Near Field Monitors

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 3 Nov 2009 8:41 am

What brand of near field monitors are you using?

And why? Likes/dislikes......

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 3 Nov 2009 11:20 am

I'm using Dynaudio BM-5A's. I like them. There's a lot of good stuff out there, new ones all the time. You should talk to Brad Lyons at sweetwater.com. He always points me in the right direction.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 3 Nov 2009 12:59 pm

I've been using an old pair of Tannoy PBM-8 monitors for many years. In fact when the foam surrounds finally deteriorated, I replaced them for about $27. They still sound nice and flat. I use an old Hafler Pro230 amp.
Clete

Gene Wilcox · Post by **Gene Wilcox** » 3 Nov 2009 1:13 pm

Still using some JBL 4206's I bought new in 92

ETA: I have gotten used to the less hyped bass with the 6" woofers than 8".

Be sure to position nearfields properly, and I like the auralex foam pads to decouple the monitors from the work table.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 3 Nov 2009 5:17 pm

I might add. In theory, near field monitors should all sound alike because they are not suppose to color the sound, but they don't. You don't want monitors that sound good, you want monitors that sound true and that you can mix with and get results that you can repeat on other systems, etc...

Having said that, all monitors have their own little things that make them different. I'd say get a good pair of some kind and let your ears get used to them and how they work, and you'll be just fine.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 3 Nov 2009 9:09 pm

Steve,

Check out these ears. Truman age six months.

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 3 Nov 2009 10:56 pm

I use a pair of Event "project studio 6" with my computer to get good sound from CD's and mp3's . Excellent sound and affordable.

I use a pair of Mackie HR 824's in my project studio. Very happy with performance and reliability.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 4 Nov 2009 2:08 am

Rick Campbell wrote:...you want monitors that sound true...

I used the word flat in my post, referring to exactly this.
The Yamaha NS-10 was very popular, but not as flat, or true, as the Tannoy to me.
Clete

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 4 Nov 2009 3:01 am

I'm using Samson Resolve 65a speakers sitting on top of Auralex foam bases.

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 4 Nov 2009 4:25 am

I am using a pair of Beringer Truth B2031's, passive.
what I like is the lower price and what I dislike is the bass end. a bit too much.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 4 Nov 2009 7:01 am

While the NS10 would not be considered a "flat" nearfield, there have more records mixed on these than any monitor out there--some of the biggest names in mixing use them exclusively. You have to learn how they work, and once you achieve that, they are wonderful. I have used them since 1985, and are still my primary monitor. One thing that a lot of people miss is they sound best with a lot of juice--I use a Mastering Lab modified Yamaha PM2201 power amp that puts out 250 watts a side and the NS10 really comes to life with this. I also added a subwoofer a few years back that helps extend the bass when I need it... I also have a pair of either 8" or 10" Tannoys on the speaker bridge as well, especially for tracking....

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 4 Nov 2009 7:22 am

A pair of Yamaha HS-80m'S. The power amp in one of them blew up after 2 years and I bought another one on ebay a few months back for next to nothing.

I started with the KRK Rokit Powered 8. The KRK had more bass but it was more boomy, not nearly as tight as the Yamaha's

Both of these monitor brands worked well for me. You just have to become familiar with how a certain mix sounds on the monitor and how that will translate to a real life playback. I do like the 8" speakers for those situations where I just want to crank it up loud and play some music on the system.

Greg

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 5 Nov 2009 9:28 am

Thanks for all the replies!

I owned a recording business back in the 70's-90's. One of those 14hr/day - 7 days a week kinda things, and don't miss that at all!! Lately I've been contemplating a little home rig again

, and was curious about current near field monitors (I have a pair of JBL 4311's from the early 80's packed away someplace...anybody remember those?)

Rick,
Truman sure is growing into a handsome young fella! I sent you a pm.

I also recently listened to a couple of your recordings and they sound spectacular, both the playing and engineering!!

Greg,
I'm very familiar with your website, and your choice of monitoring/recording/performing has always been impressive.

I did own NS-10's (with the tissue paper over the tweeters)...don't want to do that again.

They were the rage, thanks to Bob Clearmountain, but I'm sure there's lots of new technology out there now. Guess I'm going to have to A/B some at the local music stores.

Sure appreciate all the opinions and comments from all of you that have replied!!

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 5 Nov 2009 8:20 pm

Hey Steve--what kind of console was that? We still run the same MCI 2" machine at our place...

Bob is still mixing on NS10's...

Here is our current monitoring setup--the front soffits are normally covered with black grills--the console is just being installed...

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 6 Nov 2009 8:10 am

John,

Nice looking setup! I had a 500 series MCI board early on. Yours looks like a 600 series. The picture I posted was taken around 1984 if I remember correctly. The console is a special order Audioarts 8x by Wheatstone inline 32x16 w/automation. I had Urei 813's as my main monitors and of course the hideous auratones on the desk, until the nearfields became popular. I still have the auratones and actively use them to collect dust

.

I mastered to a JH-110 and an Otari 112 and used to love to edit/splice. Tape and analog was fun and wonderfully electronically creative at times

.

Great memories of waking each day and couldn't wait to get to work! But the long hours/demand took it's toll. I had a heart attack in '91 and spent a couple of years in & out of the VA hospital here.

I had a 32trk digital Mackie/Alesis at home after I sold my business in the early 90's, but started bass fishing and playing a little steel again and just never got back into the recording thing, finally selling everything in the mid 90's.

I personally built all my recording facilities and enjoyed that as much as anything. The "business" was 3500 sq ft., and home was in a 26'x30' building about an acre off the house. I built all the furniture/racks/desks.

Fun stuff for sure!!

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 6 Nov 2009 9:07 am

Actually that is a Neotek 3C console that was originally owned by the legendary Lonnie Mack....the auratones still get used quite often around here...

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 6 Nov 2009 10:28 am

Oops...my mistake! I bet your Neotek is a killer console. Never heard anything but complimentary comments about their preamps and musical eq.

I use to mix all the "death metal" bands with millions of thrashing guitar parts at a very, very low volume on the auratones. Always got good relative volumes and pan placements that way....my favorite use for them, and mono tv spots!

I love Tannoys!

Walter Bowden · Post by **Walter Bowden** » 8 Jan 2010 2:03 pm

I'm still using JBL 4311's for my "big" monitors and NS-10's for my nearfields. I've heard many times "If it sounds good on NS10's it'll sound good on everything else."
Not necessarily my opinion, although I would hate to lose them.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 9 Jan 2010 1:52 am

MAudio powered SP5's. Nice for a small tight setup , if I had more space then I would use 8's but then I would be on my way back to Cerwin Vega 12's and so on and so on.... I just don't feel the small SP5's are near as accurate as the larger enclosures but then again I am not recording tracks for Billboard release party's !