Monitors for home use with modelling units. Now arrived.

fretmeister

What’s good for powered monitors for home use? I’m thinking of use with Helix so I can get some stereo fun happening.

I was looking at the Yamaha HS7 but I’d like some opinions on others.

Not looking for anything massive or performance volume, just good sounding powered monitors.

guitarfishbay

HS7s are a safe bet unless you want to go bigger / more expensive.

If this was to use more so with bass than guitar you might enjoy 8” monitors more but they’re generally physically huge in comparison. 

Sporky

I have the Presonus Eris e8s for my Helix. They're ace. 

Fretwired

I have HS7s and IK Multimedia iLouds - both work well with my HX Stomp. You'll need to crank the HS7s though to get the speakers working which can be loud. No such problem with the iLouds. Yamaha also does the HS5 which is smaller and decent for guitar.

Wazmeister

I tried several, all with ok/average/not bad results...

Then, I tried the Genelec 8010s. Superb. Natural. Excellent.

I now use the slightly larger 8020s. A bit more of everything but Id have been quite happy with the 8010s.

I actually use both now (ie all 4 speakers) with the Kemper, with the 8010s serving for when I play sitting on the floor.

As a confirmed valve amp snob at one point, the Genelecs offered me the modelling ‘breakthrough’

Wazmeister

Fishboy7

Do you need to go via a mixer, or plug straight into the speakers?

fretmeister

Straight in.

Probably for guitar use only. I’m using my barefaced for bass duties 

simonk

Neumann KH120’s are sublime. Spendy, but the best I’ve tried and sexy as f*** in white.

guitarfishbay

simonk said:

Neumann KH120’s are sublime. Spendy, but the best I’ve tried and sexy as f*** in white.

Those are the nicest 5" monitors I've heard.  Not cheap though!

TTBZ

I'm using Mackie MR5s with Mercuriall Spark. Sounds good to me and they're pretty affordable. 

Might actually have them up for sale soon I'd you're anywhere near Northants as I wouldn't fancy posting them!

fretmeister

Sporky said:

I have the Presonus Eris e8s for my Helix. They're ace. 

They seem very reasonably priced. Lots of offers about with included stands too. 

kennedydream1980

I use the lowly Mackie CR3’s with my Helix at home. Obviously not as high end as some of the monitors mention in this thread, but I really like them, they sound great and I like the fact they have an aux input, and a headphone output on the front of the powered speaker. So everything is accessible.

RMJ

I use hs7 with helix. Sound great to me

hubobulous

HS5s for me. Really like them

Sporky

fretmeister said:

Sporky said:

I have the Presonus Eris e8s for my Helix. They're ace. 

They seem very reasonably priced. Lots of offers about with included stands too. 

Good reviews too. 

There are a lot of good options; I didn't bother comparing any. 

chickenchaser

Also in the market for a pair of monitors to run the Helix through as currently it's going thru a Vox Adio if I need anything other than headphones! 

I was considering the JBL 305s after ruling out some KRK Rokit 6s due to poor reviews. Budget is around £200 so probably looking at used for that figure. 

Gadget

Anybody tried active PA speakers?

I'm using my studio monitors at the mo, but they're never really going to handle high volume guitar properly.

Musicwolf

Gadget said:

Anybody tried active PA speakers?

I'm using my studio monitors at the mo, but they're never really going to handle high volume guitar properly.

For home I use my Kemper with my studio monitors (Adam A5s) or, more usually, a set of open backed headphones.  For live I take the main out (mono) via the desk to the PA (Yamaha DXR12s) but I also have the monitor output of the Kemper going straight to an Alto TS210 powered cab which is sitting behind me as a 'backline'.  When we're playing live we try to get the PA out in front of us to minimise feedback from the vocal mics.  Another option would be to have the Alto as a wedge monitor pointing back at me but, since the other guitarist and the bass player are using a conventional backline, I find that this approach sounds the most natural.  For the last couple of gigs I've been using in ears so I don't know how my approach will change going forward.

Gadget

Musicwolf said:

Gadget said:

Anybody tried active PA speakers?

I'm using my studio monitors at the mo, but they're never really going to handle high volume guitar properly.

For home I use my Kemper with my studio monitors (Adam A5s) or, more usually, a set of open backed headphones.  For live I take the main out (mono) via the desk to the PA (Yamaha DXR12s) but I also have the monitor output of the Kemper going straight to an Alto TS210 powered cab which is sitting behind me as a 'backline'.  When we're playing live we try to get the PA out in front of us to minimise feedback from the vocal mics.  Another option would be to have the Alto as a wedge monitor pointing back at me but, since the other guitarist and the bass player are using a conventional backline, I find that this approach sounds the most natural.  For the last couple of gigs I've been using in ears so I don't know how my approach will change going forward.

Thanks. This is home use only - I don't gig. And it must be stereo, as it's for W/D/W (or more accurately W+D/D/W+D).

Musicwolf

Gadget said:

Musicwolf said:

Gadget said:

Anybody tried active PA speakers?

I'm using my studio monitors at the mo, but they're never really going to handle high volume guitar properly.

For home I use my Kemper with my studio monitors (Adam A5s) or, more usually, a set of open backed headphones.  For live I take the main out (mono) via the desk to the PA (Yamaha DXR12s) but I also have the monitor output of the Kemper going straight to an Alto TS210 powered cab which is sitting behind me as a 'backline'.  When we're playing live we try to get the PA out in front of us to minimise feedback from the vocal mics.  Another option would be to have the Alto as a wedge monitor pointing back at me but, since the other guitarist and the bass player are using a conventional backline, I find that this approach sounds the most natural.  For the last couple of gigs I've been using in ears so I don't know how my approach will change going forward.

Thanks. This is home use only - I don't gig. And it must be stereo, as it's for W/D/W (or more accurately W+D/D/W+D).

In which case - I'd steer clear of active PA cabs (unless both you and your neighbours are deaf).  Studio monitors will give you a far more neutral sound but of course, if it's for guitar only, maybe you don't need neutral.  In which case, you don't need to spend as much.