best studio monitors speakers (for music playback) around 600$ max

P

psyside

2[H]4U
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
2,243
Hi guys, let me start by saying that im just starting to get into Hi-Fi stuff, so please no snob comments and stuff, i'm aware that im noob :D

Now my questions.

Where i live there are few monitors available, after intensive research, i get to conclusion that the best pick for me would be front ported, compact-small monitors, with room aqustic settings, in order to avoid bad sound, beacuse my room is quite small 4x4 meters.

Q:What kind of music i listen?

A:Hard & progressive rock, acoustic music, ambient-chill out, classic, new age, trip hop, goa trance etc.

Q: What do i want my speakers to sound like?

A: Well, I prefer, cristal clear, crips, detailed, dynamic, deep sound, good hi/mids, and clear detailed vocals mostly over everything else, i also like clear-deep bass, i dont want to be lould/powerful just to be detailed and not to forgot i like good freq response.

Bear in mind that my room is small, and one of the speakers will be in the corner of my room, i now this is not ideal, but as far as i read, being front ported speakers, reducing the acoustic issues if im not wrong?


One more note: Also keep in mind i will connect my new monitors with sound card, (xonar STX/HD Titanium? advice me which to buy) so any tips of how to connect, and what cables to use XLR/RCA would be highly appericated, will i get even better sound quallity by using good quallity sound card with studio monitors, or they are already at thei peak level even without it? sorry for stupid questions, but Hi-Fi stuff are quite new to me


Anyway i'm heading towards 3 models now.


Adam A3x- 450 euros > looks like my favorite till now if im not wrong, this speakers offer the most detailed/crisp sound as far as i read correct me if im wrong, also they would be placed on both sides of my LCD monitor, and i heard they are not magnetic shielded would this be issue for me, i must be sure about this!

KRK Rokit 5G2 - 340 euros > generally all round best speakers (regarding generally buyers opinions) but they lack clarity and details wich i like sadly :sad-smile

BX8A - 400 euros > I heard the capacitators are junk, and generally build quallity as well is not the best, and about the sound i only heard they are praised for theie tweeters, but the Adam tweeters, i think are even better or not?


Thats it, i hope i was clear enough and i expect you guys to help me out! thanks!

P.S. Im from EU so dont get hard on my english :p
 
Last edited:
If you're getting monitors, then most of the small ones are designed for near-field listening (within about 1.5 meters or so from the ears).
 
Yea they will be placed 1 meter max from me, on my medium sized desk, can i get away with putting them paralel with my LCD? i mean do they have to be not covered at all from my large screen? ( what i mean is slightly behind it, covered only by the edges of it?) because my desk is not the biggest one.
 
I've got a pair of ADAM A3X on Auralex monitor isolation foam.
 
How do you like them? do you thin they will fit my needs well? music type/clarity etc?
 
I think they are very good for the money. Adams provide a very clean sound; the ribbon tweeters are wonderful.
 
Thanks megalith!

Today i went to chek the Adam A3x in the store, and they where quite good considering i listen to them quite little only few mins.



Now i got some questions regarding some possible issues.



There was huge debate over Gearslutz forum, about Adam AX series and port noise issues, with bass heavy material.



This issue has been totally fixed with new speakers revisions, but the problem is even they cleary stated (users on Geralslutz) what revisions/serial number had the fixed new bass reflex, that was only for A7x line up and possibly for Ax8, but they never said anything about A3x :(



So now, i dont know what to do, if anyone know what serial numbers does the fixed Adam A3x revisions start with or how to recognize them i would be really helpful!



On another note, do this speakers Adam A3x, come with active crossover? what is the advantage/disadadvantage passive vs active ?



Also one more thing, this speakers come with 5 years warranty everywhere where i saw them, but where i live they offer only 1 year warranty, is this big deal? or speakers are generally quite robust? i will listen to them on low volumes most of the time, and that being said, do they sound good on low volume? at the store, i only listen to them on 1/3 and man...they are so loud for such a low size lol!
 
Have you considered the Yamaha HS50M or the HS80M? I went with the HS50s with requirements similar to yours and I quite like them.
 
I heard they have no bass or very little, im not a bass head by any means, but most owners say with HS50, a sub is a must.
 
I haven't heard the A3X, but they're supposed to be a very nice speaker for 1) how small and 2) how inexpensive they are. Additionally I don't think the the A3X ever had a problem with port noise.If you want to learn about audio crossovers just look them up, Audio Crossover - Wiki.

