# Best Nearfield Reference Monitors for Picking out the Fine Details



## patrick76 (Mar 22, 2021)

Looking for something where I can hear details like reverb tails, small amounts of distortion, etc. easily. I know some Genelecs are known for that forward sound and can be good for this type of listening, but am looking for any personal testimonials or recommendations. They do not have to be large and I would prefer not to break the bank, but if needed I will consider it.


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## Trash Panda (Mar 22, 2021)

If cost is a factor, I can vouch for these: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/reviews/1259534-kali-audio-lp-6-a.html


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## Ryan Fultz (Mar 22, 2021)

Trash Panda said:


> If cost is a factor, I can vouch for these: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/reviews/1259534-kali-audio-lp-6-a.html


For the price its really hard to find a pair of monitors I like more without significantly increasing your budget.


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## rhizomusicosmos (Mar 22, 2021)

When I want to hear minute details I use headphones with Sonarworks correction.

Otherwise I can vouch for Genelec monitors with GLM room correction, however I am using rather large 8260A units in the far field not nearfield. For smaller nearfield monitors, I would seriously consider the Neumann KH80 which seem to be great bang-for-buck.








Neumann KH80 DSP Monitor Measurements #3


Seems that if you want to create a riot in the streets of ASR, all you have to do is show a non-ruler flat response of Neumann KH80 DSP professional monitor (speaker). Not knowing that, that is precisely what I did in my first review of KH80 DSP: This was one of the earliest speakers I...




www.audiosciencereview.com


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## jon wayne (Mar 22, 2021)

Any thoughts on Focal Alpha 65s?


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## patrick76 (Mar 23, 2021)

Trash Panda said:


> If cost is a factor, I can vouch for these: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/reviews/1259534-kali-audio-lp-6-a.html


I’ve heard good things about them, but haven’t listened in person. I have some old Event 2020s I’m using which are fine, but do not reveal a ton of detail.


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## patrick76 (Mar 23, 2021)

rhizomusicosmos said:


> When I want to hear minute details I use headphones with Sonarworks correction.
> 
> Otherwise I can vouch for Genelec monitors with GLM room correction, however I am using rather large 8260A units in the far field not nearfield. For smaller nearfield monitors, I would seriously consider the Neumann KH80 which seem to be great bang-for-buck.
> 
> ...


Thanks I’ve been meaning to check out the Neumann’s. I also listen on headphones for detail oriented stuff, but for some reason I’ve always disliked listening on headphones. I much prefer a set of speakers.


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## patrick76 (Mar 23, 2021)

jon wayne said:


> Any thoughts on Focal Alpha 65s?


Haven’t heard them, what is your impression of them?


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## jon wayne (Mar 23, 2021)

patrick76 said:


> Haven’t heard them, what is your impression of them?


Reviews appear to be more favorable than Kalis from what I read. I have a pair of Yamaha HS80s that I think are a little big for my room. Looking for a little smaller.


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## whinecellar (Mar 23, 2021)

You’ll get a million different opinions on this of course, as subjective as monitors are. That said, I used ADAM A7s with NHT subs for over a decade and adored them for their detail, imaging, and transient response. That folded ribbon is a wonder of physics. Some don’t like it, but it gets rave reviews by many others. Ah, subjectivity! 

Good luck - and if you can, audition some candidates in your space. That’s really the only way to figure out what works for you!


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## Jeremy Spencer (Mar 23, 2021)

All great suggestions. I have a pair of Yamaha HS8's, along with Sonarworks, and the amount of detail that's revealed is astonishing.


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## holywilly (Mar 23, 2021)

PSI A17M, simply the best near field for super precise and detailed.








A17-M - Powerful near field studio monitor


PSI Audio A17-M - Powerful near field monitor. Incredibly powerful for its size, the A17-M is the apogee of near field monitors: small, punchy, perfect stereo image and accurate low end.




www.psiaudio.swiss


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## Richard Wilkinson (Mar 23, 2021)

I just swapped out my old Mackies for some Neumann KH80 - they're tiny! and very, very good.


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## Tim_Wells (Mar 23, 2021)

Richard Wilkinson said:


> I just swapped out my old Mackies for some Neumann KH80 - they're tiny! and very, very good.


I had no idea the K80s were that small. Now I'm interested.


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## ed buller (Mar 23, 2021)

Anything you can afford by ADAM

best

ed


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## Kent (Mar 23, 2021)

You need a good room to hear details right. If your noise floor is 50 spl forget about hearing the intricacies of a reverb tail.

that is why many use headphones for this task.


