HT Speakers vs. Pro Studio Monitors? (1 Viewer)

[Justin Erdman]

Hi everyone,

I've been a member for a while now, but I haven't posted much, mainly being happy to read and learn.

But now I'm in the market for a new pair of speaks and I have a question to put to everyone...

I am a musician and have auditioned professional studio monitors in the past for use in music production - Behringers, Mackies, JBLs etc. I've always thought they sounded great, as a general rule.

SO, maybe I'm being dumb, but why would I purchase speakers other than studio monitors for use in any situation - and specifically in my home theatre? Aren't the most transparent, accurate speakers always the goal? And wouldn't studio monitors fit that bill, maybe better than HT speaks at a few times the price?

I mean, professionals use them to mix and master the music and audio tracks that are on CDs and DVDs...so wouldn't it make sense to try to listen to these tracks on the same speaks that they were created on?

Oh, and in case you're wondering, I'm currently considering Behringer Truth monitors...they're super-cheap at a store near me...

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

[Chu Gai]

if you like them that's great. the variety is greater in the non-pro area. but it's really very much a matter of taste and i'm sure you could find something acceptable either way.

 

[Greg_R]

There are certainly people who use pro monitors for their HTs. One thing to watch out for is that some pro gear has a response curve that is deliberately not flat. This is done to simulate different environments in the studio. Be sure the speakers you get don't have this feature.

Another possible downside is the cost of upgrading the speakers. Since pro monitors usually contain the amplifier you'll be spending more (speaker + amp) if/when you decide to upgrade.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I mean, professionals use them to mix and master the music and audio tracks that are on CDs and DVDs...so wouldn't it make sense to try to listen to these tracks on the same speaks that they were created on?

The speakers you’ve named here are used more in budget recording studio that specialize in no-name local bands. You won’t find these speakers in many big-name professional recording studios. Facilities that master movie soundtracks don’t use near-field monitors, and I expect DVD mastering facilities don’t either, since they are not the kind of speakers people hear movies on.

So if you’re really looking for the “same speaks” that are used for making the CDs and DVDs you listen to, you’ll have to look further – and pay a lot more.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Most high end Studios use M&K, B&W,JBL, And the Vintage
Yamaha Monitors (forget the model)

M&K makes some mighty fine monitors, not cheap in the least
though..