Buying new Monitors time!!!

[pakos69]

Hello all!

I have for some years now a pair of M-audio Studiophile DX4 monitors (well I’m not sure whether they are consider as monitors or hi-fi speakers). Anyway, the point is that it is time to buy a new pair of monitors. My room is actually a bedroom but seems more like a bedroom-studio hybrid as I have semi-treated it (no bass traps though) and have placed the monitors as they should at the correct high (tweeter at ear level) and now I have ordered a pair of monitor desktop stands (Atacama SL200) filled with atabites.

The monitors I consider buying are:
1. Yamaha HS50M
2. Focal CMS 50
3. Adam A7
4. Adam A5
5. Mackie HR 624
6. Genelec 8030

I have two monitor categories in my mind: Sub 400 euro and from 400 to 900 euro. The max amount of money I want to give is around 800 euro. All the monitors are in this price range, except the Genelec, but if they worth I can get ‘em…

400-900 euro price range:
In this category I consider the best to be the Focal as it is 5” and I think suits well with the size of the room and has many cool features like CLIP LED. Then as second option I got the Adam A7, many people say good things about them and I feel they are a “secure” option as they are around some time in contrast with the Focal CMS. Then the Mackies but I don’t know for sure, mainly cosmetic I don’t like them, other than that they are good but lower option than Adams. The problem with both Mackies and Adams is that they are 6.5” woofer that makes the comparison with the 5” unfair, also I think they are big for my place? So that is where the option of Adam A5 comes in, but I haven’t heard them to know, but seem good as a middle option, mainly in price... Last are the Genelcs, a out of the budget but if they make THE DIFERENCE I may consider buying them.

Sub 400 euro:
The Yamaha HS 50M. I think they are the best monitors for budget under 400 euro. I know that many of you might say it is a blasphemy to compare them with the other monitors I stated, but for that money you can’t go wrong with them. I think they have the best value for money in that price range.

So the questions are two. Which “category” should I choose? Yamaha vs. the other monitors in other words. And from the first category which is the best one?

Thanks! Your opinion matters since I haven’t had the chance to test them all in the same conditions side by side, so I know how they sound but not how much better or worse the sound compared to each other.

All the best,

Phil

 

[James-Doolan]

Id be weary of picking a 5" cone just because your room is small 5" speaker wont reproduce the low freq well in a room any size so you are going to be unable to hear much below 60hz.

This is coming from someone who own a set of hs50m's and adam a7x's and the adams smoke the hs50'm in my room (which is a standard bedroom setup with a few diy bass traps put in for good measure) Mixing the bass and low end instuments on the hs50m's is gueswork untill you learn them as you just cant hear whats going on down there

my .02

 

[pipaguapique]

skeksis...tannoys???

 

[John_C]

skeksis...tannoys???

YUP

i'd say if you've got the money though, the Adams are worthy competition. However, the price difference is quite large so if you're tight on cash stick with tannoys. Maybe the reveal 601a's? All I know is that I rarely hear anything as detailed as my reveal 5a's wherever I go.

 

[greyskull]

a7s

 

[IzovAge]

I'd say #2 & #3 are definitely worth a shoot out. Either one of those should produce the results your looking for. Anything less and you'll be buying again soon.

 

[Let it burn...]

Check out HS80's and the A7's

 

[rlcramer]

I have HS80m's and Genelec 8030a's in my studio at the moment. While I LOVE the way the HS80m's sound, I don't think they are the most accurate / flat monitors around. They are a very enjoayble listen, no doubt, but when I need accuracy I turn to the Genelecs. They might be tiny, but if I can get a mix to sound good on the Gennies, the mix will sound INCREDIBLE on the Yamaha's, and usually pretty decent on a regular stereo system.

Just my 2 cents.

