For the past 5 years I have owned the same set of Logitech 2.1 Z-2200 speakers. They have served me well in college and the large subwoofer made for an excellent footrest. However, they are typical “computer speakers” in the sense that they don’t accurately reproduce each frequency and provide too much bass, even with the subwoofer on the lowest setting. I guess you could say I’ve evolved into an audiophile and have realized that bass isn’t everything. I like to hear crisp highs and punchy mids as well. That has led me to connect the Logitech’s to my HDTV for the time being, and upgrade my computer setup with studio monitors.
Studio Monitors? Never heard of ‘em.
Studio monitors are speakers that have been tuned to have a very flat response. In conjunction with the speakers, a specially built box and baffles to direct the flow of air ensure that no frequency is emphasized more than any other frequency. This ends up producing a sound more akin to how the music you’re listening to was actually recorded. Of course, if you want to emphasize certain ranges of frequency, you can always do that in post with software equalizers in your music player.
Introducing the Rokit RP5G2s
Studio monitors are often sold individually so you usually just buy two, hook them up to your favorite amplifier, pre-amplifier and audio source, and you’re good to go. That ends up being pretty expensive so I started searching for active/powered studio monitors so I wouldn’t have to deal with having to setup a big amplifier. I remembered hearing my friend Eston Bond’s Rokit RP5G1s when visiting Palo Alto over the summer and was thoroughly impressed with the clarity and range they produced.
Since then the KRK Rokit RP5s have been upgraded to their second generation and sport a slightly different style, but offer the same stellar performance. Each monitor runs $150, so that’s $300 for the pair not including shipping (UPS claims the box was 37lbs). For that price, they are still considered entry level for studio monitors. The 5 in RP5G2 stands for 5-inches – the diameter of the main woofer. KRK also makes versions of these monitors with 6 and 8 inch woofers but they are too big to even consider using on your desk.
The RP5G2s feature a 5-inch glass aramid composite woofer and 1-inch neodymium soft dome tweeter with ferro fluid. In layman’s terms, they are not your typical consumer-aimed speakers. The whole point is that they’re made for music enthusiasts. Each studio monitor has a 75 watt amplifier built-in, XLR, TRS and RCA inputs, as well as a front-firing bass port.
At 10-inches deep, 7-inches wide and 11-inches tall, these studio monitors are an entirely different beast compared to the small satellite speakers found with surround sound systems and other such computer speakers.
Why you should consider an external audio interface
While it is perfectly possible to hook up these studio monitors directly to any audio source, such as my MacBook Air, it won’t result in the clearest sound. If I just connect the RP5G2s to my laptop with a 1/4-inch TRS (with separate mono left and right male connectors) to stereo mini-jack cable, the resulting sound will have more noise and interference than it would with an external audio interface (consider it an external sound card) designed to cut out the noise and reduce latency. Having nice studio monitors and not using an external audio interface is like putting regular octane gasoline in your high-compression engine German sports car. It’ll work, but you won’t be getting all the performance you paid for.
There is also the potential for distortion if one’s not always careful to keep the output to a low level on the computer. That can happen when connecting amplified studio monitors to an amplified headphones output on a computer.
If your computer already has a dedicated sound card like any of the Creative X-Fi offerings, you should be fine. There are a lot of competitors in the external audio interface market, ranging from M-Audio offerings to the seductively-styled Apogee Duet. My needs were that the interface used USB as my Air doesn’t have FireWire, and that it has TRS outputs for each monitor. I ended up going with the $150 PreSonus Audiobox USB.
Fortunately for OS X users, the Audiobox does not require any drivers as it is compatible with Core Audio. Also, you will not be able to control the volume from the OS anymore. This is normal. The Audiobox processes the signal on its own and lets you adjust volume with one of its knobs. Likewise, each Rokit RP5G2 has its own volume knob.
Putting it all together
There is one notable downside that comes with this audiophile territory; there are lots of cables. To be exact, each studio monitor requires its own power cable and there are 2 1/4-inch TRS cables coming from the Audiobox with one going to each monitor. In addition the Audiobox also has a USB connection.
First Impressions
At an aggregate cost of roughly $450 not including shipping, you’d expect this audio setup to be a monumental upgrade from your typical pair of so-called computer speakers. You’be be 100% on the money. This setup sounds amazing compared to anything I’ve owned.
At 75 Watts for each studio monitor, some might scoff and think that their 505 Watt 5.1 gaming speakers trump this setup in every way. With their small drivers, traditional computer speakers and surround sound speakers just can’t compare. Each RP5G2 produces more decibels than such computer speakers can, and more importantly the Rokit’s make crystal clear sound. You can hear every guitar strum, every vocalist and every drum hit – just like it was recorded. There’s no overpronunciation of bass to drown out the rest of the audio.
I know you won’t be able to hear the audio quality but here’s a video anyway.
The RP5G2s start coming to life at 1/5 volume and keep going. I have yet to put them past 1/2 volume and I don’t think I’ll ever need to, unless I’m in another room. One thing I like about the Rokits, that others might not like is the frequency response range: 53Hz to 20kHz. The key point being that it doesn’t capture all of the bass; deep bass found in certain songs is around the 20Hz area. I like this because I don’t want my desk shaking too much, or the walls – I’ve got neighbors. Fortunately, if you’re a bass fiend, KRK makes a massive 10-inch subwoofer that can easily be added on to any system.
If I had to point out one aspect of the monitors that really capture my attention, it would be the tweeters. They create the high-end treble that I associate with a crisp sound.