Regardless, the big difference is how they work. A Passive crossover is basically completely dependent upon the not only the amplifier to drive it but also the transducers themselves. Active crossovers are not dependent on such things, but they do require power amplification for every frequency. So, for example in a two way design such as the Adam A3X, the Tweeter will need its own amp as will the woofer.

The A3X could have two types of crossovers in it. Either an Active or a Passive Line-Level. Either way I'm sure the speaker sounds darn good.
 
pvc said:
Have you considered the Yamaha HS50M or the HS80M? I went with the HS50s with requirements similar to yours and I quite like them.
Click to expand...
Same here. I love my HS50Ms in a tiny office :)

Here's a thread I made about this very subject of small rooms:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1615083

psyside said:
I heard they have no bass or very little, im not a bass head by any means, but most owners say with HS50, a sub is a must.
Click to expand...
That really depends on speaker positioning, seating positioning and the room itself. In my tiny room I don't need a sub since a sub would overpower the room quickly. I don't even have the room for a sub and I feel that only on the deepest of bass that I ever miss having one.
 
The Adam A3x was not related to port noise issues but it may be because most of the users in the original thread @ Gearslutz where buying AX-5,7 & 8, one of them bought A3x and said there was port noise as well, so i must be sure before i buy it, its not a huge deal, i can live with it (prooly) but it could start to bothering me very easy, i dont want to experiment, i wont change this speakers for at least 3/4 years so yea it must be really good, thanks one more time!

BTW Adam A3x does haev 2 amps, one for the bass and one for the tweeter, i wonder what this tell us for active vs passive crossovers, interesting, thanks for the explanation Xolos! and also others for the input :)

One more thing, what volume its consider as safe? lets say 80% of max volume? and last question does having good sound card improve the SQ even more when you already buy such a good speakers with amps which boost the SQ as well, i plan to buy Xonar STX, would it make drastice difference?
 
Psyside,
Short of taking the speaker apart or asking Adam I do not know what kind of crossover is inside the A3X. It could be either an Active or a Passive Line-Level.

In regards to the level question. That is probably best left up to reading the manual of the speaker. Finally, the Sound Card. If you're used to using the analog on your mobo more than likely it sucks pretty bad. A dedicated sound card such as the Xonar STX is going have a significantly better analog side than your mobo. If, however, you're using an external DAC then just stick to the onboard for transport.
 
You're spending more on two speakers than I spent on my entire 7.1 + receiver speaker system... :eek:
 
KRK Rokit5 G2 are great multimedia speakers, but don't really expect them to be "studio monitors". They're very forward, and have a deep, but not wide soundstage. I use them on my gaming PC, and the only music my ears don't get fatigued listening to is 70's stuff. They're better than the RP6's, because they don't try to fake the low end as much (it's simply not there.)

You mentioned sound card, keep in mind the Xonar STX doesn't provide balanced outputs. Many monitors provide either balanced or unbalanced inputs, but the built-in amps usually provide the best sensitivity at +4 rather than -10.

Ascend CBM-170 and a good amp (Crown, Hafler) would provide flatter response than anything you mentioned (including ADAM lower priced offerings.) Almost all smaller speakers like these would require a subwoofer (preferably two, in a bigger room) for proper bass extension. Without a subwoofer, your target is going to be 8" diameter speakers for extension below 60Hz properly next to a wall (ported or un-ported) and that doesn't exactly work with a medium sized desk.

Back to your room -- you mentioned it's small, so it's going to be hard to get any type of low end not sounding like a boomy mess. At your price range, room treatment is going to make the most difference between speaker choices. You can have the most accurate speakers in the world, but if you don't take care of first reflection points and standing waves you might as well get some Alesis monitors ;)

For nothing but pure music playback and not any tracking, recording or what have you I would definitely recommend 'audiophile' bookshelf speakers to budget studio monitors. Ascend CBM-170, Infinity Primus series, Peachtree Era D5, Energy RC10, Polk, plenty of options here in your budget. Don't get too caught up on studio monitors being more accurate than normal bookshelves, because they aren't for the money you want to spend.
 
Studio monitors aren't really designed for bass...running through a sub with a high pass will cut the response from the monitor anyway. I agree with Farkle that there is a point of diminishing returns, without room treatment, isolation stands, EQ, you are probably not going to notice much of a difference past the KRKs.

