# Studio Monitors for (very) small home office / studio



## dyross (Oct 28, 2022)

Hey folks,

Another "hobbyist looking to buy studio monitors for their completely suboptimal acoustic space" thread...

I've mostly been producing with my headphones, and now looking to add some monitors to the mix. What I'm looking for:

Main goal: Suited to the limitations of my space, as described below
Budget: $500 or less for a pair
Bonus: flexible enough to listen to music recreationally in addition to for production
Now, onto my limitations:

My current space is very small - 8.5' x 6.5' - and due to the configuration of the door and window, my desk is kind of jammed in one of the corners:






I know this is not ideal in either respect. Also, given that I use this space for my day job, and it holds all my music gear, my ability to treat it is quite limited. I'm also planning on using these desktop clamps to hold the monitors as desk space itself is currently mostly spoken for:

https://gatorframeworks.com/products/frameworks-clamp-on-studio-monitor-stand-gfw-spkstmndskcmp/
So, given these goals and limitations, I'm trying to find a good enough pair to get a good result, but also one that won't be wasted on such a small, suboptimal space (or, even better, is optimized for it).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Thanks,
David


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## HarmonKard (Oct 28, 2022)

Why not do either of these:











Room and treatment are more important than monitors, you should get monitors AND treat the room. For the monitors, I personally would go with Yamaha HS7 (not 5)


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## cedricm (Oct 28, 2022)

I'd go for the Adam Audio entry line. 
IK Multimedia is known for its very small monitors. There's a new model with room correction but I haven't looked at the price. 
In suboptimal rooms I really recommend room correction software kits, which will probably be on sale during black Friday. There's no magic, it won't transform the room, and there's a price to pay in added latency. 
But without it, you really risk getting very wrong ideas about what you're hearing. 
Where monitors could add value is for a better stereo image than with headphones. Although many people mostly listen with headphones anyways.


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## dyross (Oct 28, 2022)

HarmonKard said:


> Why not do either of these:



It's hard to tell from my terrible drawing, but I can maybe move the desk about a foot towards the door without it getting super cramped.



HarmonKard said:


> Room and treatment are more important than monitors, you should get monitors AND treat the room.



For me it's about cost / benefit. I'm not a professional audio engineer - in fact, I'm on zoom in my room for work much of the week, and I'm also a renter. So, my options are limited.

That's why I'm trying to understand the best kind of monitors _given_ my limitations.



HarmonKard said:


> For the monitors, I personally would go with Yamaha HS7 (not 5)



Can you elaborate on the recommendation? From what I've read, large monitors are actually not ideal for small spaces. Also, do I want to avoid rear ported monitors given they'll be up against the wall?

Thanks for the response!


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## dyross (Oct 28, 2022)

cedricm said:


> I'd go for the Adam Audio entry line.
> IK Multimedia is known for its very small monitors. There's a new model with room correction but I haven't looked at the price.



I'll check these out.



cedricm said:


> In suboptimal rooms I really recommend room correction software kits, which will probably be on sale during black Friday. There's no magic, it won't transform the room, and there's a price to pay in added latency.
> But without it, you really risk getting very wrong ideas about what you're hearing.



I got Sonarworks Reference 4 Headphones super cheap recently, so perhaps I'll look into the upgrade during BF.



cedricm said:


> Where monitors could add value is for a better stereo image than with headphones. Although many people mostly listen with headphones anyways.



I definitely intend to use my headphones (HD650's) when I need the most accuracy, but sometimes it gets fatiguing to listen in headphones for too long. I didn't mention this above, but I play a lot of guitar using amp sims etc., so one use of the monitors will be for that (headphones get in the way, and get fatiguing).

Finally, as I mentioned above, it would be great if these monitors could also be usable for enjoying music, rather than just producing / mixing.


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## liquidlino (Oct 28, 2022)

I have JBL 305 mkii. They're are good sounding, but have audible hiss, at all gain levels, the gain doesn't make any difference. For this alone, I would not recommend them for sitting close to like you will be.

