seemed like a good buy, but since I'm planning on moving soon I don't know if I'd have a big enough room for midfields... They were nice though...

2... K....?? damn, id think alot about that!

Yeah, it was something like that. I've heard that midfields aren't good for much except impressing A&R people though, because their response isn't as flat as a nearfield.

if they cost 2000 they should be good for anything.

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Originally posted by kitphillips Lets try turning this thread around and making it somewhat helpful. What are people's thoughts on second hand monitors? I saw a pair of genelec midfields that were in apparently good condition go for like 2k on ebay the other day. Seemed like a good buy, but since I'm planning on moving soon I don't know if I'd have a big enough room for midfields... They were nice though...

Great Idea. Personally, I think that it really depends on the exact make and model, some is based on reputation but thankfully I got to see first hand which break and which last when I was as service engineer.

There are some basic things to look out for with second hand speakers.
1, Kevlar or Plastic drivers can get stiff over time and can start to sound harsh or dull, so stay away from older models that have these drivers.
2, Always look at the rubber ring around the edge of the cone for cracking or warping - sign the driver has been caned and could go.
3, Smell them (I'm not joking). Speakers in smokey environments do not last as long because the smoke damages the rubber over long term exposure.
4, Push the cone in very gently and slowly to see if you feel a grating in the motion. If so the coil is often damaged or on the way out.
5, Look for discoloration or difference in color between cones - easy way to tell if a driver has been replaced, and if not both replaced at the same time they could sound slightly different.

Dynaudio's generally hold up very well and can take quite a few years of abuse without failing - I have a lot of confidence in the whole range. The only thing with them is that the tweeters can be blown but you'll know within two seconds if that's a problem. Good bet for second hand.

Mackie HR824 mk1's are tanks - I have only ever seen one blown driver and that must have just been a defective unit as it was fairly new. They don't degrade over time.

HR824 mk2 are also well built but as they are newer I don't know how they hold up over time.

Alesis M1mk2 - OK, seen quite a few with blown drivers/tweeters but that was through misuse and they don't have the same level in built protection that mackies or Dyaudios do.

Genelecs - the older ones (square) were complete tanks and the newer ones (rounded edges, 80X0 range) are really solid. The smaller 8020's I have seen suffer from misuse so be a little bit careful with those, but generally Gene's retain their value and are built well.

Behringer Truths - careful with these. Unless mint, be very wary. Often blown drivers/tweeters and becuase they're cheap and loud a lot of people misuse them for things like PA speakers. While OK build (not great) they're also not made out of the best materials can be easily damaged.

KRK - built actually quite well, pretty sturdy, can be blown, but it won't make any difference to the sound quality anyway
Seriously, not a bad bet second hand but the kevlar driver cones do get stiff over time so stay away from older ones.

Quested - very very solid, but the tweeters on the F11's and the 2108's do go from time to time. Easy and cheap fix though.

Yamahas - NS10's (the originals not the M's) are tanks but you can still blow the drivers and some say he replcaement drivers aren't the same. You can tell if they're replacement as the new ones are whiter and the older ones have a very slight cream tone. HS80's - so Far absolute tanks and I don't know anyone who has had problems but the again they haven't been out that long. HS50's are the same deal.

I can't think of anymore popular ones off the top of my head but call em out.....

Now that there is some fine information.

Thanks a lot for that dude.

What's your opinion of the minimum space required for a pair of nearfields? I think they were these ones....http://www.dynaudioacoustics.com/Default.asp?Id=2846
I could also be completely wrong.


EDIT
Got the wrong ones. 90% sure these were the ones.

Software police have already got the details from ebay and should be raiding your house imminently.

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