Performance
With a more professional audio setup, it’s easier to tell the difference between an MP3 encoded at 128kbps and a track encoded in lossless FLAC or in a near lossless MP3 at 320kbps. However, that is actually almost negligible compared to the difference in audio quality without using the PreSonus Audiobox. I hooked up the Rokit’s directly to my MacBook Air and proceeded to play some Weezer tracks encoded with FLAC.
Without the external audio interface, there was the a slight, yet definitely still noticeable “haziness” to the sound, as if something was blocking it. In other words, there was the addition of noise. A similar noise presence was found when playing a track on my iPod Nano (2nd Gen) compared to playing the same track on my computer through the Audiobox. The addition of the Audiobox as an external audio interface to this setup was well worth it.
Overall
I’m very happy with my investment although I’m thinking the Rokits might be better suited for being hooked up to a Sonos ZonePlayer or Logitech Squeezebox and placed in my living room. Also, one slight annoyance with this setup is that now I must manually turn off each studio monitor and the power switch is on the back as opposed to on some easily accessible controller.
How much of an audiophile are you? What speakers are hooked up to your computer now?
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I don’t currently have anything hooked up to my MBP, but I do most of my listening on a hi-fi setup with an analog 1970’s receiver by NAD, a CD player to match, a Sony turntable (hoping to upgrade to a Rega Planar 3 soon), and a pair of B&W 602 speakers.
Great review, appreciate the extensive details. I had been considering the a pair 8″ models myself, and with the price quote of 390 for both from my favorite local retailer I think they will be hard to pass up.
Either my iMac’s speakers or my Beats by Dr. Dre or Bose In-Ear headphones. I’d buy speakers but they simply take up too much room.
I currently have Harmon/Kardon Soundsticks II. They’re pretty good for how relatively inexpensive they are. I also have Sennheiser eH150’s for my headphones. I absolutely love these. They’re the best headphones I’ve ever owned (not that I have ever owned great headphones). I would personally recommend both, but your setup looks better, albeit much more expensive.
Glad to see you are enjoying the audiophile world! I’ve been using a pair of Athena AS-B1.2 bookshelf speakers for the past 4 years. Like your Rokits these also have a low-end in the 20kHz range. To balance the bass, I’ve got a Sony 10″ sub. In order to power the setup, I’m running a Pioneer vsx-d814-k amp/receiver.
This is nowhere close to a pro setup but its several years old and I’m still impressed with the audio definition and quality as long as I’m running from a quality source. Little known fact: all intel based macs have an optical audio out. Running fiber from my macbook to my receiver causes a noticeable jump in audio quality.
have Tannoy Mercury F2 for over 4 years now, alongside Yamaha RX-V-450 receiver and been extremely happy with the setup. The cables can be annoying, Sonos is a possible solution still haven’t been able to play with it
Nice, Paul. I’m still scouting around and reading reviews on studio monitors, but for music production rather than just listening.
For personal music listening with a desktop computer setup, I go for a pair of trusty headphones every time. A high quality headphone setup can be had for much cheaper than speakers, and can be candy for your ears ;) Right now, I’m using a Lexicon Omega audio interface and a pair of Audio-Technica AD700 headphones. Pretty simple and basic, but still sounds good. Would love another DAC, a tube headphone amp, and a pair of AKG K701’s though.
Audiophile territory is hazardous to your wallet, though. Individual pieces are expensive enough, but not only that, it gets addictive! ;)
@Paul, looks great. My only comment is you maybe advertising your goods to theifs in the street by having it in the window.
Also you can buy powerstrips that allow you to shut one think off and the powerstrip intelligently shuts the rest off. For example, you push the power button on the front of your monitor, the strip detects the monitor has been turned off or put into standby and turns the other plugs on the socket off (in this case your speaker system)
Nice speakers, but they do take up quite a bit of space… is there room between your desk and the window? Speakers stands!
@David – that’s no street outside. It’s the pool and patio area, no one from the nearest street can even see my room.
Regarding the smart power strip, nice, I need to check that out.
Right now I rock some harman/kardon 2.1 desktop speakers. They’re not great and they flake out occasionally, but for now I’m fine with them. When I head off to college, I plan on grabbing a nice pair of headphones, and then after college I imagine I’ll get some high-end speakers, much like you did.
If you wanted to, could you plug those bad boys into your HDTV? You’d have to find a way to hook them in, but they’d be pretty sweet for some intense movie watching.
@Nathan – yeah they can most definitely be hooked up to a TV.
@Paul, I don’t have time to find you a link but they are normally marketed under the premise that they are saving energy etc so google as appropriate
Nice setup Paul. I did a similar thing a while back. I had powered a pair of PSB Alpha speakers with a Sonic t-amp. Since then I’ve upgraded to a complete 5.1 setup, a Sherwood Newcastle receiver and surround PSB Image series speakers. The PSB line I find provides a great punch when you need it and in my small apartment the .1 I have are bass shakers instead of an actual subwoofer.
For me, I just run an optical cable to my receiver and play the setup in a ‘pure audio’ mode so I get stereo left/right and the .1 output to the couch. It’s worked out pretty well. I’m going to check into these speakers for the office and see if it makes sense. My little “premium” Dell stereo setup is rather laughable. Nice post. Cheers!
@michael o. – with the notable exception of the MacBook Air – it doesnt have optical audio out. :-/
I’ve been using Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 system for years and would recommend it to anyone… http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/promedia-2-1.aspx
@Paul @Nathan While these could technically be used in a home theater setup, I wouldn’t suggest it. Studio monitors such as yours what we call “near-field” speakers: they are designed specifically to reproduce music as accurately as possible with the listener a few away. HT (or “hi-fi”) speakers sacrifice a little bit of this accuracy in order to better fill large spaces and sound a little bit more “forward”, which is generally more aurally pleasing for dialogue / effects. In comparison, a studio monitor’s flat response, when listened to from a distance, will sound more… flat.
