Anyone know anything about studio monitor speakers?

[KillerCharlie]

I just bought a really nice digital piano keyboard and need some good speakers. I don't really want to spend more than $500. I need monitors that would make the piano sound great. I'm looking the two different 6" versions KRK makes. I also people talk about Behringers, but hear they have a lot of problems.

Does anyone hear have experience with these kinds of studio monitors?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

What are you going to do about amplification? Does that $500 need to include amplification?

 

[nakedfrog]

I bought this and it just showed up today. We're using it with a Yamaha YGP-625, and it sounds pretty good. We're still playing with the EQ to get just the right sound, but so far it's a :thumbsup:

 

[biggestmuff]

Just pick up a set of M-Audio powered monitors.

KRKs are good. Stay away from Behringer gear.

Monitors aren't going to make the digital piano sound great unless it sounds great to begin with. Which one did you buy?

 

[KillerCharlie]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What are you going to do about amplification? Does that $500 need to include amplification?

All the monitors I've seen were self-powered.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
Just pick up a set of M-Audio powered monitors.

KRKs are good. Stay away from Behringer gear.

Monitors aren't going to make the digital piano sound great unless it sounds great to begin with. Which one did you buy?

Kawai MP8 - it's really nice. In the future I'll probably upgrade to external samples, though the keyboard sounds great as it is.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I've heard M-Audio's stuff and it's not a bad choice at all, would definitely recommend looking at them.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
I bought this and it just showed up today. We're using it with a Yamaha YGP-625, and it sounds pretty good. We're still playing with the EQ to get just the right sound, but so far it's a :thumbsup:

He's asking for monitors not PA speakers. Those won't even approach the necessary sound quality he's looking for.

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
Just pick up a set of M-Audio powered monitors.

Bad suggestion. M-Audio is the last place to go for monitors.

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
Stay away from Behringer gear

Another bad suggestion. I'm not a big fan of most of their equipment, as most people, but Behringer monitors do manage to provide a level of sound quality that justifies their price. The B2031A, perhaps a distant Genelec ripoff, regardless, manages to get the job done.

My suggestion would be the Yorkville YSM1p. For just under $500 I would be surprised if you managed to find a better sounding monitor. There is a whole bunch of qualified alternatives, but if there's one I could suggest above all, this would probably be it.

And BTW I use active monitors for everything, thats is when I'm not using my Stax headphones. A speaker system with a passive crossover could never obtain the price/performance ratio of a monitor.

 

[KillerCharlie]

I'll definitely check those Yorkville monitors out. However, at this point I'm leaning toward getting something locally since I'm getting a bit tired of ordering stuff and having it shipped to my apartment. What do you think of the KRK Rokits?

I'm a little cautious of the Behringers as they seem to be polarizing - a bunch of people that had them loved them, and a bunch hated them. I can't find them locally though.

 

[NanoStuff]

I've not heard the Rokits, it's been a while since I've heard any of the newer entries. There really is a lot of good options, it's hard to go wrong as long as you check a few reviews. If you're in the UK, Tannoy is a great local brand.

 

[j511180]

I played my Yamaha S90 through these. They were about $280 new, I believe. I modiified my keyboard stand and made some little speaker stands for 'em. pic

I was happy with the sound

 

[rikadik]

I've got a pair KRK Rokit RP-5s. They sound great, but they suffer a little from transformer hum. Nonetheless I'd recommend them. The RP-6s will give you that extra bit of punch, but price and space led me to get the RP-5s.

 

[KillerCharlie]

One thing I'm concerned about is the frequency response. The lowest key on a keyboard (A) has its fundamental frequency at only 27.5 Hz. How will this sound on monitors? I guess it's unavoidable since all monitors don't go that low anyway. I'm just wondering how the low notes would sound compared to my superawesome Sennheiser HD580s.

 

[Tiamat]

Mackie makes some nice ones, Dynaudio of course, but they are usually 1000$.

Much of the piano's tone involves the 2nd and 3rd harmonic. As long as all harmonics are produced except the fundamental, the human brain automatically fills in the missing fundamental. So, you will be fine as long as the FR goes to high 40hz range.

This is a pretty good one:http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HR624/

Edit: Oops, all of the ones I recommended are actually 1000$ because they sell the speakers one by one rather than by the pair... Sorry :/

 

[Fraggable]

I thought you meant the speakers that come on some LCDs. Those would be just ideal for your purposes...

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
I guess it's unavoidable since all monitors don't go that low anyway.

They certainly do, but they're pricey. A less expensive option would be to get a subwoofer, but either way, unless you really know what you're doing, bass notes coming from speakers will be very deceptive to the real thing, leading you to making flawed mixes.

There is no easy or cheap alternative compared to your HD580s. If you want to get the bass mixing done right, that would probably be the best way to go.

 

[Rubycon]

OP is using a digital piano as well.

It can sound a lot different than the real thing.

Best use a monitor that fits your budget for general listening/playing/sharing with others and your cans for serious stuff.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
It can sound a lot different than the real thing.

What the hell is wrong with you? That's not even a piano.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff


What the hell is wrong with you? That's not even a piano.

Duh, that's the point.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: NanoStuff


What the hell is wrong with you? That's not even a piano.

Duh, that's the point.

That's not even a digital piano... the sound samples in high end digital pianos sound better than the vast majority of acoustic pianos.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie

That's not even a digital piano... the sound samples in high end digital pianos sound better than the vast majority of acoustic pianos.

It's a Synclavier and can sound like anything I want it to. I have about 150 GB worth of samples - up to 100kHz rate including vintage Steinway, Story & Clark, and Kimball samples.

The point was a digital piano can and will have range outside of a real piano.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: NanoStuff


What the hell is wrong with you? That's not even a piano.

Duh, that's the point.

A very ****** point. There are instruments other than a piano, we know that. BTW if you're using a keyboard to play a string instrument, it's no longer a piano, it's a keyboard playing a string instrument.

 

[rikadik]

Sorry to highjack the thread, but can anyone recommend a plug-in for Logic 7 for a beautiful piano tone? I want to record some compositions but my Yamaha P-60 just doesn't quite hack it.

 

[biggestmuff]

Originally posted by: rikadik
Sorry to highjack the thread, but can anyone recommend a plug-in for Logic 7 for a beautiful piano tone? I want to record some compositions but my Yamaha P-60 just doesn't quite hack it.

Sounds Online

Great products. I own several of their libraries.

 

[mrrman]

go with the KRK's..if you are near a guitar center they have the Rokit 8's for $249 each....I have these and they are great