Recommendations for budget studio monitors please.

zepp76

As title, I'm looking for some half decent monitors for a new set up, they will be used with a Tascam DP-03SD and Alesis SR18 if that makes a difference. Budget wise I'm looking at £100-150. Thank you.

Lestratcaster

I've got the Mackie CR4's which retail around £104 I think. I'm not a producer just a tutor but they're fine for general playback.

danishbacon

I think you can find Yamaha hs50ms in that burdget

Musicwolf

Do you actually need monitors?  When you start recording and mixing you will quickly discover that your mixes don't sound right when played back on another system.  This is because your monitoring system isn't neutral.

Your monitoring system is your monitors, your lug 'oles and, most critically, your room.  If the room isn't a good size, sympathetic ratio of dimensions and treated surfaces (and treated doesn't mean carpet stuck to the wall, thin foam tiles or egg boxes) then you are on a hiding to nothing.  A small, untreated room, where the length, width and height are of similar dimensions (i.e. a cube) is absolutely the worst possible environment for critical listening.  Unfortunately this describes a spare bedroom, which is where most of us operate from.

What happens is that the direct sound wave, traveling from speaker cone to ear, combines with other waves which arrive having been reflected from one or more walls / ceiling.  Depending upon the frequency and the path length these waves can combine constructively, boosting that frequency, or destructively (out of phase) creating a null.  The analogy would be to imagine painting a picture in a room lit by yellow street lights.  It may look ok in the room but take it to another room, with different lighting, and the colours will look wrong.  This is why artist's studios have strong, natural, light and it is why mixers need a neutral sounding room.

For your budget, and assuming that you don't have an acoustically treated room in which to work, I would consider a decent set of open backed headphones.  I use AKG K702 which would fit your budget.

https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/AKG-K702-Open-Back-Reference-Headphones/TL9?origin=product-ads&msclkid=b85ef302e09213991c3aaf70b56da590&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA%20Shop%20%7C%20Category%20%7C%20PA,%20Midi,%20Head%20%26%20Earphones&utm_term=4583795262511614&utm_content=Headphones%20%26%20In-Ear%20Monitors

Musicwolf

Do you actually need monitors?  When you start recording and mixing you will quickly discover that your mixes don't sound right when played back on another system.  This is because your monitoring system isn't neutral.

Your monitoring system is your monitors, your lug 'oles and, most critically, your room.  If the room isn't a good size, sympathetic ratio of dimensions and treated surfaces (and treated doesn't mean carpet stuck to the wall, thin foam tiles or egg boxes) then you are on a hiding to nothing.  A small, untreated room, where the length, width and height are of similar dimensions (i.e. a cube) is absolutely the worst possible environment for critical listening.  Unfortunately this describes a spare bedroom, which is where most of us operate from.

What happens is that the direct sound wave, traveling from speaker cone to ear, combines with other waves which arrive having been reflected from one or more walls / ceiling.  Depending upon the frequency and the path length these waves can combine constructively, boosting that frequency, or destructively (out of phase) creating a null.  The analogy would be to imagine painting a picture in a room lit by yellow street lights.  It may look ok in the room but take it to another room, with different lighting, and the colours will look wrong.  This is why artist's studios have strong, natural, light and it is why mixers need a neutral sounding room.

For your budget, and assuming that you don't have an acoustically treated room in which to work, I would consider a decent set of open backed headphones.  I use AKG K702 which would fit your budget.

https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/AKG-K702-Open-Back-Reference-Headphones/TL9?origin=product-ads&msclkid=b85ef302e09213991c3aaf70b56da590&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA%20Shop%20%7C%20Category%20%7C%20PA,%20Midi,%20Head%20%26%20Earphones&utm_term=4583795262511614&utm_content=Headphones%20%26%20In-Ear%20Monitors

zepp76

@Musicwolf  Thank you for the advice, headphones would make more sense space wise. I'll give them a look.

Edit: I've had a look at the AKG's but have also stumbled across the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro's, is there a reason why one would choose one over the other?

Musicwolf

zepp76 said:

 I've had a look at the AKG's but have also stumbled across the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro's, is there a reason why one would choose one over the other?

I haven't tried that model of Beyerdynamic's but I've had a pair of their DT250's, which are closed backed and which I use for tracking, for the best part of two decades - so I trust the brand.  The DT990's are open backed which is what you want for mixing.  I think that with headphones is about getting used to them.

The K702's were recommended to me by a professional producer whom I know so that's what I went with but I am sure that there are others who would happily recommend the Beyerdynamic's.

You need to be aware that there is a lot of spill from open backed headphones, they are certainly not for quiet listening.  This same spill also them unsuitable for tracking (i.e. where a mic is involved) which is why I also have the DT250s.  I haven't found a closed backed pair suitable for mixing.  If you are working to a budget, as most of us are, then spend most of your money on the mixing pair.

zepp76

@Musicwolf  Thank you for your recommendation I've ordered the AKG K702's. I look forward to trying them.

Macca_25387

i’ve got a set of the k702s for mixing an they’re ace. I’m sure i read somewhere Quincy Jones is a big fan them so...