Ok - I want more accurate speakers for mixing. Right now my set-up is focused on production and spinning. What I'm doing now:

QSC RX850 2 channel amp powering 2 loudspeakers (couple 12's, 10's, and a few tweeters each) in a really big room - about the size of two bedrooms.

That is the Master volume on the mixer. The Booth output goes to the whole computer/studio set-up for recording. Those studio monitors are being used by the interface and computer for production and not positioned to help me in mixing.

The loudspeakers are good for, well, being loud - but not the best for getting really accurate mixes. So, I was thinking about picking up a couple passive monitors I can use for mixing. They'd be powered by the second channel of the amp. Is it that simple - grab a couple cheap monitors like Behringers or something, slide the loudspeakers back for noise, and have the monitors close-up for accuracy? May be nothing to worry about, but I noticed the Behringers are just 4 ohm... is that a problem?

Thanks for any help.

Monitors, get a pair of KRK RP5's, 8's if you want them louder. Also try the Event TR6 or TR8's. Behringer Truth's are good as well. I used loud speakers for about two years with my TTs, and definitely not accurate enough. They are mostly good for live gigs, but not something you'd want to put near your ears (dangerously high wattage compared to monitors, think of monitors as external headphones).

Glad to know the monitors will make a difference. The monitors you mentioned are all active monitors though - what about the Behringer passive monitors? I have KRK's for the studio set-up and love them. Although, I'm a little concerned that studio monitors will blow or something when I'm spinning. With production I prefer lower volumes, but mixing I prefer higher volumes. Can studio monitors be played at fairly high levels? I haven't found that the KRK's are great when turned up (and not abnoxiously loud, just up).

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Originally posted by Ray_Chappell Glad to know the monitors will make a difference. The monitors you mentioned are all active monitors though - what about the Behringer passive monitors? I have KRK's for the studio set-up and love them. Although, I'm a little concerned that studio monitors will blow or something when I'm spinning. With production I prefer lower volumes, but mixing I prefer higher volumes. Can studio monitors be played at fairly high levels? I haven't found that the KRK's are great when turned up (and not abnoxiously loud, just up).

The KRK RP8s or the Event TR8s are very loud. Any one with a big woofer (which the 8'' ones have) are obviously better for louder volumes, and adding a sub-woofer, would make it even louder. But the point of monitors isn't to play them very loud, but rather to have them closer to your ears to "monitor" out of. If you like a louder experience, then keep with the PA's...but remember, you wont be getting as accurate of a mixing experience. You can hear everything on monitors, even 5'' ones have more than what you need. Actually, I prefer the KRK5's one I just bought to the 8 that I had and sold. They can be put closer to your ears, without damage. Besides, your just using it in your bedroom I assume? It's better to use smaller speakers in a closed environment like a bedroom or studio, vs. loud speakers, which are really made for a larger environment like a church, club, bar, stage, outdoors etc.

Yeah - I just want something loud enough to hear if I have the loudspeakers playing in the back of the room. The room is about the size of 2 bedrooms, maybe a bit more, so I'd like to throw the loudspeakers in the back of the room and have the monitors up close. If I can hear them I'd be happy. Either way, when I want to record I guess I can just turn the loudspeakers off, turn them on when we're just having fun. I'll go with Behringer's Truth speakers - KRK doesn't have passive speakers, although I do really like the V6's. Wish there was a passive set, but these should be ok. Thanks.

KRK's all the way (RP5 or RP8). They have the greatest audio precision that I have heard. I was also impressed by how well they handled the lows for speakers their size.

___________________
Temporarily retired from the world of DJing.

Yes, you're off your rocker.

And why does everyone suck the massive KRK dick around here?

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Originally posted by DJChrisB KRK's all the way (RP5 or RP8). They have the greatest audio precision that I have heard. I was also impressed by how well they handled the lows for speakers their size.

Why dont you go listen to a pair of Mackie HR824s and get back to me. hell, even the Alesis M1 mkIIs are flatter and just as loud as the KRK.

KRK (even the RP8s) arent going to be loud enough to hear over your main PA system. I'd go out and pick up some sound reinforcement monitors (instead of studio monitors) that way you can actually hear them over your main PA.

check out the Mackie C200 or C300z. they're the same drivers as the SRMs just without the built in AMP.

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check out the Mackie C200 or C300z. they're the same drivers as the SRMs just without the built in AMP.

Thanks for the help - from your experience, I could expect pretty good accuracy in sound? Maybe not studio monitor accuracy, but close enough? Loudspeakers are great for parties, but (obviously) suck if you're aiming for precision mixing.

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Originally posted by Ray_Chappell Thanks for the help - from your experience, I could expect pretty good accuracy in sound? Maybe not studio monitor accuracy, but close enough? Loudspeakers are great for parties, but (obviously) suck if you're aiming for precision mixing.

Yes, mackie probably makes the best sounding sound reinforcement monitors for the money. When i was in miami recently for WMC, almost every portable PA system that i saw (ie sound systems that arent installed in a club for like pool parties and hotel lobby parties) were mackie active. Now since you already have an amp and probably wont want to drop $1000 for a set of SRM350s, i'd go with the passive models which are the ones i posted earlier.

studio monitors are great for a bedroom set-up. but since you already have (i will assume) a pretty loud PA, you will need something that you can actually HEAR.

i've got a good amount of experience with all types of PA systems and studio set-ups, and in my experience mackie is the way to go for affordable quality when it comes to booth monitors.

M-audio bx5a, have really nice imaging for accurate mixing.

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Desperate Housenerd.

Vero - thanks for your input on this. I got the Behringer's in the mail since I'd already ordered them after the first couple posts. I thought - what the hell, let's hear them - not even CLOSE to loud enough!! Mackies you recommended are on their way - Behringers (and KRK ST6's, too - the passive version of KRK V6's) are on their way BACK. I'll post one more time when I get the Mackie SR monitors and let you know how this ended. Thanks for the help though - and you were right about studio monitors.

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Why dont you go listen to a pair of Mackie HR824s and get back to me.

Yeah but those things go for like 800 a pair on ebay.

But they're fucking great, I used them for some time mixing and still have them in the studio.