If they’re intended mainly for music in a smallish room, go for it. Otherwise, I’d suggest maybe picking up a similarly sized pair of bookshelf hi-fi speakers and a decent amp, which would run about the same amount from a decent manufacturer (JBL, Polk, Tannoy, Klipsch, etc).
Keep in mind that the tonal characteristics of speakers varies widely and also greatly rely upon the space that they’re in, so YMMV.
“At 75 Watts for each studio monitor, some might scoff and think that their 505 Watt 5.1 gaming speakers trump this setup in every way.”
Heh – you’re not referring to me are you paul ? ;)
I would sure love your setup actually.
I really like the idea but for ~$200 i spent on my z-5500s I don’t mind the sound.
The z-5500s are nice but too much emphasis on BIG BASS and POWER over quality. That being said I have enjoyed it and think it’s pretty close to as good as I could have bought for that price.
My speakers are a piece of junk I got from Radio Shack for $30 a while back. Recently, I got a set of Sennheiser HD-280’s. I had been planning to get a pair of Bose, but the Sennheiser’s were cheaper.
Since then, I’ve noticed how lacking my MP3’s were, and cancelled my eMusic subscription. I’ve been re-acquiring my music in in FLAC format.
@James Cassell – good call on the Sennheiser over Bose… I mean… Bose aren’t “bad” per-se but Sennheiser’s are clearly better quality. May I also suggest Grado for those of you in the market for an amazing pair of headphones. The Grado 325i are a viable competitor to any headphone these days. FLAC is definitely the way to go, you don’t realize how much you lose when converting to MP3 until you listen to them through an great pair of headphones or speakers. Although you may need a slightly larger hard drive going forward, :)
Paul – I’ve been looking for doing something similar to replace an aging set of Klipsch ProMedias. My concern is GSM/TDMA noise, that buzzing noise you get when an GSM cell phone is talking to the speakers. Have you noticed that problem when your iPhone is near the speakers or the Audiobox?
Used to be av123 Rocket RS250 MkII
http://av123.com/component/page,shop.product_details/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,29/category_id,19/manufacturer_id,0/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,37/
Paul – As I was pretty interested in these “smart” power strips, I did a quick search for some. APC makes one with 7 outlets, 3 of which are controlled by a master.
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=P7GT
If it has enough outlets, and you don’t need ethernet protection, it can be picked up at Amazon for $25 plus shipping.
Are there any cheaper options? I currently have Logitech X230 speakers and I am looking for something better but I can’t spend quit as much as you did.
I’ve owned KRK V4’s for over 5 years. They are freaking great, as I’m sure your Rokits are.
You may it useful to have a tangible volume controller for them if there isn’t one already on the AudioBox, if so this does the trick quite nicely.
You can take another step up in quality by using an interface with pro level DAC’s. The AudioBox is definitely a step up from the MBP, but you can do better, and you will notice the difference as hard as that may be to believe. They aren’t cheap though, especially since you need an external interface rather than a PCI card.
The Rokit are really big… I dont thik they would find any space in my desk which is kind a small…
Cool audio upgrade…BTW.
I used to use the basic USB Apple speakers that came with my G4Cube years ago.
Since then I’ve moved up to a MacPro and tried Klipsch ProMedia GMX D-5.1 but they were promptly returned for a refund as they had terrible background hiss.
I then reverted back to basic Soundsticks for normal computer sounds and used my Airport Express to link up to a Myriad pre-amp/power amp in my living room but it was too much hassle making sure it was on the right input, finding the remote, etc
I finally found the perfect solution (for me and my setup) with a UK based company called Audica, they make stunning looking speakers and recently brought out a mini version aimed at computers (http://www.audica.co.uk/MPS-1.html). They have 3 inputs, chunky solid aluminium remote and reproduce sound incredibly well. I have no doubts that the monitor speakers you have in your setup will do a *much* better job at recreating the sound but I was happy with the Audica MPS-1 as a compromise between looks, size, sound and price.
Nice work with the blog and keep up the interesting tweets!
Scoopz
PS – I have a MBA too, are you connecting the mouse/keyb/usb device to a special USB hub or just a generic one? (i.e. is it a powered hub?)
@Scoopz – I use the powered USB hub built into my Dell display
For the past year or so I’ve been rocking a pair of Altec Lansing speakers and I love them. I got them as a Christmas present from my folks (although I asked for them after seeing them perform well for my two best friends) so I’m not sure how much they cost but I think they’re among the best regular “computer speakers” you can get. My only complaint is that I wish they had more Treble capacity. I always keep my Treble knob turned all the way up because any lower doesn’t sound very crisp to me.
dude. in all seriousness, a presonus audio interface, some hosa cables, and a set of powered speakers with 5 inch woofers is not something you should be considering an audiophile setup. these components are designed by companies that create gear for recording studios, but have recently began selling gear to hobbyists in an attempt to make more dough.
hobbyist != audiophile
this sort of post is just sad, because people that read this and dont know any better will start declaring themselves audiophiles. just adding to the pretentious smog that already chokes everyone on a daily basis.
They’ll sound even better if you use the balanced input. It’s definitely worth the $30 in cables (get good, short ones, it matters).
