Need help buying studio monitors

[MaestroRage]

So i'm going to upgrade my gig, i've got a few potential candidates that hover around my budget for now ($500 ish). I've settled on these 3. Any opinions on any of them, or perhaps suggestions on some others would be fantastic.

KRK RP6 G2 Pair
M-Audio BX8a Deluxe (Pair)
Fostex PMO.5MkII Pair

much thanks in advance.

[Bjra]

I can speak for the m-audios, I have the smaller versions, the bx5a's, and the bigger ones are essentially the same with extended lowrange

all of these monitors are good though, my buddy has a pair of the yellow ones

I would highly recommend more so than which of those monitors, of which I would choose the m-audios, that you get some mo-pads, they make a world of difference in their accuracy.

[Kingbastard]

KRK RP6 G2 Pair

I would go for these, I know a fair few people using the RP5's and they are just plain excellent for home studio use, I'll be buying myself some soon, especially for the price range they pack quite a punch and can compete with monitors two three times their price. I've read many positive articles on them and the trusted FutureMusic magazine ran a series of monitor tests and these came out very highly rated amongst the much more expensive sets. Basically they're great value monitors that pack a nice punch:)

[MaestroRage]

yeah, i've heard some wild things about KRK's. I was already leaning towards them but I wanted to get some opinions. m-audio is a pretty tight brand too, so right now just kind of trying to decide which one of the two.

[IKONiC]

At 10/23/09 07:14 PM, MaestroRage wrote: yeah, i've heard some wild things about KRK's. I was already leaning towards them but I wanted to get some opinions. m-audio is a pretty tight brand too, so right now just kind of trying to decide which one of the two.

A friend of mine and myself have been thinking about getting the KRK Rokit 8's. Cheap and effective if you know where to look. I vote for the KRK's. M-Audio tends to be a slight touch under par in terms of professional equipment as far as I've experienced.

[InGenius]

Generally I am against m-audio as a whole for anyone spending more than 100$ on any piece of hardware...BUT, in the case of the BX series, gawd do those things sound nice and flat compared to some others in the price range. I have to say, M-Audio impressed me. That said, I'd still get the KRK set and some mopads simply because I know KRK stuff can be beaten up, bruised, abused and largely thrown around like a football and most M-Audio stuff will be touchy from simply too much moisture or dust in a room. But, the BX8's are still sweet.

Stay away from the Fostex, I've heard it's not a particularly good setup for the money, mostly in the realm of noise handling from what I've read in Record magazine and Computer Musician. I don't actually know anyone with Fostex though, so no first-hand report. i'm looking at KRK for my next set, though I may just jump that pricepoint and head for the JBL 2.1 setup with JBL amp instead. We got a place here in FBX selling the set for 699$ new, and these 8 inch JBL's sell for 399$ apiece usually.

[Bjra]

At 10/23/09 07:26 PM, InGenius wrote: Generally I am against m-audio as a whole for anyone spending more than 100$ on any piece of hardware...BUT, in the case of the BX series, gawd do those things sound nice and flat compared to some others in the price range. I have to say, M-Audio impressed me. That said, I'd still get the KRK set and some mopads simply because I know KRK stuff can be beaten up, bruised, abused and largely thrown around like a football and most M-Audio stuff will be touchy from simply too much moisture or dust in a room. But, the BX8's are still sweet.

yeah, my m-audio bx5a's woofer on one of the speakers went out about 3 months in, and I got a new on under warranty, took me a month though.

if you are gonna be going to be rough with your speakers, like i was at first, you definately want a more durable brand than m-audio, but they are goddamned accurate

[jarrydn]

At 10/23/09 05:58 PM, Kingbastard wrote: FutureMusic

Slightly OT, but congratulations on the album review they did! I did a massive double take hahaha.

[Kingbastard]

At 10/23/09 09:07 PM, jarrydn wrote:

At 10/23/09 05:58 PM, Kingbastard wrote: FutureMusic

Slightly OT, but congratulations on the album review they did! I did a massive double take hahaha.

haha, thanks man. Took me by surprise too, I had no idea it was going to be in there!)

