Although I’m seeing this rule broken an awful lot lately, particularly in the low-mid to mid-priced range of monitors, it is supposed to go like this: Monitors are supposed to sound TRUE, not GOOD. If they begin to sound good, it will only be because the music being fed through them sounds good.
Theory aside, few of even the best monitors are completely flat. We don’t sit around partying to a 1kHz pure sine waves. We don’t check our nominal levels between each song in the queue when trying to enjoy music for music’s sake.
I think the biggest factor in searching for a new set of monitors is that I would have to know what set(s) you have been using steadily for a while. The lower in price we go, the more every model has a distinctive ‘voice’. Some believe these various voices fall into types or groups. I tend to agree.
For the record, I have no issues with the Yamahas but then I’m biased to much of their product line (with the exception of Steinberg). Many years ago, a Yamaha rep saved my band from losing a few important gigs. I’m not entirely keen on Yamaha’s guitar amp line, but I was that week! More important, I approve of their business ethic and the hard work they throw into it. I’ve seen that they have started cleaning house at Steinberg, and I believe you can expect more improvements there. Their whole approach to the public has changed there.
Getting off-topic here, but they do make lots of great musical stuff with integrity. I linked an M-Audio pair and the Rokkits. Everybody is talking about every model of the Rokkits, and the M-Audios are just an example of ‘affordable sturdy.’
I don’t know who is running Kurzweil anymore or what they make. I did know its namesake sold out and went off to be a genius inventor somewhere else.
Finally, someone has admitted mixing/recording with nEars and has given a thumbs up to them. Still, some will always consider that sacrilege!
Sure are an awful lot of choices in lower price point speakers these days!
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). KRKs are good and this was really a matter of personal preference (they have too much bottom end somehow and that’s what I didn’t like, but maybe it’s just me – NS10’s have low frequency drop).