Make sure you check the self noise of any monitors you consider buying, at first you'll think, that doesn't matter. But then it really gets on your tits after a while.


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## liquidlino (Oct 28, 2022)

cedricm said:


> I'd go for the Adam Audio entry line.
> IK Multimedia is known for its very small monitors. There's a new model with room correction but I haven't looked at the price.
> In suboptimal rooms I really recommend room correction software kits, which will probably be on sale during black Friday. There's no magic, it won't transform the room, and there's a price to pay in added latency.
> But without it, you really risk getting very wrong ideas about what you're hearing.
> Where monitors could add value is for a better stereo image than with headphones. Although many people mostly listen with headphones anyways.


Check my thread for low cost DIY digital room correction. Just need to buy an inexpensive measurement mic, and follow my step by step guide.






DIY Digital Room Correction


I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment getting to grips with mixing, tonal balance etc. One issue I had was that I'd realised my monitors/room, being completely untreated, was a terrible reference and mixes never ever translated. I figured out how to apply reference EQ to my two headphones (HD650...




vi-control.net





Otherwise, just buy Sonarworks with their measurement mic, and job done. It'll go on sale at BF.


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## Trash Panda (Oct 28, 2022)

Kali LP-6 monitors could be a good candidate.

They're in your budget, have front-facing ports, EZ mode switches on the back to contour the sound based on your setup and are known for being extremely accurate.

Yes, you will benefit from room treatment, but using a plugin like Tonal Balance Control from Izotope will help you train your ears to make mixes that translate well until you can do so.


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## PhilA (Oct 29, 2022)

I’ve had diminutive Adam A3x for years. They’re fantastic for a smaller space. Have far more bass extension (and volume ) than you’d expect and in conjunction with good headphones and a little room treatment suit my hobbyist needs extremely well.


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## devonmyles (Oct 29, 2022)

Trash Panda said:


> *Kali LP-6 monitors could be a good candidate.*
> 
> They're in your budget, have front-facing ports, EZ mode switches on the back to contour the sound based on your setup and are known for being extremely accurate.
> 
> Yes, you will benefit from room treatment, but using a plugin like Tonal Balance Control from Izotope will help you train your ears to make mixes that translate well until you can do so.


 
An excellent choice. 
The online revues are always good as well.


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## emilio_n (Oct 29, 2022)

I am very happy using the IK iLoud Micro. For your space should be enough and they are small and cheaper than your budget. I am looking to replace mine, but they gave me excellent service both for composition and listening music. You can also try the iLoud MTM that are bigger, with calibration for the room included but more expensive.


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## holywilly (Oct 29, 2022)

PSI A-17M is one of the best monitor speakers for small studio.


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## Akoustecx (Oct 29, 2022)

A friend of mine recently got Presonus Eris 3.5's, and the quality, given the price and size, is astonishing. Given the sub £100 price tag, you could almost treat them as a short term disposable solution, until you're in a better space and then either sell them on, or use them as a secondary monitor for comparitive purposes.


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

holywilly said:


> PSI A-17M is one of the best monitor speakers for small studio.


Look nice, but a bit out of my budget 💸


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

Trash Panda said:


> Kali LP-6 monitors could be a good candidate.
> 
> They're in your budget, have front-facing ports, EZ mode switches on the back to contour the sound based on your setup and are known for being extremely accurate.
> 
> Yes, you will benefit from room treatment, but using a plugin like Tonal Balance Control from Izotope will help you train your ears to make mixes that translate well until you can do so.


These are looking like a great option! And thanks for the fallout scout front ports. It seems like that might help a lot?

Are they too big for a small space? Is that even a thing?


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## Trash Panda (Oct 29, 2022)

dyross said:


> These are looking like a great option! And thanks for the fallout scout front ports. It seems like that might help a lot?
> 
> Are they too big for a small space? Is that even a thing?


They’re only too big if they don’t physically fit in the space available for them. 😉


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

Trash Panda said:


> They’re only too big if they don’t physically fit in the space available for them. 😉


Thanks for that 

But I’ve read that you generally want smaller monitors for smaller spaces. Are these small enough to work, or have special features, or is that generally just unnecessary advice?


