I have the S3As and have heard the Dyns. The Dyn sound didn't do it for me for some reason. Too crossed-over and not seamless enough for me. The S3A I wish I could not recommend because they are $5000 USD, but they are stunningly clear. I could use a bit more bass though, though that's just for listening and not for mixing. Mixes always come out right. Another set to look at is the Earthworks Sigmas 6.2 Their high end is even clearer than the ADAMs, though I personally had a variety of other problems with their sound. But some people love 'em and if you already own a great power amp you'll save a couple thousand USD. A friend of mine simply loves his SRS monitors too. I was a big fan of Westlake BBSM10s and 8s too. And by all means, don't leave out ATCs. The SCM10s which I'm now selling were far and away my favorite mix speakers until the Adams.

After a few months using them, now that the initial thrill is gone, the S3As feel to me kind of like a simple window to what's going on on tape (or disk, as it were...) They're not exciting to listen to, but whatever I hear in them is what I get everywhere. So mixes go very quickly.

But they -won't- impress clients, if that's a requirement for your studio. (At least in my experience).

the atcs are kind of expensive though, aren't they? i can get the genies and dyns at roughly USD2000, and the adams and questeds for about USD500 more. where do the atcs fit in? also are the prices i'm saying sound about right? if so, are the questeds and adams a step above the genies and dyns?

I listened to a couple of monitors yesterday in the music store. The monitors that gave the flattest yet most detailed response was clearly the Dynaudio MB15A. Much better than the Genelecs.

Hiya's

I met an engineer thru another forum from Amsterdam, He visited me in Toronto ( while down to set up moving here) and he gave my ATC SCM-20 monitors a listen,,,

He has worked on Gens, Adams, Mackie and more, and was all set to purchase the ADAMS until ....
after a few hours of listening to tracks he concluded that ATC was for him,,,
he felt they were musical, and said he probably could listen to these all day,,,

I wish i could give personal comparisons to other monitors, but, this is the first pair i bought, and i think they'll last a long time :)

Sanity Inn

Ellegaard wrote: I listened to a couple of monitors yesterday in the music store. The monitors that gave the flattest yet most detailed response was clearly the Dynaudio MB15A. Much better than the Genelecs.

ATC, ADAM, Dynaudio ...all good

Genelecs however are all hype. Both in reputation and in sound.

They're a Production Studio standard, but for music, no.

Genelecs however are all hype. Both in reputation and in sound.

Well, at least in your single opinion. Hundreds of other documented top notch professional recording and mastering facilities that own and use Genelec's have a different opinion.

And as for the Dynaudio sounding flatter and bettter than the Genelec in the music store, keep in mind that the way the speakers are displayed and set as well as the room they are in play as much of a role in how a monitor is going to sound and be judged. The best sounding winner in that room may very well be a looser when you get it set up and hear it in your place.

DYNAUDIO moniters are good if ya got the money get them have a look at the air series very xxxy but well worth a look
i am in australia to no one has dynaudio air series will none of the shops the EMES moniters are good innovatedmusic.com.au have them there the rep in australia there spose to be good well priced
leave the genelecs there no were near dynaudio or ADAM moniters

there's a pair of trusty NS10's and a pair of ATC SCM50A's in the studio i'm working in. the ATC's are ok but there's serious bass problems in the control room so it's a bit hard to really make a good judgement in whether i like the ATC sound. from what i can tell they seem to have a really detailed midrange, and either they have too much mids or the NS10's are scooped. i'm assuming it's the latter. also, i've just realised that certain prices for monitors on internet stores are per speaker. that sure does suck.

Ric-ROk wrote:
i am in australia to no one has dynaudio air series

Probably right, but there are some local stockists who carry the lower priced dyns. In Brisbane, http://www.musiclab.com.au have some of the BM series in stock, and they have list prices for the AIR's.

Ric-ROk wrote:
will none of the shops the EMES moniters are good

Again, in Brisbane, I have listened to EMES pink and black at http://www.australianacademyofmusic.com.au The fact that these guys carry part of the range should mean that they are able to ship stock of the big ticket items in for you to preview. I would assume that similar suppliers exist in the other states.

