Best monitors for £600-£700

[I_Am_Bic_Pentameter]

Have you thought about new ears?



There could be factors at work as to why it didn't float your boat. You may get a chance to confirm if they are right or wrong for you at another venue.
All these monitors are good suggestions but you will have ones that 'do it' for you. Even at that price level, people 'appear' to like different monitors for different reasons (high end, low end, big end, towns end, graves end). At least, you're putting in the leg work and doing the research and testing.

Adam A7 are on my radar, as are Dynaudios. KRK (and don't all say 'mine work ok' because I know they do) have an electrical hum problem that plenty get. Don't ask me to find the post but they do know about it (not surprised because plenty tell them about it). They are susceptible to it and that's about the most annoying sound to come out of monitors since Bjork. If you never had any hums in any other equipment before then you'd probably be ok.

Let us know if you hear the latest Tannoys and any others.

[sureno]

iv noticed its Rockits that suffer the "hum" not heard of VXT's to suffer this sexually transmitted disease

[TrevCircleStudios]

Originally Posted by sureno

Ha Ha, VXT8's sound great dont they, iv got them, but that is your first hurdle, they can make a shabby mix sound good

ADAM's are just how i expected, a very unflattering sound, BUT i am starting to think with all this modern day music the need for flat bass response is not needed, not sure how to explain my thinking but with modern technology it is very easy now a days to get a deep bass so its almost at a point i have to ease off the bass where as in the past you may of had a hard time getting the bass up to a good mix and level... any way im rambling lol

BTW dont all my monitors big and ugly, they show more affection il have you know

As Churchill said, " never... In the field of human bullsh!t... Was so much drivel... Espoused by one who knows so little..."

(to be fair, he was right up to the bit he said "BUT" but why let the truth get in the way of a good story!)

[sureno]

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

As Churchill said, " never... In the field of human bullsh!t... Was so much drivel... Espoused by one who knows so little..."

(to be fair, he was right up to the bit he said "BUT" but why let the truth get in the way of a good story!)

Ha Ha yeah i kind of felt it was bullsh!t but its nice to have your own theories, truth is those ADAM's are extremely unflattering.

another BUT

when i try to mix on my RM2's i always seem to over emphasise the Bass, both gain levels have been matched etc and the room is treated to a certain degree but not 100%

when i bring a mix to a hi fi system it just sounds very very bottom heavy where as a mix on the KRK's it tends to be more even and they tend to really blow the bottom up when listening through them

[TrevCircleStudios]

Am thinking it's almost time I ran a remedial class in critical listening...

[sureno]

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

Am thinking it's almost time I ran a remedial class in critical listening...

running
after what you just ate
YES
if you do it
we will come!!!

[I_Am_Bic_Pentameter]

Originally Posted by sureno

iv noticed its Rockits that suffer the "hum" not heard of VXT's to suffer this sexually transmitted disease

That's good to hear.

Now off you go. Sir Trev has sent you to detention.

[tyronehowe]

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

An enormous range of factors could be at play here. At one end of the spectrum the listening room and speaker positioning could play a huge part. Even if the room was treated just having speakers placed in different positions has a huge effect. At the other end of the spectrum complex interactions of issues like psychoacoustics and fletcher-munson curves can conspire to make it impossible to judge. Let me give you an example: if one set of monitors was slightly louder than the other this will affect your frequency perception of the other. Similarly if one was bass hyped it would make the other sound bass shy even if in fact it was ruler flat. That makes testing these things really tough. The only way around this is to find out if your friendly neighbourhood pp will allow you to take the front runners home and compare them carefully (after volume matching etc) in your own room. Alternatively, try and find a studio with a good room who has a pair and go listen.

Very fair point. And I certainly don’t want to sound like I am ungrateful for the advice.

All I can say is that the speakers were in similar positions and listened to at various volumes, although not very loud. Of the four sets of monitors I listened to, the Adams really stood out as being lacking in bass. The A5s were the first pair I listened to, and I really could tell right away that they were lacking bottom end.

Originally Posted by sureno

Ha Ha, VXT8's sound great dont they, iv got them, but that is your first hurdle, they can make a shabby mix sound good

Well maybe I should buy them after all then! So you find it easier to mix in the KRKs? Interesting.

Originally Posted by I_Am_Bic_Pentameter

Have you thought about new ears?

Well I’d be the first to admit that it could well be me and me ears.

