Hey folks,

I'm a fairly new user of Reason, and am just in the process of setting up a home studio. Not doing any live stuff or external instruments at the moment, just have my computer, a midi keyboard and an audio interface.

My next additions to the setup will be some proper audio monitors, and headphones for when working late at night (don't think the neighbours will appreciate my new monitors at 11pm). Just looking for some recommendations from other users. I noticed a sale on Rockit monitors at my local music shop. Are these decent?

Not looking to spend a tonne of money either. Just want decent stuff, not necessarily the best. If it matters, I'm focusing on electronic music at the moment, but will probably branch out when I've mastered Reason and Logic.

Cheers!

You can sometimes find some good deals on Craig's list. I use Mackie HR824's, but they are expensive

Joe

Yeah, already checked craigslist. Nothing in my area at the moment. I'd imagine buying used speakers is a bit of a gamble, especially if they've seen heavy-duty use.

How much of a budget are you on? That's the real important thing here, give us a more specific price range.

Also how big does the speaker need to be? Are you going to be working with alot of low end?

Now if you're on a budget that's tight and you want monitors that are honest and translate well (in my opinion you should always want this in studio monitors) then the yamahas in this budget have a good reputation.

Check out the HS50m or HS80m. If you're budget allows for spending a little more the dynaudio bm5a monitors get good reviews also.

Most importantly though, it's best to demo a pair and try them out in your own room before buying them, your room greatly affects what you hear, and most likely you will need to treat your room with bass traps etc.

Finally, there's some very good info at the gearslutz site on monitors and all their specs but there's also alot of opinions so be careful what you believe. Don't forget to read up on how rooms affect your monitors and how to treat them. Just remember though, only you know what's best for you, everyone has a perference so if you have a guitar center or some music store that has monitors you're interested in take a cd your familar with and test them out.

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Hmmm, Yamahas eh? Those would match my drums nicely

Thanks for the input _SG_. Much appreciated. I'd like to keep the monitors somewhere in the neighbourhood of $500 (Canadian). I'll take a look at your suggestions.

My "studio" is currently my small living room. I live in an appartment building, so I have no need for monster speakers. Low-end response will be very important to me, and I'm quickly learning that mixing low-end is tricky to get bass that sounds great on a wide range of playback equipment.

Yamahas all the way!!! I got the HS80M's and I LOVE them
Go to www.americanmusical.com
They have easy payment options!! hehe

All I have to say is, I am never buying a different monitor again!

I've listened to MANY MANY different monitors and NONE of them could compare to these, except the JBLs, but those are a whole nother story lol..

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I did notice some Behringer monitors on craigslist. I read some reviews on various manufacturers, and many said the Behringer's were a great value, as long as you weren't doing lots of heavy low-end, which I'll be doing. Is this accurate?

I think I'm leaning in the Yamaha direction.

Generally alot of opinions I've seen and heard about Behringer haven't been that good, but those are after all, just opinions.

I dont own any behringer products so I can't comment on the quality of it, but you could try searching professional audio review sites like soundonsound.com and mixonline.com for reviews of the monitors that were listed.

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I have a Behringer mixer, and while it does feel like it was made too big for it's circuits it does work perfectly fine, and would do any amateur musician IMO

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But that's a mixer, and not a pair of monitors

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