KVR Audio

dickiefunk · Post by **dickiefunk** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:41 am

Hi. I'm looking for a pair of small budget active monitors for my studio. I already have a pair of Tannoy Reveal 8D's which I love. I am going to be moving into a smaller room for about 6-12 months and feel that my Tannoys would be to big. I would like a small pair of monitors that I could use in the smaller room and eventually add to my existing setup and use as referance monitors. My budget is $250 / £135. The monitors on my shortlist are:-

ESI Near 5
Tascam VL-X5
Alesis M1 520

Which would you recommend as being the best solution?

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:45 am

I can vouch for the Near 05's. They're quite reliable with surprising bass extension (once you get used to it) and my mixes have never sounded better. They've actually become more reliable when I moved to a (even) smaller room last fall!

By all means, make sure you check them all out, and I look forward to getting something more precise one day, but the ESI's are excellent VFM, and they'll match that setup nicely, I wager.

dickiefunk · Post by **dickiefunk** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:10 pm

Thanks for the info. I would like to check out all the monitors if possible but the nearest dealer for ESI is about 300 miles away from where I live. It may be possible to check out the Tascam and Alesis but it's still about 120 miles to travel! It would cost at least 50% of the price of the monitors just to hear them!

P.S. Do you have the Near 05's Classic or Near 05 Experience?

bool · Post by **bool** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:31 pm

http://www.eqmag.com/story.asp?storycode=14162

Tascam VLX5 goes quite low, because it measures 29cm x 29cm (H x D) - that's same depth as f.e. genelec 1031/1032A!!! - and 60Watt amp for bass driver.

A nuance less precise soundwise than my genelecs 1029, but deeper bass. Some say it's pretty close with KRK V6, can't comment on that.

No chinch input, if that bothers you, though.

JeffSanders · Post by **JeffSanders** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:38 pm

I'll vouch for the nEar05's too...Love them. Love 'em longtime.

bambooman · Post by **bambooman** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:32 pm

i use the alesis 520

i was close to go for the near05
but i like the top power switches (alesis 520)
and the fact that i *can* place them
close to walls and corners if i wanted to etc.
plus they go even a little bit lower (bass) than the near05.

i heard from people who use the (old)near05
that the fake black-wood surface comes off after a while etc.

so the 520 or (new) near05exp. are better when it comes
down to this issue.

i've tested all 3x of them at my dealer,
and i'm happy with the 520s.

*
the 520 are weak in the upper mids
and the near05 are weak in the lower mids.

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:56 pm

A couple things:

dickiefunk, I have the near05 classics, I bought them used for $200 CAD, and that brings me to the second point: the black paint on the woofer cone seems to come off easily, as it has many scratches, but the main wood shell is fine.

I didn't realise that you have to travel that far just to try them out!

Well, in that case, I'd go with the most popular choice here. Bambooman has some good advice there, I would agree that the place where I've had the biggest problem with my mixes is the low-mids, but I think that tighter low end is saving me from having to worry abou the room so much. And they really liked the switch to hardwood floors, whatever that means.

Good luck!!

MelodyMan · Post by **MelodyMan** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:02 pm

JeffSanders wrote:I'll vouch for the nEar05's too...Love them. Love 'em longtime.

+1

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:42 pm

Oooh, the 05's are definitely in the lead ATM...

dickiefunk · Post by **dickiefunk** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:27 am

Well it seems to be either the ESI Near 5's or the Tascams. I put up another thread on a different forum and 100% of the replies recommended the Tascams where as the ESI seem pick of the bunch here. Has anyone had a chance to compare the ESI and Tascams?

polybeep · Post by **polybeep** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:51 am

+1 for the Near-05's. I've had a set since they were first released (ie; several years) and they have been very reliable. In addition nobody has ever told me there's anything wrong with my mixes in any consistent way, so they must be telling me the sonic truth

Royal T. · Post by **Royal T.** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:20 am

What is A ESI Near 5 monitor.Can somebody please show me a photo, website or namebrand cuz I'm also trying to upgrade my Monitors.KRK V6 and JBL 4208.Can someone please help me please..

polybeep · Post by **polybeep** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:50 am

Royal T. wrote:What is A ESI Near 5 monitor

http://www.esi-pro.com/viewProduct.php?pid=50&page=1

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:56 am

Royal T. wrote:What is A ESI Near 5 monitor.Can somebody please show me a photo, website or namebrand cuz I'm also trying to upgrade my Monitors.KRK V6 and JBL 4208.Can someone please help me please..

Uh...a 5" speaker would be a downgrade for you, my friend.

Royal T. · Post by **Royal T.** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 6:12 am

bduffy wrote:
Royal T. wrote:What is A ESI Near 5 monitor.Can somebody please show me a photo, website or namebrand cuz I'm also trying to upgrade my Monitors.KRK V6 and JBL 4208.Can someone please help me please..
Uh...a 5" speaker would be a downgrade for you, my friend.

Should I continue with the JBL and V6 or what do you think is better?The Yamaha HS80M,HS50M or what?

ESI Near 5, Tascam VL-X5 or Alesis M1 520?