Originally Posted by I_Am_Bic_Pentameter

There could be factors at work as to why it didn't float your boat. You may get a chance to confirm if they are right or wrong for you at another venue.
All these monitors are good suggestions but you will have ones that 'do it' for you. Even at that price level, people 'appear' to like different monitors for different reasons (high end, low end, big end, towns end, graves end). At least, you're putting in the leg work and doing the research and testing.

Well I’m glad I did. I was about to just order the Adam A7s blind. I need to find somewhere to test the Tannoys.

PS Oi! I like Bjork!

I’m just a bit disappointed by the entire thing. But that attitude doesn’t help me; I need to sort something out because my entire music composing is virtually on hold until I sort this out.

[TrevCircleStudios]

You don't sound ungrateful at all. Absolutely no offence taken!

I think what Sureno means by them making a shabby mix sound good is that they sweeten the sound at your listening point. This is a bad thing as you are likely to suffer mix translation issues when anyone else listens to your stuff in a different environment through different speakers (ie where the crappy mix will not be sweetened and will therefore sound crappy)

[sureno]

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

You don't sound ungrateful at all. Absolutely no offence taken!

I think what Sureno means by them making a shabby mix sound good is that they sweeten the sound at your listening point. This is a bad thing as you are likely to suffer mix translation issues when anyone else listens to your stuff in a different environment through different speakers (ie where the crappy mix will not be sweetened and will therefore sound crappy)

yep spot on, as soon as i put my mix's through my digidesigns i cry, but then as i have only just learnt convertors can play a massive role in what you hear but thats another story

[EdRyan]

I was surprised that you found the Adams to be lacking. But ultimately you have to judge for yourself. It is your ears and cash..

Would DV send a pair of Tannoy's over for audition, or would it be expensive in terms of Logistics/couriers ?

[DV Daz]

Save up and get some Dynaudio's. Love my BM6a's.

[spyder]

Originally Posted by DV Daz

Save up and get some Dynaudio's. Love my BM6a's.

Same here. Bought Dynaudio BM 6A Mk2's a year ago after long demos at Romford on Adams, Genelecs et al. Of course, as always, it depends on personal taste, but in my view Dynaudios are hard to beat.

[tyronehowe]

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

You don't sound ungrateful at all. Absolutely no offence taken!

Thanks.

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

I think what Sureno means by them making a shabby mix sound good is that they sweeten the sound at your listening point. This is a bad thing as you are likely to suffer mix translation issues when anyone else listens to your stuff in a different environment through different speakers (ie where the crappy mix will not be sweetened and will therefore sound crappy)

Thanks again – yes I’ve got it now. I’ve no doubt that my current speakers / amplifier might will do that, they are not “pro” in any sense – but mixes I do with them tend to sound correct to me on other systems (iPod, car, other hi-fi). I know that if I’d chosen the A7s I would forever be looking for the bass.

Originally Posted by EdRyan

I was surprised that you found the Adams to be lacking. But ultimately you have to judge for yourself. It is your ears and cash..

Would DV send a pair of Tannoy's over for audition, or would it be expensive in terms of Logistics/couriers ?

Must just be my ears. I’m sure if I was recording, say, acoustic guitar then I’d find the A7s to be fantastic. Maybe I can ask DV Bristol if they’re willing to get some Tannoys in to listen to.

Originally Posted by DV Daz

Save up and get some Dynaudio's. Love my BM6a's.

Originally Posted by spyder

Same here. Bought Dynaudio BM 6A Mk2's a year ago after long demos at Romford on Adams, Genelecs et al. Of course, as always, it depends on personal taste, but in my view Dynaudios are hard to beat.

Thanks guys. I didn’t listen to the Dynaudios in the shop - I assumed they’d be too expensive for me.

Originally Posted by sureno

yep spot on, as soon as i put my mix's through my digidesigns i cry, but then as i have only just learnt convertors can play a massive role in what you hear but thats another story

Thanks Paul. It’s intersting what you get used to. I’m currently using (please don’t laugh too much) a pair of B & W DM 601 S3 – essentially Hi-fi speakers, but to my ear, good sounding and good bass from a 6” woofer.

[EdRyan]

I used to work on some Eltax 5+ hifi speakers. I know people that still do, like you say once you get used to them. I remember a really good article in SOS once where they questioned studio monitors vs hifi speakers.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun0...s/monitors.asp