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## Trash Panda (Oct 29, 2022)

Sounds like a bunch of poppycock to me.


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## Akoustecx (Oct 29, 2022)

dyross said:


> But I’ve read that you generally want smaller monitors for smaller spaces.


Improvements in cone materials mean this is not as true as it used to be, as speakers tend to be more accurate across a greater amplitude range than they were in the past. But it works both ways, so you can use both smaller speakers in larger spaces and larger speakers in smaller spaces than you used to be able to.


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## LatinXCombo (Oct 29, 2022)

Akoustecx said:


> A friend of mine recently got Presonus Eris 3.5's, and the quality, given the price and size, is astonishing. Given the sub £100 price tag, you could almost treat them as a short term disposable solution, until you're in a better space and then either sell them on, or use them as a secondary monitor for comparitive purposes.


I picked up a used pair of Presonus Eris 4.5 on ebay for $125 for use as a "better than the creative pebble" speakers on the computer I do the 'work that pays the bills' in an untreated room with the desk in the wrong place, and they are surprisingly good despite all that.

I'm sure the 3.5s are fine, but hell, stretch your budget and look for a larger pair of preowned for the same budget....


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## Alchemedia (Oct 29, 2022)

Akoustecx said:


> A friend of mine recently got Presonus Eris 3.5's, and the quality, given the price and size, is astonishing. Given the sub £100 price tag, you could almost treat them as a short term disposable solution, until you're in a better space and then either sell them on, or use them as a secondary monitor for comparitive purposes.



Main problem I've had with the Eris series is the pots are sealed and when they inevitably get dusty you have to send them back for repair.


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## easyrider (Oct 29, 2022)

Larger monitors give you more headroom meaning lower distortion.

Before you do anything move your desk.
will it fit in front of the window?


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

Trash Panda said:


> Sounds like a bunch of poppycock to me.





Akoustecx said:


> Improvements in cone materials mean this is not as true as it used to be, as speakers tend to be more accurate across a greater amplitude range than they were in the past. But it works both ways, so you can use both smaller speakers in larger spaces and larger speakers in smaller spaces than you used to be able to.



One more (hopefully not stupid) question on the topic of monitors being "too big for a small space" or whatever:

Do reasonably good quality monitors have consistent quality at lower volumes in addition to higher volumes? Though I may crank them up from time to time, in my smaller space (and with a toddler at home), I probably will keep them at a pretty low volume most of the time.


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

easyrider said:


> Before you do anything move your desk.
> will it fit in front of the window?


Yes, but it'll be suboptimal for the other uses of the room. Can you elaborate on the suggestion?


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## easyrider (Oct 29, 2022)

dyross said:


> Yes, but it'll be suboptimal for the other uses of the room. Can you elaborate on the suggestion?


In what way will moving the desk be suboptimal?

The desk should be placed trying to maintain as much symmetry in the listening position as possible.

Also the desk at the longest point to minimise rear reflections and more control of bass.


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## Kery Michael (Oct 29, 2022)

easyrider said:


> Larger monitors give you more headroom meaning lower distortion.
> 
> Before you do anything move your desk.
> will it fit in front of the window?


+1 to this suggestion.

Everything I’ve read on monitor placement says its better to have the monitors facing down the long end of the room rather than the short end. The reason being the reflections from the back wall will interfere that much less. But honestly the room is so small I’m not sure how much difference it would make. But if I had the choice, that’s what I would do.

And if you’re not using any room treatment, I don’t know, I think that will be the bigger issue. But do the best you can with what you got!

Also I have the Kali LP6s and I’m happy with them. They have some good low end for mid size monitors. There is an audible hiss however, but I only hear it late at night when there’s no other noise, so for me no real big deal.


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

easyrider said:


> In what way will moving the desk be suboptimal?



Not being able to open the window, for one (the desk is pretty deep, and the window pretty janky).
Also, maybe not being to fit my other stuff in there. But I'll experiment.



easyrider said:


> The desk should be placed trying to maintain as much symmetry in the listening position as possible.
> 
> Also the desk at the longest point to minimise rear reflections and more control of bass.



