I'm looking to get a decent pair of active studio monitors. I don't care much for the argument that passive monitors are better, I'm sure they are in many ways, but I'm trying to get something cheap and better than my computer speakers.
I've had my eyes on the KRK Rokit 6 G3s. I've never been able to hear them irl, but a lot of people seem to say they are not so good or "amateur." I'm not really sure what to make of it, it seems to me a bad sign that a lot of amateur producers swear by them while tried and true engineers seem to be very meh about them.
Does anyone actually own a pair/have you heard them? Are they worth it for the low price tag? If not, what monitors would be better around the same price? Thanks!
Are KRK Rokits really so bad?
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- KVRer
- 15 posts since 15 Nov, 2014
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- KVRAF
- 4079 posts since 28 Jan, 2011 from MEXICO
MOnitors are supposed to give you a very objective point of view fo what you are doing, so you can take good decisions when producing.
Rokits have a boost in the low end and in the mids, so you think you have a great bass but when you listen on another system you will be like "where is my bass?".
But well if you learn how they lie, yes they are not so bad, better than computer speakers. But why not get something more easy to work with? IMHO Yamaha HS line of monitors are more honest, they don't sound great as more expensive monitors and maybe lack detail (in this price range everything would be a compromise) but at least they are way more flat.
Rokits have a boost in the low end and in the mids, so you think you have a great bass but when you listen on another system you will be like "where is my bass?".
But well if you learn how they lie, yes they are not so bad, better than computer speakers. But why not get something more easy to work with? IMHO Yamaha HS line of monitors are more honest, they don't sound great as more expensive monitors and maybe lack detail (in this price range everything would be a compromise) but at least they are way more flat.
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- KVRist
- 214 posts since 17 Jan, 2003
Not bad at all for the price. There are better options but I prefer them to that Yamaha sound. There isn't anything extremely wrong about them. They are just not very detailed. Definitely in the learn and live with it category.
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- KVRist
- 360 posts since 1 Nov, 2012 from England
I have the KRK Rokit 6's which I've owned for about 4 years now. I bought them when I first started producing because I kept getting recommended them on other forums, and they are the only monitors I've owned so far.
IMO, they are good entry level monitors at this price and size. Yes they are 'coloured' somewhat (especially in the low end) but you learn how to work with them. Overall I'm happy with them, although now I'm at a stage where I would like to get some better, more expensive monitors.
IMO, they are good entry level monitors at this price and size. Yes they are 'coloured' somewhat (especially in the low end) but you learn how to work with them. Overall I'm happy with them, although now I'm at a stage where I would like to get some better, more expensive monitors.
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- KVRian
- 702 posts since 19 Mar, 2014 from Denver, CO
Not sure about the 6 G3's, but the 5's are that bad IMO. I owned them as my first pair of monitors and thought they were fine, albeit bumped in the lows. But listening to all the 5" powered monitors, the Rokits were dead last in sound quality to me, and it wasn't even really close. And now with the JBL LSR's at the same price point, it's a no brainer to avoid the 5's.
But as I said, the 6's may be different. And others have mentioned...learning your monitors and how they affect the sound (use reference mixes) can help remove any bumps/dips in the sound frequencies.
But as I said, the 6's may be different. And others have mentioned...learning your monitors and how they affect the sound (use reference mixes) can help remove any bumps/dips in the sound frequencies.
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- KVRist
- 113 posts since 23 Nov, 2012
ive got the krk 6 g2 and there brilliant for the money sure you can get better if you pay more money but for under £400 you would be hard pushed to beat them.the krk 6 are more balanced than the krk 5 which have not much bass so you would need a sub to use them properly and the krk 8 are are little too bassy for a lot of home studios and would need isolating on your desk too give you a cleaner sound.
ive had Yamaha ns10..alesis..m audio..jbl...roland..other brands but I like the krk 6 the best they don't fatigue your ears if your doing a long session and there pretty accurate but like all monitors you need to get used to them each brand has its plus and minus points and not everyone agrees which are best.but krk always get top reviews and look on a lot of studio lists a lot of dance / hiphop producers use them and the reason they use them is you get good mixs with them and are suited best for those genres.
if your doing rock id stay away from them krks don't sound well with heavy rock so youd need look elsewere ive used adams years ago for a few rock tracks and they were my goto choice .
if you shop around you may find g2 cheaper than g3 if you can get those the g2/g3 sound exactly the same it was just slight cosmetic changes on the outside really the actual sound is the same,i saved £30 per speaker buying the g2 I tried lots of monitors out when I bought mine if you can try a few out in a store near you and ask what deal they could do you.