It's too bad you aren't in the USA. Hellomusic.com has a pair of KRK Rokit G2 6s for $300.

Also note I have a pair of KRK Rokit G2 8s. They have good bass extension but it's not going to give you the same feeling as a sub would. It's more like listening to headphones.
 
i've been very pleased with my Alesis M1 Active MK2 monitors. Very clear and nice tight bass. and they can play very loud and clear.
They have XLR inputs.

editor.jpg

I've had them since 2004 (pic above is from 2004 as well)
 
ERA D4. You'll have a hard time finding anything that sounds better for the price; and they're ideal if you're limited in space.

I use a pair of D4s with an 8" Energy subwoofer; and an old Onkyo mini-system receiver (R-805X) to power the speakers. Even though the amp tops out at about 20-watts, it's more than plenty of volume for gaming and listening to music; and a sweet level of sound quality without killing the wallet.


Underwood seems to be one of the few dealers that has any of those speakers left:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1327801379&/ERA-D4-Black-Lacquer-Spkrs-New
 
Thanks for the answers guys! really helpful!

@Mrmike18, i can't find that speakers where i live, im limited to the ones noted in the original post.

Now im mostly leaning really towards the A3x, but the problem is i can't find any info about revisions,( Adam A3x) and neither Adam answering mu emails...:(
 
Is the Adam A5x an option?

I ask because considering the type of music you listen to you'll either need a sub to get the low lows or a bigger woofer then the A3x offers.
 
In that case if the Yamaha HS50M isn't a option either go for the A3x.
 
lordsegan said:
I like the Swan M200 MKIII

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/product_info.php/p/swan-m200mkiii/products_id/121
Click to expand...

Those kind of go against:

psyside said:
Q: What do i want my speakers to sound like?

A: Well, I prefer, cristal clear, crips, detailed, dynamic, deep sound, good hi/mids, and clear detailed vocals mostly over everything else, i also like clear-deep bass, i dont want to be lould/powerful just to be detailed and not to forgot i like good freq response.
Click to expand...

Swan M200s are incredibly laid back and warm sounding. But they're also slow to resolve and easy to blur details out with enough instruments at once. Great for things like Diana Krall, not so great for classical or anything else that has a chance for high complexity. I always thought they were a bit overpriced for Hi-Val speakers. They sound and measure no better than a pair of Insignia NS-82111 with a tri-path amp. Then again, at least they come in nice soft canvas bags right? ;)
 
Farkle said:
Swan M200s are incredibly laid back and warm sounding. But they're also slow to resolve and easy to blur details out with enough instruments at once. Great for things like Diana Krall, not so great for classical or anything else that has a chance for high complexity. I always thought they were a bit overpriced for Hi-Val speakers. They sound and measure no better than a pair of Insignia NS-82111 with a tri-path amp. Then again, at least they come in nice soft canvas bags right? ;)
Click to expand...

There's actually nothing in the M200 series design or build to rule them less than accurate, Farkle. In fact, as studio monitors they ship with individual frequency response measurements, flat to well within the industry standard of +/- 3dB.

measured%20M200MkIII%20response%20600.jpg


Amplification is gainclone style, which is fast (wideband) and high current, and the drivers are typical for higher resolution designs: A linear 5.25" mineral-filled polypropylene midbass driver in a classic tuned alignment, and a true 25mm soft dome tweeter.

This is also a ten year series across three models, and has been well regarded for acoustic music throughout the run, with enough power (especially in the MkIII) for very high output from a speaker of its class..
 
Farkle said:
Those kind of go against:



Swan M200s are incredibly laid back and warm sounding. But they're also slow to resolve and easy to blur details out with enough instruments at once. Great for things like Diana Krall, not so great for classical or anything else that has a chance for high complexity. I always thought they were a bit overpriced for Hi-Val speakers. They sound and measure no better than a pair of Insignia NS-82111 with a tri-path amp. Then again, at least they come in nice soft canvas bags right? ;)
Click to expand...

It's true, I would not describe them as sparkly. But I listen to Eurodance sometimes and I have never had a problem with them keeping up.
 
One thing that really grates me about some of the high end monitors is the report of port noise. Speakers costing $1600 for a pair having port noise is unacceptable. Adams, Focals, Sonodynes all have reports of port noise. Unreal.