To what extent do you expect a hobbyist to notice the issues that this would correct for?


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

Kery Michael said:


> +1 to this suggestion.
> 
> Everything I’ve read on monitor placement says its better to have the monitors facing down the long end of the room rather than the short end. The reason being the reflections from the back wall will interfere that much less. But honestly the room is so small I’m not sure how much difference it would make. But if I had the choice, that’s what I would do.



Yeah, my room is 6.5' by 8.5', so only a 2 foot difference.



Kery Michael said:


> And if you’re not using any room treatment, I don’t know, I think that will be the bigger issue. But do the best you can with what you got!



That's where this all gets confusing. I want good enough monitors that I'll enjoy using them, but not so good that they'll be wasted on my suboptimal space (and hobbyist ears).



Kery Michael said:


> Also I have the Kali LP6s and I’m happy with them. They have some good low end for mid size monitors. There is an audible hiss however, but I only hear it late at night when there’s no other noise, so for me no real big deal.



I think serious hiss will bug me, because I'll be quite close to the monitors, and not always cranking them. Do you have the 2nd waves recently released or the original version?

EDIT: Looks like it's something they fixed with 2nd wave:



> SO! We have developed a new amplifier platform for our 2nd wave of product, which has 12 dB lower noise than our current offering. Unless your ear is ON the tweeter, you're not going to hear it. As of writing this (April 1, 2021, please ignore that it's April Fool's) the IN-5 is the only product with this advantage. We are working on implementing the new amplifier platform, and other improvements, for our whole line. This is will be branded as the "2nd Wave" and we are going to make a HUGE deal about it, so there won't be any ambiguity about whether current product has these improvements or not. Currently, we do not have a timeline for when those will be on the market. With the chip shortage and other global supply chain issues, it is not going to be soon.





https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.php?p=15383564&postcount=26


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## Kery Michael (Oct 29, 2022)

That's a good question, that is which gen monitors do I have... I've wondered that myself! Ha ha! I don't know. I had the same concerns when I bought these in 2021. I read all the reviews, some mentioned a hiss. Supposed to have been fixed, but when I finally bought them, Yep, there's a hiss there. So I don't know.

But what really sold me on them was this guy's very thorough review on... let me see if I can find it....
here it is.









Kali LP-6 Review: Studio Monitor


This is a review and detailed measurements of the Kali Audio LP-6 powered monitor (speaker). I purchased it for testing I think back in February or March. There has been a lot of requests to test it so I thought I do it before the year is over! The LP-6 costs US $149 on Amazon including Prime...




www.audiosciencereview.com





So, you get what you pay for. You're not going to get everything for under $500. Try to maximize the important stuff.

For me, I usually only notice a hiss late at night when I'm shutting things down.


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## Roger Newton (Oct 29, 2022)

Look at the Genelec range.


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## easyrider (Oct 29, 2022)

dyross said:


> Not being able to open the window, for one (the desk is pretty deep, and the window pretty janky).
> Also, maybe not being to fit my other stuff in there. But I'll experiment.
> 
> 
> ...


You maximise your space for the best results regardless.

Having right speaker next to a wall and the other not means you’ll get phasing issues…

We are offering advice and you’re doubting it….


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## Akoustecx (Oct 29, 2022)

dyross said:


> Do reasonably good quality monitors have consistent quality at lower volumes


Generally yes, but it's not guaranteed.
Given your situation, compromises are going to have to be made, as they are for pretty much all of us home producers.
The size of your room means you definitely want to be going for near field monitors, which broadly speaking means smaller cones that make sure the sound waves direct to your ears are going to dominate the reflected waves. There is a myth that small cones can't provide bass, but what they can't provide is high amplitude bass, which in your situation is a plus.
If you're not prepared to sacrifice being able to open your window, which is something I entirely understand, position your desk as close to the door as possible, and then position your monitors as close to central in the room as that desk location allows. If your desk has drawers that prevent you being able to sit central to the speakers like this, consider a new desk/table. This will allow you to get the most balanced, phase free response available to you.
I would suggest diverting some of your budget into absorption, which combined with nearfield monitors will give the best result you're going to get. It probably doesn't need to be high end expensive stuff, as you're not going to be able to crank the ampltude for long without suffering ear fatigue in a space that small. Plus, you know, babies and neighbours. At the least you'll want a couple of nice, thick, well tufted bath mats set on the wall, directly opposite the path of each speaker, the larger the area covered the better. This will help minimise reflections, which in a small space like yours, don't have much time to attenuate. After that you'll be wanting to try and match reflections/absorption from the sides as accurately as you can, given the offset your likely to have. This could be as simple as thick curtains for the window, and a matching pair hanging on the door wall, presumably ovelapping the door while you're in there.
After that, probably the most valuable thing you can do is learn to mix comparitively, by getting to know your speakers in the space, and a couple of pairs of headphones. Listen to music you know and love, and analyse how each source affects what your hearing, then use that knowledge to inform your own mix decisions.
Finally, don't let your less than ideal acoustic space diminish your love of making music, that will have a far more profound affect on the end product than the space it's made in.
Be well, make music.


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## dyross (Oct 29, 2022)

Akoustecx said:


> Generally yes, but it's not guaranteed.
> Given your situation, compromises are going to have to be made, as they are for pretty much all of us home producers.
> The size of your room means you definitely want to be going for near field monitors, which broadly speaking means smaller cones that make sure the sound waves direct to your ears are going to dominate the reflected waves. There is a myth that small cones can't provide bass, but what they can't provide is high amplitude bass, which in your situation is a plus.
> If you're not prepared to sacrifice being able to open your window, which is something I entirely understand, position your desk as close to the door as possible, and then position your monitors as close to central in the room as that desk location allows. If your desk has drawers that prevent you being able to sit central to the speakers like this, consider a new desk/table. This will allow you to get the most balanced, phase free response available to you.
> ...


Thank you very much for this extremely helpful answer!


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## easyrider (Oct 29, 2022)

Akoustecx said:


> Generally yes, but it's not guaranteed.
> Given your situation, compromises are going to have to be made, as they are for pretty much all of us home producers.
> The size of your room means you definitely want to be going for near field monitors, which broadly speaking means smaller cones that make sure the sound waves direct to your ears are going to dominate the reflected waves. There is a myth that small cones can't provide bass, but what they can't provide is high amplitude bass, which in your situation is a plus.
> If you're not prepared to sacrifice being able to open your window, which is something I entirely understand, position your desk as close to the door as possible, and then position your monitors as close to central in the room as that desk location allows. If your desk has drawers that prevent you being able to sit central to the speakers like this, consider a new desk/table. This will allow you to get the most balanced, phase free response available to you.
> ...


No bass traps? 🤔


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## Akoustecx (Oct 29, 2022)

dyross said:


> Thank you very much for this extremely helpful answer!


All good, hope it helps.


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## Akoustecx (Oct 29, 2022)

easyrider said:


> No bass traps? 🤔


Ideally, yes.
But given the budgetry, volume (space) and volume (amplitude) limitations of the circumstances, I'd put bass traps at the lower end of marginal gains. Even cheap, foam corner traps are going to take up 1/5 or more of the budget (for 3 on each back wall corner, which is hardly comprehensive), then they have to be mounted in a non destructive, removable manner.
Before bass traps, under these circumstances, I'd be more inclined to recommend isolating the speaker from the desk it sits on (IsoAcoustics was the solution I settled on), as I prioritise direct to ear clarity over overall room clarity.
After that, my personal feeling is that, outside of an ideal space, the law of diminishing returns means you are not getting a solid bang for buck return.
Having said that, if we all responded to sound in space the same way, we woud all only need one reverb.