Damion,
Just because someone can’t afford the top of the line reference monitors doesn’t make them a “hobbyist” jackass. Not to mention, most bedroom studios (yes, even pro producers/engineers have bedroom studios at home) are not the right size and don’t have the acoustics to warrant super high end gear. You could spend all the money in the world and get the best powered speakers and signal chain on earth, but in your bedroom its not going to be plausible and something like the krk rokit series would indeed be a better choice. Now go back to your “hobby” of making assenine, unecessary critical comments on internet blogs.
I’m total fan of good sound quality. Recently I became obsessive with getting all my mp3 files from the net in soem quality over 200 kbps.
Most people are not going to want to spend $300.00 dollars on computer speakers. I work on computers all the time people do not want to spend that much on their computer speakers this is not the norm. Not to knock your information, but demographically speaking articles you write should be helpful to the middle class majority. Hence you would get more hits on your site. As far as Logitech goes some of their speakers are of very high quality. Having spent almost 7 years in sound and radio station production studio speakers should be more for the sound professional who is trying to produce music not for the person the person trying to listen to music. Bass is important to a lot of people. For hip hop r&b which is produced with bass in mind. You cant just ignore that, sure you seem to think that in your mind you’ve some how evolved in your musical taste because you might listen to different music. Some of us will always listen to r&b and rap. So bass will always be an issue for myself.
Yamaha speakers have excellent sound reproduction because of their natural sound technology but they are in no way studio speakers proving once again that studio speakers are not for the average consumer and that quality sound can come from speakers that are not studio speakers.
@Farook:
I like writing articles detailing the technology I use and if it happens to be high-end hardware, so be it.
I see that more people visit my site more when I talk about uncommon, high-end products. Take for example http://uncrate.com. They talk about expensive gadgets and lifestyle accessories. I doubt more than a small percentage of their readers actually buy some of the things they talk about, like $20,000 couches and $600,000 cars, but they get a ton of traffic (2.4M views/month).
That’s why I mentioned Rokit’s optional 10-inch subwoofer add-on.
I’ve been using the Bose Companion 5 system for the last year and have been really liking it. Not sure how accurate the sound is, but I really like them.
I loved your review so much that I went out and bought the exact same setup as featured in this post. I have been seriously recording music since early 2007, and had yet to upgrade my current Logitech speakers (I believe the exact same ones you had) to high quality studio monitors. I had heard from multiple sources that the KRK’s were a solid bet, so your review put me over the edge. The Audiobox on the other hand, has given me worlds of trouble. It was a pain to get the sound drivers working correctly, especially when using my Cubase recording software. I have finally pinpointed the problem, which was something due to my wireless internet card. After deactivating it, the speakers quit crackling and dropping out. My mixes sound amazing now after spending an entire day listening to them with the speakers. Thanks so much Paul. I’ll start being on a regular on your site now.
Nice post!
My little Aura Aspect 30s just cratered (prob b/c I didn’t put a sub on them) and I’m in the market again.
Damn you Paul for directing my lustful gaze back toward the universally-loved KRKs!!!
I’m still trying to convince myself that used 2030Ps and an ART SLA1 is going to be ok, but I’m losing faith.
++Ignore the “Audiophile” haters, they buy Pear Cables anyway; tossers.
(funny how none of these “audiophiles” have mentioned word 1 about Room Correction in their endless quest for self-aggrandizing tweakage.)
Hey that seems to be nice setup. Congrats. Well can someone suggest good computer speakers for $ 30 ? My priority would be Sound Quality rather than quantity. I know I might have asked for too much for that price but right now this is what I can spend on computer speakers.
Nice setup. I also have a similar setup:
New 15″ Macbook Pro
Samsung 22″ LCD Monitor
2 x KRK V6 Studio Monitors
Presonus Firepod
I noticed that you said you had to power off each monitor separately. My pair have an auto setting which allows them to turn off when there is no signal running thru them which is very convenient. Your pair are newer than mine I believe, I was just wondering if yours had the setting. As an audiophile, I love my setup and wouldn’t change it……unless of course I had the money for some EVENTS. :)
Hey, I have a similar set up as you ( mac book, KRK rokit monitors, presonus inspire box, acer 22″ display) , but when I plug my external display in, a loud hum noise then comes from my speakers. I was wondering if you ever had a similar problem when using your external display. thanks a bunch
I’m using a pair of Mordaunt Short VS-200 mounted a pair of home made speaker stands made from Tasmanian Oak, and a Technics MOS class AA A600 MK2 Amplifier. I bought a M-Audio 2496 Audiophile soundcard and some gold cables. I put some Neoprene between the speakers and the stands to stop the vibration, and mounted them on spikes. I’m also thinking about buying some studio monitors to record music with, which is how i found this article. Maybe some Roland DS-8. i almost bought some Event ASP8 but decided it was too much money :-P
Bought Yamaha HS 80M, sounds amazing
first off,
We all know that sound is what you know of it . If you are a musician you would kno w the difference . between “monitors : n comp. speakers ! I myself have sony “headphones” mdrv 7506 and believe they are sufficient for home use .
and also tannoy reveal monitors. I love powered speakers next time will be the answer for me!! thanks for the great post.
Hey, thanks for the article. I actually have the first generation rokit 5 monitors and think they are great too. But when I hook them up to my macbook via a firewire interface, and have an external display plugged in at the same time I get a very loud hum. I saw you were using an external monitor too and maybe you had some suggestions. thanks
After reading your article I just realised that if I get monitors I will have to set up my Focusrite Saffire audio interface each time. I was thinking of getting KRKs and plug them from my MacBookPro and I didn’t realise there might be noise problems. I live in a small place and to set up the audio interface every time I use the monitors might be a hassle. Athe moment I use headphones for mixing which becomes tiresome after a few hours and my ears ring.
