I'm a fan of the BX8's IF they're set up right (most aren't for some reason). START with the Acoustic Space switch at -4 and THEN adjust to taste. Not the other way around...

Another set you might consider are the Wharfedale Diamond 8.2 Pro Actives. I'm a HUGE fan of the Diamond series. And although I haven't tried the actives myself, several people have tried them on my recommendation and all seem quite happy.

events

What about the Event 20/20s? Someone told me that if you can get a good mix on those then it will sound good on anything. . You seem experienced so I must ask, do you agree with this? If not are there any monitors out there (affordable or not but preferably affordable) that to your knowledge would fit that statement?

Thanks again

thats kinda true... but its really true with the ns-10's.
i use 20/20's and my mixes translate well in every system, but i'm not gonna lie.. it took some time getting use to them.
but if you have a solid mix on 20/20's, it should be an overall good sounding mix.
personally i'm gonna keep my 20/20's but i'm leaning toward:(as my main mixing monitors)
Event ASP8
Tannoy System 800A
Dynaudio BM8A

Did you hear the new genelec 8000 series ?
They are outstanding and for small nearfield monitors 6.5" they are the best i've heard ,
They also giving a fantastic image in none acoustic rooms , i've heared them in untreated room and they gave studio quality

The new Genelecs are really really good...I've just finished mixing our record in a studio that has traditionally been Genelec 1031's with a center speaker and a sub(ready for 5.1)....They brought in a pair of the new 8000 series (dont know thw model # but its the same as the 1031's) and the midrange detail was much more apparent...I still love the 1031's and my set of 1029's with a sub arent going anywhere soon...

why do all the oldschool people dig the NS 10's ??

stereodude_ wrote: why do all the oldschool people dig the NS 10's ??

Not "all" - I'm "old school" and I can't stand them.

Something else to throw in though on a listening field trip - Wharfedale Pro Diamond 8.2's

Im getting good results with the BX8's. the mixes translate well. Of course I used commercial cd's through them first to ascertain
how close they are to "the sound" with the curent project am producing. "elrod geare" which has a jazzy/rock/latin kind of sound I am using Stings 'summoners tale' as a reference, getting my mixes as close I can to that sound and that vibe.

"why do all the old school people use NS10's"
That would be a figure of speech! I'm not suggesting that ALL old school people use NS10's but meerly wondering why they have been so popular with many renouned producers and engineers.

Monitors

Don't know whether this is because they aren't big over your side of the pond but nearfield monitors also worth considering are Mission PRO SM6A, Tannoy Reveal or BlueSky ProDesk. I've found them all easy on the ear and very accurate indeed and they're all ideal for home use.

You didn't mention your budget, but I would think that one of these might fall within it.

stereodude_ wrote: "why do all the old school people use NS10's"
That would be a figure of speech! I'm not suggesting that ALL old school people use NS10's but meerly wondering why they have been so popular with many renouned producers and engineers.

Basically, they supplied cheap, small, "home stereo" performance in the near field.

Once Bob (Clearmountain) started using them (the originals, by the way - Not the "studio" version) and making good recordings, everyone wanted to get a pair.

In the grand scheme, they certainly aren't bad to have around. They sound pretty consistent from room to room and if you can get used to "their sound," they can be helpful tools.

The thing that I don't understand is why so many people (mostly home & basement setups) would use them as their main monitors when there are SO many arguably better-sounding monitors out there. I'm assuming that they don't understand that in 90% of the studios the NS-10's are used in, they're the "B" and even perhaps the "C" set. Rarely are they the "workhorse" mains for critical listening.

There are different requirements for monitors in a mastering enviornment vs. a production enviornment.

IMO the ideal in a studio monitor is not a speaker that "sounds good" as was mentioned but rather one that makes you mix stuff that "sounds good".

The NS10s are not something I would use to listen to a favorite CD but they work very well for me in a way that makes me perform mixes that sound good on a lot of different systems.

My expierence has shown me that if I can get it to sound good on the NS10's, it will sound good anywhere. The NS10s are also very lineiar in respoinse, no matter what levels you are listening to them at. A lot of other "monitors" will have a different frequency response at different SPLs ...

Last, NS10's are (or at least, used to be) a known quanity. Almost every major room has (had) a pair .. so for consistancy from studio to studio, they could be called upon.

The NS10s are not something I would use to listen to a favorite CD but they work very well for me in a way that makes me perform mixes that sound good on a lot of different systems.

What i don't understand is why recording/mixing monitors has to sound that bad?
Why not mix at pair of monitors that actually sound good so you also can hear your favorite albums on them? a pair that actually plays music.

The NS10 have a way of putting sertain things upfront that people like as guidance while recording/mixing and 90% of the other monitors on the marked do this to. I just think that music is more complex than "sertain things" and you therefore have to hear everything to really go in depth with recording/mixing.
But then the subject arises... on what monitors do you hear "everything"?

This is a hefty subject and peoble has there different references. I just had to write my own opinion on the subject.

Best Regards

It's been said that the ns10 boost the problem areas that are more common when mixing, sorta forcing one to concentrate more on it. Is it like going to boot-camp just for a good work out? well...

I like the msp5 among the cheaper bunch, they are 'nicer' sounding then ns10 but work in a similar way. They hardly wow any clients, but when I throw up to the larger speakers or even in a car, it'll pretty much be what I was expecting - often times better.

Then again, I ussually mix at low levels, and check details and lowend on other systems

I think buying monitors is like buying a bed... You can never tell how comfortable it is till you sleep on it for few nights.

This is especially the case with the NS10s - some people love them, some people hate them. Personally, I'm a fan, and even if I don't mix on them, I would always approve my final mix on them. On the other hand, some people I work with can't stand them (they don't sound good like the Genelecs, Mackie, etc.).

For me they make decisions easy, especially with vocals and electric guitars (which I have a bit of a problem with on the Genelec 1031s in their current environment). When I listen to my mixes through them I can immediately spot mistakes. But it also has to do with the room they are in, the amp, etc.

I think that out of your 3 choices the NS10s are your best shot (personally, I'm not a big fan of the Events). Bare in mind that you can always add monitors in the future (like the Genelec new 8000 - which are magical), and as the NS10s are discontinued, they are only going to be harder to find; if you dislike them - there is always going to be someone who will buy them, probably for the same price you paid if not more...

And as Kurt said - they are a standard in the industry, which makes it always a good thing to know them.

For some reason, the price on the NT10s on the used market here has gone up recently and is now completely disproportionate to what they're really worth. Who would pay up to 1500 dollars for a pair of NS10s?!

After some research I think I'm definitely going to go for the NS10s, in addition to one of the others mentioned..
As for the prices goingg up on the NS10s aren't they a collectors item now because they're made from a rare tree in Japan that's now extinct/endangered (paper tree or something like that?)? So if the speaker blows does that part have to be replaced?

As far as I know:

Yamaha says they discontinued them as they can't find the wood anymore.

Replacement drivers are still available, though I've heard there are some problems getting them now as well...

These replacements are for most of the NS10s but not for the earliest version - so I've been told...

Can anyone support/contradict this?