Edited question:The Audioengine A5's, Alesis M1 520 or M-audio BX5 Deluxe?

[macsander]

Sorry my mistake..I just assumed since you were looking at studio monitors you were going to be doing some mixing.

In this case I would say you may find studio monitors will not produce a warm friendly sound - I can only imagine budget monitors to have this same sonic character as well as being of poorer sonic quality.

I think someone has already answered this for you but your asking again - so basically Studio monitors have a very clinical sound which a lot of people find fatiguing to listen to for pleasure.

Have you not considered hi-fi separates instead ? A nice quality high end audio amplifier and a matched good pair of hi-fi speakers will likely give you a much more enjoyable and pleasurable sound.

You seem to think studio monitors are what you want when your not going to be mixing on them - Can I ask why ?

Of course you can m8, because some people in this thread said monitors were the best but I found that hard to believe as well because why wouldn't there be more people buying monitors for music listening if they were better than Hi-fi etc speakers. That's why I am asking people like you those questions, to help me get the best I can So no monitors you say, which I can understand.

Bare in mind that I want the speakers connected to my Imac, what setup would you recommend? (looks must be matching with the Imac as well, don't want some woody speakers or ugly ones on my desk) Sound quality even more important of course.

What do you think of the AudioEngine A5's, aren't those hi-fi speakers as well (with an amp build in)?

 

[surferfromuk]

Of course you can m8, because some people in this thread said monitors were the best but I found that hard to believe as well because why wouldn't there be more people buying monitors for music listening if they were better than Hi-fi etc speakers. That's why I am asking people like you those questions, to help me get the best I can So no monitors you say, which I can understand.

Bare in mind that I want the speakers connected to my Imac, what setup would you recommend? (looks must be matching with the Imac as well, don't want some woody speakers or ugly ones on my desk) Sound quality even more important of course.

What do you think of the AudioEngine A5's, aren't those hi-fi speakers as well (with an amp build in)?

I had a look at the audioEngine website and imo those speakers look like a very nicely put together package. I think they have some good technical foundations like 50W RMS power per channel and a torrodial transformer, fully shielded and the ability to drop an ipod into them, and also stream to a piggybacked airport express is a hoot! I doubt they'll have the high volume headroom of a nice NAD amp with a pair of good speakers or the sweet distortion of an expensive (but cheap) chinese Valve amp, but I could easily be very wrong about that - not having heard them.

I personally use an airport express and I think it adds a nice warmth to AAC files coming from my home hi-fi speakers - and that's through a jack plug - I don't think I 'lose' anything important in sound quality - if anything the coloration enhances them - just like the coloration of my very expensive Valve headphone amp deliberately 'adds' distortion to the sound of my headphones. Music is a very subjective thing!!.

So here's what studio monitors are really all about - For example ; on my event TR8's I can hear tape splices on Revolution by The Beatles - I can hear a number of jump cuts and when dubs have been dropped in - there is even a nasty vocal mistake I'd never heard until the first time I put them on the TR8's. Now that doesn't help me enjoy that song on them and the first time I played that track on them I was first amazed by the revealing sound but also equally I lost a tiny bit of magic by having the music laid so clinically bare. As a producer the detail in my own mixes is important but I don't like to spoil the music of others that I love and enjoy by scrutinising them on speakers with such a brutally honest delivery.

I think there are a LOT of really BAD hi-fi speakers out there but equally there are a lot of shockingly bad studio monitors....in the end you should go to a hi-fi shop and audition some or find a way to try the A5's at home and if you don't like them, send them back!.

 

[macsander]

Hi thanks for all the help, if I don't get any other suggestions I am going to make a choice out of these three:
Alesis m1 520
M-audio BX5a Deluxe

or
The Audioengine A5's

The first 2 are studio monitors check out the links the last one, well I think you know them also check it out. Quite different speakers

Please tell me which I should buy, which sound the richest etc.

This is my final question I hope to see some good opinions and feedback on this one before I am going to buy the speakers, Thanks a lot!

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Hi thanks for all the help, if I don't get any other suggestions I am going to make a choice out of these three:
Alesis m1 520
M-audio BX5a Deluxe

or
The Audioengine A5's

The first 2 are studio monitors check out the links the last one, well I think you know them also check it out. Quite different speakers

Please tell me which I should buy, which sound the richest etc.

This is my final question I hope to see some good opinions and feedback on this one before I am going to buy the speakers, Thanks a lot!

Behringer B2031a's, mine are hard to tell the difference with between my Mackie's, this was after I tested the Alesis and the M-Audo BX8a

 

[chiefroastbeef]

The only way you'll ever find out is to find a store that has all three and test them out. Even if someone has tested all three on this board, their ear is much different than yours and will hear things differently than you.

Most audiophile forums/sites rate the A5s really highly, I'd get those if I were you. I'm currently saving up for the A2s, I wish I had the money to blow on the A5s! The Ipod dock is SUCH a plus, and I like how the volume knob is up front on the A5. I do like the compactness of the A2s though...

 

[macsander]

Please m8's, I would like some other opinions and experiences on this, thanks!

 

[PecanEater]

Any more feedback on the M-Audio BX5A Deluxe monitors? I haven't been able to find much info about them.

I'm a neophyte when it comes to this area some I'm struggling to get clear information on the differences between studio monitors and speakers. Also what's the difference between balanced and unbalanced inputs?

I just picked up a pair of brand new M-Audio BX5A Deluxe monitors for $199 (shipped) so I'll be finding out myself in a week or so. Just interested in getting a better understanding in general.