I’m using some M-Audio Studiophile AV40 speakers and Grado SR-80 headphones, both with no type of amp on a macbook laptop. I do wish to get an amp but do not know which one to get. So far I am deciding on one HeadRoom Total Bithead headphone amp which also acts as an external soundcard.
Hey thanks for all this it really helped, i was wondering though if the chords come with it or if i have to buy them seperately?
You’ll need to buy the cables separately, they’re not included.
thanks
I see the comment by yC. Though I was wondering if atleast the power cables come with them.
I mentioned this article on a similar article I wrote on my site. My article mentions a different set of entry-level studio monitors that are very decent quality but are a little cheaper.
http://www.peacefullyadrift.com/posts/home-studio-guide-get-studio-monitor-speakers/
I use a set of Sanyo desktop stereo monitors. They came with one of those 3 disc changer systems. The system has since gone to the bad, and I needed something with more range than my 5.1 system. So, I plugged them into my subwoofer to make a 3.1 system. I run the stereo signal through a presonus HP-4. It does the job. I will upgrade to a more professional set-up when the money starts happening.
I considered monitors for a while, but instead went for a home theatre system including a reciever/amplifier that supports dual-zone audio, so basically my DVD player and other under-TV devices go into zone “A” in 5.1 (living room) while the PC input goes to zone “B”, two speakers on my desk.
I use a Yamaha 7.1 reciever/amplifier so basically using the dual zone feature turns it into a 5.1 amp + Stereo amp, and they are connected to Jamo E7 speakers: the Living room has E7 floorstanders, center, sub, and surround speakers, and the desk has an additional pair of surround speakers.
Interface I use is a Native Instruments Audio 8 – compatible with Core Audio and uses USB
These speakers aren’t appropriate for home music listening – they’re for engineers mixing music. Hi-fi stereo speakers with a stereo amp would be much more pleasant to listen to. You’ll not find audiophiles using studio monitors.
You should show pictures of the cables. I’m looking at adding Behringer Truth 2030A’s to my computer. On the Behringer site they have a UCA202 adapter which has USB to the Computer and RCA out. And they show their 2030A’
s connected to the adapter. The problem is the speakers only have TRS and XLR connectors. And Behringer offers ZERO pre sale support because you have to register existing equipment to send an email.
Typical of all Forum posts everyone chimes in and says you can do something but never has any real answer as to “how”. I found your post and it’s nice except again… no “how to” when it comes to actual connections.
Hey nice speakers!…. KRK definitely the best choice of that money!
P.D: Whats the first song of the video? thanks!
Hey Paul,
Maybe an dumb question, but I’m assuming that the audio output from the computer is a result of the USB connection from the computer to the audio interface? So connection wise it would be computer audio(itunes) to audio box via the usb, then audio through the audiobox to the monitors via the 1/4″ TRS connection output? Thanks!
Yep you are correct for both of your questions – the audio output is from the PreSonus over USB which acts as an external sound card. You can skip the PreSonus if you like and just connect minijack to TRS if you aren’t a big audio person as you will probably not notice much of a difference. Truth be told I no longer use my PreSonus as I became too attached to adjusting volume with the keyboard controls on my MacBook and did not like reaching over to the volume control knob on the PreSonus Audiobox all the time!
Paul, Thank you very much, you really opened my eyes. Dec 31st I went to GuitarCenter and bought KRK Rokit 6 in red for $126. each and the audiobox usb for my new iMac. On the way home I stopped by BestBuy and bought the Bose Companion 5 speakers. I hooked up both sets of speakers by USB and then set the volume at the same level. I closed my eyes and listened to both sets. The Bose speakers sounded very processed but good, when I switched to the KRK’s there was now no comparison. The KRK Rokit speakers were so clear I could visualize where every instrument and vocal was coming from. I even used the demo disc that Bose packed in the box. Now I know why you will NEVER find a Bose setup in a retail store where you can compare speakers. Bose always has their own display separate from other brands. Bose has a processed sound of their own. The KRK’s were bright and very accurate clear great sound. I would have never done this if not for your article. Thank you. And yes the Bose went back to Bestbuy and I am keeping the KRK setup like in your article.
Wow Bob this is very insightful. Thanks for posting!!
Thank you for comparing monitors to high-end computer speakers! It confirms the fact that it simply makes it harder to mix. Thank you also for pointing out the fact that you need SPACE for good monitors too. I don’t have space for nearfield monitors in my apartment – maybe one day, but not now. This is a good thing because I need some portable monitors anyway. The KRK 5 inches sound great and are in a reasonable price range, but they border being too large for my desk. I would have bought some 6 or 8″ monitors and had no where to put them!!
My advice is to not stress about what the “right” system is and, instead to find one which is pleasing to you. All speakers (especially at this price point) are compromises and you should find the compromise that works best for you. If you’re after superiour bass performance, you probably won’t find it in a 5″ woofer. However, the point of studio monitors (and why I like them) is that they (should hopefully) have a solid and detailed representation of the audio spectrum without too much accentuation or masking of particular frequencies. My current favourite speakers at this end of the price range is the audioengine 5 – http://audioengineusa.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=76&osCsid=588ad1d2fe9422ab593fc964853cbc3a – they sound really nice and solid, and though they look kind of amateur with the ipod dock, you shouldn’t discount them. Otherwise you could just go for my favourite speakers from my studio days the Quested VS2108 – http://www.quested.com/vs2108.html – at ooohhh, about 10 times the price… The choice is yours really ;-)
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
thats like $300+ !!
