Buying Monitors on a budget

[strangerspusi]

I believe that no monitor in this price range is really acceptable, but what I can say based on experience from a friend that shipped them back the same day he got them: the M-Audio's are so terrible, avoid them! The Akai's might be acceptable based on specs, but I have not heard them.

[Rookwell]

If you can stretch the budget just a tad to ~$150, check out the M-Audio AV40. Anything less than that, I'd really just invest in some decent headphones around $100 as monitors at or below that price wouldn't really be worth having.

[deluxe]

Hi guys, i have the same problem, do not know what studio monitors to buy for my pc bild and am on a budget 125$. The monitors will be used for music and i listen to house, rock, (not hard rock, parni valjak (steamroller) and alike) r&b. They will also be used for watching movies online but not for games, i did do in depth search before i post this and this is the list of my options:

1. Samson MediaOne 3a 103$

2. Akai RPM3 104$

3. Behringer Ms20 111$

4. Kurcweil KS-40A 113$

5. M-Audio AV30 119$

Now i understand that KS-40A is a re-badged Edifier R1200T, but dont understand is that a good thing or a bad thing...? Do have in mind that i will repleace the monitors that i buy with Mackie MR5 MK2 (love the sound these) in about 7-8 monts but for that time i need a decen par of monitors. Please help.

[stevens119]

No, I don't believe you can get a decent set of Active Monitors for $125.

But you could get a pair of PASSIVE Tannoy "Proto J", Tannoy PBM 6.5, Tannoy SBM, Alesis Monitor One, probably some KRK's if you search good enough, maybe JBL passives. There are tons of possibilities. Look on Craigslist and eBay. Now....that coupled with a receiver from the thrift store would be a way more adequate and accurate monitoring situation, than some gimmicky cheap USB speakers. Don't buy crap because it's cheap. Get something that will do the job and is cheap these days. You'll be glad you did. I still believe that studio monitors should have at least a 6 1/2" woofer in them...3" is just plain silly

[deluxe]

Ok, tnx for posting and your advice. Btw KRK and JBL are waaay to expensive for me right now, cost at least 200$ passive's plus i do need an amp for them and thats another 50-70$... Can't find Tannoy in my country Serbia. PS: Decent in my option mean better then Logitech speakers, so i need something better then them, plastic things... Edit: found Tannoy but i have to call for price its not listed, hope its to expensive... http://www.artistsystems.net/mex/pro...59&pod_kat=105

[dergit]

I can't speak for their active counterparts but I bought a pair of passive Alesis Monitor One Mk2 on a budget ages ago and thus far haven't felt the need to upgrade at all, even though I temporarily had a set of A7X in here... when I gave them back I didn't feel too bad about it.

When I'm eventually going to upgrade it's going to be a proper upgrade...

[deluxe]

Interesting... Only one problem, Alesis M1 Mk2 are sold out (bummer) :/.

So, i do not know will this help you so you can help me, but here it goes, the studio monitors are for watching movies and listening to music, no recording or mixing what so ever, will be upgraded to Mackie MR5 MK2 later on. Also i will have a non-pro sound card Asus Xonar DX so that would help a bit on getting the sound better.

[mijome07]

Originally Posted by deluxe

Interesting... Only one problem, Alesis M1 Mk2 are sold out (bummer) :/.

So, i do not know will this help you so you can help me, but here it goes, the studio monitors are for watching movies and listening to music, no recording or mixing what so ever, will be upgraded to Mackie MR5 MK2 later on. Also i will have a non-pro sound card Asus Xonar DX so that would help a bit on getting the sound better.

Get these instead:



I had a set and ran everything through them. Crazy (as in good) headroom. THX certified. Try watching Tron/Star Wars.

Video games sounded awesome too.

[deluxe]

Are they plastic?

[indie folk guy]

the klipsch are plastic and to my ear are very colored sounding, not bad as consumer hi fi speakers for videos, everyday listening, and gaming but aren't really what I'd grab for monitoring/mixing.

Just buy a set of headphones between $100-$200 I like Beyerdynamic, AKG, Sennheiser, and Sony. Anything in that price range will sound lightyears better than mediocre monitors and something that isn't factored into your budget or even mentioned is acoustic treatment in the room. So in addition to having for lack of better words crappy sounding monitors/speakers you are going to have a room causing all kinds of havoc on your mix.

With quality headphones you'll have more accurate and better sound quality, it's the closest thing you'd have to mixing with expensive monitors in a well treated room.

[MickeyMassacre]

TASCAM VL-M3 They cost $100/set. If you can make a mix sound good on them, itll sound good everywhere.

[mijome07]

Originally Posted by deluxe

Are they plastic?

Yeah, is that a deal breaker? Aren't Mackie's powered PA speakers plastic?

Originally Posted by indie folk guy

the klipsch are plastic and to my ear are very colored sounding, not bad as consumer hi fi speakers for videos, everyday listening, and gaming but aren't really what I'd grab for monitoring/mixing.

He's not using them for 'recording or mixing'.

[indie folk guy]

maybe I should emphasize this better

ACOUSTIC TREATMENT!!!

chances are (I'm willing to bet) the room isn't treated so not only do you have a bad/far from accurate set of monitors but the room will make it even harder to mix accurately.

I stand behind my previous post in saying you are better off mixing or doing everyday listening with a good set of headphones than with a crappy set of speakers in a crappy sounding room.

Until you can afford to treat the room and get better monitors it seems more logical to me to spend that $100-$200 on a good set of headphones that you will always use vs a set of tie you over speakers that will maybe fetch 1/4-1/2 of your investment or become decorative paperweights.

