Buying new monitors... :(

[Marco Raaphorst]

Been very unlucky with my Equator Audio Research monitors. The pair I have doesn't sound the same. Had them shipped to the States from the Netherlands to find out if the amps were matched. And they were. So it must be something with the cones which don't look super clean to me. But I am out of warranty and paid 2 times for shipping costs. My bad luck I guess. Anyone recommendations on monitors and how to check them out in the store first? Most stores are noisy which is a problem for me. Need to be able to do white noise tests, sweeps, reference music etc. The monitors need to be able to reproduce the finest details. Which shop in the Netherlands is capable of setting up an extreme listening session for me? Hate to buy another pair of monitors though...

[normen]

I can recommend the Dynaudio BM series for mid-priced stuff. Then obviously the Neumann line (KH 310) if you have a bit more cash to spend. I'd stay away from Genelec nearfields, I and a few colleagues don't like them very much because the mixes sound great on the speakers but nowhere else, different for their far-fields though.

[Marco Raaphorst]

I can recommend the Dynaudio BM series for mid-priced stuff. Then obviously the Neumann line (KH 310) if you have a bit more cash to spend. I'd stay away from Genelec nearfields, I and a few colleagues don't like them very much because the mixes sound great on the speakers but nowhere else, different for their far-fields though.

Thanks! Need to try them out first. Finding a cool shop for this is tricky...

[Olivier]

I personally like the Adam A7X. They have lots of detail and a good stereo field. Some say they don't like the ribbon tweeter.
I'm hestitant to say but Bax (blehh) in Goes or Amsterdam even though its almost always crowded, they do have a wide range of speakers and a seperate room to test them in, so you have a good chance to do actual comparisons.

[Marco Raaphorst]

I personally like the Adam A7X. They have lots of detail and a good stereo field. Some say they don't like the ribbon tweeter.
I'm hestitant to say but Bax (blehh) in Goes or Amsterdam even though its almost always crowded, they do have a wide range of speakers and a seperate room to test them in, so you have a good chance to do actual comparisons.

Thanks. I hope I find a shop who allows me to try them out at my studio. It needs to be extremely quiet in the shop, which is never the case.

[Olivier]

I personally like the Adam A7X. They have lots of detail and a good stereo field. Some say they don't like the ribbon tweeter.
I'm hestitant to say but Bax (blehh) in Goes or Amsterdam even though its almost always crowded, they do have a wide range of speakers and a seperate room to test them in, so you have a good chance to do actual comparisons.

Thanks. I hope I find a shop who allows me to try them out at my studio. It needs to be extremely quiet in the shop, which is never the case.

Ah yeah, that would be best. I personally have quite a good experience with DirkWitte in Amsterdam. I guess if you don't have a shop that knows you, or who is your regular supplier, then getting several speakers on loan might be tough. Although i know some who would defenitely agree it be the best way to test them.

[theshoemaker]

I don't know exactly about netherlands, but have a look at https://www.thomann.de/nl/index.html I think you can send back for free. I'd go with the Yamaha HS7

[Last Alternative]

Yamaha hs5 are the best studio monitors I've ever had or heard for around $500. I'd get the hs8's if I had a bigger room but the 5's are perfect for now. Crystal clear frequency range.

[Marco Raaphorst]

I am very much interested in the new Neumann KH80 monitors. Might be the best one around yet for small rooms and with smart DSP technology.

[friday]

I like to buy some bigger ones (i like bass, but I do not like sub 2.1 systems in the studio) I am looking to evaluate from this speakers:

HEDD 30
ADAM s3H
Neumann KH310 (with two Subs direct under each Monitor)

If someone has experience i am very interested!!!

[Oquasec]

Usin some 3 year old presonus eris monitors.
Not interested in upgrading speakers anytime soon personally.

[theshoemaker]

Yamaha hs5 are the best studio monitors I've ever had or heard for around $500. I'd get the hs8's if I had a bigger room but the 5's are perfect for now. Crystal clear frequency range.

