Monitor Comparison: Mackie hr824s vs Event Studio Precision 8

[Downsound]

I LOVE the Events. I've had mine for 4 years, and I don't know what I'd do if something happened to them. When I initially bought them, I compared them side by side with the 824's, and it wasn't even close. I think I got about a minute into the first song and my decision was made. I've been hearing things about the power amp blowing, but mine has been okay so far.

[Ken Lewis]

Originally Posted by MadMouth

alright. so, I've nailed it down to these 4: Event Studio Precision 8s, JBL LSR4328s, Adam a7s, and Tannoy Reveal Actives (I'm buying used here, not new).

Price wise, the Events come in around $575/pair, the LSR4328s at $750/pair, the Adam a7s at $800/pair, and the Tannoy Reveal Actives (a 5.1 system for only $1000!).

i'm making a final decision on Monday.

I AM buying 2 sets. that's right, 2 sets. eventually i will pair them with a subwoofer (i'm thinking price range $500 -$1000).

I'm keeping the Fostex 2.1 as reference monitors.

these new monitors will be for mixing and mastering.

P.S. these monitors will be going into a garage with uneven walls. there is NO treatment. i have concrete flooring with a 1/16" thick carpeting (no padding underneath). control desk is setup in the middle of the garage. 3 sides drywall, 1 side garage door (garage door is to the right of me). I will be updating the acoustics in the garage over the next year, so I want to get monitors for the long haul.

Full disclosure, i endorse Event Monitors. I endorse them because i love them and My SP8's are my main speakers for every mix i do. If i travel to mix, my Events come with me.

HAving said that, I'll comment on the other choices.....

The Tannoy Reveal Actives are some of the worst sounding speakers i have ever heard in my life. I like some of the other Tannoy's, these are horrendous.

JBL. I like em. they are good. Not as good as the Events.

Adam A7's. Beautiful speakers. a little too beautiful. a little hyped on the high end, a touch scooped in the mids. nice punchy low end. No sub bottom. A7's would make a nice counter speaker to the SP8's. if you had both, they would tell you alot. If i had one to choose from, i'd choose the SP8's. they get much louder without folding up and they are a bit more even. The A7's have a bit more detail and less volume.

Fostex, never used em

Mackie. garbage.

good luck with your choices. Hope this helps.

-Ken Lewis

[PettyCash]

Originally Posted by MikeyMike

You can mix on anything once your ears learn the monitors. Nothing new there, especially in a well treated room. The reason why I know the Mackie suck as a monitor is quite obvious. I use to intentionally play mixes that I knew had big level and frequency problems through them and guess what, the Mackies always made the bad mixes sound like heaven. The Mackies just don't give you a realistic view of the music you're mixing. Anyways, start listing some great sounding albums that have been mixed using them. Can't wait to see them. Since you say thousands, let's see you name some.

From a professional point of view, the real problem most mixers tend to have with the Mackies is that their sound is too "laid back", not as "in your face" as most monitors usually are. Almost like they have a veil over them. Some like that characteristic because over the course of a day it's less fatiguing to their ears, unlike that of my favourite Genelec monitors they seem to resemble; but that same characteristic makes them harder to learn because you first have to get use to that unusual type of sound.

AFAIK, Mackies do anything but make bad mixes sound like heaven. Bad mixes will sound muffled, less defined, and pretty much boring. Mixes with poor depth will sound flat, almost as if they stayed glued to the monitor, instead of floating out to your ears. That's the only thing I find useful about these monitors. They are great for referencing audio, but lack that certain something that I usually like to have for mixing songs and achieving a certain "vibe" from my mixes. Mixing on them was hell because I could not get use to their sound. They made me feel like an amateur.

For the most part, I find that most people I know tend to like mixing on monitors that sound more open, almost hi-fi'ish, while still remaining detailed and as relatively accurate as possible. IMO, on monitors like these, once you get adjusted to how it translates to other systems, it's easier to get a feel for when a mix is done. This is why I recommended the Events to the OP in his case. They have vibe.

Best choice here is to get the Events and A7s.

[Dizzy]

Buy Yamaha HS80M 8" Powered Studio Monitor - Each | Powered Monitors | Musician's Friend

[MadMouth]

not really into the hyped sound of the Yamahas.

bought my Pioneers and they are AMAZING!!! punchy low end, detailed mids, and clean highs

next up on the list...Event. either way i'm getting a pair these. Whether it be the 20/20 BAS models, the Project Studio models, or the ASP8s I was originally looking at. i know i'll definitely not go wrong with Event monitors.

[pianoflo]

+1 on DIY Acoustics before u put in some new monitors! (Basstraps, broadband absorbers, plus get yourself a copy of Philip Newells "Recording Studio Design")

Monitorwise i´d suggest anything but the Mackies, heard em in conjunction with a Mackie HRS Sub, sounded like a PA but not something you´d really like to mix on. The aforementioned Adams and JBLS sound like a nice choice, but if you really want something better go and try to get a pair of used PMCs (TB2) etc.