Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

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Pigfarmer Jr
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Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

My current system is going to shit. (Noises, buzzing, pops etc.,) Anyone have recommendations for a monitor system on the cheap? Looking to spend 4-500 bucks. If you have more expensive recommendations please feel free as I might be looking used as well (plus it's good to weigh options and see what's out there.)

Probably looking mainly at powered monitors at this point but any advice is welcome.
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Sober
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Re: Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

Post by Sober »

Keep an eye out on Facebook marketplace. Even up here in Maine I see great deals on Yamaha HS series and rokits pretty frequently. Either of those series will probably be more than fine. Due to tight space limitations in my booth, I have a pair of Yamaha HS4s; I wish I’d been patient and gone used. Now I’m waiting until the HS subwoofer goes on sale on amazon to fill out the spectrum.

*Edits to correct series name and other small details.
Last edited by Sober on Wed Jul 02, 2025 11:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jast
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Re: Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

Post by jast »

Personally I don't like the sound of the ROKIT speakers.
I'm quite happy with my pair of JBL 305P (Mk II, whatever). The main annoyance is that they go into standby after a few minutes of (almost) no signal, and need a certain signal level to pop back out.
Some detailed tests/reviews also noted some blips in the frequency response (e.g. a bump around 1.7 kHz) so if you're better than me at noticing stuff like that, maybe this isn't the right price range.

PS. Adam T5V comes recommended by ASR: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/foru ... tor.18122/
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Re: Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

Post by Lunkhead »

I've been very happy with my Fostex PM0.4D 4" speakers that I got ... wow, 9 years ago! I had some Event 2020's at the recommendation of Ken, and they were absolutely amazing, but I decided to downsize my setup to something more compact. The ones I got were on sale, for $250, I think as a stupid deal of the day.

This appears to be Fostex's current 4" offering:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... ve-monitor
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ken
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Re: Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

Post by ken »

Same as Sam, my first monitors were Event 2020s. From there I upgraded to Mackie HR824s, which sounded great. I eventually downsized, sold those and bought a pair of Mackie Cr3s which sounded better than expected for sub $99 monitors. I then bought a cheap used pair of Blue Sky 2.1 Media speakers which I remembered folks raving about when they came out. They include a sub, and I've been happy with them since, but still finalize my mixes using headphones.
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Re: Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

Post by roymond »

I had Mackie HR824s, which i loved until I blew either a speaker or the crossover. Try getting those babies serviced (!). I also downsized, to Mackie MR524s, for $200 used. Love them, too. I usually mix in headphones (Sony MDR-7506), then play back in the monitors, and go back and forth.
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Re: Your Studio Monitor Recommendations for Mixing

Post by fluffy »

I used to use Fostex PM0.4s but they weren't powerful enough for my (relatively) new basement studio, so now those are the speakers on my office computer. These days I have a pair of Yamaha HS5 which I'm super happy with.
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