[Box-Killa]

Well I have some shitty speakers that I got 10 years ago and I make awesome music :D:D
but I use headphones a lot

[Box-Killa]

Oh wait..... I dont think thats what you were talking about lol... monitors lol...

[PeterSatera]

I bought the M-audio BX5a's and it has helped me deliver a much more overall collaborated sound. If your doing it for a hobby and for fun with a budget, these are fair awesome. I dont use them to listen to music though, I have a Z2300 logitechs for that as they warm the sound overall and colour it.

I find that between my Bx5a's, Logitechs Z2300's and HD Pro 280's (Monitor headphones) I can establish a good enough jist of what my piece sounds like. However,im a self taught hobbyist, not a proffessional.

[mariomusicmaker1]

Well i have never used studio monitors before, but for the last year i have been using 2 energy rc-10's and 2 rc-70's. extremely high fidelity speakers and you can get the 10's for about 300 each. fantastic mid bass and even better highs, all around the best bookshelf speakers i have ever used. but they do need to be hooked up to a reviver, so add an extra 600 bucks on to it if you dont own one, I believe most studio monitors have built in amps? correct me if im wrong, I have never seen the apeal of that, i would much rather have more control over my sound and be able to use the speakers for home theater use after im done producing,

[MaestroRage]

At 10/24/09 01:03 PM, mariomusicmaker1 wrote: Well i have never used studio monitors before, but for the last year i have been using 2 energy rc-10's and 2 rc-70's. extremely high fidelity speakers and you can get the 10's for about 300 each. fantastic mid bass and even better highs, all around the best bookshelf speakers i have ever used. but they do need to be hooked up to a reviver, so add an extra 600 bucks on to it if you dont own one, I believe most studio monitors have built in amps? correct me if im wrong, I have never seen the apeal of that, i would much rather have more control over my sound and be able to use the speakers for home theater use after im done producing,

well that's way over my budget. I don't mind giving up amp control, I would prefer it. I like to listen to everything through studio/flat response hardware simply so i'm constantly being surrounded by mixes as they should sound without coloring.

I've had 3 people thus far tell me the KRK 5 are awesome and would recommend the KRK 6, I think I may just go with them.

[Darren-M]

i have the BX8a's and i will tell you that you wont be unsatisfied. they are excellent and the best thing about them is that they really make everything you hear sound naked. they are so flat you can hear every element of a song seperated and exactly where they are in the stereo field. they represent the most true form of sound i have heard.

there are other great things about them,

1. they are magneticly shielded, which is something you need if you have alot of equipment or computer monitors around so that the magnets in the monitors dont skrew shit up.

2. they are bi amplified and also have their own gain knobs per monitor, so you dont need a pre amp.

3 they can except both trs and xlr inputs!

basicly my friend, for 500$ you need to be getting these. they sound great and are extremely helpful

[MaestroRage]

haha, Darren man, you should be a sales person.

The KRK's also have these qualities to them, well at least I remember as such.

Can you vouch for their durability? I have been told they are slightly fragile. I mean I don't intend to move them once places so fragility is not entirely a concern for me but would just like to get your opinion on that matter.

[Bjra]

At 10/25/09 11:23 AM, MaestroRage wrote: haha, Darren man, you should be a sales person.

The KRK's also have these qualities to them, well at least I remember as such.

Can you vouch for their durability? I have been told they are slightly fragile. I mean I don't intend to move them once places so fragility is not entirely a concern for me but would just like to get your opinion on that matter.

If they are going to stay on your desk, and theres really no threat opf them getting poked, stabbed or knowcked off, they will last forever.

if you are gonna be moving them alot, the woofers will blow out, It happened to me. the krk's from what I have seen are incredibly durable, but personally, I like the bx5a's sound more, they sound more transparent to me

[joshhunsaker]

those are all good choices TBH. I would pick whatever suits you aesthetically the best at this point and run with it. If there is a pro audio shop close by (guitar center maybe) see if you can go in and audition each of them if possible (even if at different stores) and get an idea what your personal preference will be.

Don't underestimate the route of using passives with a good second-hand convection-cooled pro audio amp (like a entry-level hafler) either. That may work for you as well and offer more open upgrade possibilities...