Adam A7 vs Mackie MR8 vs Yamaha HS80M

[nowaysj]

Okay, I'll make an actual contribution to this thread.

I monitored for many years on ns-10's. They are fatiguing. Just listening briefly, you won't hear it, but after a full day sitting in front of those motherfuckers, and you will not want to hear ANYTHING anymore. I sold them a while ago when I was going to stop making music.

I don't know how the current version of the Yami's stack up. If they are similar, I would skip it.

When I was making my choice recently, it came down to the KRK 5's against the Mackie MR5's. I felt the Mackies were not accurate at all. I think the were very flattering. I really found the krk's to have a flatter, more accurate sound. The idea that the krk's are a hi fi speaker is ridiculous. Do you think flstuido is a crap daw too? I think that you are taking people's advice way to much on this one. Listen to people with experience, sure, that can be helpful, but they're not going to be in your studio with you. Only you are. Use your ears on this one.

And oh yeah, check out the take a picture of your studio thread. Check out what monitors people are using.

[charliefoy]

Okay, I'll make an actual contribution to this thread.

I monitored for many years on ns-10's. They are fatiguing. Just listening briefly, you won't hear it, but after a full day sitting in front of those motherfuckers, and you will not want to hear ANYTHING anymore. I sold them a while ago when I was going to stop making music.

I don't know how the current version of the Yami's stack up. If they are similar, I would skip it.

When I was making my choice recently, it came down to the KRK 5's against the Mackie MR5's. I felt the Mackies were not accurate at all. I think the were very flattering. I really found the krk's to have a flatter, more accurate sound. The idea that the krk's are a hi fi speaker is ridiculous. Do you think flstuido is a crap daw too? I think that you are taking people's advice way to much on this one. Listen to people with experience, sure, that can be helpful, but they're not going to be in your studio with you. Only you are. Use your ears on this one.

And oh yeah, check out the take a picture of your studio thread. Check out what monitors people are using.

Alright cheers Well the main aim of this was to try and get people's opinions on which ones i should go and listen to really, not asking people to tell me which ones to buy. I understand fully that it is all down to listening to them as everyones ears are different.

[charliefoy]

Oh and out of the KRK range, would it be the RP8 G2 that i should be considering? Seeing as they are the same price and seem to have the same features as the other two.

[5-0-what]

if you don't mind im going to throw another horse into your race check these outhttp://www.dynaudioacoustics.com/Default.asp?Id=6509
i love these things sat and listen to them and the adam's for like an hour bought these and love them

[charliefoy]

if you don't mind im going to throw another horse into your race check these outhttp://www.dynaudioacoustics.com/Default.asp?Id=6509
i love these things sat and listen to them and the adam's for like an hour bought these and love them

Yeah i've heard of these! But I don't know of a shop round mine that has these or the Adams, so I couldn't go and listen to them

[nowaysj]

Oh and out of the KRK range, would it be the RP8 G2 that i should be considering? Seeing as they are the same price and seem to have the same features as the other two.

I have the 5's with a sub, I am very happy with my sound. I can hear into my sound and it isn't as clear as it could be, but it is good. Also, I don't release commercial tracks, so fuck all I know about how my shit would translate to a commercial release.

I've been told that the bass response of the krk 8's is sufficient to hear nice low subs (especially in a smaller space).

Really listen to those mackies, I bet that you will think they sound 'better' but listen into that sound, and you will hear they are boosting and cutting to make the sound good.

[charliefoy]

Oh and out of the KRK range, would it be the RP8 G2 that i should be considering? Seeing as they are the same price and seem to have the same features as the other two.

I have the 5's with a sub, I am very happy with my sound. I can hear into my sound and it isn't as clear as it could be, but it is good. Also, I don't release commercial tracks, so fuck all I know about how my shit would translate to a commercial release.

I've been told that the bass response of the krk 8's is sufficient to hear nice low subs (especially in a smaller space).

Really listen to those mackies, I bet that you will think they sound 'better' but listen into that sound, and you will hear they are boosting and cutting to make the sound good.

Alright will do
Well i think i've narrowed it down to a good range of speakers. Gonna go listen to some on saturday

[abZ]

I have tried both the A7's and HS80M's, I think it's fair to say that the A7's seem to have a more honest representation of a mix (obviously depending on the room you're in), but the HS80M's have a better low frequency response... So if you're primarily making Dubstep or other bass heavy music I'd go for the Yamaha's personally.

Thats about it right there. I was considering a7 but never actually got to check them out tbh. The clarity on the low end is what sold me for the yams. Even better with the sub but I wanted monitors where the sub isnt necessary. a7 you would have to use a sub I think. a7 would probably be the choice for non dance. Considered the Dynaudios too but just heard too many conflicting reviews. Never really checked the Mackies out I heard a lot of people say their responce is more hifi than reference. Maybe the new stuff is different I dunno. Yams will go toe to toe with these much more expensive speakers imo.