Hope this helps a little,

Gil

hi jimbo_baby84.
Where are you in Australia? The Genelec distributor for Australia is Studio Connections here in Melbourne and the guy that runs it, Dave Sloss, is an absolute champ of a guy. he's got nearly every model of Genelecs at his place and is very, very helpful and willing to let you listen to them all day long. I was originally interested in 1037 and 1038 models. Went over with three of my ref. CDs and listen to them for about a couple of hours (well into the evening) and I felt very comfortable at Studio Connections offices.I was blown away with the sound even in the untreated square room, but the prices were still too high at that stage for me. I found a used pair of 1037s a couple of months after for AUD$7,500 (retail is $13,750) and i grabbed them. Even with my purchase then, Dave from SC was very helpful and even rang up genelec in Finland to find when exactly the speakers were made (by the serial numbers). I was very nicely surprised with his help, and recommend this guy to anyone who's after not only Gennies but a wide range of other pro audio gear (Drawmer,B.L.U.E.,Lexicon ....)
So even if you're not in melbourne I reckon it'd be worth your while to come down (especially with these ridiculous airfare prices now:)) and check some speakers out if you're serious about your purchase.
I can't tell you how good they sound until you hear it for your self, and I can't wait to hear 'em in my new studio in a few months time. Anyone who sayd that Genelec is overhyped has not heard them or has no idea about what's good. If your music is crap, of course your good monitors will sound crap.

good luck jimbo_baby84 :)

"Anyone who sayd that Genelec is overhyped has not heard them or has no idea about what's good."

relax a bit there! i'm really glad that you're happy with your new monitors...... but ........ i know dozens of people who earn a living in mixing or mastering and many of them agree that genelec is "hyped" sound.

personally i've listened to everything from 1030 and up.
i worked on 1030 for a couple of years and was totally fooled by them.
i still use them sometimes for checking levels.

the rest of the genelec series are best listened to after half a bottle of finlandia vodka! (i guess that's also the way the're built)

I think the best thing, regardless of price & brand, is to have a couple of different monitors. That will give you the best idea of how the mix will translate. One low-tech speaker (yes, mono) will give you a very good picture of drum-levels vs vocals. This could be an old transistorradio, one auratone, your Mac´s built-in speaker, whatever. A system with a sub and one without is a good thing aswell. Whatever, as long as it´s not just one system. A mix that sounds brilliant in a $50.000 system might be useless in a consumer-stereo because it´s not as detailed. I think I read somewhere (I might be wrong) that Bob Clearmountain is a huge fan of old Apple powered computer speakers of a certain vintage because they reveal stuff that bigger, more expensive systems don´t. I think you should think about where the mix is to be used, for me my TV is a good reference. I play it from the DVD-player to get a sense of what it will sound like when finally on MTV. Most consumers have crappy systems and if a mix sounds good only on high-end monitors, it´s useless for it´s purpose. Of course the best mix sounds good everywhere, but then again you´ll have to listen to it everywhere and since you can´t do that a shortcut is to have different systems for comparison. After all, the NS 10´s didn´t become standard because of their fantastic sonic quality and attention to high-frequency detail...

[quote="iznogood
i worked on 1030 for a couple of years and was totally fooled by them.
i still use them sometimes for checking levels.

So, you realize that a monitor fooled you after two years working on them!!!...gee that's interesting! :shock:
you better be using some good shit when you bag the genelec like that.

sen, i'm in sydney. i might be making a road trip to melbourne soon anyway, so i'll have to check out your guy. thanks for the tip. maybe he'll have some of the new 8000 series that no but marcus black cares about. you're having quite a good conversation with yourself in that other post aren't you marcus? only joking. i've been reading it with keen interest. i like the genelec sound as far as listening enjoyment is concerned. i'm just worried they're not so much flat as flattering. at the moment i'm looking at some used atc scm 20 asl's. they sound pretty much the opposite to genelecs. smooth and set back as opposed to hard and in-your-face. as one reviewer put it, a british gentleman at a club in a tweed jacket rather than an american tourist in a hawaian shirt. i must say though, now i've got a bit of renewed interest in the genies. how's the 8000 series priced marcus? same as the old models? i guess i'd be looking at the equivalent of the 1031a or 1032a

