I recently bought a pair of krk v6's and love them, I can't comment on the other pair.

I don't think that the MSP5 was intended to be the next NS10. It's my understanding that it is meant to be a "better" monitor with a more accurate image across the chart as opposed to the NS10's being all mid-range, no lows, and fatiguing high end.

Hey LAhiphopproducer!

You said you produce country, right??? :wink:

What's yer budget? Personally, I bought a pair of the KRK ST6s a while back (the passive version of the V6) and wasn't all that impressed. For the money, they were quite decent, however, they truly did fail to "impress."

The Yamahas are quite nice - linear and accurate. However, for hip-hop, prepare to add a well adjusted, clean sub. The Yammies simply won't put out the necessary low end for you.

I would say, check out some of the new M-Audio stuff or even the Wharfedales. Both of these are in the same price range (cheap) and sound rather decent. On the higher end of the price spectrum, again with an eye (er, ear) to hip-hop, I would say PMC or Dynaudios. Of course the Event SP series are damn-nice too!

J.

My budget is $500-700. So basically the msp5's dont have ear fatigue. Krk v6's get another nod. And the msp5's might not be good for hip hop because they dont have the low end...yet a subwoofer addition will do the trick to cover. How much is a quality subwoofer that will suit my hip hop productions? What are some subwoofer models? How essential is a subwooofer if one is needed at all? Do the Dynaudios have good low-end? For some reason i picture monitoring a Subwoofer or low end as hard so it becomes of almost no benefit to have one, am i wrong? Thx for replies.

Well, good subwoofers can be terribly expensive. Decent subwoofers (such as SV Subwoofers - actually pretty darned good subs) can be had in the $400 range.

If you are looking to mix anything with a lot of bass, you need monitors capable of producing that bass or a subwoofer. I use the Dynaudio BM15s personally and find that they serve me just fine in the low range. The BM5a's (active) run around $999 and are quite respectable in the low frequencies.

Neither the K6 nor the Yammies have a significant low end to speak of.

The important thing about a sub is getting it properly calibrated and set up. Don't just set it so that it's bumping... You have to make sure that signal sweeps (20-200 Hz tones) come across as even and one isn't louder than the other.

Then you have to make sure the monitors and the subs are in phase. (Actually that should be step one).

The M-Audio and the Events have decent bass to boot.

J.

THanks....i keep learning new things. Subwoofers are bit steep in price =/. Ill have a look at the dynaudios. Do you think if i go with the Dynaudios i can bypass a subwoofer? Do you produce hip hop?

If you went with the BM5a's you would find that they would be quite adequate after getting used to them. You will learn what sounds they make when they get the right amount of bass. In other words, you could probably get away without the subwoofer.

Personally, using the BM15s, I don't find myself needing a subwoofer, but then again, these are considerably bigger and more expensive monitors.

I don't produce hip-hop on a regular basis, though I have worked on a few projects (mainly mastering). My main background is classical, but I've done quite a bit of jazz, r&b and rock.

J. 8-)

A couple of things.

I own NS10ms and the whole ear fatigue thing is waaaaaaay overblown. Sure your ears may start bothering you if you've been mixing for 12 hours on them .... but then again, if you're taking 12 hours to do a mix, you've got some other problems you need to address first ... like why it takes 12 hours to complete a mix. It's not freakin' brain surgery for cryin' out loud.

This whole concept of working 16+ hours straight is a hang over from the days when studio owners needed to milk sessions for as much time as possible so they could pay for the cocaine that they had to take .... so they could work long sessions ... to pay for the coke ... so they could work long sessions.

In the years that preceeded the advent of independent studios, when record lables owned most of the studios (you know, back when they still made good records), most recording sessions were booked for 4 hours max. A typical day would start at 10 am and end at 8 pm ... with 3 different sessions taking place. Usually at a session, three or four songs were recorded ... completely. Little or no no mixing, it was usually done mostly as they tracked. In the mid to late 60's, as more tracks, mixing after the session and overly indulgent recording budgets came into play, the mega marathon sessions came to be. I personally don't think that things got any better though.

Second, it's wonderful to have a ton of low end ... but if your mixing room can't handle it (typical of most home studios) you're better off without it. You can't stuff 10 lbs. of sh*t in a 5 lb. bag.

You will never see a small professionally designed studio with huge monitors. Unless your room is at least 2500 cu. ft, (14 feet wide and even longer, with tall ceilings) you are probably better off with small monitors that only go down to 50 Hz. (at the most).

I think the MSP5's have very good low end response, considering what they are. When I compared them to my much larger and more expensive Tannoys, they held their own very well, even in the low end.

Kurt Foster wrote: ...so they could pay for the cocaine that they had to take .... so they could work long sessions ... to pay for the coke ... so they could work long sessions.

HA! Frikkin Funny!!! I thought I was the only one who made jokes about that sh*tty commercial from the 80s. Thanks for not making me feel old!

Oh, and by the way, I've completely obliterated the need for that nowadays - I simply have my clients pay me in coke. If they can't afford it, a little speed or crystal meth will do, I just can't guarantee my quality workmanship and dedication to long hours...

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few lines to do and 18 hours of straight mixing to get back to! :shock:

J. :D

Haha good humor you two. Nice stuff. K the room scenario is a good point....my room is not near 2500 sq feet. More like maybe 450 sq feet if i were to estimate and i have a neighbor on the otherside of one of my walls...who happens to be a producer and has NS10s that he said he was selling. These monitors are going to my first monitor purchase...so that given im wonderin if i should go with the $500 Msp5's over the $1000 Dynaudios. And just wait and then sell my msp5's for 300-400 and get me the Dynaudios when I can afford them in 6-12 months.

Hey LA -

One item to take notice on - Kurt stated 3000 cubic feet. If your room is truly 450 square feet and has 8 foot ceilings than your room is actually around 3400 cubic feet and a good sized room at that.

The BM5a's are a good "all rounder" speaker - they'll work well in smaller rooms but will also do just fine in medium to bigger rooms too. The BM15s need room to breath.

J.

I LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my MsP5s.
They have made a freggin huge difference in my rock recordings.

Nothin but Love for those bad boys.

Justin

I'm also making hip-hop and am trying to decide between the Yamahas and the M-Audio BX8s. Anyone have any ideas of which is "better"?

i'd go yamaha