With all the usual disclaimers about not taking anyone else's advice on monitors and speakers being a totally personal choice etc, here's what I felt when I tried out a few of these:

- A7s: really nice mids and highs, but kinda boxy low-mids and no sub
- HS80s: hated them - like NS10s, unpleasant to listen to, all top-mid, no bass. If you like NS10s then you'll probably dig these
- KRK Rokit 6/8: quite a lot like the VXT8s, but not quite as clear. Fairly strong midrange. The 8s had more sub than the A7s, obviously.

In the end I didn't want to buy a sub and spent the extra money for a bigger pair, going for KRK VXT8s, after A/Bing them with some Dynaudio BM5s (very nice but no low end), Mackie HR824s (way too scooped mids, sounded too flattering), Genelec something-or-others (I've yet to hear a pair of small Genelecs that I liked) and a couple of others I can't remember.

My only complaints about the VXT8s are hat they're physically huge so they take up a lot of desk space, and that they're a tiny bit fatiguing after several hours. Apart from that, I really like them.

Again, within a specific price range, it totally doesn't matter what other people think about your monitors. For 500 quid, give or take 50 either side, you can pick one of half a dozen decent contenders which will be of more or less equivalent quality but with different sonic characteristics. The main tradeoff is buying a sub on top, where obviously you'd have to compromise on the quality of the whole setup if you don't raise your budget.

I couldn't disagree more about your assessment of the Yams. They don't sound anything like the ns-10 just looks a little bit like them and liek I said before I think the low end is very nice on them. But it goes to show you why you have to form your own opinions because reviews tend to go to one extreme or the other no matter what speakers you are talking about. One thing I kept telling myself when I was in the market was that I wasn't going to find the perfect monitors for under around a grand you just have to find something that suites your needs and then learn them. Any of these speakers I think you will have to learn the idiosyncrasies and how to compensate for them and it takes time.

[diagrams]

A7s hands down
Id agree with whoever said they're boxy in the low mids - but not in a bad way at all - the way Adams handle mids is very revealing
get yourself a sub7 - which is designed to go with them and they piss on any of the aformentioned monitors

[nowaysj]

Would like to hear the a7 v the vxt 6.

But I don't need to

[jobbanaught]

- HS80s: hated them - like NS10s, unpleasant to listen to, all top-mid, no bass. If you like NS10s then you'll probably dig these

Sorry, but this is a common misconception. The only thing HS80 and NS10 have in common is the white speaker. Technically they are a complete redesign, without the over-emphasised upper mids of the NS10s. Very pleasent sound, lots of bass. HS80 have been advised to me by people working in pro audio for > 10 years.

[staticcast]

- HS80s: hated them - like NS10s, unpleasant to listen to, all top-mid, no bass. If you like NS10s then you'll probably dig these

Sorry, but this is a common misconception. The only thing HS80 and NS10 have in common is the white speaker. Technically they are a complete redesign, without the over-emphasised upper mids of the NS10s. Very pleasent sound, lots of bass. HS80 have been advised to me by people working in pro audio for > 10 years.

Maybe I'm remembering the low end wrong then, but I definitely thought they had really shrill upper mids. Either way - didn't like em. If you do, more power to you!

[jobbanaught]

- HS80s: hated them - like NS10s, unpleasant to listen to, all top-mid, no bass. If you like NS10s then you'll probably dig these

Sorry, but this is a common misconception. The only thing HS80 and NS10 have in common is the white speaker. Technically they are a complete redesign, without the over-emphasised upper mids of the NS10s. Very pleasent sound, lots of bass. HS80 have been advised to me by people working in pro audio for > 10 years.

Maybe I'm remembering the low end wrong then, but I definitely thought they had really shrill upper mids. Either way - didn't like em. If you do, more power to you!

I personally find the upper mids very revealing. If I have a good mixdown they sound like butter, but if I dont they show me instantly.

Maybe monitors are like clothes, everybody needs to find his own fit...

[ylem]

+1 for Yammy 8s (got sub too )

Been using for a while now and am very happy.

Have mates with krks and mackies.... and i reckon the bass if flattering on both (not to be confused with flatter )

Be skeptical of things that sound "fuller".. theres a reason and it aint superior build... esp at the price all of these puppies are at.

[nowaysj]

Think the krk's (don't know about the vxt's) do tighten the bass, before it falls off completely (on the 5's)

[sammytee]

I think the more you pay the further away u get from the hifi feel..

A7's will give you a more luxury sound with crisp high end & a very solid quality but maybe not so great for your dubstep needs.
the mackies are very decent and have an immense bass response and a very clear mid range but occasionally a slightly warm high.
I think the yams are a compromise on a few levels compared to the 824s & the a7s if anything the most hifi sounding out of the 3 but still an awesome speaker...

I am very familiar with the mackies & the yamahas but after time with both & hearing some other speakers in a similar range to the a7s (dynaudios, quested) I think I would prefer the a7s as it is just an overall more high end speaker..

good luck