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## HCMarkus (Oct 29, 2022)

My son just rented a house; he has set up one of the bedrooms as a combination office/studio. He spent nominal dollars to build a bunch of 3.5" deep, 2x4' wood-framed Roxul panels. They cover about 40% of the room walls in addition to a couple more on the ceiling as clouds. The rooms sounds great now. Bigger positive difference than the difference between any speakers in the OPs price range. And my son gets big kudos from clients and co-workers for his amazing Zoom sound... no more annoying room resonances obscuring his speech. A win-win.

If you want to listen/mix on speakers, as opposed to headphones, the room is going to be a big part of the sonic equation. Don't neglect it.


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## Fidelity (Oct 29, 2022)

Avoid Alesis Elevate 5s. I have a pair and while the curve is pleasing they're absolutely muddy. I'm partial to KRK RP5s though the last pair I owned is g1. Still have yet to beat planar headphones (I've used both Hifiman Devas and 4xx's).


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## easyrider (Oct 30, 2022)

Akoustecx said:


> Ideally, yes.
> But given the budgetry, volume (space) and volume (amplitude) limitations of the circumstances, I'd put bass traps at the lower end of marginal gains. Even cheap, foam corner traps are going to take up 1/5 or more of the budget (for 3 on each back wall corner, which is hardly comprehensive), then they have to be mounted in a non destructive, removable manner.


After your reflection points bass trapping is a must. The best way is to have bass traps at both reflection points instead.

Gik 244 bass trap panels are good for this. Or you can easily make your own cheap.

Foam bass traps are a con and should be avoided. Most acoustic engineers frown upon them.


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## muk (Oct 30, 2022)

This is a good resource for speakers within your price-range:









Speaker Review and Measurement Index


Master database of speaker review and measurements




www.audiosciencereview.com





A few models that you might want to investigate:

Genelec 8010
JBL 305 Mkii
Kali LP6
Neumi BS5P
Adam T5V
iLoud Micro


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## JohnG (Oct 30, 2022)

I'd check out Neumann's small set -- the one that comes with software and a mic to tune your room / space.

It may be more expensive but that software is pretty good, and might help with your cramped conditions.


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## AlphaCen (Oct 30, 2022)

Small Genelecs (8020 or 8030).


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## nolotrippen (Oct 30, 2022)

Akoustecx said:


> A friend of mine recently got Presonus Eris 3.5's, and the quality, given the price and size, is astonishing. Given the sub £100 price tag, you could almost treat them as a short term disposable solution, until you're in a better space and then either sell them on, or use them as a secondary monitor for comparitive purposes.


I have them. Great bang for the bucks.


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## Alchemedia (Oct 30, 2022)

nolotrippen said:


> I have them. Great bang for the bucks.


Presonus Eris monitors are pretty decent until the pots get dusty and you have to return them for repair which costs 1/2 the purchase price + shipping. Happened to me twice. Why seal the pots if dust can still get into them?


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## dyross (Oct 30, 2022)

Thanks to everyone who's given advice. I'm leaning towards getting the Kalis or the Adams, but now trying to figure out how much room treatment to try to do...

One other related question - I'll use Sonarworks when I'm using my personal macbook, but my work laptop will also be connected and the software I can run is pretty locked down. Does anyone know of any tricks to EQ'ing audio (for optimal listening enjoyment, not necessarily room correction) from, say, YouTube music? I have an Audient iD14 mkii, which doesn't support anything like this that I'm aware of.

Thanks again!


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## tc9000 (Oct 30, 2022)

Alchemedia said:


> Presonus Eris monitors are pretty decent until the pots get dusty and you have to return them for repair which costs 1/2 the purchase price + shipping. Happened to me twice. Why seal the pots if dust can still get into them?


I just bought a pair of Eris 4.5s and they sound great compared to my old Creative Inspire T10s... but the volume pot does feel a bit flimsy - I'm guessing if it gets dusty you get horrible crackling when you adjust the level? Eughh - I really hope that doesent happen to mine... I wonder if I can just leave it at one level (and adjust it elsewhere) if it does? So far, these are great in all respects.