I have the KRK rp6g2's, speakers which are no stranger to shit being talked about them. Guess what....zero port noise. KRK really does good cabinets. Not saying to run out and buy KRK's, just that I don't think they deserve much of the flak that they get.

Most people's opinion of speakers is tainted by their room acoustics. Take these opinions with a grain of salt. What you should really discuss is build quality, amplifier headroom, noise levels/rf shielding. You will not know how a speaker sounds until it is in the room where it will live.
 
Last edited:
Hey guys, i bought the A3x amazing sound! insane.....im totally speachless :D

They where alot better then all of the models expect the 2 Yamaha's which where decent but still lost to A3x.

1. Yamaha HS80 (close to Adam)
2. Yamaha HS50(not good as HS80 but also kinda close to A3x)
3.Wharfedale Diamond 10.1.
4. KRK Rokit G2 5
5. M-audio CX5a
6. Berhinger B2031
7. M-audio BX5a
 
That's great to hear *pun* :p
I'm going to have to look those up next time I check out the music store.
 
Me again, few questions..... from what i have read its recommended to set windows master/Aimp3 volume control at max or 95% dunno why is this recommended (i'm still noob keep in mind) but i did set the volume to that levels.

Now when i turned off a3x today, popping sound appeared, not loud but still noticable, and yes i turned them off first like many suggest, and i guess i should turn them on first is this right?

i got one idea that the windows master volume could cause this popping or i'm wrong? (should i lower the software/windows volume before i turn them off in order to avoid this popping or its not realted to it) im not sure...

Keep in mind the same sound was coming trough my Logitech X-530 when i would turned them off.

Also one more thing, i set the Tweeters @ +2db is this good for semi loud music listening? what do i gain with +2db and flat at 0? does this +2db setting make the mids less good or anything? also do i risk damaging my speakers this way?

Thanks in advance!
 
Thanks for the update psyside and congrats on the nice buy. I have always wanted Adam speakers but back when I was looking at them, the A5X was their smallest speaker and it was way too expensive for me. Since then I have gone passive and don't regret it but I have always wanted to get a pair of Adams because I hear they are very neutral and clean sounding speakers.

Hope you enjoy your speakers for a long time. :)
 
Psyside,
Not entirely sure about the whole Windows sound level thing. I never turn mine up past 50%, and it is plenty loud for me. Though I think it has to do with the fact that depending on your sound card it may decrease the effective bit depth of your DAC thus lowering quality. In that case fair enough, but honestly my cheapo logitechs hooked up my sound card sound fine to my ears for their purpose.

The popping sound seems like it is a thing with the amp dealing with DC. I'm not sure, but that would be my guess. I get occasional pops from my sub when I turn it off. Doesn't appear to have caused any damage as far as I can tell to the speaker.

The +2dB switch for highs. Surprising that you turned that up as most folks turn it down. Anyway, all it is really there for is making the speaker closer to what you like to hear. If the speaker is a bit too dull then you can turn the highs up for some more highs. It technically alters the balance of neutrality in terms of frequency response, but they're there for a reason. To help tailor the speaker more for your listening preferences. Or to help make the speaker a bit more neutral in a room or such. Nothing wrong with flipping the switch really.
 
@Zenshi, Thanks alot man, i hope you get some A3x or even A8x in future, they are fantastic speakers, which reveal so much details and dynamics its unreal for such a small speakers! :)

@ Xolos,

Well i guess its kind off normal? or i dunno, but it does really makes me a bit nervous, im in love with this speakers so im kind of scared :)

About the tweeter settings, i guess if many folks are lowering, i should at least put it at 0, to get things more balanced, wonder how will that affect the SQ to my ears.

Thanks for the replays guys!
 
Psyside,
You're worrying too much about a pretty small detail. Literally Adam put that there so you can tailor the speaker more towards the way you like to hear things. Fundamentally all you're doing is making the speaker a bit brighter. If you were mixing on the speaker and sent the track off to mastering, all the mastering engineer would have to do is give a slight raise in frequency to help balance the track out. Nothing worth worrying about. The reason folks are normally turning down the tweeter on the Adams is because they're very bright speakers. Or a lot people think so. I know on my Tannoys I turned down the tweeter because I felt they were too bright. Sound almost exactly the same, but a little less harsh up there.
 
Does the speaker make the pop when you turn it off with no input cable connected? In other words the speaker with nothing connected but the power cable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top