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Hi-Fi or Active studio monitors?

S

Selder

New Member
Hello! I've been wondering for a couple of months now. Should i go with hifi or with active studio monitors.
Setup will be like
-Passive floorstanding speakers, power amp, preamp (mixer Allen and heath xone 23c), turntable and pc as a source
-Active studio monitors (M-Audio bx8 d2) with also xone 23c as a soundcard, turntable and pc as a source
Any comment will be usefull
Thanks! :)
 
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i have the combo of passive and active and i find no difference at all. as with everything, it is all subjective. try both.
 
I had active monitors and now have passive floor standers. Loved the monitors, though you'll probably want to add a sub if you go that route. I ended up with a matching sub and was in audio heaven. My wife didn't really care for the "pro" look of the monitors so I bought some comparably priced floor standers for the better WAF. Sold my monitors and sub to a recording studio in Toronto, and greived for a while. The floor standers sound very good, but there's something missing that I had before with the monitors and sub. I think you need to go up the food chain quite a bit price-wise to get comparable performance froma floor-stander vs. a nice active monitor.
 
Either can be a solid choice.

In my experience, modern powered studio monitors are usually better for nearfield listening such as at a desk or console while traditional speakers can be better for normal listening such as in a living room.
 
I've had tons of "pro" gear like that. Love it for both mixing and listening. Had a pair of Harbeth's (monitor type) that I really really regret selling.
 
Selder said:
Thank you all for responses! What do you guys think about these M-audios ?
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The audio engineers I know either make their own monitors, or use 8" Mackies or Behringer Truths. I like my JBL LSR305's very much. I don't know anybody who uses M-Audio anything.
 
Poinzy said:
I don't know anybody who uses M-Audio anything.
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Well,I recall reading over @ gearslutz.com that Butch Vig said he uses a pair of M-Audio EX66 in his home studio,,,he even posted pics of his home studio set-up as well...
Also I vaguely recall seeing a pair of EX66 in the background of the studio Josh Homme & Jesse Hughes used during the filming of "The Redemption Of The Devil".

So there are at least a couple of "pros" out there who use M-Audio,,,and apparently those EX66 are the ones those sorta folks prefer.
Like any brand of gear there are usually varying levels of quality in their given product lines throughout that co.s history.
But as per SOP those specific M-Audio's (EX66) have been discontinued,LOL,yeah go figure eh. :rolleyes:

And I dont have anything to say 'bout those BX8-D2 specifically myself.
So enough 'bout M-Audio for now.

Tons & tons of reading on studio monitors out there if you go looking for it,heck a person could spend years reading all the studio monitor threads over @ gearslutz.com.
And there are plenty of other studio/recording forums like that one as well.

But most everyone will tell you to get out and go audition as many as you can before pulling the trigger,ie: hearing is believing.
Most music stores should have a good cross-section of vaious brands and budget levels of active monitors to check out & audition.

But to give any serious suggestions really requires us having more detailed info,like potential budget and room details and what-not.

Also,there's the option of passive studio monitors as well,no reason passives have to be floorstanders,they come in all sizes & shapes.
Some pros prefer passive monitors as they're typically quieter than some active monitors.

I kinda went that route (smaller passive monitors) with my desktop PC based headphone/nearfield rig.
That HP/NF rig sounds superb too.

The possibilities are endless really.

FWIW

Bret P.
 
Um, xero, I said I didn't *know* anybody personally who used M-Audio monitors. I didn't say no professionals used them.

I think M-Audio makes credible computer monitors, but I personally wouldn't touch anything else they made. One of the engineers I referred to has his recording studio filled with Mackies. He's 50+ years in the recording business, records and mixes for the Detroit Symphony and smaller classical ensembles.

The other guys do product design for the auto industry and use Behringer Truths in their labs and in their homes. Take my word for it, M-Audio never even comes up in conversation.
 
Not to get too far off topic.

My point was there are all sorts of pros and they look at monitors as tools,and as such they're prone to using a specific monitor to get a desired/repeatable result.
So one is liable to find all sorts of mointors in any given recording studio,just because your guy's prefer those monitors that does'nt mean the next guy(s) will.
That's why one is gonna find monitors like the NS-10M and Avantones and such in most studios as well,and those typically are'nt there for general listening chores.
They're used to expose specific flaws and traits so the overall end result is where the given fella wants/needs it to be,not because they sound nice or such.

Thing is I'm 100% sure there are plenty of pros out there that feel the same way about those Mackies & Behringer Truths as you seem to feel about M-Audio.

It's all based one's own personal preferences same as anything else audio related.

Me,if audio were my primary business,I'd probably be using some Genelec ATC or PMC monitors myself,,,the next guy may want something completely different...
So the one constant is that there will never be complete agreement on something as subjective as this topic is.

Like I said the best advice for someone looking for something like this is to go listen for themselves and try to audition as many different brands/models as possible.
Then they should ask if they can take them home for a trial period,as any given monitor may sound great in the store,but not sound all that great in another given setting.
And most folks homes are'nt as acoustically optimized & treated as most studios would be,so that too throws another variable into the situation as well.

That's why the ubiquitous JMO/JMHO -or- YMMV is often tagged onto the end of posts in forums like this one.

FWIW

Bret P.
 
Selder, will this be your first system from the ground up? Are you planning on new gear, or shopping the used market? Mail order or big box store (if new)?
 
tensleep said:
Selder, will this be your first system from the ground up? Are you planning on new gear, or shopping the used market? Mail order or big box store (if new)?
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Yeah, those would be my first monitors! I'm planing buying brand new ones. Big Box store!
 
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