The 8030 is to replace the 1029, 8040 to replace 1030 and 8050 to replace 1031 and are similarily priced. I was really impressed with the 8000 series from the short listening session I attended. Flat response seems to be the keyword for the development of these monitors and they are of an all new design. Very clean, very neutral is the best I can describe them. Very wide sweet spot aswell. I don´t want to overhype or market them but I´m gonna get a pair of 8040´s to my studio. They do it for me. They said they start shipping this week, so for Australia I guess you´ll have to wait a couple of days/weeks longer. Happy hunting !

when i heard 1031a's the bass extension didn't quite cut it. it was close, but the lowest bass note on one of the cds i tested was down by a couple of dB too many. it was fine on the tannoy ellipse 8's, but not the genies. i think the 1032a's would have been ok, but i didn't get to hear them. what's the deal with not having a 8000 series version of the 1032a's?

Hey jimbo

dontcha just hate over shopping ? lol

hope you finally get something to enjoy :)

SI

yes...listening to hundreds of pairs of expensive speakers...it's awful. as long as the price is right, i'm gonna jump on the next pair of used scm 20 asl's i come across.

Marcus Black wrote: I think the best thing, regardless of price & brand, is to have a couple of different monitors. That will give you the best idea of how the mix will translate. One low-tech speaker (yes, mono) will give you a very good picture of drum-levels vs vocals. This could be an old transistorradio, one auratone, your Mac´s built-in speaker, whatever. A system with a sub and one without is a good thing aswell. Whatever, as long as it´s not just one system. A mix that sounds brilliant in a $50.000 system might be useless in a consumer-stereo because it´s not as detailed. I think I read somewhere (I might be wrong) that Bob Clearmountain is a huge fan of old Apple powered computer speakers of a certain vintage because they reveal stuff that bigger, more expensive systems don´t. I think you should think about where the mix is to be used, for me my TV is a good reference. I play it from the DVD-player to get a sense of what it will sound like when finally on MTV. Most consumers have crappy systems and if a mix sounds good only on high-end monitors, it´s useless for it´s purpose. Of course the best mix sounds good everywhere, but then again you´ll have to listen to it everywhere and since you can´t do that a shortcut is to have different systems for comparison. After all, the NS 10´s didn´t become standard because of their fantastic sonic quality and attention to high-frequency detail...

That's a very interesting way of seeing things... I'll keep that in mind when I'm diving into the market for studio monitors!

hey jimbo..

is that you on audiogon looking for the SCM 20 pros,,, had and Australian wanted link..

wasn't sure,,,

SI

I just picked up a pair of ADAM P22-A's... Awesome monitors.

yeah that was me on audiogon. has anyone done an AB with atcs and adams?

Hey jimbo,,

i can't say i have , but the guy from Amsterdam that dropped by to listen to the SCM 20 pro's i have was all geared up to purchase Adams , but after a 2 hours listen session, he felt he could liten to the ATC longer ( his opinion)

what happened to the demo pair i gave link too??

I may have my demo up for sale as i need to pay the bills ,, sigh

shoot me an email at hifisanity@rogersDOTcom just change the DOT to the normal.com apperently typing email this way wont be picked up by auto search junkmail thing

peace

Sanity Inn

You might laugh but the JBL LSR stuff is fantastic...especially for the money.
Dynaudios are better but cost more.
I would never say a monitor 'sounds great' because in audio production and the room has as much, if not more to do with what you hear as your speaker. Both monitors I mentioned I have installed and have had a pro room designer (the guy who designed the last 3 rooms at the Plant in Sausalito, CA) use FFT software to analize them. It is not that difficult to put out and accurate monitor these days as computer based designing allowed several manufactures to put out technically 'perfect' drivers in the last 3-5 years.
The room, on the other hand, can (and usually does) have more of an effect on what you hear in the low frequencies (below around 400hz) and can totally alter the timbre of the mid and higher frequencies if you don't do a good bit of work on your room.

Hope this helps...you can check my site for more info.
Yes, I have a company but I also hate seeing artists do so much work and have problems with good tracking because of their rooms.

Best,
Ken Walden