Mackie or Tannoy I would suggest the Tannoy System 600 actives on the Tannoy or for more bass the System 800 passive with a amp for a couple hundered bucks. Mackie has the lower cost monitors with the 6" speaker over their 8". They both sound very good too.

The Mackies 824 go for about $1100, I think they are your best choice in this price category.

hi there
look around at all of the other sites - auctions and music/audio forums (this one too) for used listings - you can find mackie 824's for well under $1000pr (I've seen them for $750pr) and genie 1030's for just under or certainly at $1000pr (I got my 1030's $9something)

Both will provide very good monitoring at the sweet spot, and impressive listening from the back of the room couch if setup correctly

Dan

I'd have to steer you towards KRK, which I think is a much better monitor than Mackie. In a recent thread, I was sharing my excitement over the new V2 series, particularily the KRK V6. I'm also a huge Dynaudio fan and lusting over a pair of BM6A's, but I think I've found the next best thing at $700/pr. The V8's are just as nice if your room size can justify it.

On a personal note, I hate Mackie 824's, but they may work for you...

The Mackie 824's have that nasty passive radiator on the back which makes placement in small rooms a problem ... If you don't have at least 3 or 4 feet between you boundaries behind the speakers I would recommend you steer clear of them.

I like KRK monitors .. and if I were making a purchase, would consider them even if I hadn't heard them yet. Take reference CDs to the dealer and LISTEN ... the best small powered speaker I have heard on the current market is the Yamaha MSP5's ... at $500 a pair and worth twice that.

Mackies - 824s if your room's big enough to take them (although they have good tweakable settings on the rear panel), otherwise try the 634s. Personally, I'd try to pick up some old Yamaha NS10M STUDIO reference monitors and then maybe get some Behringer Truth active nearfields (based on the Mackie 624s but half the price) with the change you have left over.

KRK's are a good alternative too.

Phil Plumpton
Technical Engineer
Olympic Studios

well i have KRK-KROK..... and Genelac 1030A...you can find Genelac under 1000$ and KRK are infact chea[er than GEnniesss.... the KRK's would sound louder then 1030A.... but the 1030A sounds better then KRK.... i m fully satisfied with both KRK and Gennnies....i also have lots of clients like yours.... they want to hear loud so for them i always use KRK...and those who love to hear neat and clean sound i play it on 1030A....

I assume you mean $1000 each per monitor because anything less can not be be taken seriously as monitors. So with that in mind, Genelec 1030 while you can still get them, may even find blowouts on 1031's. JBL LSR28, or any of the models in that range made by ADAM as well. And the only KRK I thought was ok for nearfield was the V8.

AudioGaff wrote: I assume you mean $1000 each per monitor because anything less can not be be taken seriously as monitors.

I may not have the experience as some of the 'big boys' 'round here but I'd have to disagree with the above statement. I do believe great monitors are important, but the listening environment and room acoustics are just as important, if not more. Furthermore, learning whatever monitors you have to a point where they translate anywhere is the holy grail, and it's been done for years (ahem...NS10's...cough).

That said, a $1500 pair of Dynaudio BM6A's should be taken as seriously as the Genelec 1030's, IMO, and a $700 pair of KRK V6 for a small room is absolutely nothing to smirk at. I don't know about the older V6, but these newer "series II" are simply gorgeous.

>That said, a $1500 pair of Dynaudio BM6A's should be taken as seriously as the Genelec 1030's,

I would even prefer the Dynaudio BM6A's over the Genelec 1031's.

In terms of quality I would say the BM6A's are probably the best monitors you can get for under $2000. ( around $1500)

If you want loud, the Mackies might be your best choice. I have worked with them for the last 5 years, and yes they are loud, but...

H.G. wrote: I would even prefer the Dynaudio BM6A's over the Genelec 1031's.

Absolutely, the BM6A's are jaw-dropping in terms of clarity and accuracy, unlike some (HR824) which sound great but mostly for playback. I too prefer the Dyns over the Gennies (we have the 1030A's at work, don't like them at all).

I mention the Genelec 1030 and 1031 not as the best you can get but now that they are considered obsolete, are still great monitors that can be had for great savings. A good friend of mine has the BM6A's and has moved them a few times in his room to try and get better low end. They are great, I admit to that. But I don't agree that the BM6A's are more accurate than the 1031's. And the 1030's are much different thean the 1031's. The difference of 6" to 8" in speakers of both BM6A and 1030 models is enough of a big difference that I'm quite happy I choose the 1031's.