Dynaudio Acoustics BM6A or Dynaudio Acoustics BM5A.

Or some ADAM stuff?

I'm a firm believer that NO monitor sucks!

Yup, not even Behringer Truths!

If you put a good loudspeaker (that is, well made - good cabinets, decent drivers and crossovers and appropriate internal volume) in a good-quality room (well-treated and placed correctly) you should be able to get a decent mix out of just about anything.

I've used:
Infinity RS200.3 loudspeakers
Boston Acoustics Loudspeakers
KRK ST6 passive monitors
Alesis M1 passive monitors

and more recently:

Adam P11
Dynaudio BM15
Genelec
Tannoy System 8

And all have their strengths and weaknesses.

I think if you are having to make a decision based on reviews and not on sound, I would honestly (not joking!) make the decision based on appearance more than reviews.

Here's my reasoning -
As for reviews, they're all positive. Rarely do I ever see a review which trashes a monitor (the publisher simply won't publish the info...) Most monitors of reputable origin are going to give you a good, usable sound. Get something that is physically attractive that will keep you happy every time you look at them.

I know - this is contrary to what EVERYONE will say here. But let's face the facts -
1. You're not going to get a chance to hear them and decide for yourself
2. Reviews are generally positive, so any speaker looks rosey (although, I will say for my review of the BM15's that I am GENUINELY impressed with these monitors. I do in fact own them now and use them on 100% of my mixes)
3. Your happiness is imporatant. If you have no solid baseline for which to compare your speakers, as long as they sound decent, you'll be very happy. You'll also grow accustomed to their sound and mix confidently once you've done so.

If they are butt-ugly (unless of course they're butt-ugly in a trendy sort of way), you won't be happy with your purchase. You'll have to look at these crappy, cheap looking monitors for the rest of your life. If they're made well, the quality will reflect in the craftsmanship of the speaker itself and you will likely be pleased with the sound too.

This probably isn't the answer you were looking for, but I am being relatively geniune.

BTW - my vote is obviously for the Dynaudio line of monitors. I don't know how anyone WOULDN'T be satisfied with these!

J. (y)

Wow Jeremy, I have never heard anyone come out and say that, but this is the conclusion that I've been coming to also. Well said!

I have the Tannoy Reveal 6Ds. I use them to mix music for tv. They work great for me, for what it's worth.

Hi Cosmo,

What kind of music are you looking to make? I ask because you mention using "electronic elements." If you're going to be mixing material that has a lot of deep bass (below 80 Hz or so), you'll want to make sure you get monitors (or a sub) that can give you a realistic picture of your low-end. The Mackie HR824's do a nice job of projecting deep bass without a sub. I think they extend (-3dB point) to 37Hz, which is pretty usable for most electronic music.

For what it's worth, my experience with Genelec monitors has been that Genelec sounds great on Genelec, but tends not to translate as well to other listening environments. Getting a pair of Yamaha NS10M's off of eBay (and a sub) would make sure your mixes translate well to most listening environments.

Hope that helps.

Jed

Thanks for the feedback all!

Cucco, pretty interesting answer! I wonder if that would work with selecting the rest of my gear ... hmmm perhaps I should reconsider the Blue Dragonfly mic :D ... Your comment does make sense..With so many advancements in audio technology, especially studio monitors, I guess it would be very unlikely that I would end up with a crappy pair, having spent a decent amount on them ... I must admit im pretty comfortable in making a decision now. I would definitely look into the Dynaudio line. So which Genelecs have you recently used? I'm interested to know how they worked out for you...

Citrusburst, by electronic elements I meant light beat patterns and synths complementing the guitar and vocal tracks. I do experiment with heavy bass samples from time to time and I’ve read that the HR824's are pretty responsive in that range ... Will check them out at the local dealers.

Cheers.

The Mackie HR824's do a nice job of projecting deep bass without a sub. I think they extend (-3dB point) to 37Hz

I can verify that, having performed quasi-anechoic measurements of this speaker myself. I measured the -3 dB point to be about 39 Hz. Their 1/3 octave smoothed response is also quite flat across the entire operating range, +/- 1.25 dB to be exact.

cosmo wrote: Thanks for the feedback all!

Cucco, pretty interesting answer! I wonder if that would work with selecting the rest of my gear ... hmmm perhaps I should reconsider the Blue Dragonfly mic :D ... Your comment does make sense..With so many advancements in audio technology, especially studio monitors, I guess it would be very unlikely that I would end up with a crappy pair, having spent a decent amount on them ... I must admit im pretty comfortable in making a decision now. I would definitely look into the Dynaudio line. So which Genelecs have you recently used? I'm interested to know how they worked out for you...

Hey - gear manufacturers make their stuff sexy for reason. It sells!

That's why Behringer stuff doesn't look sexy - it's so cheap, they don't need to spend the extra $5 to buy beautiful, hand-milled knobs and the likes. Their stuff sells cuz it's dirt cheap.

Yeah, in general, I don't think this is a bad rule - but it can get your ass in hot water. Don't always use this as your only basis to purchase. Sometimes things that look great aren't always great.

However, I do stand behind the fact that, as long as you're happy with your gear, you'll probably make it work for you - and let's face it, that's the goal.

As for the genelecs - I've never paid attention to their model numbers (nor have I with the Adams). I just can't get into them enough to be interested in learning 4 new numbers in a sequence... They were the older series (not the new "molded" cabinets) with the 8" woofer.

If you ask me what Schoeps I use or Gefells I use, I could tell you model and serial number on any of them - I couldn't even list a spec on the Genelecs - I just don't care about them...sorry.

J. 8-)

Cucco has a very valid point if you ask me.

I will only add that it is a very good idea to check out the used market a bit. With a bit of luck, and of course a bit of studying on the net, you most often can find the same stuff you are looking for at maybe half the new price. If you are willing to spend the same money, you often can go "one step" up the ladder in price (and perhaps in quality).

There also seems to be quite a bit of fashion going on here, so a monitor that was highly regarded a few years ago may be off the wanted list and might be selling used at a rather nice price.

Buying used stuff is a bit risky though as you cannot really be sure about the state of the stuff. With a bit of help from your friends you should be able to sort out the real lemons among the fruit.

Gunnar

PS: talking about Genelecs, I recently bought a really scruffy looking pair of S30-s, a very old model for about the same price the Behringer Thruth costs new. They sound a bit "hifi" to me, so they will fit perfectly in my living room for playing "vacuum cleaning music", the kind I put on the CD when it is time to do household chores such as ironing or general cleaning up.