Getting some monitors

Melodeath

Melodeath

Moonbow
Feb 6, 2004
3,045
2
38
Northern VA
I currently have 2 JBL 120Ti monitors. They've got 12" cones, and some tweeters, but the 12" cones are crumbling, so I figured I would buy some new monitors, as I have no clue what cones to replace the broken ones with.

I just got back from guitar center, where I listened to KRK RP8G2, Yamaha HS80M, a couple Mackie's, M-Audio, etc.

Does anyone have experience with the KRK RP8G2? They sounded really good in the store, and at first they sounded better than the Yamaha HS80M. The Yamaha sounded hollow in comparison, but it might have just been a volume difference. Anyway, I couldn't really tell if maybe they sounded so good b/c they were coloring the sound.

Also, is there any difference in sound quality between active and passive monitors? I've been looking at actives because they seem convenient, but my current JBLs are passive, so I already have poweramps, and thus, would be able to use passives.

thanks
 
if the power amps you have are pretty decent, snag some passives...there's no sense in paying for what you don't need/already have

that being said, actives ARE nice due to the fact that the amplifiers are specifically designed to push the drivers in monitor...but again, there's no sense in plunking down $$ for what you already have

also, i've never bothered to go to a place like GC or anything like that to demo monitors, but do they have any acoustic treatment in their demo area?
 
position of the speaker when testing is important too. they need to be compared when they are same distance angle ect. your right for considering coloration may be what you like.

having the monitors powered with amps designed to drive the speakers is a plus and bi amped monitors aren`t too much more than passive ones. likely your power amp is not designed for studio use and are not too transparent. that is an assumption tho...
 
my power amps = Alesis RA-100 Reference Amplifier

And yeah, the Yamaha and KRK were on different height levels. It was really hard to compare.
 
I went back to GC. There was some acoustic treatment in the room.

I again A/Bed the KRK RP8 G2 and Yamaha HS80M monitors. The KRKs definitely have more bass and less highs. In a way, this makes them sound sort of muddy. But they sound "better" in that I would rather listen to music on them than on the HS80M's. That doesn't mean they are a better reference monitor though. The Yamaha's highs were really "in your face" and maybe that's why they sounded clearer than the KRKs.

I am at a loss of what to get haha. By the way, the dust cap on the Yammies was bent inward. How much affect on the sound would that have?

How come all these "flat" monitors all sound so different?
 
I would DEFINITELY vote Yamaha over KRK, I asked Sweetwater why they didn't carry KRK and my "sales engineer" Brendan told me that they used to but stopped because they were less reliable and didn't sound as good as the other stuff they carried. Then again, it might actually have been some business falling out, but still, a TON of people have the HS80's (especially on here) and love 'em.
 
Yeah, tons of people have the HS80M, that's what initially attracted me to them. It's so tough. They sort of seem to be lacking something when I compared them to the KRK, but this could actually be a result of being flat.

What you say abotu sweetwater is interesting though.

Chryst Krispies,
Why do you hate GC? I'm not the biggest fan, but I love the fact that I never buy anything full price. I can get the HS80M's for $290 each.
 
Which location(s) do you frequent? Fairfax? Seven Corners? Fredericksburg?


If you can do it without getting hassled, you need to get behind their display and set the monitors as neutral as you can -- especially the Yamahas, which have four three-position switches on the back for shaping the sound to the room. Take a mix CD of your own, and don't even bother putting it into the player until you've verified that everything is at its default setting. No sense comparing if, like at the Rockville GC, all the monitors with bass boosts have them engaged all the time, or worse, the settings and/or volume on the left monitor are different from those on the right monitor, making the pair sound phasey or hollow.
 
I go to the Seven Corners one. Tbh, I did not check the settings on the back on the monitors, and I was only listening to one channel, since the monitors were spaced differently.
 
Moonlapse said:
For what it's worth I hate the KRK RP8s I'm stuck with at the moment. Can't wait for some Event ASP8 stock to come in so I can throw these things in the trash compactor.
Click to expand...


Why do you hate your RP8s ? I have those two and dont like 'em very much because of the lack of bass and the fact that it just make things sound cooler, It is very difficult to find flaws in the mix with these.
 
By those two do you mean the RP8s or ASP8s? I can't distinguish which speakers you're referring to.

I don't like the RP8s because they sound boxy. Their frequency response is anything but flat. They have a very odd bass response, pronounced high mids, really closed and dull highs. Basically even good mixes sound like arse through them, so I never know what to aim for. It's a constant battle trying to mix with them.
 
So I wound up getting the Yammies. HS80M woooo

Anyway, I'm actually having some hiss problems. The monitors are plugged into the same surge protector that is powering my computer, which is powering my audio interface. I'm using 1/4" TRS to XLR cables to connect the monitors. Any idea why I'm getting the hiss? The hiss is not affected by the volume on my audio interface. However, it is affected by the volume knob ont he Yammies themselves. How much hiss is normal if the volume is on 0?
 
I have a very small hiss when listening close to the yamy80 and no music is playing. its independent of the level from the interface (firepod). No big deal and doesn't bother me at all.

I have them set to -10dB because they sound alot fuller.

when nothing connected they are silent, so they are just amplifying the firepod's output.

like I said. no big deal... now if the hiss your are hearing is strong, try better cables and connectors.
 
Yea i read in reviews that hiss was a normal/flaw thing with those. Let me know if you figure it out and what you think of the monitors.
 
Chryst Krispies said:
I hate GC.

My reasons are different that most peopel
's though, The staff at the one near me is a bunch of sleeaz.
Click to expand...

Ditto, can't stand GC. It may be the way I look or something (generally I look poor) I'v walked in with over 10g in my pocket (plenty on the bank card) ready to spend it all on my needs and I can't get any fucken attention. There to busy taking care of the rich looking lady and her little boy/girl who want some cheap beginner set. I don't like having to wait over an hour to spend some money. Thats what I have to deal with every time I walk into my local GC. I've decided never again will I spend a cent in there. Hopefully some of the rest of you have better experiences. :erk:

I know what I want, I don't need to discuss it. I don't need the fake smiles and pointing to other items. I want to walk in, point, pay, &(thank you) leave. :Smokedev:
 
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