I got a pair of krk 6 g2 with isolators and cables for £230 so be cheeky and do a bit of blagging
ive had Yamaha ns10..alesis..m audio..jbl...roland..other brands but I like the krk 6 the best they don't fatigue your ears if your doing a long session and there pretty accurate but like all monitors you need to get used to them each brand has its plus and minus points and not everyone agrees which are best.but krk always get top reviews and look on a lot of studio lists a lot of dance / hiphop producers use them and the reason they use them is you get good mixs with them and are suited best for those genres.
if your doing rock id stay away from them krks don't sound well with heavy rock so youd need look elsewere ive used adams years ago for a few rock tracks and they were my goto choice .
if you shop around you may find g2 cheaper than g3 if you can get those the g2/g3 sound exactly the same it was just slight cosmetic changes on the outside really the actual sound is the same,i saved £30 per speaker buying the g2 I tried lots of monitors out when I bought mine if you can try a few out in a store near you and ask what deal they could do you.
I got a pair of krk 6 g2 with isolators and cables for £230 so be cheeky and do a bit of blagging
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- KVRAF
- 2158 posts since 11 Oct, 2007 from Almanya
Had a set of RP5 G1s, they were boomy as heck. Not even the "good" deep end, but the "just lower than cardboard" deep end. All my mixes at that time had way too much sub-bass, no balls and too much top-end. But then, the room I was mixing in had zero treatment, so it was really a sub-optimal location to start with. Was happy when I got rid of 'em.
Listened to a set of smaller VXT4s in direct comparison to the Rokit 5 G2 and Rokit 6 once, the VXT4 had a way better frequency balance overall. Less of the really low bottoms, but somehow a more linear mid/high range balance, less tweety. That was in a treated room, though. Had my card on the table but didn't want to wait 2 weeks for the delivery, so I didn't get them.
Listened to a set of smaller VXT4s in direct comparison to the Rokit 5 G2 and Rokit 6 once, the VXT4 had a way better frequency balance overall. Less of the really low bottoms, but somehow a more linear mid/high range balance, less tweety. That was in a treated room, though. Had my card on the table but didn't want to wait 2 weeks for the delivery, so I didn't get them.
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- KVRian
- 893 posts since 27 Oct, 2004 from Inside the kick drum
G2 and G3 do NOT sound same at all. Generation 3 sounds much, much better. Turn bass down 2db behind your G3 monitors, and the overal sound is much more balanced. I use 5 G3's, and people are praising my mixes and asking how I mix so clean, so I guess they sound pretty ok.
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- KVRist
- 113 posts since 23 Nov, 2012
Are you treating your room?i ask this because it can make a massive differnce i spent over £500 just treating my studio.i know this is a lot but it does make a difference my mate whos a builder made me moveable isolators i can take down and move around.
The krk vtx are a much better monitor but thats also reflected in the price there nearly twice as much.
The krk vtx are a much better monitor but thats also reflected in the price there nearly twice as much.
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- KVRAF
- 8237 posts since 22 Sep, 2008 from Windsor. UK
Rokits are crap, end of story.
They may have been ok 5-6 years ago when there wasn't very much competition in that price range but these days there are so, so many better options for the money.
Most people that recommend them are either a) endorsed/paid to do so or b) don't really have any experience with any other monitor.
They are boomy hi fi speakers that make things sound good, which is why people use them at NAMM etc to demo their gear.
They may have been ok 5-6 years ago when there wasn't very much competition in that price range but these days there are so, so many better options for the money.
Most people that recommend them are either a) endorsed/paid to do so or b) don't really have any experience with any other monitor.
They are boomy hi fi speakers that make things sound good, which is why people use them at NAMM etc to demo their gear.
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