Monitor Advice?

[Wilty]

Basically I'm currently using the £70 Alesis Actives. They were fine while I was getting used to stuff but now are coming up short. Couple this with the fact I wanna do away with my trusty Marantz amp/Tannoy monitor passive set up entirely (both have seen better days) and DJ through them as well. I have the original M Audio BX8A's in my basket but am looking at at the BX5A Deluxes. Basically I am moving into a ground floor flat and am thinking that if the clarity is better on the BX5As they may be a little more suited to my poor neighbours needs as well as my own. I live nowhere near anywhere to demo either otherwise I'd go down that route, but don't wanna make the wrong choice.
Monitors aren't really my strong point and unfortunately thats my budget stretched as far as possible already.
Thanks for helping a newbie

[TrevCircleStudios]

What is your budget?

[TrevCircleStudios]

HAve just looked. Looks like it's about £160. Is that right?

To be honest that isnt going to give you a step up in quality over the bx8a's so I'd probably say stick with them and save your pennies if I was you (sorry, I know this sin't what you want to hear when gripped by GAS).

Now if you could sell your marantz amp and tannoys and your bx8a's you might be able to make a step up to something worthwhile. If you really want to step up then you need to be shooting for the Adam A7 (£428 B stock)/Dynaudio BM5a (£669)/Genelec 8020 (£399/30 (£699) level. The 8020 is the cheapest of these at £399 (though I found them light in the bass). IMO those B stock A7's gotta be the bargain of the month!)

http://www.dv247.com/invt/56767/
http://www.dv247.com/invt/24044/

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

Now if you could sell your marantz amp and tannoys and your bx8a's you might be able to make a step up to something worthwhile. If you really want to step up then you need to be shooting for the Adam A7 (£428 B stock)/Dynaudio BM5a (£669)/Genelec 8020 (£399/30 (£699) level. The 8020 is the cheapest of these at £399 (though I found them light in the bass). IMO those B stock A7's gotta be the bargain of the month!)

Although the 8020s are fairly described as 'light in the bass' - a better description IMHO is 'surprisingly good bass for the size.'

Certainly compared to 5" and bigger speakers the 8020s don't quite have the oomph - but compared to other small speakers from Edirol, KRK etc the Genelecs are surprisingly good.

I use 8020s as a 'second set' to my Tannoy System 600As - sort of my 'real world reference' monitors. Because they're a touch aggressive - just a touch - I find they can help with mix translation for more common listening environments. YMMV of course, but consider this all a vote of confidence in them from me!

However, +1 on those Adams, if I was in the market for monitors right now I'd have scooped those up in a second. They're a great deal.

[Wilty]

Thanks for the advice but its the BX8a's I'm looking at getting, they would be my step up. I know I'll not get a brilliant set in my budget, but am using Alesis M1 Active 320's at the moment and they are pants for DJing and I've outgrown them in the production sense so if I wanna do either in the next couple of months they have to be replaced pretty soon.
I found a B Stock set of Alesis Monitor one's, or B stock Yamaha MSP 3's which may be an even better option?
I'm definitely not at the £700 point yet hehe.

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by Wilty

I found a B Stock set of Alesis Monitor one's, or B stock Yamaha MSP 3's which may be an even better option?
I'm definitely not at the £700 point yet hehe.

IMHO neither of those are great, to be honest.

[TrevCircleStudios]

I agree with T3. As I said earlier:

To be honest that isnt going to give you a step up in quality over the bx8a's so I'd probably say stick with them and save your pennies if I was you (sorry, I know this sin't what you want to hear when gripped by GAS).

[Wilty]

I didn't actually explain that very well, I was looking at getting the BX8a's.
And I just did

[waxxy]

can you post back telling me what you think of them please..ive been after some monitors for weeks now because my old set knackered up ..thanks

[macleodgrant]

i used to use the Alesis but man were those monitors awful. my mixes on those were just terrible.

i then got a pair of genelec 8040 and i believe he 8020 are not that far off. in fact they're used a lot in mobile production rigs and in many editing suites. with a sub it would be a pretty good speaker system. you don't need power to do a great mix, you just need something that is accurate. in fact it's probably harder to do a great mix on powerful speakers because they will bring out more of the issues in the room in particular in the bass regions

[Wilty]

Waxxy-Will do when I finally get 'em set up mate, waiting to get into my new flat (darn solicitors are dragging life out) before I can set anything up. Don't think my mum would enjoy me taking over her dining room to be fair. Can hardly wait! Trying to work out a decent set of stands on a budget...anyone got the Samson 200's?