Best monitors for 300-400?

B

BThrowd

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Ok I remember not too long ago briefly reading over thread after thread about which monitors are best. Now that im actually in the market to buy a pair i cant find these threads anywhere. I type in the word "monitors" only, to be as unspecific as possible and i get 45 threads, but none help me out and i dont know what happend to all those very detailed discussions on what monitors are good and why? Anyways to my question which are the best in the 300-400 (maybe more) price range? I've read so much controversy in other forums about which ones are better. Of course the most mentioned would be the behringer truths. Then theres Event who alot of people say are too colored. but what do yall think? Im not so much looking for a long list too choose from im already pulling my hair out trying to decide. just want some sound advice on the pair yall would go with and why. i sure dont wanna make a bad purchase. I need something that will really reveal the flaws (ofcourse).
i trust this forums judgement better than most so help me out.
 
i am in the same boat as you so I went down and talked to a life long production guy at my local music shop. I had been eyeing the alesis m1 actives and the m audio studiophile bx5 monitors. He said that both of those were great for the price however he reccomended the tapco monitors by mackie for $350 he said they sound great. I bought them and I love them. Go to mackie's site and check them out.
 
I sure like the name mackie better than behringer. Any other opinions on the tapco monitors? What are the downfalls of these monitors? And what do you like about them? I dont want my sound to be flattered in the least.
thanks for your reply
 
well the higher frequencies are clearer then the m audios and the monitors sounded very very clear and punchy. Now im not saying the maudios were muddy or the alesis it is just that these are real nice monitors. You will be happy with whichever one you choose even the behringer. The audio guy that i talked to said that he has some $1300 mackiesand that he thought the tapco s5 model was comparable.
 
I use the Alesis M1 MK2 actives.

I would suggest you go into a local music store to try a few out before you buy a pair.

I read somewhere that you should use an acoustic guitar CD when referencing monitors. I think it was EQ magazine, a while back. I forgot where I read it.
 
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Be sure to check out the KRK Rokit 5's which nobody has mentioned....I thought they sounded excellent and was suprised they go for only $300 or less a pair....My monitors cost almost that a per speaker and I was/still am considering changing to those.



555
 
i reccommend the krk rp5's as well. I just bought a pair a couple weeks ago and they sound great, especially considering their 5 inch woofer. I actually found them to sound better than some monitors which costed even more, including the event tr6, and the krk rp8. You should go to a music store and listen to some monitors first though. what sounds good to one person may sound horrible to another, so its good to check it out for yourself.
 
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Thats 2 for the rockits. Ive checked those out in the past i remember them sound pretty good
CubaseRox said:
I read somewhere that you should use an acoustic guitar CD when referencing monitors.
Im glad you mentioned that cuz it makes sense im gonna take a eric clapton cd and i think ill that dj magic mike sub woofer excursion test. How do you like your alesis? have you compared them with rockits or the tapco?
Who else has opinions on the tapcos? They seem to get pretty good reviews on that link.
Who else has tried them.
Im for sure gonna try out anything before i buy it but my ears are untrained i dont know what to look for. I cant really recognize what a flat sound should sound like accurately yet.
 
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I like the alesis a lot and people seemed to be impressed by them. I think they give off a crisp clean flat sound. I like the mackie 8's better, but maybe i'll get them in the future.

I never heard the rockits or tapco's to compare them.

Wasn't tapco once mackie. I believe I read that in a mackie mag that his first mixer he made, the company was called tapco.
 
I most likely wouldnt be using these very loud at all. So would i get a pretty good mix out of 5 inch? or will i regret it and wish i had 8 inch later?
 
If you're in a really big room I would recommend the 8's maybe, but if youre in a small room maybe stick with the 5's...you'll get a little more low-end representation in the bigger monitors, but remember bigger isn't always better.....like the Rokit's for example, I liked the sound of the 5's better than the 8's personally..

Might be more beneficial to get a nicer pair of smaller monitors then a sh!ttier pair bigger ones...make sense?
Specially considering you're pretty budgeted.




555
 
Ebbiguise555 said:
Might be more beneficial to get a nicer pair of smaller monitors then a sh!ttier pair bigger onesbudgeted.
Exactly what i was thinkin. I want
more quality rather than quanity.
Especially since i wont be bangin em too loud.
I dont know what would be considered a big studio room though. the room im workin in is a 12x12 bedroom.
 
i happen to have the luxury of working in a huge music store and have heard lots of monitors in comparison of others...are we talking 3-4 bills for a pair????? I would have to just throw some points towards krk for coming out with the rokit series which sounds great for a low price....not as grating to my ears in the higher freqs as compared to the event tr series and much more defined than the m-audios or alesis......keep in mind that the room you put them in affects the overall sound....
check out aurlex' web site for suggestions on shaping the acoustics of your room.
 
BThrowd said:
im kinda torn between the mackies and the rockits.

My friend has the mackie 8's, I must say they are extremely flat sounding but have great sound. I was almost jealous when he was showing me them.

Made me want to drive home and sell my Alesis'
 
CubaseRox said:


My friend has the mackie 8's, I must say they are extremely flat sounding but have great sound. I was almost jealous when he was showing me them.

Made me want to drive home and sell my Alesis'

but the 824's are not in this pricerange, are they? ;)

but they're great monitors, that's true (see my avatar :D)
 
It is true that Greg Mackies first company was under the brand Tapco.......and as far as I know mackie & tapco are still the same company, excpet the Tapco gear is made in china....and Mackie gear is still made in the good ol' USA.

It's kinda like Soundcraft, who make "Spirit", as their low cost products. So Tapco is Mackies lower cost alternative....trying to bring back some of the Behringer market.

Difference between behringer and tapco....probably not a hell of a lot really. I think in your price range, the behringer truths actives are a good buy. Also, if you can stretch a little further, I would reccommend the Tannoy Reveals......I have them and think they are great, but like someone else said, each monitor will sound different for different people....it is very much down to personal taste.

Good luck!
 
Yeah you had to see the pic of the mixer by tapco, it had potentiometers (knobs in lamens terms) instead of faders, and 1/4" inputs, it was a 6 channel I think.

It also had the word "tapco" which appeared to be written in marker on a white piece tape or something.

I am saying this on memory so please dont "quote" me.
 
baggysound said:

but the 824's are not in this pricerange, are they? ;)

I seen everyone saying "8's" I was assuming they were talking about the 824's. Unless there is another set of 8's that I dont know about. I know there is the 6's too.
 
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