Dynaudio BM15a vs Mackie HR824 for Mastering

[Dave Rose]

I currently use a pair of NS10s for reference monitoring, and am considering buying a pair of Dynaudio BM15a's or Mackie HR824's as well. Does anyone have experience with either or both of these monitors? My room is relatively small (3x5m) but well treated. Note these are for reference only, not as a main monitor.

[tonmeister]

The BM15a's are great speakers but probably too much for a small room.
the Mackies are pretty good but I wouldn't choose them for mastering

[Spartacus]

I would never use the Mackie for mastering, far too coloured

[Garrett]

You've got to test the speakers in your room. Asking a forum for ideas is like having these guys pick your girlfriend. . .

[Rick Hoekman]

Originally Posted by Garrett

You've got to test the speakers in your room. Asking a forum for ideas is like having these guys pick your girlfriend. . .

[funka]

I would never use the Mackie for mastering, far too coloured

Yop, sure, the mackies are certainly not suited for mastering.

I could also say not for mixing too..., but its my personnal taste.

[tonmeister]

the Dynaudio BM15a's are a safe choice, even in a small room. I tried them for a month, they kick arse.

[Don S]

At the risk of sounding like a snob...
I wouldn't trust either of these to be of reference mastering quality. If price is a big factor, as it was with me, it may take a while to find a pair of used monitors. It took me about a year to find used K&H 0300's. But after struggling with both of the 2 you monitors mentioned for years, I am finally happy. In the end it cost me same to upgrade yearly compared to outright making a financial commitment from the start.

[cosmos]

Originally Posted by tonmeister

the Dynaudio BM15a's are a safe choice, even in a small room. I tried them for a month, they kick arse.

a small room wont an issue if treated right. BM15 over the Mackie anyday.

[david1103]

first big london mastering house i used had the bm15a's. they are excellent!

never heard the other's, but based on what i heard about Mackie they are not on the same level.

[wado1942]

The problem with the Mackies is that they have a LOT of internal processing to make them appear to be accurate. The most offensive of this is the limiter that supposedly doesn't work until you're almost at the overload point, yet it never seems to completely get out of the way.

[Waltz Mastering]

Low End Theory?

Have the air 15's but not for mastering.

TW

[kjg]

out of these two definitely the Dynaudios.

[busytbp]

I use BM15s as Main Speakers and second Choice for checkin Radio Mixes on Auratone Cubes

[Ben F]

I used to work in a room with Dynaudio BM15as and to be honest struggled with them a bit for mastering. They just don't have the low mid and midrange detail of say an ATC or K & H 0300. I find the low mids on both the BM6a and BM15a a very difficult area to get right...they lack detail in that area, even though they may sound punchy.

I still use the BM6as for mixing, I think they are a great speaker...but when I change to the ATC SCM50s, there is much low mid information I didn't pick up on, which I think is a critical area for mastering.

Edit: the Mackies are definitely no go, way too much bass!

[MASSIVE Master]

Originally Posted by funka

Yop, sure, the mackies are certainly not suited for mastering.

I could also say not for mixing too..., but its my personnal taste.

I wouldn't use either - But especially not the Mackies. Couldn't get those things to translate if I were in the United Nations press pool.

I have the BM15's here as "the little speakers." They're "okay" - but when you put them up against something more substantial, they are what they are.

[paul2009]

Originally Posted by Dave Rose

I currently use a pair of NS10s for reference monitoring, and am considering buying a pair of Dynaudio BM15a's or Mackie HR824's as well. Does anyone have experience with either or both of these monitors? My room is relatively small (3x5m) but well treated.

both suck for mastering i'd say - I've never got on with dynaudio, I've used makies quite alot for mixing and are pretty cool but I think for mastering you need to spend a bit more.... I've done my research on mastering speakers so I know who to avoid - and I would avoid anyone with these two...

look around at mastering sites... many places ive seen use lipinskis

bob katz (obvoiously)
2496 mastering
masterlab
kronier audio

and pcms (in the UK!):
metropolis
heathman's
optimum
super audio

see a pattern lol?

Paul

[Delta Heavy]

824s are vile

[graincloud]

i have both

the day i got the bm15 i unplugged the mackies and never looked back, they are now in another room as PC speakers haha

i also have the little adam a7 that i still find better than the hr824...

if you can maybe save a bit more money, wait some more time and look at something in the upper range than bm15: maybe barefoot, some custom speakers, PMC etc... my 2cents

[Sonic Nomad]

got the BM6a's with a SM14a sub and literally gave the HR824's away after hearing the the BM6's with the sub.

Don't go Mackie.

[Don S]

Originally Posted by Sonic Nomad

got the BM6a's with a SM14a sub and literally gave the HR824's away after hearing the the BM6's with the sub.

Don't go Mackie.

This is what I wound up with. Probably the best under $2k system for the money IMHO. MUCH more accurate than the BM15A. Mids sounded cleaner, and image better defined. If it wasn't for the tweeter, I might still have them. I was looking for more detail in the highs.

[Bob Olhsson]

The problem with the Mackies is the tricked out low-end. I've heard of people getting pretty good mixing results by setting up a sub next to each Mackie and crossing it over up around 100 Hz.

I agree I wouldn't want either one as my only monitor for mastering although the BM-15s are nice for editing and for checking levels between tracks as a secondary reference.

[msm07]

If they were the only options...Dynaudios all day everyday. I'd take Krk vxt8's over any Mackie.

[dietrich10]

anyone use emes black?

[paul2009]

Originally Posted by msm07

I'd take Krk vxt8's over any Mackie.

+1 !

[Alécio Costa]

I use Dynaudio BM6As here and I agree there is somthing slightly missing in the 2.5-4.6k and a little confusion between 106-320.

You may get used to it.

Lots of people recommended me the BM6As + sub over the BM15As.

Does anyone use the DYNAUDIO C4s? Quested?

I do not have budget for the B E W 800 series neither the Lipinskis 505/707s.

Thanks

[tonmeister]

Most seem to easily dismiss the Mackies, as a budget brand this is an easy assumption in a mastering context. at the audio school I teach at we have the Mk1 model in one of our rooms and I tend to agree that they aren't the most overawing monitoring experience.

It has occurred to me: what about the new MK2 model?
-these have been completely redesigned, have new drivers etc, and a passive bass radiator on the back.

Anyone tried and liked these ones?
(bear in mind the poster is currently using a pair of NS10's as mastering reference monitors, and prob can't afford Dunlavy's)

[Bob Olhsson]

The passive radiator is the problem.

[BigAl]

Originally Posted by MASSIVE Master

But especially not the Mackies. Couldn't get those things to translate if I were in the United Nations press pool.

I could not get the Mackies to translate either. I tried very hard and wasted a lot of time with those darn monitors.

Originally Posted by Sonic Nomad

got the BM6a's with a SM14a sub and literally gave the HR824's away after hearing the the BM6's with the sub.

Don't go Mackie.

BM6a with the sub is great. Anything better than this setup would be a full range monitoring system that comes with a sub built in it: something like a B&W 801's or the 802's. I heard a lot of stuff out there.

[space2012]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

The passive radiator is the problem.

true, something is wrong in the bass, 824 has a verry hyped resonant tone around 100hz/160Hz,
verry annoing, unnatural.
but... has good mid range and highs,

824 can be used with a subwoofer, and hipass filter the mackie around 200Hz, and let the sub woofer handle from 20Hz to 200Hz.