# Sealed active monitors under €2k - recommendations?



## jonnybutter (Mar 24, 2020)

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is staying healthy, both physically and mentally.

I am thinking about getting some new (active) monitors, and I really want to go back to the sealed type this time. I used NS-10Ms for many years, and I'm not sure I want to go that stark and harsh anymore, but also tired of the weird transient and bass issues I get with my ported monitors. My studio is now a very small room, but fairly well treated for what it is. I monitor at low levels 90% of the time. I'm using Focal Alphas now, which are pretty great for what they cost, but would like to investigate a small step up from them.

I have searched around gearslutz and here (and SOS) and am not finding a lot of up to date info. There don't seem to be a lot of sealed monitors anymore in my price range (no more than €/$2k).

Any advice or recommendations? I am a composer and studio rat (for many, many years) and a reasonably good mixer. However, although I understand basic acoustics, I am not a true engineer like some of you. FWIW.

thanks in advance


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## Dietz (Mar 24, 2020)

Depending on your room size, a used set of BlueSky's MediaDesk could be exactly what you're looking for. For some reason or the other they are offered for surprisingly little money. You can get them in a 5.1 configuration too, sometimes.

BTW: I just posted a pic of my own MediaDesk-based Auro 3D monitoring rig in this thread.  I use it for all my VSL-related development work since more than a decade now, and I did lots full blown commercial mixes on them, including this one.  I recently added a miniDSP-based Dirac Live room correction device, which irons out the remaining little acoustic flaws in my newly built room.

... yes, I'm a BlueSky fan, it seems. 8-)

HTH,


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## jonnybutter (Mar 24, 2020)

Dietz said:


> Depending on your room size, a used set of BlueSky's MediaDesk could be exactly what you're looking for. For some reason or the other they are offered for surprisingly little money. You can get them in a 5.1 configuration too, sometimes.
> 
> BTW: I just posted a pic of my own MediaDesk-based Auro 3D monitoring rig in this thread.  I use it for all my VSL-related development work since more than a decade now, and I did lots full blown commercial mixes on them, including this one.  I recently added a miniDSP-based Dirac Live room correction device, which irons out the remaining little acoustic flaws in my newly built room.
> 
> ...



Hi Dietz,

It does help. Thanks for taking the time to answer. Your mix sounds good to me! I have heard of these but never heard them. Will keep an eye out for a pair.

cheers


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## jazzmaster12345 (Mar 24, 2020)

I have a pair of Amphions which a small sealed speaker with a passive radiator on the back. Some people say they are similar to NS10s, some say they aren't similar so I don't know who to trust and I haven't heard NS10s in more than 10 plus years. There is a huge thread on that other popular music website you can read about. There are a lot of reviews about them as well.

They come in various sizes and if you email the company and give them your room dimensions and they will tell you what pair is best. They have great customer service as well.

They are passive and you need an amp. You can try getting a used amp to save cash rather than their amp which is expensive.


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## rrichard63 (Mar 24, 2020)

When I looked for sealed monitors six years ago, Blue Sky was the best I could find in this price range. I bought a used ProDesk 2.1 (the original model, not the ProDeck MkII or MkIII) and have really liked them. I don't know anything about their current models.


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## jonnybutter (Mar 24, 2020)

jazzmaster12345 said:


> I have a pair of Amphions...



Thanks Jazzmaster. These look interesting. The SOS review was very positive. Not crazy about getting an amp again, but they are still worth considering.


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## jonnybutter (Mar 24, 2020)

rrichard63 said:


> When I looked for sealed monitors six years ago, Blue Sky was the best I could find in this price range. I bought a used ProDesk 2.1 (the original model, not the ProDeck MkII or MkIII) and have really liked them. I don't know anything about their current models.




Thanks rrichard. These really look like what I want, but I don't see any used ones out there, at least not yet.


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## jonnybutter (Mar 25, 2020)

I found a pair of Blue Sky MediaDesk plus sub. Not sure I will use the sub, but the price was bizarrely reasonable (about €600 for the pair + sub) so I had to go for it. Won't arrive for a few weeks, so will have to hold off on the report, but am very happy. Thanks to everyone for your input.


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## rrichard63 (Mar 25, 2020)

You should at least try the sub before deciding not to use it. This true of small speakers in general, not just Blue Sky.


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## jonnybutter (Mar 25, 2020)

hi Richard

Yes. My room is VERY small, so not sure I will end up using it, but will at least try it.

thanks


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## jonnybutter (Apr 2, 2020)

Hi everyone,

Got my Blue Sky Media Desk 2.1 delivered and set up today. Exactly what I needed! Wonderful monitors, and I can't believe how reasonably priced they were. I am using a little bit of sub just to fill things out but it's mostly just the near fields. I listened to several tracks I know well (my own and others') and - wow, very revealing without being painful. Maybe someday I'll be able to afford some really high end monitors, but these are going to stand me in good stead until then.

Thanks to all who chimed in


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## jonnybutter (Apr 2, 2020)

rrichard63 said:


> You should at least try the sub before deciding not to use it. This true of small speakers in general, not just Blue Sky.



You were right. I do need a bit of sub. Makes a big difference.


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## Dietz (Apr 2, 2020)

Great to hear that you like them! 

Keep in mind that the "sub" of the Media Desks is in fact the lowest, set-off part of a three-way full range system. It's mandatory to use it. AFAIR there's a concise description of the calibration procedure in the manual.


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## jonnybutter (Apr 2, 2020)

Dietz said:


> Great to hear that you like them!
> 
> Keep in mind that the "sub" of the Media Desks is in fact the lowest, set-off part of a three-way full range system. It's mandatory to use it. AFAIR there's a concise description of the calibration procedure in the manual.



Thanks Dietz. I am using the sub for sure. It's not turned up very loud but I definitely need it. I played around with it all afternoon to get a good balance going and it sounds good! I didn't use test tones or pink noise yet - just my ears, but I will. I use Sonarworks to get some room correction. Have heard about Dirac but have had good results with Sonarworks so far. I just had a blown woofer on the low end Focals, and they were also making weird creaking noises a lot, and some bass problems - fuzzy, indistinct. This is much better. Still in testing mode, but already much better. Thanks for the tip and the link to the manual!


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