Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Robert Healey said:
I bought a pair of Electro-Voice Sentry 100 monitors ($100) and a Crown D-75 power amplifier ($100) that I think will blow away almost any of the lower end monitors out there today,
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+1

I've always loved the Sentry 100. When I was in high school the radio station i worked at had them. Solid bass, smooth and warm overall with plenty of treble extension.

I have no idea how they compare to current affordable powered monitors but I have always loved their sound.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Of course there are going to be 100 different opinions on what sounds best in a given price range...but I'm happy with my pair of Yamaha MSP7s. I'm using them at my desk as near fields and haven't tried them in a living room setting.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

BP,

If you were willing to drop a bit more $$$ (actually a lot more :) ) I'd suggest these:

Barefoot Sound MicroMain35 Pair | VintageKing.com

In my 25 years of studio and live audio I have not been as impressed with a speaker as I was with these. Simple as that.

For the best bang for the buck, I don't think you can beat the Tannoy Reveal active series. I've always been a fan of Tannoy and for the $$$ these are just incredible:

Tannoy Reveal 601a | Sweetwater.com

To each his own. Good luck! Let us all know what you settle on.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Robert "VOiD" Caprio said:
If you were willing to drop a bit more $$$ (actually a lot more :) ) I'd suggest these:

Barefoot Sound MicroMain35 Pair | VintageKing.com

In my 25 years of studio and live audio I have not been as impressed with a speaker as I was with these. Simple as that.
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Looks like we think alike. I have been SOOOOOOO tempted to buy the MM35's for my studio, but my LSR4328's are getting the job done. Maybe some day.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Not to rib on you-but I just love it when people ask for "the most bang for the buck" speakers.

For example-when asked that question-I always suggest our most expensive sub cabinet.

WHY? Yes it has the biggest "buck" price, but ALSO has the biggest BANG!

When you consider how much it would cost of other products to produce the same output-it is actually cheaper.

It has the best SPL vs weight, SPL vs cost ratio of any of our cabinets.

So you have to define how big a bang you want-and how big of a buck you have.

Sometimes the more expensive is the cheapest way to go-depending on what people are looking for.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Unfortunately, Ivan, I can't fit a TH812 in my Boston apartment!

I had a chance to listen to some more things at InfoComm and I have determined that I like lots of speakers that cost more than my laptop, or that are the size of my coffee table. Neither is an option. I will probably just go take a long listen at some retailers and buy whatever I like from there, nothing they have is really expensive.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Bennett Prescott said:
Unfortunately, Ivan, I can't fit a TH812 in my Boston apartment!

I had a chance to listen to some more things at InfoComm and I have determined that I like lots of speakers that cost more than my laptop, or that are the size of my coffee table. Neither is an option. I will probably just go take a long listen at some retailers and buy whatever I like from there, nothing they have is really expensive.
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I was just ribbing you on the statement. It can mean very different things to different people.

JUst like with cars-what is the best bang for the buck in pickup trucks? It really depends on what size load you want to carry-or how many people you need to carry. What is a great value to one person is not such a good value to another.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Bennett Prescott said:
Just playback, JR.
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The new small Equator D5 coaxial monitors are getting a lot of good reviews. $300 direct with a 60 day return policy. A decent small sub and they may be just the ticket. I am getting a pair for my new home audio editing DAW.
 
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Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Bennett Prescott said:
...I had a chance to listen to some more things at InfoComm and I have determined that I like lots of speakers that cost more than my laptop, or that are the size of my coffee table. Neither is an option...
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Get a bigger coffee table, or a more expensive laptop, problem solved!
Seriously, with a little bit of acoustic treatment and your ears and experience I am sure you could make any of a wide variety of inexpensive speakers sound great in an apartment room. Actually, I have been looking at the F081AN 8" speaker plans on the B&C website for when I get some time to make a (very) little sawdust. So, the cheapest option (not counting your time) would be to throw together a pair of those, and a 12" or 15" sealed subwoofer, tweak the system with an old DSP/crossover you probably have lying around, and I am sure you can beat the best bang for the buck out there. Let us know how you do it so we can copy your tweaks and (B&C) driver choices. And if you find a great sounding inexpensive 3 way that even at reasonable apartment party SPLs is -3 dB at 35 Hz with no sub, please let us know.
 
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Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

I've found much listening pleasure in vintage used stuff. Best bang-for-the-buck looking through craigslist for older well-built home stereo boxes from the 70's and 80's
Many good 12" and 15" 3-way stuff that cost a decent fortune when new can be had for almost nothing because sellers think they are crap as they aren't shiny and new.
I have stuff from Altec and JBL that actually have cast-frame parts and very well-built cabinets. Often some woodworking is needed to take care of scuffs and scrapes, perhaps a new grille and possibly a re-foam job but I find the sound is something lacking in modern micro sub/satellite systems that are all the fad nowadays -and no sub is needed either.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

I agree. I bought 2 used Spendor SA500's for my cheapo in the box mastering setup. $7k a pair new..$1035 delivered. They have changed my life here in the studio over Mackie HR824's.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

I mix on adam s3a's daily, but if i had to buy a more cost effective speaker (which in a few areas might even be better) I would get a pair of neumann kh120's which if you call around can be found for $1200ish.

A lot cheaper than that and I would go for the yamaha hs80's which arent bad.
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

John Chiara said:
The new small Equator D5 coaxial monitors are getting a lot of good reviews. $300 direct with a 60 day return policy. A decent small sub and they may be just the ticket. I am getting a pair for my new home audio editing DAW.
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Bennett, did you end up buying anything? I just got a pair of these for review and I'm honestly astonished that you can get quality like this for $300. These things sound great right out of the box. I'm mixing an album next week at the studio pictured below and I'm going to do a shoot out between the D5s, Yamaha NS-10Ms, Tannoy Reveals and a few others if I have the time.

I immediately told Equator I'm buying 'em, even if I end up only using them in my home mix room.

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Robert "VOiD" Caprio said:
Bennett, did you end up buying anything? I just got a pair of these for review and I'm honestly astonished that you can get quality like this for $300. These things sound great right out of the box. I'm mixing an album next week at the studio pictured below and I'm going to do a shoot out between the D5s, Yamaha NS-10Ms, Tannoy Reveals and a few others if I have the time.

I immediately told Equator I'm buying 'em, even I end up only using them in my home mix room.

View attachment 4669
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Water music, Hoboken?
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

Bennett Prescott said:
Haven't bought anything yet! Too busy.
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have you picked up any yet?......i didnt see where anyone mentioned behringer truth speakers....i am thinkin about takin the dive and getting a pair this weekend, i have a recording studio they are gonna go in....haven tever heard them because i live in BFE....i have read up on them, and they look pretty choice.......wondering what you got and how it is
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

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An optimistic name for any loudspeaker.

It seems like a good idea to listen to studio monitors before spending money sight unseen (unheard).

JR
 
Re: Best Bang for Buck Home Listening Monitors

I have heard the Truth speakers. They will not do. I require real LF extension.

I have found what I want, but of course it will be a while since I have unsurprisedly found that my requirements exceed my budget... but not by enough that I wouldn't be able to get them next year.
 
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