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## Bakhtin (Mar 23, 2021)

My thoughts on detail:

Treat the first reflections, including the ceiling - made a big difference for me.

Don't listen too loud unless you have really good bass trapping

Purchase quality monitors - I bought Genelec 8331 coaxials - not cheap but astounding for details, including details in soundstage and bass frequencies.

Use room correction software - I'm using Genelec GLM software, which significantly evens out frequency response, reducing frequency spikes caused by the monitors and/or the room. With my room and my placement of the Genelecs I still have some significant bumps in low-mid range - GLM flattens these out allows me to better hear the other frequencies.


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## Bakhtin (Mar 24, 2021)

FYI good article on speaker calibration software:









What Is Speaker Calibration Software? | Production Expert


In this article we highlight several popular systems available in 2020 to consider if you want to either incorporate speaker calibration into your workflow or upgrade your current calibration system.




www.pro-tools-expert.com


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## Dietz (Mar 24, 2021)

If you 're serious about details (and not afraid when you really hear them), then Geithain is what you're aiming for - e.g. this one:

-> https://www.me-geithain.de/en/rl-906.html


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## companyofquail (Mar 24, 2021)

patrick76 said:


> I’ve heard good things about them, but haven’t listened in person. I have some old Event 2020s I’m using which are fine, but do not reveal a ton of detail.


I had a pair of these for years and replaced them with the inexpensive Adam and the behringer nkst. Both speakers made a huge difference in sound compared to the event 2020. I do have my ceiling treated but still need to treat the rest of the room. But right now things are under construction and I am thankful for what I have.

but seriously. Both a friend of mine and myself replaced our events a few years ago and it made a hell of a lot of difference. It was like lifting a blanket off the Sonics.


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## companyofquail (Mar 24, 2021)

I don’t want to get into too much hyperbole but, I think if you replaced the event with any modern manufactured speaker with the same woofer size you would see an improvement. I feel like this statement is 90 percent true. I also have some cheaper and smaller presonus monitors and they are better as well.


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## muk (Mar 24, 2021)

Dietz said:


> If you 're serious about details (and not afraid when you really hear them), then Geithain is what you're aiming for - e.g. this one:
> 
> -> https://www.me-geithain.de/en/rl-906.html


Indeed! I do love mine


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## stigc56 (Mar 24, 2021)

I have Dynaudio BM6A, love them, with an Adam 10" sub.


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## Nimrod7 (Mar 24, 2021)

patrick76 said:


> some Genelecs are known for that forward sound and can be good for this type of listening, but am looking for any personal testimonials or recommendations.


The Ones.

I have a pair of 8341's They are not large, but the detail and stereo imaging is beyond this world.
I have upgraded from previous genelecs (8040's) that I had for 15 years.

GLM (Genelecs calibration) is excellent. If you have a treated room, they are going to get very accurate with GLM on top, if not, it even more important since it will balance things out.

They are not cheap, but if their lifespan is 15 years, I would say worth that anything else I ever brought.


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## spadina (Mar 24, 2021)

Moved from Adam to Genelec some time go (8040b) and don't look back. Not the latest in technology but brutally honest and together with room treatment 100% reliable. Downside: They are not really musical so for pleasure, you will need to move to different speakers.


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## John Longley (Mar 25, 2021)

Any reasonable monitor in a well treated room.


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## Macrawn (Mar 25, 2021)

Nimrod7 said:


> The Ones.
> 
> I have a pair of 8341's They are not large, but the detail and stereo imaging is beyond this world.
> I have upgraded from previous genelecs (8040's) that I had for 15 years.
> ...


I'd like to get a pair of those sometime. How much better than the 8340's? Pretty big tag but you thought they were worth the upgrade I see.


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## Nimrod7 (Mar 25, 2021)

Macrawn said:


> I'd like to get a pair of those sometime. How much better than the 8340's? Pretty big tag but you thought they were worth the upgrade I see.


They are a lot better (from 8040s never heard the 8340s), but I am assuming in reality the room will define on how much.
I'd say if you're mixing a lot a decent monitor set its even more important, if you're just composing, might not even make a difference to have those. The 8340's are great monitors.

Do you have them GLM calibrated? 
Why you're seeking to upgrade? What do you feel it's missing from 8340?


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## charlieclouser (Mar 26, 2021)

+1 for the Genelec "Ones" series. I had a pair of the 8351a in my room for a demo and was blown away. Waiting on some studio rebuild to finish and then I'll be putting in a 5.2 setup with 8351b across the LCR and 8341a for Ls+Rs with two 7370 subs along with GLM kit, volume knob, etc. 

