[jtwrace]

For all the pro audio guys or on this site what can you recommend?  Looking for monitors that are ~$600 per pair. 

Something like this http://www.krksys.com/krk-studio-monitor-speakers/rokit/rokit-8.html

[JLM]

I did a quick audition of several lower priced studio (powered) monitors at/below that price and frankly didn't find any (Mackie, JBL, Tannoy) that I liked. 

I'd stick to smaller (5 inch) woofers if in small rooms/nearfield.

Check out reviews at sound on sound:

http://www.soundonsound.com/search?url=%2Fsearch&Section=7&Subject=42&Summary=Yes

[Quiet Earth]

... what can you recommend?

What are you going to do with them?
What are your expectations, your goal?

[eclein]

Jason I had "Events" at one time and "KRK's" which I liked better but that was a few years back. The JBL's that are out there get good write-ups. Call "Sweetwater" music and ask the sales guys there they are very good and always up on the latest tech as they have a studio there also and much more. There are also other folks but my best experience was with Sweetwater. Not much help but something....good luck!!!

[Quiet Earth]

If you are tracking, mixing, or translating, then sure call them. Otherwise I would not call those guys as they will never leave you alone. (yes, they are nice people)

If you are buying $600/pair studio monitors for audio/video or second system kind of stuff, then eeny, meeny, miny, moe is all you really need since the competition is so fierce at that price level and there will be more similarities than differences.

Go to Guitar Center and listen to some of them.

[Russell Dawkins]

I would suggest including the Behringer Truth B3031A: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/behringer-truth-b3031a-monitor-single
 the Yamaha HS80M:  http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/yamaha-hs80m-8-powered-studio-monitor--each
and the Dynaudio DBM50 ($1000/pr):  http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DBM50/
in your search.
Behringer have a bad rep for some things, much of it undeserved, but many pros quietly use them and there is a lot of respect out there for their monitors.

[Quiet Earth]

"Truth" is an ironic name for Behringer don't ya' think? . . . , since they make their living by blatently copying their competition. I'm sure the speakers are just as fine as you say, but I would never buy a Behringer product on principle alone.

If I were an M.E. I would probably want a pair too, just to check my work on that sort of thing. Not sure I would recommend those kinds of products for the home user though. That's not really what they were meant for.

[abernardi]

I'd stay away from krk, unless something has changed recently, they've gone downhill.  I've been using the small (5") Events and Mackie and they're both honest, though the Events are a little more thrilling, which for a monitor may be a drawback.  I still favor the Events though.

[Russell Dawkins]

"Truth" is an ironic name for Behringer don't ya' think? . . . , since they make their living by blatently copying their competition. I'm sure the speakers are just as fine as you say, but I would never buy a Behringer product on principle alone.

If I were an M.E. I would probably want a pair too, just to check my work on that sort of thing. Not sure I would recommend those kinds of products for the home user though. That's not really what they were meant for.

"Truth" is not ironic in this instance, it relates to their portrayal of the feed signal. You may not be aware that a number of industry luminaries, amongst them Nelson Pass, Sigfried Linkwitz and Ethan Winer, have gone on record as being impressed with these speakers, and marvel at the bang-for-the-buck factor. "That sort of thing" as you call them happens to be the most accurate speaker at that price point of which I am aware.

As to making their living "by blatently copying their competition" - another near-libelous statement - in fact they have proven very creative and "God's gift" to many a struggling young musician on a budget at the same time as being continuously lambasted at every turn by unknowing nay-sayers, such as yourself.

As to not buying Behringer on principle alone - are you aware of the way their factory workers are treated in China? Do a search and prepare to be impressed.

[bummrush]

Don't know where you draw the line but Legacy Studios are very well respected.

[jtwrace]

What are you going to do with them?
What are your expectations, your goal?

Just some playback of mixing.  For a friend.  I plan on going to listen wtih him but want some idea of what to look for.

I would suggest including the Behringer Truth B3031A: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/behringer-truth-b3031a-monitor-single
 the Yamaha HS80M:  http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/yamaha-hs80m-8-powered-studio-monitor--each
and the Dynaudio DBM50 ($1000/pr):  http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DBM50/
in your search.
Behringer have a bad rep for some things, much of it undeserved, but many pros quietly use them and there is a lot of respect out there for their monitors.

Thanks.   