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Currently looking at buying studio monitors myself, to be connected to Pro Tools on my laptop. Considering these TAPCO monitors, pretty similar to the M-Audio ones you are looking at. Around the $700 AUD mark.
http://www.tapcoworld.com/products/s5/index.html
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I was looking at monitors in the past and may get myself some for an xmas present to myself or something, but $600 for someone who isn’t an audiophile seems like a waste of cash.
There are many other brands/products that would be better suited for you, they’re also much cheaper. I know you can get great monitors for around the $300 mark if you shop around, after that invest in a $50 mixer and perhaps a sub down the line and you should be good.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
M-Audio’s speaker offerings are so-so. The KRK Rokits are much, much better speakers. Go for the RP6s if you want something which can push out a decent amount of bass in a small-medium sized room.
To be honest, if you’re looking for something which will please your ears, monitors are your best option. A good hifi will sound much more pleasing. It’s all about how much you’re willing to spend though.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
If you aren’t recording or producing music, you don’t need them. If you have a shit ear, you don’t need them. Monitors are for monitoring, not as much listening.
If you don’t know frequencies, or the overall concept of sound and the differences monitors will bring, you don’t need them.
Don’t get them unless you’re an audiophile or producing.
Plus, M-Audio sucks.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Correction: Maybe monitors _aren’t_ your best option.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Just because something is more expensive, doesn’t make it better.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I too would second the Audioengine A5’s. For the price you can’t beat the sound.
If you really want better speakers, you have to at least double the price and then add in some more for an external card.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Set yourself a budget, grab a bunch of CDs, go down to your local hifi store and listen to some speakers yourself – that’s the best way to find out what you like best.
And unless you fancy yourself doing a bit of home recording, don’t bother with monitors.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
RE good HiFi, I’m a big advocate of Rotel & B&W combinations. The two go hand-in-hand. B&W make what could be considered among the best speakers on the planet IMO.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I remember when I was thinking about getting monitors for use with my laptop and was told they’re pretty much useless when listening to MP3s. I’m not sure about this, but I remember being told that many of the frequencies one would want to hear out of the monitors are already cut out in the compression process of making MP3s. In other words, monitors are really only worth the price if you’re listening to actual CDs or the full files from the CD. Additionally, like Alec mentioned, I remember being told that monitors aren’t so much directed toward listening to and enjoying music, but more for making music ready for that purpose.
My issue has always been that I really like the look of studio monitors, and would love someone with knowledge to write an article about good multimedia speakers with a similar look.
Good luck.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
So what, exactly, is wrong with the speakers you currently have sitting on your desk? If you reply, please, be specific. Like most consumers, I’m guessing that you listen to compressed AAC/MP3 tunes through iTunes. Putting studio monitors on your laptop to listen to these is a total and utter waste of $$$. Perhaps if you were a classically trained musician who dabbles at home; alas, you are just another consumer wanting to look like a ‘pro.’ Studio monitors are designed to produce raw, neutral and often have a rather unflattering and tight sound. They are designed to help educated folks find flaws in recordings which is important for folks who know/study/do music. You are a consumer so stick with consumer-grade gear. If you are unhappy with the speakers you currently have (didn’t you given them a glowing review a few months back?), go take a listen to various consumer-grade speakers at your local hi-fi shop.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Darren, 50% of my music is uncompress, lossless AIFF files. Not compressed MP3s. Basically, with my current system (which I love) I’m stuck with the sub on all the time which I don’t like. That’s one reason for the monitors, clean flat audio without all the thumping I’m used to with the sub.
No one goes in my office, so they’re not at all to “look like a pro.”
I’m not set in stone on buying them, which is why I made this post, to receive advice just as you posted – which I really do appreciate. I’ll go down to some local stores over the weekend and have a listen.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
“No one goes in my office, so they’re not at all to ‘look like a pro.’”
Every few weeks you post photos of your ‘office’ online so we’ve all seen it. And it is obvious to anyone still reading your blogs that you want to be perceived as a ‘pro’ at something. Must be nice to have wealthy parents paying for everything but your most superficial of whims. Perhaps you can ask Santa for a nice set of speakers.
Note that an real ‘office’ isn’t simply a desk in your bedroom. It is a place grown-ups go to do work.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Raster – that’s ridiculous. Look at my Flickr page, I haven’t posted a workspace image in some months. & my parents paying for everything? Yeah right, I’ve worked for everything I have, unlike some.
A desk in a bedroom? Oh yeah, another assumption there again. My workspace isn’t in my bedroom, and I am in a form of permanent employment, except it’s a little hard to check into a New York office daily, which is why I’m working remotely.
Facts before assumptions, Raster.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Note that an real ‘office’ isn’t simply a desk in your bedroom. It is a place grown-ups go to do work
You mean the unsuccessful, office slave grown-ups. Because some of the brighter grown-ups make a lot of money out of their homes/home offices, thank you very much.
Now about your jealous issues in re: Wosley’s parents…
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Personally, I wouldn’t get monitors if I were you. Like it has been said above, you do not really need them unless you are an audiophile or a producer. In addition, a lot of people cannot even hear the difference between ordinary speakers and reference monitors.
Do you do any sort of musical production? I’m a producer of house/dance/electronic music (and I DJ) and I am in the middle of setting up a home studio. My friend has two KRK monitors and they sound exceptional and I don’t think you would hear much of a difference between them and these overpriced M-Audio speakers.
I tend to agree with what Alec Feld was saying. It is important to have very adept ears and understand sound before going head first into the field of reference monitors and spending big bucks. I mean, you can get a great sound that you might not even be able to distinguish from the same coming out of monitors out of speakers which aren’t even traditional studio monitors.
