Hello, I will buy in few days a pair of bedroom studio monitors, budget is $500, can you please advise which is the best choice?

I listened few lately and I cannot decide between Yamaha HS8, Rokit RP8, JBL LS 308, Akai RPM 800 and Behringer Nekkst K8

Yamahas have nice sound but lacks bass, KRK RP 8 have bass but not so much nice sound on high and mids, Akai sounds good but I don't know if theyre good for mixing and producing, the JBL and Behringer have good bass and better sounds than Rokits but are new and cannot find many reviews...

What do you think?

 

What is the size of your room?
8" may be too much for it.

 

my studio is 16qm i had 8" monitors and it was too much unless the room is set up like a pro studio you'd do well to get a good set of 5"s IMHO

 

I have a pair of JBL LSR305's in a small bedroom.I think they sound great but i've never had any other similar speakers in here before to compare them too.

 

Get a good pair of 5"s like Adam F5s, or a decent pair of 6"s, just make sure they have front-firing bass ports. Back-firing ports like those on the Yamahas and M-audios sound terrible in typical bedroom studio setups where the monitors are really close to a wall.

 

the genelec 8020's are nice speakers

 

You know that speaker sound is a very subjective thing, don't you?

Anyway, I have the Adam A5x and after about 2 years of using them, I'd conclude that I am still very happy with them, for these reasons:
- Clarity and details always present without "having their own sound"
- No weak spots I've heard so far (some speakers just sound less balanced with some specific songs)
- Not fatiguing after listening to them for hours
- Bass response is above average for the size. Initially I wanted to add a sub in the first place, but not I'm glad I didn't - I just don't need one.
- I usually EQ every single speaker with a parametric EQ, but the Adams don't need one.

Now I saw a review where the cheaper F5 lack some of the midrange qualities of the A5x, but I can't judge by what amount. SoS say it's not that much, given the price difference.

I've had quite a selection of different studio monitors, from JBL to Tannoy to Fostex to Alesis to Yamaha, but the only speakers I would replace my A5x with are a pair of Genelecs or Dynaudios. Well, at the price ... probably not.
[Edit:] Today, I would also check the Genelec 8020 as Atick said.

I really can't say there aren't other great speakers out there, and there's a lot of choice, but for the lack of interest in spending weeks to maybe find a slightly better model, I stopped searching when I heard the Adams because they've really hit the sweet spot for me.

I wouldn't mind getting these used (I know, they're slightly above your budget), but make sure the bass rubber surround has no soft spots, moves freely and the tweeter is clean.

Finally, if by any means you can somehow arrange a listening test with the models you're into, please *DO IT*.
And take a few different-sounding songs with you. It has been recommended here over and over again, and it's true:
You might be surprised about how different speakers can sound.
Also, make sure you listen to them at least at the same distance (!) as you will do at home.

 

8 inches is a lot of speaker for the size of your room. I get it that you want to hear the bass, but I feel that those low frequencies will simply overwhelm the space unless you spend a bundle filling it up with traps and other sound absorbing materials that you probably cannot afford to buy as your monitor budget is 500 bucks. 6 inches and a good sounding room with the right absorbtion is more like it. Just my opinion.

 

Genelec or Griffin is top tier. (i dont know if griffin makes an 8 inch. They are also expensive.)

Mackie if you really want budget but quality (sometimes)

Yamaha is hit or miss

And your title says 8 foot monitors (8'). Id love to see that.

Forgot the Adam A#x series. the A3x you can get a pair for ~400-600. A5x for about 1000 for two.

 

Scuse me but Bass ports are not meant to be heard. they are only there so the woofer performs at its optimal performance level in a given enclosure.

it assures that equal air pressure on both sides of the speaker. the diameter and length of the tube are tuned for the specific size enclosue and speaker spec

it is NOT a sound source !!!!!

studio monitors are designed for a flat response with minimal coloration of tone.

( NOTE Boxes should not be directly against the wall regardless of port position and turned in slight twords where your ears are. this slight angle insures air flow for the port will not be impeded )

as far as which ones, if your on a budget nEar 5 are awesome I've had the same set going on 7 years now and love them

but im a rock guy but i have done there synth based stuff and acoustic recordings and they performed really well, i guess if your into Jazz and music with very subtile nuances

your prolly gonna want better quality monitors which means MORE money but for hobby / bedroom application don't spent loads of cash on top quality monitors

because any fidelity you gain from the hi end boxes is gonna get lost in the acoustics of the room there in.

as an example my monitor sits 30cm away from wall with a box on each side on isolation pads (very important unless your work place is concrete) my boxes have 15cm free space behind them. the tweeters are at ear level and pointed directly at the sides of my head.

there are also calibrations that can be done to make that place you sit when mixing the sweet spot. there are some tutorials on youtube on how to set that up and its well worth it I've found.


my 2 cents

 

that was the only reason i dropped into this thread. i wanted to get some info on eight foot studio monitors. guess i'll have to look elsewhere.

 

500 is kinda low for a budget on 8" monitors. You should have like 2 or 3 choices based on your price range. Shouldn't be too hard.

 

You know, you can't really ask others what monitors YOU are going to buy/use.
It's like asking your grandparents what car you should buy.

 

If air comes out it's a sound source.

On topic: I think of 500 $ as a too low budget, like others here. You'd be happier to get better but smaller speakers.

 

JBL's... they are very nice, balanced monitors, nothing is noticeably overhyped... if you have the extra cake get the sub as well... piss the neighbors off at the very least

 

Hey, thanks for answers. I want the 8 inch woofer because I will probably work at night and volume will be low.
JBL 308 sound very close to Yamaha HS8 but the second have better mids and highs, is very noticeable, the first one better bass.

Anyone knows/used the Akai RPM 800 or these new Behringer Nekkst K8 monitors? These are lower priced

 

JBL are indeed praised in every forums nowadays.
It was not available around here, so we picked up a pair of KRK VXT4.

Not a bad sound for a small pair of speakers.

 

If I remember correctly, the tubes on the bass ports are made in such fashion (obviously different when on front vs on the back) that the sound waves which come through them are in exact phase with the sound waves coming from the woofers - so they add energy to the sound. So they are definitely a sound source.

 

Try to save a little more money, the sacrifices would be worth it.

 

Try Tannoy active or passive (with a rack mount amp, like Alesis or Yamaha). Nice flat frequency response, sturdy build and definitely in your price range, even if you go with a set of passives and a monitor amp. I currently use a pair of passive 6" Proto-J's and an Alesis RA-100 amp, but I'm planning on upgrading to bigger monitors soon. Your best bet is a pair of 8" Tannoy Reveals, active monitors, great deal for under $500.

If you're not completely happy with the bass, you can also always add a sub later on, too.