[S Clark]

I think you'd be hard put to better the GR-Research Neo2x.  Member Joemamma has a pair he's trying to sell at a very good price.  http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=108497.msg1120248;topicseen#new

[Letitroll98]

"Truth" is not ironic in this instance, it relates to their portrayal of the feed signal. You may not be aware that a number of industry luminaries, amongst them Nelson Pass, Sigfried Linkwitz and Ethan Winer, have gone on record as being impressed with these speakers, and marvel at the bang-for-the-buck factor. "That sort of thing" as you call them happens to be the most accurate speaker at that price point of which I am aware.

As to making their living "by blatently copying their competition" - another near-libelous statement - in fact they have proven very creative and "God's gift" to many a struggling young musician on a budget at the same time as being continuously lambasted at every turn by unknowing nay-sayers, such as yourself.

As to not buying Behringer on principle alone - are you aware of the way their factory workers are treated in China? Do a search and prepare to be impressed.

Hey Russell, I'm going to be asking some straightforward questions, so please don't think I'm attacking you, I really am asking questions to get answers and be educated.  I did a search of Behringer some time ago, so the details may be a little fuzzy, but from memory I recall seeing only sales and marketing offices, both here in the USA and offshore in the far east.  I tried to dig into factory pictures to see actual production, and while I saw assembly lines, none of them were Behringer's.  Again, all this from memory with an afternoon's research on the web, so please show me where I went wrong.  Thanks for the reply and sorry for the OT, if there's more than one post I'll go to a new thread, but your answer could perhaps have some bearing on the OP here as you are one of those studio guys Jason was asking for. 

[Russell Dawkins]

Well, I didn't save the link from about 5 years ago, but I did a Google search on "behringer factory tour" and these were on the first page:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqUGLUJF7y4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LKnQl8gbkQ
http://www.factorysound.com/section/blog/38-behringer-factory-tour-amp-20th-anniversary-party/

There were lots more, but I didn't have the time to watch more than three. This is enough to give you some idea, though. They appear to try to keep quality control of their product by manufacturing as much of the constituent parts as they can, somewhat like Yamaha, although perhaps not quite to the same extent - Yamaha owns forests and mills for the wood they need and, I'm told, mines and smelters to produce their own steel.
It seems Uli Behringer's formula is not much more than taking mass marketing and mass production farther than most of their competitors have been able to - not that their competitors would not want to be in the same position; they just haven't been able to pull it off so successfully. This success has also been enabled, with one unfortunate early exception (the Mackie board copy), by Behringer's very innovative product line.
Behringer also seems to be content not to be the best in any category of product, but aim at the mid level of the market and produce one screaming deal after another. Honestly, their prices are mostly around half of what the competition is charging, although that is starting to change as the competitions' prices start to drop in response to market forces produced by the Behringers of the world.

[navi]

I had the Behringer Truths and KRK V4 a few years ago. I thought the Behringers were very good but they did get VERY hot - and in a small room without aircon they were never turned on in summer (but never turned off in winter) I only got rid of them because I stuffed one up when I went to far with the modifications.

The KRKs are good. Very open great imaging but I thought the top end was lacking. Improved heaps with capacitor upgrades and ERS on the caps and transformer.

If I had to get a pair of near field studio monitors on a budget today- I think a 2nd hand pair of Genelecs 1029 would be the way to go.

[Quiet Earth]

Russell,

I'm not sure why you get all bent out of shape so easily when I make a comment. 

It's pretty obvious to everyone and their brother that Behringer makes an exact copy of whatever is fashionable at time, and then undersells their competitor. That's what they do and they do it well. That's all I was saying. That's why I find the name "Truth" funny.

Not sure how you extrapolated all of that other stuff you said. Good lord. . . . where did that come from?

Jtwrace,

Tell your buddy that he can learn to mix on just about anything in his price range. It's going to take about 90% skill (learning) and 10% gear. Check with Russell on this one though, as he is probably the best person to ask.

[jtwrace]

Jtwrace,

Tell your buddy that he can learn to mix on just about anything in his price range. It's going to take about 90% skill (learning) and 10% gear. Check with Russell on this one though, as he is probably the best person to ask.

I agree.  He's been using headphones.  I had him come to my house and played his stuff through my stereo and I must say he's either been really lucky or has a bit of talent.  Certainly playing instruments helps though and he has that covered.   

I think it was ear opening and he realizes that he needs a bit more.   

[Quiet Earth]

He probably has a natural talent for it. I envy him, and all you other guys that do it so well. Tell him to keep at it and don't worry so much about the gear.

 

[JohnR]

It's pretty obvious to everyone and their brother that Behringer makes an exact copy of whatever is fashionable at time, and then undersells their competitor. That's what they do and they do it well.

Which product is the B3031A an exact copy of?

[Quiet Earth]