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What are some good monitors under $500?

Skip DrinkwaterSkip Drinkwater 1,694 Posts
edited February 2007 in Strut Central
Someone recommended Yamaha NS-10's (which are a bit above my range), but I wanted to know if there were any other brands/models that some strutters could name drop...?

  Comments

  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    the only under $500 monitors that i have been constantly recommended were the blue sky media desk monitors. i plan on purchasing them when i have the money

    http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/products.asp?linkid=20&prodcode=00012
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    KRK RP-6 or RP-8, great for the money. I researched for a while before buying. It was between those and the EVENT TR-6/8's, I went with the KRK RP-8's and am happy with them. Good bass response, accurate mid and high range. Very solid. If you do some searching, you can get the 8's for under $500 a pair (got mine for $375), the 6's are a little less. If you have a small music room, I would go for the 6's, the 8's need a little more space to be accurate.

    Edit: understand these are bi-amplified powered reference monitors for a studio, not necessarily multimedia speakers...
  • bubor0ckbubor0ck 141 Posts
    NS-10's would require you get an amp too as they're not powered. If you have an amp, I think the monitors themselves only run about $650. If you can swing it, I'd do it. If you really want true reference, hard to beat. Those things are SO flat.

    I've read good things about the Blue Sky set too but haven't heard them in the real world. If you can manage, I think you'd be better off getting the NS-10's or applying for a Guitar Center credit card, finance some shit interest free for about a year. Monitors are supposed to last forever, and theyre hugely important. It would be worth it to dump another few hundred in and look at some Dynaudio's or something.

    Also save some loot for treating the room, if you can find an owens corning supplier, you can really improve a room for a couple hundred bucks. The monitors are a waste if you neglect proper placement and room treatment.
  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    NS-10's would require you get an amp too as they're not powered. If you have an amp, I think the monitors themselves only run about $650. If you can swing it, I'd do it. If you really want true reference, hard to beat. Those things are SO flat.

    I've read good things about the Blue Sky set too but haven't heard them in the real world. If you can manage, I think you'd be better off getting the NS-10's or applying for a Guitar Center credit card, finance some shit interest free for about a year. Monitors are supposed to last forever, and theyre hugely important. It would be worth it to dump another few hundred in and look at some Dynaudio's or something.

    Also save some loot for treating the room, if you can find an owens corning supplier, you can really improve a room for a couple hundred bucks. The monitors are a waste if you neglect proper placement and room treatment.
    doesnt an amp colorize the sound tho?
  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    a cheap one will
  • bubor0ckbubor0ck 141 Posts
    probably depends on the amp. i think theres a few that are recommended specifically for the ns-10's. they've never been powered though, so there must be some reliable combo that doesn't noticeably fuck with the chain.
  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    http://www.gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=42081&highlight=ns10+amp
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    the only under $500 monitors that i have been constantly recommended were the blue sky media desk monitors. i plan on purchasing them when i have the money

    http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/products.asp?linkid=20&prodcode=00012

    I've heard very good things about these. Have you heard them yet?

    I've also heard good stuff about the Event ALP 5s, and Events in general. I personally hate KRKs, and would stay away from most brands that don't have a consistant reputation of making great monitors. (No M-Audio trash, etc.)
  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    i haven't heard them myself. hawaii doesn't exactly have many places to test monitors
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    the only under $500 monitors that i have been constantly recommended were the blue sky media desk monitors. i plan on purchasing them when i have the money

    http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/products.asp?linkid=20&prodcode=00012

    I've heard very good things about these. Have you heard them yet?

    I've also heard good stuff about the Event ALP 5s, and Events in general. I personally hate KRKs, and would stay away from most brands that don't have a consistant reputation of making great monitors. (No M-Audio trash, etc.)

    lower-end event monitors don't have a very good reputation. KRK's, opn the other hand, have some of the best reviews and reputation in the business for low end powered reference monitors.

    and it's been said a million times, but until you have $1000+ to drop, you're not going to be buying anything that you will keep forever. If you have some money and need something now and don't want credit, look into the KRK's. if you're building a professional studio, then you obviously need to spend a lot more than $500 on your monitors. and what homie said about the placement/room treatment is important too, and don't get anything too big for your room.
  • bubor0ckbubor0ck 141 Posts
    don't get anything too big for your room.

    i'll second this as ive seen some dudes go nuts with this. i have mackie 624's and i've never turned them up more than halfway on the back and they are still loud as fuck. i actually wondered how big the Blue Sky's are in real life, theres no scale in the pics but they look kinda large.
  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    haha, i bought event tr8xls a while ago which were decent but they are definitely way too big for my room.
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    don't get anything too big for your room.

    i'll second this as ive seen some dudes go nuts with this. i have mackie 624's and i've never turned them up more than halfway on the back and they are still loud as fuck. i actually wondered how big the Blue Sky's are in real life, theres no scale in the pics but they look kinda large.

    The Mediadesk is real small, 4-inch drivers with an 8-inch sub. I'm sold, these sound perfect for my size room.
  • JoeMojoJoeMojo 720 Posts
    don't get anything too big for your room.

    Thirded. I used to have some Alesis Monitor Twos and they didn't sound right unless they were turned up pretty loud. Which, in turn, was way too loud for anything room smaller than 20'x20'.

    I just got the Adam A7's as desktop monitors and I'm really happy with them.
  • genomgenom 19 Posts
    Event TR8's are around $500. I got them about a year ago, and in my opinion are the best for that price range.
  • sconesscones 434 Posts
    alesis m1 mk2s.
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    alesis m1 mk2s.



  • sconesscones 434 Posts
    alesis m1 mk2s.




    mine are in the post! for like $300 new. a steal!
  • UnherdUnherd 1,880 Posts
    KRK or Blue Sky are both good for decent size rooms. These are also supposed to be extremely accurate...

  • UnherdUnherd 1,880 Posts
    . It would be worth it to dump another few hundred in and look at some Dynaudio's or something.

    Also save some loot for treating the room...The monitors are a waste if you neglect proper placement and room treatment.

    stay away from most brands that don't have a consistant reputation of making great monitors.

    KRK's, opn the other hand, have some of the best reviews and reputation in the business for low end powered reference monitors.

    and it's been said a million times, but until you have $1000+ to drop, you're not going to be buying anything that you will keep forever. If you have some money and need something now and don't want credit, look into the KRK's. if you're building a professional studio, then you obviously need to spend a lot more than $500 on your monitors. and what homie said about the placement/room treatment is important too, and don't get anything too big for your room.

    All true...


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