alfredofreak Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 After a rather nasty realization recently of how much my current speakers color the sound in my music, I'm ready to start looking for monitors now. Earlier today, I spoke with an Avid rep that's at my school for a tech fair. Upon asking him about monitors, he recommended the BX8a's or the BX5a's for higher-end stuff OR the AV 30's or the AV 40's for budget monitors. Based on the little bit of research I've done, the AV 40's sound like they would be a good fit for me given my poor college student status. So, two questions: 1) is there a different set of intro monitors anyone would recommend over these and if not, 2) at this early point in my musical experience, is there really any reason for me to shell out hundreds more for the higher-end monitors? For reference, I'm currently using the Logitech X-540 system as a 3.1 system. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theshaggyfreak Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 I'd personally look at KRK monitors and you'll find something of theirs in your budget. I find that they tend to have a better representation on the low end compared to the lower end Avid stuff. You can get a pair of 6in KRKs for about $400 and 5in for $300. I personally have a pair of the Rokit 6 (6in) and i've been more than pleased with them and they'll last you quite a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darangen Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Something I learned from Zircon was that you can get cheap, not-so-great monitors for $300, or amazing top of the line headphones for the same $300 or less. I spent $400 on monitors about 5 years ago and spent $250 on headphones last year - I use the headphones for all my mixing now and I think the quality has improved greatly as well. The monitors I bought still get used, but when I'm doing the final mixdown I always prefer the headphones because the mix ends up coming out much tighter and more polished overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredofreak Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Something I learned from Zircon was that you can get cheap, not-so-great monitors for $300, or amazing top of the line headphones for the same $300 or less.I spent $400 on monitors about 5 years ago and spent $250 on headphones last year - I use the headphones for all my mixing now and I think the quality has improved greatly as well. The monitors I bought still get used, but when I'm doing the final mixdown I always prefer the headphones because the mix ends up coming out much tighter and more polished overall. That is a good idea given my budget. Hmm...I hate asking questions like this, but what would you guys recommend for headphones then? AKG and SRH seem to be the two brands that fall around that price area... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darangen Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 I went with the DT-880's. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-DT-880-Premium-Headphones/dp/B000F2BLTM They're actually comfortable and don't give me headaches during periods of long use. I'd suggest going to your local music store though, like a samash or guitar center or whatever you have in your area and try out a lot of their headphones. I did that at my local store and took home the DT-880's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredofreak Posted September 28, 2011 Author Share Posted September 28, 2011 I'll check out my nearby Guitar Center then. One final stupid question before the thread is dead: I suspect I gravitate towards bright headphones, but maybe this is just because I've never had a pair of headphones worthy to properly mix with. Is it pretty easy to tell when you've found THE PAIR or is there something I need to keep in mind to avoid purchasing biased headphones? I definitely appreciate the help! Those who subject themselves to my music appreciate it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I went with the DT-880's. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-DT-880-Premium-Headphones/dp/B000F2BLTM Is there something pretty close to that but like half as much? $300, my lord... Sorry, don't mean to hijack your thread >.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darangen Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 The reason I chose the DT-880's over some of the other options was how comfortable they were, they just fit great. That could be completely different for you. Just keep trying them out until you've found a pair that feels comfortable (you want to be able to use them for hours at a time potentially) and still allows you to hear things clearly. As for price, I found that the quality of the headphones dropped significantly once you start going for the cheaper models. They weren't comfortable and I didn't like the response I got from them. That's not to say you couldn't find a cheaper pair with the same qualities, I just couldn't find one myself. If you buy top-of-the-line headphones, you'll never need another pair unless you're careless with them and treat them like crap. If you're serious about your music sometimes you've got to be willing to shell out the extra money for the better equipment. There are some things that just aren't worth skimping out on, and headphones/monitors are definitely one of those things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Ah, well... I'm stuck in the realm of music being just a hobby but still wanting my work to sound good. I'm also stuck in the realm of I have no freaking money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredofreak Posted September 28, 2011 Author Share Posted September 28, 2011 If you buy top-of-the-line headphones, you'll never need another pair unless you're careless with them and treat them like crap. If you're serious about your music sometimes you've got to be willing to shell out the extra money for the better equipment. There are some things that just aren't worth skimping out on, and headphones/monitors are definitely one of those things. While CS is still what I'm aiming to do with my life (game development specifically), I still want to be able to produce GOOD music and I know that I'm not going to be satisfied with my music until I know that what I hear is what others will hear. (I still need to get better at making music, but I'm not purchasing these right away anyway) Ah, well... I'm stuck in the realm of music being just a hobby but still wanting my work to sound good.I'm also stuck in the realm of I have no freaking money. I'm stuck in that boat too. That's why I'm going to be primarily relying on the good will of my friends and family for cash as birthday presents in November Thanks for the advice guys! I'm not going to be able to afford them for a bit, but I'm glad I'm picking headphones instead of monitors for the time being. Maybe I'll buy monitors if I ever get a posted mix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister_Riff Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I have the M Audio BX8A's and they are quite badass IMO it's worth saving up until you can afford more expensive equipment ... DEFINETLY so when monitors or headphones are concerned! They form the sound you're gonna hear so it's something critical! You can maybe sell of some gear or something ... Also: if you're gonna go with headphones ... try to get a comfy pair ... If the sound is great but after 30 min you feel like your head is in a clamp it's a bad trade off ... Personnally I don't like headphones since the chord gets in the way while I'm playing guitar and I get ear-fatigued faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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