Monitor Brands we carry instore
A Studio monitor should give you neutral sound colouring, reproducing the sound as accurately as possible, a wide frequency response and great stereo imaging ( The monitors should disappear and the sounds should feel like its moving between the speakers).
Most studio monitors consist of two separate drivers or speakers. They are built into a cabinet normally made from wood or plastic. The top driver in the speaker is called the tweeter. They are often cone shaped and are responsible for producing the high frequency ( starting at 2khz )
The bottom speaker, is called a woofer. They are also generally cone-shaped and responsible for producing low and mid-range frequencies in monitors with two drivers (called two-way).
Some monitors have a third driver, a mid-range speaker. In the three-way system, the tweeter will produce high frequencies, the mid-range speaker will produce mid frequencies, and the woofer will produce low frequencies.
Factors to look at when buying studio monitors
Size of monitors
The size of the monitors should match the size of your space. In a small space small monitors would work well, in a large space, your monitors will have to be larger.
Position of monitors
Your monitor position has a huge impact on the accuracy of your listening experience. Monitors should always be balanced towards you and should be at ear height for the best sound. They should be equally aligned to the wall ( the closer to the wall the more sound reflects off the surface )
The listening position should preferably be centered in the room, often approximately one third the length of the long wall. If the monitors are too close to a corner, there will be an increase in bass response. The monitors should be as far from each other as from the listener, turned towards the listener in a perfect triangle.
This configuration will produce the proper frequency response and stereo image for the monitors you’re using.
Near-Field v.s. Far-Field
Depending on the position and size of the room as discussed above you need to assess which speakers will be best for your situation. For a better clear sound in a small room, you will need near-field monitors ( they are meant to be closer to the listener ), this allows you to hear audio before it hits anything else in the room. Far-field monitors should be at least 10 feet from the listener and used in a well acoustically treated room. These monitors are build with higher volume abilities.
Passive or Active Monitors
Active monitors have a built in power amplifier and it then utilizes an active crossover. This means you don’t need an amplifier or to worry about matching the speakers with the amp or the crossover. Less wires, less math and quality audio, it seems like the simplest solution. But a great plus point for passive speakers are the fact that you can add pieces as you go along, or upgrade.
Subwoofers & tweeters
If your music tend to have a lot of low-end frequencies, you should consider using an additional sub-woofer to enable yourself to make better choices while mixing low end frequencies.
Handling the high-frequency side of things, tweeters come in many different forms, but there are three definitive types predominantly used in the studio setting; soft dome, ribbon and metal. All three bring different elements to the table, as soft dome is thought be a more manageable for longer sessions, ribbon offers a larger area of frequency that allows for making easier decisions and metal tends to be more detailed.
Accessories
- Stands
- Cables
- Isolation Pads
