Reference Monitors for portable rig?

[Toogy]

Just wondering what you guys use for reference monitors for portable gigs? Do you bring any sort of speakers with you so the client can possibly hear the recorded tracks without having to use headphones?

I was just wondering if anyone does this? And if so what the smallest decent reference monitors would be?

[John Willett]

I use the K+H O110 (now replaced by the Neumann KH 120).

[Mats H]

Originally Posted by Toogy

Just wondering what you guys use for reference monitors for portable gigs? Do you bring any sort of speakers with you so the client can possibly hear the recorded tracks without having to use headphones?

I was just wondering if anyone does this? And if so what the smallest decent reference monitors would be?

I believe this has been covered before...

...But I'll bite. Mostly I only bring headphones for concert recordings, as I find most temporary control rooms sound quite bad. Sometimes I bring a pair of Genelec 8030s. They are very portable with their own carrying case and you can put them up on mic stands. I've used Yamaha MSP5s in the past.

I've just bought a pair of Genelec 1030s from a great friend of mine that I intend to try out on location.

I hear the Neumann KH120 are very good for this and put out an impressive amount of accurate bass for their size. Haven't heard them but the K+H 110 sound very good i m o.

[JonesH]

I'd take a look at the Neumanns as well as the Genelec 8020's that I presently have. I'm very happy with the Finnish speakers; rugged, powerful, compact.

[Petrus]

ADAM A7 (now A7X) are also worth considering. Not the most compact, but a pair fits in a medium sized hard suitcase with some padding (surplus fleece jackets in my case). Detailed and accurate, but low bass is naturally not there (size matters...), low end reach is about the same on all these monitors mentioned so far. I have had these as nearfields for a few years, felt no need to look further.

[radeng]

For serious work I pull the ATC SCM20's/leaded floor stands/70 lb audiophile power amp out of the control room and take the whole monitor rig in the field (major PITA). For the casual jobs I recently picked up a pair of Mackie MR5 Mk II's. The Mackies are quite good for the money, only $325/pr!. My back is loving them.

[hughesmr]

NHT M-00s are nice too.

[willi1203]

Focal CMS40

[Jim Williams]

If a client wants to pay, I'll bring whatever they want.

Otherwise, it's headphones.

[radeng]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Otherwise, it's headphones.

Just curious Jim, what cans do you use for monitoring at a remote?

[Celloman]

Originally Posted by willi1203

Focal CMS40

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by radeng

Just curious Jim, what cans do you use for monitoring at a remote?

The trusty Sony V6.

To know them is to love them.

I also have a pair of JBL Pro III's with rebuilt crossovers, those sound wonderful and are very small. I can fit those in any bag. The Adcom power amp is a bigger problem to move.

[edwinhurwitz]

I have a pair of JBL LSR25ps I got cheap and they work quite well. Compact, albeit a little heavy for their size, and loud and low enough that clients are happy. They seem to take a lot of punishment.

[JEGG]

Originally Posted by Toogy

Just wondering what you guys use for reference monitors for portable gigs? Do you bring any sort of speakers with you so the client can possibly hear the recorded tracks without having to use headphones?

I was just wondering if anyone does this? And if so what the smallest decent reference monitors would be?

People mean very different things when they use the word "reference."

If it's "just for reference," so one can hear what's going on, then the (powered) AudioEngine A2's are very hard to beat for portability and so on. Including price. There is also a discontinued single driver powered Tascam speaker that it also very good, with a slightly better bottom end, that may be even less expensive. The AE product would have excellent support.

But if it's "for reference," meaning relatively more critical and detailed evaluation, that's a different scenario. For me, it's been the Rogers LS3/5a. Because that's what I've had for a very long time-and classical musicians have liked them a great deal. Buying today, it would likely be something self powered (but maybe not), and the Neumann would be the most likely candidate.

I've thought about getting the A2's just for hotel room and remote reference (back stage, green room) kind of thing. They really aren't bad, they would have helped greatly in a couple of occasions already when I just didn't want to haul anything more around. And you can try them for free. Or hear them in a store (the try them for free is only direct from the manufacturer). AE also makes a very unique wireless transmission product, which would seem to team very well with these speakers, and could have some other limited creative applications....


Later edit: So you know, I don't own the A2's. I have heard them once in a green room, and several times in stores.

However, d_fu (I think I have the moniker correct) does have them, and he could write about them with much better perspective than I.

BTW, I started a thread some time ago regarding battery powered speakers. Have a look at that-I don't have the link handy.

[Remoteness]

• Neumann KH120s when I need a small, but powerful package.

• sMackie HR824s when I just don't care; or maybe just a little

• Focal Twin6 Be speakers when I need to get my "rocks" off!

[isma]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

• Neumann KH120s when I need a small, but powerful package.

Same here, fantastic results with the KH 120's, worth every cent.

[jasonraboin]

Currently I'm monitoring my live recording on 8 L'acoustics K1 per side! They are revealing detail and depth in the mix and in playback that I have never heard before.

Sorry to be a wise ass, I'm just so excited about mixing a tour on this pa.

[Brackish]

Originally Posted by isma

fantastic results with the KH 120's, worth every cent.

How's the bass on those? Decent or pretty weak?

[isma]

Originally Posted by Brackish

How's the bass on those? Decent or pretty weak?

The bass is unbelievable for a 5" woofer, really, goes properly down to 50 hrtz, you have to hear it to believe it.
Very impressive...

[Kestral]

How about the Yamaha HS-50m's?

[Thomas W. Bethe]

Genelec 1030's speakers in their own custom suitcase.

[0VU]

Depending upon the nature of the of job and/or available 'control room' space, ATC SCM20A Pro (the metal ones), ATC SCM100ASL, Quad ESL63 Pro, Dynaudio C2. All except the SCM20s have solid flight cases (either from CP Cases or Bulldog). The SCM20s have been travelling in the polystyrene lined grp shells in which they shipped to me but at least one pair will shortly receive some proper flightcases to make them easier to handle. There's also an SCM0.1/15 Pro sub which is flightcased.

For headphones, usually AKG K702 or K701 via Grace M901/m904 or Stax SR007 MkII via Stax SRM-007tII or Gilmore Blue Hawaii. All boxed up as required in foam lined Peli cases (except m904 which has a proper rack case together with a DACS Headlite for extra feeds when needed).

[Tungsten]

I"m eyeing up a set of the Pelonis Signature 42's for this...nice small speakers and a rack mount amp....with DSP if needed -

Pelonis Sound & Acoustics

[Studiodawg]

+1 Pelonis is on my short list too.

[MH 3]

KS Digital C5 "Tiny"

[cyjanopan]

Focal CMS40 with original bag, awesomest

[Remoteness]

Tell us more about the CMS40s.
I have not heard these speakers as of yet.
I like the CMS SUB

[isma]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

Tell us more about the CMS40s.
I have not heard these speakers as of yet.
I like the CMS SUB

Very impressive, as good as the cms50's but with less bass, very accurate, for me they are the best monitors at this mini size, especially for remote/broadcast.
I had them at home for a couple of weeks, i needed them also for home studio use, so the LF wasn't enought..i was looking at the bigger cms50's but finally went for the kh120's..
By the way a friend uses the CMS sub, apparently is works better, more linear with the cms50's than the cms40's

[potscrubber]

Given that the listening environment is this situation is usually highly variable and untreated, working with close nearfields can be one method of dealing with this. In this instance I favor dual concentric's, and have had good results with the humble Emes Black series.