[indie folk guy]

Originally Posted by mijome07

Yeah, is that a deal breaker? Aren't Mackie's powered PA speakers plastic?



He's not using them for 'recording or mixing'.

so then why buy a studio monitor and I was more or less replying to the actual OP instead of digressing into computer speakers which btw those klipsch speakers have been discontinued.

Altec Lansing is probably the best bang for the buck computer speaker I've used in the last 5 years. I own the Octane 2.1 set.

[mijome07]

Originally Posted by indie folk guy

so then why buy a studio monitor

Exactly. Ask him.

[deluxe]

@indie folk guy

First things first, i did say am not mixing or recording music what so ever. I want to buy monitors becuse of the clearer sound, it's not masked or colord you hear exactly how it is and standard pc speakers can't do that so i decided to buy studio monitors in stead +i allway wanted a sistem with out a subwoofer but steal have the low freq.

[stevens119]

Originally Posted by deluxe

First things first, i did say am not mixing or recording music what so ever.

Yeah, but you asked this question on gearslutz...what kind of answers did you expect to get? This is a forum to discuss what you are not here to discuss. Not a forum to discuss what speakers have more bass for your Xbox. If you don't want to know what we think is best, try a gaming forum somewhere.

If you want something that has too much bass, treble and is probably a little weird sounding get a 2.1 system and call it a day. It might make your games more exciting.

I suggested a way you could get pretty nice accurate sound, on the cheap. However, I was unaware that in your country, most of these items are probably not available on the used market.

Get some speakers. If you aren't recording or mixing, then the speakers you get don't really matter. Get the ones that look pretty. You won't get the bass you're after with $100 monitors, but you might with a 2.1 considering the sub isn't totally awful

[mijome07]

Originally Posted by indie folk guy

...btw those klipsch speakers have been discontinued.

Don't know what planet you're from, but they are still available here.

[indie folk guy]

funny my micro center told me like two months ago that klipsch had discontinued all their computer speakers the best buy near me didn't have them either. Oh well my Altecs were cheaper and they sound better imho.

My old Klipsch Promedias completely died.

[mijome07]

My brother-in-law got a new set not too long ago from Best Buy. They are a newer model with no power switch on the amp/sub.

Klipsch still has them on their site.

[indie folk guy]

well then they must have re-released them I had a set of those from years ago my altecs sound lightyears better and they were like $80 vs $150.

Either way I'd say high end computer speakers would sound better than cheap studio monitors. A lot of how a studio monitor or any speaker sounds has to do with the way the room sounds just an FYI. So to make the most of any investment treat your room.

[ksandvik]

Get used ones, Mackies, Event et rest that have a good reputation.

[mijome07]

Originally Posted by indie folk guy

Either way I'd say high end computer speakers would sound better than cheap studio monitors. A lot of how a studio monitor or any speaker sounds has to do with the way the room sounds just an FYI. So to make the most of any investment treat your room.

I totally agree.

[npinero1]

Check out M-Audio BX-5As, I think they go for $200 on eBay and they sound awesome.

[deluxe]

Originally Posted by stevens119

Yeah, but you asked this question on gearslutz...what kind of answers did you expect to get?

I expected to help me decide, after all you do have the knowledge and i do not have. lol

Originally Posted by stevens119

This is a forum to discuss what you are not here to discuss. Not a forum to discuss what speakers have more bass for your Xbox.

Wrong. I am here to discuss studio monitors not pc speakers or speakers for an Xbox, i do not even own one, do not play games and you mr. stevens are very rude.

Originally Posted by stevens119

If you don't want to know what we think is best, try a gaming forum somewhere.

How do you know what i want? Bdw i do want to know what you guys think is the best option for monitor's in mine case, that is why i am here.

Originally Posted by stevens119

If you want something that has too much bass, treble and is probably a little weird sounding get a 2.1 system and call it a day. It might make your games more exciting.

hahaha you got it all wrong. Do not want to much bass and treble it will sound ''boomy'' and i will not hear the highs, a little bit of everything is what i want, monitor wich i buy now don't have to be perfect, i know that is imposibile in this price range so a little bit of everything is ok.

Originally Posted by stevens119

I suggested a way you could get pretty nice accurate sound, on the cheap. However, I was unaware that in your country, most of these items are probably not available on the used market.

Yes, you did but thous are not cheap, about 250-300$ and i sead my budget is 125$...

Originally Posted by stevens119

Get some speakers. If you aren't recording or mixing, then the speakers you get don't really matter. Get the ones that look pretty. You won't get the bass you're after with $100 monitors, but you might with a 2.1 considering the sub isn't totally awful

No. I am not a person that buys thing on they looks, that is realy stupid thing to do and do not want 2.1 i want 2.0 monitors. Btw maybe i'll give mixing a try i do not know how hard it is thats way i sead no mixing.

Originally Posted by npinero1

Check out M-Audio BX-5As, I think
they go for $200 on eBay and they
sound awesome.

Check out the Mackie MR5 MK2 they kick M-Audio butt. :D

Originally Posted by indie folk guy

Either way I'd say high end computer
speakers would sound better than
cheap studio monitors.

Maybe.

Originally Posted by indie folk guy

A lot of how a
studio monitor or any speaker sounds
has to do with the way the room
sounds just an FYI. So to make the most of any investment treat your
room

Yes, that is true and i will treat my room.

Originally Posted by ksandvik

Get used ones, Mackies, Event et rest
that have a good reputation.

Good idea, thanke you! They are my favorite though, do have there logo on my avatar to state that i am a fan of Mackie, will buy other brands though. Edit: web adresses of stores in my country > LINK < hope this helps.

[deluxe]

Hello again, i just wanted to inform you that i made a decision and am buying the Kurzweil KS-40A.