Recommended speakers for DAW

Discussion in 'Software' started by Lunicydal, Jan 25, 2019.

  1. Lunicydal

    Lunicydal Newbie

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    Loving the new membership, a lot has changed since I left music for 3D Art. Audioz has introduced me to some amazing software like Amplitube, BIAS, Guitar Rig... and some really cool audio enthusiasts..

    Could I get some advice on getting audio from my laptop into my basement studio and small remote jam sessions? These will be for jam sessions more so than audio reference if that makes a difference.

    Should I be looking at amp? A Cab? PC speakers?

    Just seen a post announcing IK's iLoud MTM any thoughts?
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2019
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  3. Riot7

    Riot7 Platinum Record

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    If you just want to play guitar and maybe hear and create backing tracks, there are a lot of options that will do the job. If you don't need reference capabilities, it's comes down to personal taste and convenience.

    Hifi speakers, active near field reference monitors, even many 2.1 pc speakers sets could all work very well.

    Without knowing anything about your setup (like how the speakers would be positioned etc), which makes a huge difference, I would say go for mid-to-large size (+5 inch woofer) nearfield monitors with bass and treble adjustment knobs. There are a lot of options (starting from around ~150e/$ per pair) available these days. If you just want to get into the ballpark it doesn't really matter what you get.

    They claim their 3 inch woofers give you flat response curve down to 40hz. They will come with a measuring microphone and apparently will cost 350e (per unit!!?) before tax. The IK micro monitors got pretty good reviews, but I'm skeptical. If you want small speakers with big sound they will probably be a good choice though.
     
  4. xbitz

    xbitz Rock Star

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    should go a shop like this

    5:06 (sry it's a hungarian video) with your best known / jam session musics and listen back the monitors one by one then buy the one which you like best

    hifi speakers was created for enjoyment, studio ones was created for criticism so hifi ones hide the flaws in the source materials they can't be used for mixing/mastering (good example the ribbon ones they sound brilliantly on high regions /hhats/ but hides the flaws of the source so your material can sound awful on other places using different speakers, same issue with hifi ones)
     
  5. Lunicydal

    Lunicydal Newbie

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    Thanks for the updates, I'm more interested in the sound / experience / enjoyment rather than perfect reproduction. So the reference monitors are probably not ideal. HIFI with + 5" woofers sound more inline with what I'm after.

    Peace..
     
  6. Blue

    Blue Audiosexual

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    I hope It's a joke.That would be a world first.

    Personnally I would't buy these ones.

    If you want "decent" quality with a "decent" price go with the Focal
    https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Alpha50--focal-alpha-50-5-inch-powered-studio-monitor

    https://www.focal.com/france/pro-au...toring/alpha/enceintes-de-monitoring/alpha-50 (sorry in French,please translate it)

    Or Adam
    https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/T5V--adam-audio-t5v-5-inch-powered-studio-monitor

    https://www.adam-audio.com/en/t-series/

    Note that these speakers are more expensive in USA than in Europe,I don't know where you're from.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2019
  7. Blue

    Blue Audiosexual

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    HiFi speakers will be quickly dead if you play with virtual instruments or synthesizers that have a high dynamic range.Monitors speakers are made for that.
     
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  8. Lunicydal

    Lunicydal Newbie

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    Just got back to the thread and wanted to report I've put an old stereo to good use, and to be honest it sounds a hell of a lot better than expected. Running Amplitube through it and now have a friend considering a similar setup and he has several decent amps.

    When you say the HIFI speakers would suffer an early death, how could playing a guitar part rather than playing a song with a number of guitars and other instruments make such a difference?

    I've been rockin it for several weeks at moderate levels and all seems to be well.

    Peace..
     
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  9. Blue

    Blue Audiosexual

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    When you listen albums the music is mastered,the dynamic range is steady,all the tracks and the different times have a contant level all along.

    What kill speakers is irregular levels,a high dynamic range.

    Maybe they will work for a long time yet,but cheap or normal speakers don't like that.
     
  10. [​IMG]
    For stereo, get two.
     
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  11. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    In my early days I damaged the rubber band (don't know if this expression is correct) around the cones of my HiFi monitors pretty much. Though it can be useful to check the sound on HiFi monitors I wouldn't do this permanently.

    And btw, even studio monitors can be blown up (but this requires a lot more effort).
     
