Entry Level Monitors for Home Guitar/Recording

[Charvel1975]

Hello I'm looking for some recommendations for a new pair of bedroom studio monitors that will be good for rock and metal guitar practice & recording

Running through a Behringer XAir XR18 through a Yamaha MG10/2 mixer into my HP ProDesk 600 G2 MT using Reaper DAW.

I do have a Two Notes Torpedo Captor X 16-Ohm not being used at the moment but do use Two Notes Genome and NAM amp sims through Genome Code X.

My room is small.

I'm weary about buying used and would like to stay under $250 for the pair, but would like to hear all suggestions. Thank you!

 

[DrewJD82]

A pair of Yamaha HS5’s would be a good option because when you’re ready to upgrade you can jump up to the HS7’s or HS8’s and already have familiarity with them. The only issue is the low end, you can’t hear bass for shit with the HS5’s but really, for under $250 for a pair, you’re not going to find a lot of options that’ll give you the full listening spectrum.

The HS5’s did me well for my first 5 years learning how to record/mix and I regularly see them for around $250 - $300 for the pair. I had a subwoofer I was able to hook up to mine using a mixer and some half-assed wiring, it helped a lot but there was still a lot missing that only larger speakers are going to deliver.

 

[MusicIsLife]

I have the HS8s mentioned above. No experience with the HS5s, but it seems like Yamaha makes decent gear for the money, and probably a good lower-priced option.

Whatever speakers you use, if you're using them as reference monitors for recording, read up on monitor placement, calibration, and room treatment. Nothing you need to master overnight, but it'll help get the best results out of whatever monitors you get. Even inexpensive monitors can do a really good job if you set them up correctly.

 

[Jakem]

I’ve loved Genelec G3s but I presume they are above the budget You’ve been thinking.

 

[Devin]

I use the Kali Lp-6's and really like them


Don't have much experience with a ton of different ones to be fair

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

Whatever you get the key is to listen to the mix through as many different sound sources as possible. Listen in a car, a home stereo, Bluetooth earbuds, etc....and you know the mix is right when it sounds great through anything.

 

[RaceU4her]

I use the Kali Lp-6's and really like them


Don't have much experience with a ton of different ones to be fair

thats kind of the problem with monitors, im not really looking to buy a bunch of pairs to try and then have to learn how they translate to other systems and all that.. i have my HS5's with the sub, i tuned the sub as close as i can get to what im hearing in my ear buds, a couple different sets of headphones, a little sony cube, my iphone..

 

[Devin]

thats kind of the problem with monitors, im not really looking to buy a bunch of pairs to try and then have to learn how they translate to other systems and all that.. i have my HS5's with the sub, i tuned the sub as close as i can get to what im hearing in my ear buds, a couple different sets of headphones, a little sony cube, my iphone..

Final mix test is always in my car for sure

 

[RaceU4her]

Final mix test is always in my car for sure

me too, my Ranger has some pretty shitty speakers in it, if it sounds full in there without my roll up windows handle rattling, im usually good

 

[Greazygeo]

thats kind of the problem with monitors, im not really looking to buy a bunch of pairs to try and then have to learn how they translate to other systems and all that.. i have my HS5's with the sub, i tuned the sub as close as i can get to what im hearing in my ear buds, a couple different sets of headphones, a little sony cube, my iphone..

How do you like the sub? Been thinking of adding one to my HS5’s for awhile.

 

[Chubtone]

I also have HS5's and wonder about a sub for them

 

[Simon Dorn]

A pair of Yamaha HS5’s would be a good option because when you’re ready to upgrade you can jump up to the HS7’s or HS8’s and already have familiarity with them. The only issue is the low end, you can’t hear bass for shit with the HS5’s but really, for under $250 for a pair, you’re not going to find a lot of options that’ll give you the full listening spectrum.

The HS5’s did me well for my first 5 years learning how to record/mix and I regularly see them for around $250 - $300 for the pair. I had a subwoofer I was able to hook up to mine using a mixer and some half-assed wiring, it helped a lot but there was still a lot missing that only larger speakers are going to deliver.

Was about to suggest the Yamahas. Start directly with the 7s. Done.

 

[7704A]

I have a pair of Yamaha MSP5's that I really like. They're the entry-level pro audio offering as I understand it, designed to be references, while the HS series colors things more to suit the home audio guys. Downside is that you'll have to buy used like I did. I got my pair for just over 200$, and 200$-300$ seems to be the going rate.

 

[Chubtone]

Was about to suggest the Yamahas. Start directly with the 7s. Done.

Are the HS7's too big (boomy sounding) for use in a small room? My "studio" is only a 10' x 10' bedroom.

 

[DanTravis62]

Yamaha HS series and Kali LP6s seem to be everyones favorite

I'm gonna be real here though, I use extremely cheap (like 30$) M Audio BX4s in conjunction with a really nice hifi system (NAD 2550, advent bookshelfs, bose sub) on a switcher to monitor my mixes

I would certainly love to have nice monitors like some genalecs or something but I don't see any real benefits until you hit a much higher price range

And also, like @Devin my car stereo is the real final test for my mixes

This is one of the few gear purchases where I think the benefits are rather low until you get higher in the quality bell curve

 

[RaceU4her]

How do you like the sub? Been thinking of adding one to my HS5’s for awhile.

I also have HS5's and wonder about a sub for them

i bought them together and actually have not tried the hs5's alone, though its in my list of things to do. when i was doing research the sub debate was pretty heated with id say an even split of guys all for or dead against, i decided to just go with it. i can say i know a couple engineers that were on the no sub side that changed their mind after hearing my setup.

 

[The~Kid]

On the cheap and in general can't go wrong with these.....




Especially if you can make cheap shit sound good...... it's great

 

[7704A]

i bought them together and actually have not tried the hs5's alone, though its in my list of things to do. when i was doing research the sub debate was pretty heated with id say an even split of guys all for or dead against, i decided to just go with it. i can say i know a couple engineers that were on the no sub side that changed their mind after hearing my setup.

Yet another corner is the two-sub crowd. Haven't looked much into that myself though.

 

[Simon Dorn]

Are the HS7's too big (boomy sounding) for use in a small room? My "studio" is only a 10' x 10' bedroom.

What do you miss with your 5s?

 

[JDs Couch]

I have had the same pair of M Audio M1 Actives for 25 years. Are they great, not really. But they were decent for the price and I learned them well by listening to tons of well produced albums on them. And I learned to mix pretty well on them.