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I'm looking to buy a pair of active near field desktop reference monitor speakers for under $300.00 Any suggestions?
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Steve, After toying with a whole array of monitors for mixing/mastering, I've settled on these. Go ahead, laugh - everyone else does... http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/...59_1594crx.aspxNo longer in production, but available used or as "new old stock" here and there... Just be sure to experiment with the subwoofer placement to get a mix of frequencies that suits your ear. I have the sub on the floor, 6" from a wall and 5 ft. from my cranium - the satellite speakers are about 24" apart, at ear height, and about 18" from the old noggin. Works for me...
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I recently got a pair of M-Audio BX5A's and I really like them. Available all over for under $300.  Check 'em out - http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/StudiophileBX5a.htmlGreg
Last edited by Achordocaster; 12/04/10 01:05 AM.
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If you can swing the extra 50 the BX8a's are even better for some applications..
very pleased with mine
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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nearfields are essential for a studio small or big.before I bought my Spirit absolute 4's I just used ordinary hifi speakers and though it sounded ok in the studio when I played the song in my car or on someone else's hifi speakers it sounded dreadful.Go for it.frankie
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Quote:
I recently got a pair of M-Audio BX5A's and I really like them. Available all over for under $300.
Check 'em out -
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/StudiophileBX5a.html
Greg
+1 I bought a set of these a few months back for my small modest setup and I like the sound of them.
Brian
BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro
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+1 on the BX5a's i have them and for the price love them. I also use them for Practice on my music sets in the studio, they seem to hold up well. I also as Rharv said would love the 8s but i found the 5s at such a great price i snapped them up.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Here's a related question:
I have been using NON-Powered nearfield monitors, a set of Tannoy PBM 6.5 speakers, for years now, and have been basically satisfied with them. Running them through a Pioneer stereo amp.
BUT, I see that everybody seems to want powered monitors, like the M-Audios being discussed here. Am I missing something important, or should I maybe just keep what I have and save the cash? (It's not easy where I am to run out and compare hardware, which I hate to do anyway).
Thanks, Daisy
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Tannoy's are nice speakers.
Nearfields are designed for specific intent. Do you use those speakers with that amp for other things too? Nearfields should be set up a certain way (ear level, even distance etc)..
The good thing about powered monitors is you know everything was matched during design; speaker, amp and crossovers. It can make a difference.
How much?? Can't say without the dreaded comparison you mentioned.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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rharv: They are set up as nearfields, adjacent to the monitor, about 3-4 feet from my mixing head (the one with the earholes), at ear level. Yes, I use them for some other listening, but I have a good keyboard amp, and a nice HK amp with Onkyo surround sound system speakers as well. I will probably just keep what I have, unless Santa drops some Krugerrands down my chiminee. Daisy
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Quote:
Here's a related question:
...and have been basically satisfied with them.
Thanks, Daisy
The thing is, most of us are mixing in untreated rooms anyway. That just means that we have to "learn" our systems by checking our mixes in different players such as car stereo and friends car stereo etc :>). If you like the sound of your system and you've learned it well enough to get good mixes without too many trips to the car player, then there is no need to upgrade in my opinion.
I'd be completely happy if I had just one more guitar.
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Krugerrands? Wow. We have Maple Leaf coin equivalents LOL.
If I lived in Naples I'd be sitting outside with the laptop. Of course here it's -4 and there are 10 cm of snow so I'm not, though I got to sleep until almost noon. Weird.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Thanks for all the good input. On my list of possible speakers is the KRK RP5 G2. Has anyone had experience with these?
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Quote:
Thanks for all the good input. On my list of possible speakers is the KRK RP5 G2. Has anyone had experience with these?
Not the G2's, but I do have the original RP5's. One day, I turned one on, and got a 60Hz buzzing. It was like 'oh crap, cap went bad.' Sure enough, I took it apart, and there was a bulged cap. KRK wanted over $100 to fix it, I said the heck with that, ordered a replacement cap, stuck it in, and haven't had any issues with it since. That was over a year ago, my monitors are never turned off, and they work well for me.
I would like to get the KRK VX series, but they are expensive. The Rokit's sound good in my room, so I'll stick with them.
Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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Quote:
rharv:
They are set up as nearfields, adjacent to the monitor, about 3-4 feet from my mixing head (the one with the earholes), at ear level. Yes, I use them for some other listening, but I have a good keyboard amp, and a nice HK amp with Onkyo surround sound system speakers as well.
I will probably just keep what I have, unless Santa drops some Krugerrands down my chiminee.
Daisy
I run passive speakers for my nearfields also, Daisy, with a Pioneer SA-7800 for the amp.
I love having all that power plus a dedicated and high powered headphone jack, among other things.
You are not really "missing" anything by not using powered monitors.
IMO you are actually ahead of the game. If the power amplifier goes out on the powered speaker, the entire speaker must be sent to the shop for repair. With the separate amp/receiver, you can merely stick another one in place and continue working should number one fail for any reason. And still enjoy mixing on the exact same speakers you know so well.
--Mac
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Great! Thanks a lot guys. You have restored my faith. Now I will have to focus my GAS in a different direction --(Ummm, that didn't come out quite right, did it?). Daisy 
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Better out than in as they say. Not that you want to toot your horn, but yes!
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Daisy, I also run separates like you do. I'm using an old but clean SAE receiver with a pair of Alesis Monitor One's. I think these speakers sound pretty good because in my living room I have a killer pair of Altec model 14's and my mixes done on the Monitor One's stand up pretty well on the big Altec's. The only thing is the bass response is naturally a bit less on the smaller speakers but I've learned to compensate for that. If I boost the bass a tad to sound exactly right on the Alesis's it's too much on the Altec's. But so much of this kind of thing can be the difference in the amps, the room or the speaker placement. The only way to really teach yourself is to play a mix on as many different systems as you can including inside different vehicles.
Bob
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Steve G, In my experience the Behringer Truth range of powered monitors' performance is in a class with speakers costing two to three times as much. Check out the specs, give them a listen, and see whether you don't agree. The Behringer B1030Aactive monitors retail for around $200 USD and will leave some jingle in your pocket. R.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Ryszard,
Thanks for the tip on the Behringer B1030 monitor speakers. It looks like they are about $200.00 each, and I was hoping to get a pair of speakers for about $300.00. Maybe it is unreasonable to find a decent pair speakers for $300.00. Or, are you thinking that one speaker is sufficient? I can see that you could use a single speaker for a reference, but not to mix in the stereo field. Any help here would be helpful as I'm just trying to feel my way in all this stuff that is pretty new to me.
Thanks, Steve
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