Completely smoked the Dynaudio AIR 5.1 system that I've relied upon for 15+ years. Shocking precision, power, and imaging. The benefits of the point-source coaxial driver setup was apparent immediately and not a subtle difference from conventional stacked driver arrays - and the GLM room-compensating EQ is no joke and a much better workflow for me than having SonarWorks in your DAW. 

A pair of 8341 or even 8331 with GLM and a smaller sub like the 7360 would be amazing for near field use.


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## patrick76 (Mar 26, 2021)

Lots of great input, thank you. I stopped by Guitar Center and listened to the Adam A7X monitors, but honestly it was difficult to judge in that room. I tried comparing them to the other stuff they had, which wasn’t much, and left not really getting much out of it. 

I’m thinking about making a trip all the way down to Sweetwater to see if I can compare a bunch of stuff in person, including the high end items in order to make a judgment on price vs performance. It’s a few hours away, but I don’t think I have anywhere closer that would have any of the higher end stuff to check out.


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## Carlos (Mar 27, 2021)

I love my Presonus Sceptre S8 monitors


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## Tim_Wells (Mar 27, 2021)

Carlos said:


> I love my Presonus Sceptre S8 monitors


FWIW, the reviews for the S6s and S8s over at Sweetwater are absolutely glowing. Accuracy, clarity, and imaging are mentioned often. SoundOnSound gave them a https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/presonus-sceptre-s6-s8 (good review.) 

I've had my eye on the S6s for a while now. They are probably not in the same league as some of the monitors mentioned above... but great bang for buck!


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## jcrosby (Mar 27, 2021)

I also have s8s and absolutely love them. Incredible transient detail, and their imaging indeed is exceptionally good...


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## NekujaK (Mar 27, 2021)

Just some general advice before deciding to ditch your existing monitors...

I've produced music on my Blue Sky monitors for years. They're excellent monitors, but felt like I should be hearing more detail, so a couple of years ago, I started looking for a replacement. After many months of obsessive research, I finally narrowed it down to Kali and Yamaha, but for one reason or another, kept putting off actually buying the new monitors. And boy am I glad I waited. Here's why...

An engineer friend of mine recently turned me on to Gregory Scott's House of Kush YouTube channel, which is outstanding. There's one particular video about monitor placement that completely changed the way I hear music in my studio. Just pushing my monitors back about 12" has made all the difference in terms of hearing detail and pan position, and has obviated the need to get new monitors.

So I recommend checking out this video before abandoning your current monitors:


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## jcrosby (Mar 27, 2021)

100%. Placement is the 1st rule in setting up any room. Experimenting with placement and taking measurements is also important.

I've said this before in other threads and I genuinely mean it... I'd take mediocre speakers in a great/properly setup room *any* day over great speakers in a poorly set up room with bad geometry and no acoustics. I could swap out my speakers for any cheap consumer near field - KRK's, cheap M-Audios, whatever really - and get by mixing just fine after 30-60 mins of listening to some references on them in my room...

I've spent a lot more money on my room acoustics than my speakers, (not to mention time fine tuning it); and in a theoretical trade where it was my room vs any speaker in the world I wanted? At any price tag? The room wins by a landslide...


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## Jiffster (Mar 28, 2021)

holywilly said:


> PSI A17M, simply the best near field for super precise and detailed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


+1 for PSI. 

Currently using a combo of A21/A17/A14 for my 7.1.4 trinnov calibrated room and they are worlds apart from any other monitors I've ever used. I'd go so far as to say the even the A14 studios are a phenomenal contender if paired with a sub.


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## jcrosby (Mar 28, 2021)

Jiffster said:


> +1 for PSI.
> 
> Currently using a combo of A21/A17/A14 for my 7.1.4 trinnov calibrated room and they are worlds apart from any other monitors I've ever used. I'd go so far as to say the even the A14 studios are a phenomenal contender if paired with a sub.


Any chance you have any experience with PSI's AVAA, even if in someone else's studio? I've read nothing but incredible things about it and I'm ever so curious...


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## Jiffster (Mar 28, 2021)

jcrosby said:


> Any chance you have any experience with PSI's AVAA, even if in someone else's studio? I've read nothing but incredible things about it and I'm ever so curious...


A friend had some problems with standing waves in his studio and he completely solved them with a couple of these. While I can't recommend from first hand experience with them, I'd have absolutely zero hesitation in trusting his opinion, he is a very happy customer.