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## dannthr (Oct 30, 2022)

Okay. You're looking for some real _hot _speakers, right?
I'm not talkin' about something you just listen to, I'm talkin' about the kind of sound *you can feel!*
Yeah!
You know what I mean!
You know when it comes to great stereo, you can't beat big speakers!
I'm talkin' about *big* speakers with *big woofers!*
Like this, it has a nice little 8 inch woofer,
or this 10 incher,
or over here we have a nice big 12 inch, 
but I can tell by the look on your face, man, you want somethin' even _bigger_.
F yeah!
F yeah is right!
We gotta go to the _big room_ for this!
The *big room!* 
Check it out, my man,
the flagship of the entire Dominator line, the *MX-10*, I have a pair of these myself!
30 inches of thigh-slappin', blood-pumpin', nuclear brain damage!




And what's the effin' cost?
That's the best part about it, it don't matter, if you can't afford it, effin' finance it!
Yeah!

Woooo!

*Yeah!*
So what if it's as big as a Subaru and costs just as much? You'll never have to trade this in, this is gonna be with you for the rest of your life! And when you die, they can *bury you in it!*


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## arrivu (Oct 31, 2022)

KRK just came out with their portable 3inch and 4inch studio monitor. This competes directly with the IK Multimedia iLouds.

Btw, if it's possible get a 5inch speaker as it will have better frequency response at lower frequencies compared to this mini 3/4inch studio speakers. I have a relatively small room as well, I got myself a Yamaha HS5 and it sounds great.


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## dyross (Nov 9, 2022)

Do folks know if companies (specifically IK) typically put studio monitors on sale for BF?

EDIT: Never mind, looks like there was a BF sale on MTMs last year: https://www.musicradar.com/news/ik-iloud-mtm-black-friday-deal


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## Akoustecx (Nov 9, 2022)

dyross said:


> Do folks know if companies (specifically IK) typically put studio monitors on sale for BF?
> 
> EDIT: Never mind, looks like there was a BF sale on MTMs last year: https://www.musicradar.com/news/ik-iloud-mtm-black-friday-deal


No idea what they are likely to accept in terms of an offer, but it might be worth taking a look at this, as there are several types of monitor in your price range. Haven't checked them all, but at least 1 of the Rokits only had 1 in stock, whereas 2 of the others had 4.






Top Deals - Make Us An Offer - Page 1 - Absolute Music







www.absolutemusic.co.uk


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## Alchemedia (Nov 10, 2022)

tc9000 said:


> I just bought a pair of Eris 4.5s and they sound great compared to my old Creative Inspire T10s... but the volume pot does feel a bit flimsy - I'm guessing if it gets dusty you get horrible crackling when you adjust the level? Eughh - I really hope that doesent happen to mine... I wonder if I can just leave it at one level (and adjust it elsewhere) if it does? So far, these are great in all respects.


Exactly! Once that pot gets dusty, and it will eventually, they will drive you crazy unless you set & forget the volume knob. They do sound quite good for the price however.


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## arrivu (Nov 22, 2022)

Kali just officially launched it's own small sized monitors. It includes a sub-woofer and priced at USD599.
Might be worth checking it out.
https://www.kaliaudio.com/in-unf


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## dyross (Nov 22, 2022)

arrivu said:


> Kali just officially launched it's own small sized monitors. It includes a sub-woofer and priced at USD599.
> Might be worth checking it out.
> https://www.kaliaudio.com/in-unf



Nice one! Just when I thought I settled on the iLoud MTMs (which I like), I'm gonna have to try these, too.


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## wayne_rowley (Nov 22, 2022)

I can vouch for the Genelec 8010s. They are tiny, but they sound anything but tiny!


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## dyross (Nov 22, 2022)

wayne_rowley said:


> I can vouch for the Genelec 8010s. They are tiny, but they sound anything but tiny!



I tried them, and yes they are great. Prefer the slightly extended bass response on the iLoud MTMs given that I'm not (at this point) planning to get a sub.


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## dyross (Nov 23, 2022)

The iLoud MTMs are $250 each, down from $400, for BF. Makes my decision even easier to keep ‘em!


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## Robert Kooijman (Nov 24, 2022)

Using Iloud MTM's here for some 2+ years, can strongly recommend these


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