Audio Monitors Question

Hi. I use Sibelius to compose music. I'd like to improve the sound quality of my finished products. Eventually I'd like to have professional-sounding mixes, but I realize this is a long ways down the road and will probably take several years of learning, practice and experimentation, plus equipment upgrades.

One of my first tasks is getting sound decent studio monitors. I'm not ready to invest in professional-quality monitors yet, but I'd like to get something with relatively flat frequency response and neutral sound for a price that I won't feel terrible about if I have to upgrade in a few years. After doing some research, I think I've narrowed my search to two possibilities, the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Powered Speakers, for around $150/pair, and the Yamaha HS50M 5" Monitor Speaker, at around $300/pair. Both are within my current price range, although the Yamahas are at the upper limit.

Does anyone have experience with either of these monitors? Has anyone ever have an opportunity to compare them? I'd be grateful for any advice/comments that you might have about this. Thanks.

Glenn Simonelli

Hi. I use Sibelius to compose music. I'd like to improve the sound quality of my finished products. Eventually I'd like to have professional-sounding mixes, but I realize this is a long ways down the road and will probably take several years of learning, practice and experimentation, plus equipment upgrades.

One of my first tasks is getting sound decent studio monitors. I'm not ready to invest in professional-quality monitors yet, but I'd like to get something with relatively flat frequency response and neutral sound for a price that I won't feel terrible about if I have to upgrade in a few years. After doing some research, I think I've narrowed my search to two possibilities, the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Powered Speakers, for around $150/pair, and the Yamaha HS50M 5" Monitor Speaker, at around $300/pair. Both are within my current price range, although the Yamahas are at the upper limit.

Does anyone have experience with either of these monitors? Has anyone ever have an opportunity to compare them? I'd be grateful for any advice/comments that you might have about this. Thanks.

Glenn Simonelli

Well, If you want to get professional sounding mixes, you should be getting a proper DAW, notation programs cannot make your music sound human and realistic. You do need a decent pair of speakers, but if you keep making tunes on your notation program, you won't see much improvement. You should get it all or don't get anything in my opinion.

Well, If you want to get professional sounding mixes, you should be getting a proper DAW, notation programs cannot make your music sound human and realistic. You do need a decent pair of speakers, but if you keep making tunes on your notation program, you won't see much improvement. You should get it all or don't get anything in my opinion.

I appreciate this, and that's what I'm working toward. But I'm taking this one step at a time, and the first thing I need to do is get some good audio monitors so I can create a decent mix. It's just a starting point, but until I get some good monitors there's no point in investing in DAWs and VSTs and the like.

Well I do not have great experience but I own the Blue Sky eXo2s and to me they are great. They often get mentioned as serious low end monitoring solution (have a look over at the gearslutz forum for example)

Yamahas are great! M-Audios are good too but the low-end is not to honest. I have PT7 and still going strong.

I have Mackie HR824's; I'm very pleased with them.    But they've been updated by a newer model # now...   If I had the money, I'd go for Genelecs or Adams..  Just as important as the speakers is the sound generating portion, be it software or hardware. If you have lot's of soft synths,  be careful when EQ'ing them..