Monitors?

[bassdrummer2333]

I'm looking to purchase a pair of studio monitors, I want them to be good for a beginning home studio and also good for a later down the line. My budget is about $100. I've looked at some and I really like M-Audio as a brand. More suggestions?

[YouAteMyDog182]

I use my own home stereo for monitors in my studio/workstation

Works fine :)
haha.
But i do plan on getting actual monitors.
Can't really get great quality with a hundred bucks though.
Unless I'm mistaken.

[Tristan Needler]

KRKs.

From what I've read/heard, they seem to be the best bang-for-buck budget monitors. I guess they're probably about triple your budget at least though, around $150 per speaker. I doubt at that price you'd find anything really worth being a 'monitor.' They'll probably be similar to just regular hifi speakers.

Ever thought of getting a decent pair of headphones and using some basic computer speakers as a second reference?

[fullofdust]

KRKs.

From what I've read/heard, they seem to be the best bang-for-buck budget monitors. I guess they're probably about triple your budget at least though, around $150 per speaker. I doubt at that price you'd find anything really worth being a 'monitor.' They'll probably be similar to just regular hifi speakers.

Ever thought of getting a decent pair of headphones and using some basic computer speakers as a second reference?


This is all pretty much dead on. You're not going to find any real "studio monitors" for $100. Some decent headphones are around that price, like the Sennheiser HD280 and Sony 7506. But mixing on only headphones and computer speakers is really tough to get a mix that translates well to other playback systems.

As far as actual monitors go, the Alesis M1 Active series are surprisingly decent for the money. Never been a huge fan of KRK personally, but they're solid speakers and still much better for mixing than consumer speakers. I'd avoid M-Audio and Behringer though. IMO, they're pretty worthless as monitors.

[bassdrummer2333]

I'm looking at these for purchase in the future, save up.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOBX5ADX

How do I connect them to my computer, what do I need?

[Tristan Needler]

You'd need two trs cables. They look like guitar cables, but have an extra "ring" so that there are three contact points. It would look like a 1/4" version of a stereo 18" headphone jack. You'd plug them into the L and R outs of your audio interface. You could get away with two regular ts guitar cables, but you'd only want to do that if you have ones that are as short as possible.

[bassdrummer2333]

http://www.m-audio.com/images/global/media_hqpics/MobilePre_back.jpg

That's the 2R/2L on that picture, correct?

http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSSTP201RR

And these are TRS cables?

[Tristan Needler]

http://www.m-audio.com/images/global/media_hqpics/MobilePre_back.jpg

That's the 2R/2L on that picture, correct?

http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSSTP201RR

And these are TRS cables?
No, that's a splitter which splits a stereo signal into two mono signal.

You want two cables with one jack each, and each jack will look like the black one from that splitter. Basically what it does is carries a 'balanced' signal, which is much less susceptible to hum, among other things.

[bassdrummer2333]

Can someone link me to one?

[Tristan Needler]

http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSCSS403

I guess that's two that are sort of attached together. That would do it for you. You can just use regular guitar cables too, but like I said that can introduce hum if they're too long and right near your computer and stuff.

[bassdrummer2333]

OK thanks.

[lovelife]

Idk if its too late for recommendations, but I used to own a pair of the M Audio Studiophile DX4's

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-Studiophile-DX4-Powered-Monitors-Pair?sku=603705


I got em used for like 80 bones haha, but they got the job done, they were surprisingly powerful and for what I payed for them, well its was a steal.

Goodluck on your search.

[brandnew741]

I've got a pair of KRKs I use. Like Tristan said, I'd say they are the best bang for the buck. Obviously, far from perfect, but for someone on a budget, they do the job. I switch between those and a pair of HD280s when I mix.