So, I suggest that you visit your local music hardware store and ask questions and listen to some monitors. Even better; if you have a friend that is into production and has monitors, spend some time at their house!
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
The purpose of studio monitors is to achieve as flat a response as possible for monitoring and mixing. Some are better at it than others, hence the differences in materials and price. A flat response isn’t necessarily best for music listening, though. What you want is for the music to sound pleasing, I’m assuming? As in, you’re listening for personal enjoyment.
Speakers that give a flat response are great and worthwhile for actual audio monitoring, but for listening, I’d rethink your approach. The trap many people are falling into today is in thinking that they need pro audio gear for general listening, which is a huge step in the wrong direction. There is absolutely nothing wrong with colouring the sound to please your own ears. So instead, why not invest in some good, solid, and not necessarily expensive hifi speakers, and a separate DAC and amp. That way, you have a lot more control over your sound and you can interchange parts to suit your own ears as you become more aware of what you like and dislike over time.
Head on over to head-fi for some recommendations on audio gear. There’s plenty of it out there. I’m thinking a good pair of active bookshelf speakers like the Audioengine A5 and an external DAC like the EMU 0404 is a good place to start.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Why are there so many haters here! Stop reading the blog if you don’t like it…
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I’m using a combination of multimedia desktop speakers (+sub) from Creative Labs and a set of relatively cheap monitors from Alesis (M1 Active Mk2). I have both hooked up to a little mixing panel so I can easily turn the bass down on both speaker sets, although I ususually only need to adjust the Creative Labs ones.
I would also advise you go to a shop and have a listen. I did as well and found I didn’t like the bass in the entry level KRK’s I had in mind, so I ended up getting these Alesis ones instead.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
As others have said, use the studio monitors for monitoring and use other speakers for listening.
I’ll add another suggestion for AudioEngine’s bookshelf speakers. They’ve got good sound quality for their price and the multiple inputs is great for plugging in game consoles and other devices you want to plug in.
I’ll also suggest that you take a look at audio forums like Head-fi.org if you want more helpful suggestions.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I’ve only heard good things about the AudioEngine ones, although I haven’t actually *heard* them (haha).
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I use studio monitor headphones for monitoring, but just some Logitech Z4i’s connected to my iMac for casual listening. I would stick with your current speakers unless you are going to be that unhappy knowing that there’s a difference. Oh and btw, the generalization that M-Audio sucks is ridiculous. I work with M-Audio gear and other audio gear all the time and my m-audio stuff has performed very well.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Hey Glenn, this is actually the first time i’ve ever been on your site. I watched a few of your videos a long time ago on the Macbook Pro’s (which I have now purchased and am very pleased) Back on topic now, I see your looking at buying a set of studio monitors, this I can help you with. first of all i’m a sound engineer so I know relatively what a good sound, well, sounds like. I currently work in a studio and am also building one in my home so i’ve been through the whole shopping around thing. so here it is: first of all, there is no real answer as to “what monitors are good and which are bad” because everyone hears music differently so your first step, should be to go and listen to a few different makes and models because every monitor has a different sound and balance, DON’T make your decision based on whether the brand name is good because they could be good brands like Yamaha and may sound like junk to you when you hear them. Secondly Check out some of the features that studio monitors have and see which ones you’ll make use of and which ones you won’t, because guarenteed you’ll pay through the nose for some of them, so do a little research. Thirdly, studio monitors are not meant to sound like a Hi-Fi speaker, that’s probably the first thing you’ll notice. Monitors are designed to reveal what your sound really and truely sounds like. Also the average studio monitor only goes down to 40 or 50 Hertz which means if you want to hear your bass or kick drum, your going to need a sub. Lastly, if your going to connect your monitors to your Macbook Pro, it’s not as easy as plugging them in. Studio monitors generally use either a 1/4 inch TRS patch cable, or balanced XLR cable. only a few of them will use RCA (which comes out of a laptop via 1/8th inch headphone jack)
I would suggest looking at the brand KRK and their VXT series, and also the brands Event, Focal, and Yamaha. (or Tannoy if your on a budget) There are many others out there as well so go listen to a few kinds and make your decision that way.
Hope this helped!
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
* A few other comments as I now read through other posts:
There’s nothing wrong with M-audio. Their just another brand that makes affordable audio gear, they may not be the best of the best, but they are the better choice for people on a tight budget and they’re probably better than behringer! lol
Also, I see people talking about Creative and Logitech, THESE are not studio monitors! they are basic computer speakers. Studio monitors and computer speakers are totally different things.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
“when I’m cruising around in the car with my mates I love a bit of punch in my system”
sorry, that is just effing hilarious.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I’d steer clear of M-Audio…..so many of their products have gone kaput on me….I’ve had two A/D Interfaces and a set of monitors g south with a few months of purchase.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Hey Glenn,
Word of advice: find a good audio source before you decide on a pair of reference monitors. If it’s truly your thing – then i’d say spring for them. You may have to end up compromising some things for others (especially in your situation, how your involvement on the computer is an all-around usage), but if that’s okay with you and your budget – then I say spring for it.
That said, the M-Audios are a pretty good choice. However, you’ll need a good source (as I said before). This means purchasing a completely separate audio interface (because.. a notebook wouldn’t be able to drive such large speakers with an 1/8”-in). Bad source with awesome speakers = a pretty bad sound. You may not notice the difference unless you’re trained to hear distinctions in music (if you’ve been playing any type of instrument over the past few years).
Figure out your budget before you forage into this field. It’s an endless spending game that will leave your wallets crying for help. I’m your age, and I certainly know expenses from experience.