Bobby

 

[pakos69]

Well good! Because that I was thinking too, Yamaha HS50 or Focal CMS 50 or Adama A7. However, due to too big money differnce of yamahas with the other two, if I go for the expensive I m gonna wait for after summer, whether with Yamaha's I can get them right now. But, I didn't like:

I'd say #2 & #3 are definitely worth a shoot out. Either one of those should produce the results your looking for. Anything less and you'll be buying again soon.

That is something I want to avoid. My "next buy" of monitors hopefuly is gonna be Focal Twin 6 BE!!!!

 

[pakos69]

Id be weary of picking a 5" cone just because your room is small 5" speaker wont reproduce the low freq well in a room any size so you are going to be unable to hear much below 60hz.

This is coming from someone who own a set of hs50m's and adam a7x's and the adams smoke the hs50'm in my room (which is a standard bedroom setup with a few diy bass traps put in for good measure) Mixing the bass and low end instuments on the hs50m's is gueswork untill you learn them as you just cant hear whats going on down there

my .02

Also do you think that 5" is small? Should I go for 6.5"???

 

[jipchen]

Go to a store and have a listen! It really is necessary.

 

[FloridaRolf]

Go to a store and have a listen! It really is necessary.

This

And I'd recommend the HS80Ms and spend the rest on acoustic treatment

 

[pakos69]

Thanks! Your opinion matters since I haven’t had the chance to test them all in the same conditions side by side, so I know how they sound but not how much better or worse the sound compared to each other.

As you see, there is no store nearby having all of them...

And I'd recommend the HS80Ms and spend the rest on acoustic treatment

Ok for spending the rest on acoustic treatment but mind it is allready semi-treated. However, I find the HS80Ms a bit too big. I wouldn't like something bigger than 6.5"

 

[pakos69]

Now that I think of, may main concern is between Yamaha hs50m, focal CMS50 or ADAM a7...

The Focal's have this cool feature with the CLIP led. So when the monitors Clip, you see it and it even has a limiter or something like that for not clipping. Thats good because you know untill where to drive your speakers without colour-ing the tone and overdrive. Isn't any other way you can check it?

The ADAM's I think them as FOCAL's but lack of this feauture so they go second. The problem is if the Yamaha's or the FOCAL's have enough bass, because they are 5" in contrast with the ADAMS that are 6.5". I know that can allways take later a sub as an extra to "fill" the missing bass, but would rather stay without it. I think its more complicated with +sub...

The Yamaha's are ok and cheaper, but I don't know whether they are in the same leaugue as ADAM's and FOCAL's and I wouldn't like to buy too soon new monitors. However, I belive they would be a great improvement from my M-audio studiophile. Those are just 4".

 

[Jaymz]

My Tapco's have a clip LED....and they are cheap as balls! Its never clipped in the 2 years ive owned them either. Not worth putting a set of monitors down because of the lack of it IMO.

 

[crillemannen]

The Yamaha's are ok and cheaper, but I don't know whether they are in the same leaugue as ADAM's and FOCAL's and I wouldn't like to buy too soon new monitors. However, I belive they would be a great improvement from my M-audio studiophile. Those are just 4".

Have you heard them?? I guess not. They are great, i would not consider any other monitors unless i go High end. but i would advise you to look into the hs80 instead.

 

[pakos69]

I will check Tapco's..thnx mate!

Have you heard them?? I guess not. They are great, i would not consider any other monitors unless i go High end. but i would advise you to look into the hs80 instead.

What is the thing that makes the difference between HS50 and HS80? Do the 50's have a lack of bass?

Also, when you mentioned Tannoy's, which model you suggest?

 

[John_C]

I suggest the tannoy reveal 601a or perhaps the precision 6D

 

[diafebus]

what about krk vxt?

 

[pakos69]

The precision are a bit upper than my budget...

The KRK's I would like to avoid them...

What about Tapco's?

As I see many people suggest that a 5" monitor has a lack of bass. However, a monitor with 8" I belive is going to be too big and high volumes create more reflections, thus you need to have an acoustically balanced room. So, 6" is the middle and maybe the best option?