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  12. SineWave

    SineWave Audiosexual

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    I remember when I was a teen [1933 lol], I used 3-way Akai Hi-Fi speakers for playing music that I did with Atari and various hardware... soon the high driver went dead in one. The bass was as shitty, undefined and slow, as it could be, too. I realised that when I bought Tannoy PBM IIs and a proper amp. You could get second hand monitors like that for peanuts these days. Probably better, actually. Tannoy Reveal speakers will give you both enjoyment and peace of mind. You could even mix something with these. Just watch for the bass as it is too pronounced, as well as highs. :wink:

    However, as you say it's for enjoyment only, go for it! Whatever rolls your balls! :headbang: [no sarcasm]
     
  13. SineWave

    SineWave Audiosexual

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    Now that looks like proper monitors to produce industrial! :headbang: :rofl:
     
  14. Blue

    Blue Audiosexual

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    Yeah I said that because me too I've burnt my Philips HiFi speakers when I started making (shit!)music with a Yamaha RM1X.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2019
  15. Moonlight

    Moonlight Audiosexual

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  16. G String

    G String Rock Star

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    How do you know that it was using a DAW/synth that blew your (cheap crappy) "hi fi" speakers?

    Akai and Phillips are hardly hi-fi. Why would cheap monitor speakers be more resilient to high dynamic ranges than expensive Hi-Fi speakers? Surely any difference is in the character of the sound output.....monitors are supposed to be "revealing" rather than "complimentary" or "flattering"? Part of what makes a speaker "good" (and expensive) is that it quickly responds to frequency and dynamics? That it does it well - efficiently. I can't see why cheap Monitors would outperform good (expensive) hi-fi speakers in any respect - except they might give a more transparent/revealing response. Even so, difficult to believe £100 "monitors" will give a better platform for mixing than some pretty transparent £2000 hi-fi speakers.

    When using DAWs and synths it's probably wise to always put a hard frequency limit (high and low) on your final output? Trying to output a very loud and wild mix of frequencies outside the range of any speaker is going to fuck it up? When I give folks a go on my gear I always put a low cut on the output, and watch the volume, because folks always like to see how low a synth or sampler will go......and synths can generate whatever. At high volumes it is asking for trouble.

    I have always used reasonably cheap "hi-fi" speakers but I'm definitely a hobbyist, not a pro. The more-professional folks I know invariably use monitors of some sort, but that's for the "revealing" character of the sound - so they mix better. Not to save their "hi fi" speakers from wearing out........

    I can't see any risk to "hi fi" speakers by using DAWs (synths, whatever), especially with a little care over volume, frequency extremes and plugging in/out connections, powering on/off, etc.


    Happy to be told I am wrong, if so. ;)
     
  17. SkANk3R

    SkANk3R Noisemaker

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    I have the KRK RKT8's and the 10"sub.

    The sound is quite simply amazing however, if I were to do it all again I should have gone with the 6's and the sub is just not really needed for my kind of noise making.

    Solid construction, pick them up second hand without worry.
     
  18. Blue

    Blue Audiosexual

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    Of course,20$ monitors will be worse than 200 000$ HiFi speakers...
     
  19. G String

    G String Rock Star

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    But will they get damaged? More than "monitors"? I don't see why they would.

    I have no expertise, I am just saying. ;) Monitors are for critical listening, speakers for enjoyment? Aside from that, I don't see how they are different. Monitors won't be more 'hardy' re sound production than equivalent "hi fi" speakers? Maybe they are, I just don't see why.
     
  20. EddieXx

    EddieXx Audiosexual

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    sure they will be ok. my only remark I would make is try to get frequencies at least going down close to 40hz, if you are making popular music. not a total must but kind of nice

    but then, and I now may get crucified for saying this, after having worked in pro studios, home studios, cellars with cheap speakers, medium and expensive systems im going to say it all depends on how much one knows about what one wants to do, if there is a plan or at least picture and focus on creating actual material.

    for making songs in whatever genre I know at leat you can practically use the cheapest decent speakers, (and here it goes) if you dont have an alternative even hifi speakers, the ultimate sin..

    because the creation of the songs is not going to be limited in any way by the cheap equipment, and this "knowledge" is something that comes late sadly enough, in the beginning the most desperate search is almost always gear gear, programs, vsts, daws. and the priority on the songwriting gets to be the lowest many times.

    if the source material and ideas are good the mixing and of course mastering are a separate issue that will solve it self. therefor with whatever normal cheap speakers (plus headphones) you can make it.

    now if one has the cash and want the best, of course get the best! but it will not (imho) have the impact on your development as an artist as one could have thought to start with. that knowledge comes often last and I often share that with other colleagues when giving advice in this field of ours.
     
  21. rhythmatist

    rhythmatist Audiosexual

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    I use Mackie Thump for non-studio monitors, keys, vocals, PA, they can handle just about anything. Self powered bi-amped. accepts TRS or XLR and has some EQ. This thread is in the wrong category.:mates:
     
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