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## edhamilton (Mar 28, 2021)

Kii3 - hands down. Beat everything after a multi year period where I tried most everything.
But that's the high end in price point.

The lower budget option would be ATC 20's (unpowered). Save up for a sub when you can swing it.
I've owned ATC 25's and 150's. LOVE them. But I'd be tempted to go with the 20's for my every day driver speakers over those. Super low distortion. Accurate. Unforgiving when your off course. Lacking lows but even if I had a sub to go with, I'd probably only pop it on to double check down there. What low end they have is fast and accurate. Just won't make you gratuitously happy. They don't do the ported puffy low end floaty thing most speakers do and once you get used to the ATC low end thing .... sweetness. There is a headphone mixing emulation plug in that uses a room with ATC 150's - that are actually my 150's that I sold them. Killer speakers. Big ass speakers. 
Currently thinking about getting a 20 for a mono reference.

The Genelec ones were really good but I couldn't gel with the tweeter. 
Also found that rather than starkly show the difference in room tones (halls, spaces ), they oddly made disparate recordings sound similar. Perhaps the 8351B version (with new larger tweeter) has improved this. The phase accurate "point source" thing is not hype with these. Even at close distances, they can just disappear. But that tweeter...... GML correction software worked fine but I landed on keeping them flat. My issue with all speaker correction is that you are using amplitude to address a Time Domain problem. I can still here the room ring at those frequencies being cut by the software and that oddly bothers me, whereas keeping them flat, my brain understands that the audio out of the speaker is flat and that the room is boosting or cutting, and or ringing, but the speaker output is flat. Plus they just sounded better flat. (and the mixes on them were better). The Kii's kicked them out after a week of mixing shootouts.

Geithein - awesome. a bit warm and a pinch flabby on the low end but happily could have landed on them. If it had been easier to demo various models here in the US, I might have found the one for my ears and not looked further.

PSI - great speakers. They lost the battle against the Kii's but not by as much as expected. Kii's were just a bit more natural in delivery and the mixes came out the best on the Kii's. 

If you look at barefoot - check the 45's. I was an early adopter of the 35's but they are all voiced a bit mid forward, which will color how you eq your verbs, which in this world means your eq'ing the room tone in your tracks and samples. The 45's are voiced flatter and sound really good (while also being accurate). They don't have the subs like the 35's but honestly I find having subs on all the time just annoying and not helpful in translation. Always preferred having a sub to pop on and off to check - until the kii's where ether subs on the sides function in a more balanced way. Extended for sure but never giving off that "SUB" feeling, unless you trying shake the room with some subsonic audio content.

Adam - I was an early S3a adopter. For a strange sounding speaker, the mixes really did turn out good on them. I just find I'm never totally sure what is going on in the mix with that ribbon tweeter. They are ported speakers with all the tradeoffs that come with ported designs. Haven't spent time with the latest versions after Klaus left the company.

Ampions are cool. 15's did better in the mix shootout but I liked the 18's better. I had all three models in my room for a while (my room is pictured on their site). If you find ATC a bit too ruthless then these are worth a demo.

I have a ton of posts over on GS about the monitor quest. Over three years now on the Kii's and I simply never think about (or post about) speakers anymore. Done.

As always, let your mixes tell you which was the best speaker!
I could happily work on anything I just listed (and did for many years).
Hope that made any sense. Your mixes will tell you which to choose, and then forget about new speakers that arrive. Its a disorienting rabbit hole. So many good choices nowadays.
Check the waterfall plots for whatever speaker your demoing. You'll be amazing how quickly you can educate your brain as to what your ears prefer. You'll also be amazed at how many "hot" speakers have shitty waterfall plots that will explain why your mixes on them were an unnecessary struggle.

my 2 cents. and not even worth 2cents.


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## jcrosby (Mar 28, 2021)

Jiffster said:


> A friend had some problems with standing waves in his studio and he completely solved them with a couple of these. While I can't recommend from first hand experience with them, I'd have absolutely zero hesitation in trusting his opinion, he is a very happy customer.


Nice, really glad to hear. Yeah, things are pretty even in my room minus a dip at 115-ish and a 2-3dB boost below 90... The low end's as dealt as it can be with passive absorption so something the AVAA seems like the only candidate out there to deal with that final standing wave my traps can't compensate for... Appreciate the (2nd hand) feedback.


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## Jiffster (Mar 28, 2021)

Good luck with it! 👍


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