If you’re listening for a budget punch, I recommend the brand “Swans” – available at http://theaudioinsider.com. Personally, i’d take the D1080MKIIs in a price:performance ratio, and the Swans M10 if you want a great 2.1 set for your laptop. The M200s aren’t a bad choice, so you might want to consider those.
Anyway, hope i’ve helped narrow your choices some. Let me know if you have any questions.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Interesting comments.
The debate between hifi and pro audio gear has been going on for years, because everybody wants to achieve the perfect sound, bringing you closer to the music with as little coloration as possible (transparent components). On the other hand, there is no such thing as a transparent component (for example, valve amplifiers for warmer sound, solid state for more ‘accurate’ and ‘clinical’ sound, ribbon tweeters, metal dome tweeters, silk tweeters, paper cones, ally cones, plastic cones, closed cabinets, ported cabinets.. the list is endless)
The benefit of having studio monitors is speaker designs loaded with custom build Class A/B or D amplifier perfectly tuned for the speaker, thus removing the ‘crossover’ from a passive design. The downside of this is, should you wish to upgrade you are stuck with an active monitor that will need replacing.
In my opinion pro audio monitors are designed for their environment. There are hundreds of beautifully designed, weird and wonderful passive consumer speakers available.
As a ‘producer’ and hifi enthusiast myself, I have extensive experience from both routes. In the ‘pro’ world I have used Dynaudio, Tapco, Mackie, Genelic, PMC and a few more along the way I’m sure..
In the ‘hifi’ world I have had Spendor, B&W, Monitor Audio, Acoustic Energy to name a few..
A lot of these brands I have listed sell both pro and consumer models – with good reasoning to each side of the story.
If I were you, I would completely steer clear of pro monitors. Unless you have a pre-amp, you are going to need something to tame the power amp on the back of the speakers.
The beauty of hifi is, although it may take up more room, the possibilities are endless. As others have suggested here, there is synergy between great brands such as Rotel (electronics) and B&W (speakers) – but don’t take their word for it, part of the excitement is getting out there and experimenting!
I should add that class D amps can be had for very reasonable prices now, and they can be purchased in smaller sized cases. They sound great too!
Sorry to ramble.. !
PS. My current speakers are Spendor S9e’s (retail £3500) – they are superb!
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
These are awesome comments, but I think were going off track a little. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE sound and experimenting with different gear and speakers to get a “perfect” sound, but what were trying to find is good sound quality but for a decent price (probably under $1,000) and it has to be simple, because not many people with a ‘basic level of understanding’ about sound, really want to fiddle with amps that they don’t know how to use. Not to mention that finding a GOOD amp for under $1,000 is pretty much impossible.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Dear Glenn, your and idiot.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
> Dear Glenn, your and idiot.
I don’t think Glenn is an idiot. Oh, and by the way, you would write it like this:
“Dear Glenn, your *an* idiot.*
Who’s the idiot now?
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
I recently went through the same thing- looking for some really nice studio speakers that pumped out a high quality of sound. I looked mainly at M-Audio and Audix, only to find that if you wanted to get a really nice system you had to speak directly to the company to get a system. ( Audix mostly ) I went to a local computer shop which had some speakers on display and I looked at a pair of Bose Companion II speakers. The speakers are rather small put they pump out a lot of sound and the sub is really nice. You should look into some Bose speakers. They are also cheaper then studio speakers- but if you must have studio speakers I would check out the sets Audix make. (http://www.audixusa.com/docs/products/powered_speakers.shtml)
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances get Bose. They are overpriced for their performance and sound very flat and dull.
What you need to do is go to a guitar shop and just find what sounds the best to you and can fit in your price range. I found KRK monitors to perform pretty well. They are a bit steep in pricing.
http://www.krksys.com/product_rokit.php
Its your choice to find what you want.
You could do what I’ve done and just shop around for a 1970s Stereo receiver and some speakers from that era. Those systems are warm, and clear on the whole audio spectrum.
Hope this helps.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
monitor speakers are not pleasant to listen to. they are created so you can hear every “fault” in the music, which as a normal listener you don’t want to hear! also, they don’t look nice, not a mac look at all. i suggest getting a soundcard with optical out, connect it to an amplifier that supports optical, and get some decent hifi speakers. my favorite are the monitor-audio R90(dont let the brand name put you off ;p) http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/products/radius/r90/your-speaker. they are quite small for hifi speakers, and available in different colors. (198×125×140, 2kg). perhaps even put a small subwoofer under your desk to balance it out.
This comment was originally posted on http://www.glennwolsey.com/)“>Glenn Wolsey
6 months later, my Rokit Studio Monitors are still fantastic. one of my best tech purchases. http://is.gd/5uNB cur listening to DI.fm VoTr
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Paul, have you ever had the opportunity to listen to Bose Companion 3’s? If yes, how would you compare your KRK’s. I currently have the Bose and I am looking to upgrade to the KRK RP5’s. Tnx.
Hi Cliff – unfortunately I’ve never played with anything in the Bose Companion product line.
I have to thank you again for your article on the KRK’s. I made the leap and replaced the Bose Companion 3’s with a pair of KRK RP5 G2’s. I also went all out and added the KRK RP10s sub to the system. I am using the Edirol UA-25EX as my external sound controller. I am very happy with my choice; they really are amazing speakers/monitors. It’s really great when you listen to an old song and all of a sudden you hear instruments that you have never heard before with other speakers. I am also having a blast searching for high-definition 96khz/24bit lossless audio tracks. Thanks again Paul.