Studio Monitors under $500

[xk0nsid]

Hi guys, I'm planning to buy my first studio monitors and I needed some help. I have a budget of at about $500. I am confused between a couple of options namely

• Kali Audio LP6
  M-Audio BX8 D3
  Presonus Eris E5 XT
  JBL 308PMKII

I also looked at Adam Audio T7 but they are fairly over my budget. I'm not sure if the extra money will be worth it because they are nearly double. I'm quite impressed with LP6s but I'm not sure. Would really like some help. Monitors are a fairly big investment and a long one too.

[Drew Stephenson]

I would add the Adam T5 to your list as well if you can find them near your budget.

[xk0nsid]

I would add the Adam T5 to your list as well if you can find them near your budget.

I considered them, but I usually work on music which is a little bass heavy. I am worried that I'll have to keep going to headphones for bass and after a couple weeks will start using headphones only. But again, I don't know if I'm write I have never used studio monitors like these before, only used headphone monitors. Do you think T5s will be enough to work that kind of music?

[Drew Stephenson]

The simple fact is that unless you're working in an exceptionally well acoustically-treated room you will always need to use headphones* to check your low end. At low frequencies the effect of the room modes, even if you've got reasonable treatment, will still be large. Using headphones takes the room out of the equation and allows you to make properly informed decisions about the bottom end.
Personally, I prefer a less-extended but more controlled low end, which can then be double checked on headphones, because it tends to make listening to the low-mids on the speakers easier.
So I'd err on the side of smaller speakers and put any cash savings to either a decent set of open-back headphones (if you don't already have them) or towards some acoustic treatment for the room.
This will, longer term, deliver a much better result than trying to get good low end extension from a budget (good, but budget ) set of monitors in an untreated room.

* I tripped up on this a few weeks ago, I've got very used to listening on my monitors and hadn't really given a particular mix a proper listen on headphones - as a result I'd missed a build up of mush around 160Hz where my room has a null. Fortunately a fellow forum member pointed it out to me.

[Mike Stranks]

Welcome!

Just to endorse Drew's point... unless you're in a decent acoustically treated room the sound from any monitors - irrespective of cost - will be compromised before it reaches your ears. This is particularly true of bass, and if your room is small then you'll never get enough acoustic treatment in there to deal with the bass.

Drew has spelt out the potential implications for mixes...

As for what to buy... I'm with Drew!

[Arpangel]

Treated or untreated, you’ll have to get something at some point, it’s the Eris E5’s, about the best of the bunch AFAIC, if I really had to choose.

[uselessoldman]

I bought the Adams T7Vs after spending quite some time testing retesting monitors with a completely open mind about price, I wanted value for money. I could hear small glitches on the T7Vs matched only by monitors twice their price. Not only that you get a 5yr warranty !!

[xk0nsid]

Hi Guys, After much consideration, I went with Kali LP-6s and I have to say that I love them. They sound great for their price and I think overall is a good pair of monitors, especially first studio monitors. I also purchased m50x headphone monitors to pair with them. Overall the setup sounds fairly good. Thanks for all the support guys.

[Martin Walker]

Hi xk0nsid - thanks for coming back to let us know what you chose and that you're happy with them. That info could well help someone else

Don't forget about some acoustic treatment though, as that will make your new monitors sound even better.

Martin