I did a comparison in the Thomann Headquarter, because I live nearby. I think the HS7 sound more clear and natural. The HS8 where to bassy for my taste.

[Marco Raaphorst]

Have anyone of you ever experienced the problems I am having? I have heard many speakers not sounding the same. I am very picky, but it is one of the issues I run into very quickly. The room has a lot to do with it as well. And your ears are an issue as well. So all factor which make it complicated.

At the moment I am working on my old Triple P nearfields. Anything of my reference list sounds great on those small speakers. I always use reference mixes to even/reset my own ears. I guess even on a MacBook Pro you can do great mixes when you have your references available.

Thesedays the iPhone is a perfect reference as well. A mix should sound on it's speakers imo. If you do music, but also when you do podcasting. Most important: low end and compression.

[dhruan]

Genelec nearfields are all kinds of awesome if set up properly. That said, the emphasis is on properly, they are extremely allergic and picky when it comes to room treatment, as in, you will not get optimal results out of them in untreated rooms (and that is why they often get slammed, some of the other monitors are way more forgiving).

I have been running Genelecs for years now (nearfields with or without a sub) and have been very happy with them. Currently sporting a pair of 8330As (GLM room correction in the SAM models is freaking awesome) and they are a marked improvement over their analog counterpart (8030A).

Anyway, best to have a go at them personally, maybe get a pair for a more prolonged trial and auditioning.

[dhruan]

Have anyone of you ever experienced the problems I am having? I have heard many speakers not sounding the same. I am very picky, but it is one of the issues I run into very quickly. The room has a lot to do with it as well. And your ears are an issue as well. So all factor which make it complicated.

Monitor speakers are basically tools that need to be learned through listening. Even though all of them aim to present as neutral, true and revealing representation of the source material (unlike home audio which mostly aims to please) you have to keep in mind that they are electromechanical systems of various designs, parts and compromises. What that means is that their sound and tonal characteristics will inevitably vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, design, type & model.

Also, the room matters a lot, if you have an untreated room with standing waves, nulls and whatnot or a situation where the placement leads to hyped bass you will not get anywhere near a true representation of the source material.

[Marco Raaphorst]

Have anyone of you ever experienced the problems I am having? I have heard many speakers not sounding the same. I am very picky, but it is one of the issues I run into very quickly. The room has a lot to do with it as well. And your ears are an issue as well. So all factor which make it complicated.

Monitor speakers are basically tools that need to be learned through listening. Even though all of them aim to present as neutral, true and revealing representation of the source material (unlike home audio which mostly aims to please) you have to keep in mind that they are electromechanical systems of various designs, parts and compromises. What that means is that their sound and tonal characteristics will inevitably vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, design, type & model.

Also, the room matters a lot, if you have an untreated room with standing waves, nulls and whatnot or a situation where the placement leads to hyped bass you will not get anywhere near a true representation of the source material.

At the moment I am only using my Triple P nearfields. Something that sounds great on these translate very well to iphone and macbook pro laptops. For low end I focus on higher lows.

[O1B]

My Pair for Life: Focal CMS 65.... Pure Power.

Performance http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/focal-cms65

If you've a selection of well-recorded commercial material that you know, you can tell right away if a speaker sounds 'right' or not — and these Focals sounded pristine without my having to make any changes to the rear-panel controls. Everything was as it should be: a controlled, but sensibly extended bass end, with no boom or flab, a very nicely focused mid‑range, and detailed but smooth highs. The stereo imaging was also excellent, and I found that any flaws in the recorded material were easily revealed. In this respect they should appeal to those who appreciate natural‑sounding speakers such as PMC or K+H, rather than some of the more brash or hyped‑sounding monitors out there. They work well with a wide range of material, from pop to classical, and I can honestly say I found nothing about their performance to dislike. If you want to hear your mix rather than your monitors, these speakers really deserve your consideration, as they have to count as some of the sweetest and most natural‑sounding desktop monitors I've heard in this price range. Highly recommended.