Nearfields Help a dumb newbie

[doc7string]

I am tired of trying to mix on worthless cheap speakers and therefore it is time to buy something that I can learn and improve on. My budget is $1500. So far I really like the Neumann KH120. I hear tons about the Sonodyne sm 100 and 200 AK's but have no way to check them out. Lastly, I thought about Equator Q8's and when I checked them out on line found they were out of stock. When I called to find out when they would be available, i was told it was unknown, but they would discount the Q10 to $1500 if I wanted them. What do you guys think is my best bet. The KH's are wonderful but are they too small for my 25x14 room and recording modern country which has a fairly heavy bass. The Sono's- do you trust them are they really good? Regarding the Equators, are they too big for my room, are they really nearfields or midfields and are they going to be as accurate as nearfields. Help me decide please. Ive been looking and deciding for three months now and I need to make a decision, buy and enjoy.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Paul

[Kubi]

Unless you already have done extensive acoustic treatments in your room (in which case my whole reply is meaningless), first and foremost spend time and money on room treatment. Then use the rest of your budget and buy speakers. Otherwise you will *not* reap the benefit of better speakers.

A good start is:

1. Be sure your room is set up symmetrically. What's on your left should mirror what's on your right.

2. Deaden the space in front of you (so, behind the speakers.) Use a good mix of absorbers, so they don't all absorb the same frequency. Again, be sure to install them symmetrically.

3. Have plenty of diffusion behind your back (in front of the speakers). Some Steven Klein Saturn diffusors, with a few bookshelves filed with books work great for me. Again, symmetry!

4. Don't forget the ceiling. Cover about half of it with spaced arrangement of diffusors and absorbers. Space loosely, and again, left/right symmetrically.

This will cost you some time and about half your budget. BUT:

You will have FAR better sonic results if you treat your room and have mediocre speakers, than if you don't treat your room and have the world's best monitors at $5000 a piece.

My nickel, but nobody even try to argue this one... you know I'm right!

[doc7string]

I appreciate your thoughts, but treatment is already up and running, not that we cant all use more. Now its monitor choosng time.

[Kubi]

Ah! Then my whole reply was indeed meaningless! Unfortunately I'm not of much help with monitors - love my NS10Ms, paired with a Blue Sky subwoofer. But I'm sure others will chime in with something more useful to say!

[BKK-OZ]

I am tres happy with my HS80ms.
HS80m (&HS50m) are meant to be the new/modern NS10s.

[cbergm7210]

NS10's, JBL 4408A's w/ LSR 12P sub, Auratones, and and iPod dock make up my setup.

[crduval]

I just (as in 3 days ago) bought a pair of Focal CMS 65s, and they have made such a huge difference in what I can hear versus my older crappy monitors it isn't funny. I am literally kicking myself for working (I guess struggling would be a better term) with those older monitors for so long.

I worked on a quick remix of a song that I posted here a few weeks ago, and the rough I did today is so much better than the final mix I struggled through, its a little embarrassing! It also translates really well across different systems (my car, the ceiling speakers in my kitchen - it sounded good everywhere). That that has never happened to me before - it has always been a crapshoot, even when I referenced similar tracks while mixing!

I love these monitors, they have such a clear and focused soundstage, great imaging, I don;t find them fatiguing (although they are still new to me) and they are a perfect size for my room. I bought them second hand for a little less than your budget (new they are around $1800 a pair). Check them out if you get a chance. Focal also has a CMS 50 that is also supposed to be fantastic, a little less $ than the 65s, but may be right on your budget new.

Good luck, I hope you get the same results that I am now enjoying, whatever you choose!

[kgdrum]

I just (as in 3 days ago) bought a pair of Focal CMS 65s, and they have made such a huge difference in what I can hear versus my older crappy monitors it isn't funny. I am literally kicking myself for working (I guess struggling would be a better term) with those older monitors for so long.

I worked on a quick remix of a song that I posted here a few weeks ago, and the rough I did today is so much better than the final mix I struggled through, its a little embarrassing! It also translates really well across different systems (my car, the ceiling speakers in my kitchen - it sounded good everywhere). That that has never happened to me before - it has always been a crapshoot, even when I referenced similar tracks while mixing!

I love these monitors, they have such a clear and focused soundstage, great imaging, I don;t find them fatiguing (although they are still new to me) and they are a perfect size for my room. I bought them second hand for a little less than your budget (new they are around $1800 a pair). Check them out if you get a chance. Focal also has a CMS 50 that is also supposed to be fantastic, a little less $ than the 65s, but may be right on your budget new.

Good luck, I hope you get the same results that I am now enjoying, whatever you choose!

Congratulations! crduval

As a long time Focal user and former beta tester/evaluator/consultant for Focal I suggest you play these and break them in as much as possible.
As nice as they might sound now,after 150 to 200 hours of playing they will actually sound much better!
The Focals are great monitors but they require some time to loosen up to sound the way they're designed to sound,enjoy.

[crduval]

Thanks KGdrum, I bought them used so I'm not sure what kind of workout they've had, but if they get any better I might hyperventilate:D

The guy I bought them from is upgrading to Solo6's.

It must be fun getting to beta test that product line!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kgdrum]

If they're used I'm sure they're broken in.
I did this when they were 1st launched,(6 years ago)my experience predates the CS line,which are supposed to be great!
I had the Solos for 3 months then I got the Twins,which I still have and love.

Enjoy!

[mhschmieder]

I heard the new 8" Neumann's at AES a few weeks ago and they are the best 8" near-fields I have heard. Unlike most 8" monitors, they work equally well at shorter working distances. I use 5" monitors due to my working distance, but that could change if I upgrade.

I almost went for the KH120's myself, but saved dough by going for the surprisingly good (and amazingly insensitive to room specifics) JBL 2300 series. The new 8" Neumann's are designed to work well in a 5.1 system with the KH120's and the new super-deep (four times as deep as wide) sub-woofer (which is linear all the way down to 16 Hz!).

Although in the past I haven't found Genelecs very neutral, their latest models are winning all sorts of awards as being truthful monitors. I haven't heard them yet but seem to recall that they are in your stated price range.