Are studio monitors a better buy than passive hifi speakers?

[Shrek6]

The "studio monitor" vs "passive home speakers" question is not artificial when it comes to price. A top of the line studio monitor from the likes of Genelec, Neumann or JBL is significantly cheaper than your typical "high end" passive home hifi speaker.

When you go to the high end of passive home hifi speakers, the aesthetics and construction become a much larger factor in the price. With studio monitors it doesn’t at all, it’s the same plastic outer construction.

—-

Studio monitors and active speakers in general also have less output capability compared to floorstanders in practice because they’re seemingly all bookshelf designs meant for near-field.

They seem to all lack HDMI input which is inconvenient for many people.

With my active Kali’s, it’s not that easy to add the subwoofers I own outside of desktop use unless the subs have an HPF and line outs, which mine do not. They often expect you use their own subwoofers that they sell or assume your using an audio interface with multiple outputs, it seems to me.

Anyways having just had this debate elsewhere, these things stood out to me. None of them are inherent though, someone could make an active powered floorstanding design meant for home use.

 

[DSJR]

When you go to the high end of passive home hifi speakers, the aesthetics and construction become a much larger factor in the price. With studio monitors it doesn’t at all, it’s the same plastic outer construction.

—-

Studio monitors and active speakers in general also have less output capability compared to floorstanders in practice because they’re seemingly all bookshelf designs meant for near-field.

They seem to all lack HDMI input which is inconvenient for many people.

With my active Kali’s, it’s not that easy to add the subwoofers I own outside of desktop use unless the subs have an HPF and line outs, which mine do not. They often expect you use their own subwoofers that they sell or assume your using an audio interface with multiple outputs, it seems to me.

Anyways having just had this debate elsewhere, these things stood out to me. None of them are inherent though, someone could make an active powered floorstanding design meant for home use.

They do, although at a high price point...

ATC have done floor standing actives of various models for thirty years, starting with the 20T. PMC now have active amp packs for their 20 and 25 series if I have it right (no idea if they'll sell many, so biased and blinkered is the general domestic market). Dynaudio have the Focus trio of (wireless too) active models, the 50 being rather good to me at roughly KH420 price, although again, the dealers don't fully understand it and prefer to sell ultimately more profitable passives plus an amp of the client's choice.

Linn and Naim for decades, had an 'upgrade ladder' culminating in full active models which made the passive versions sound hobbled by design (surely I'm wrong here )


I admit to having little to no idea how domestic dealers outside the UK feel about active designs. I suspect they need every penny of profit that can get and the often expensive interconnect and speaker cables for example, can command 50% margins or more. There still appears to be resistance there...

 

[Mart68]

Kudos make a big active tower, I has a listen to it at a show last year. The amplification isn't built in though.

 

[Esprit]

Studio monitors and active speakers in general also have less output capability compared to floorstanders in practice because they’re seemingly all bookshelf designs meant for near-field.

!!!???

 

[Hayabusa]

"Are studio monitors a better buy than passive hifi speakers?"​

Yes!

 

[Hayabusa]

!!!???

Indeed!

 

[levimax]

Studio monitors and active speakers in general also have less output capability compared to floorstanders in practice because they’re seemingly all bookshelf designs meant for near-field.

You mean like these?

 

[Shrek6]

You mean like these?

View attachment 511471

How much do those cost?

lol.

 

[Shrek6]

!!!???

I was careful to say in practice.

Every counter example you can come up with will be $10K+. This thread is about cost effectiveness.

OP stated:
“Studio monitors with built-in optimized amps seem to cost less than buying passive speakers plus and amp.”

 

[levimax]

How much do those cost?

Only $47,064 each

No doubt worth it (if you have the money) but not sure of what passive speaker and electronics combination to compare it to. In addition to 5 amps you get speaker management hardware and software.

The 1236A SAM is Genelec's premier main monitor, featuring dual, high-linearity 18" woofers, along with dual 5" midrange drivers and a 2" compression tweeter mounted in large proprietary waveguide, powered by 2x 1000W LF, 2x 400W MF, and 1x 250W HF optimized Class D amplifiers in the rack-mountable RAM-XL amp module, plus remote network GLM speaker management technology

When nothing but the biggest and best Genelec has to offer will do, the 1236A is the main monitor system sits at the top of the Genelec Master Monitor range. Built for large control rooms and film post facilities with multi-operator consoles, the 1236A enables engineers to make sonically informed decisions from every nuance of a high track-count mix at all points of the audible spectrum - and feel how the low-frequency effects will be experienced by the listeners. The 1236A's amplification comprises 2 x 1000W, 800W, and 400W (low, mid, high) Class D amps, outputting 130dB SLP at 6.5 feet. These impressive figures are not just for volume. In order to overcome the inertia of dual 18" drivers, these power ratings are necessary for accurate transient reproduction and realistic dynamic response across the 1236A's equally impressive and accurate 21Hz to 20kHz (+/-2dB) frequency range. The 1236A enclosure features two proprietary high-efficiency 5" midrange drivers and a 2" compression driver mounted in a large proprietary waveguide, which creates a very wide and consistent off-axis response (or "sweet spot" as its known in technical jargon), which film post mix teams will find an essential asset. Naturally, the 1236A features Genelec's networked Smart Active Monitoring with auto-calibration. The Genelec 1236A is where power and finesse meet.

 

[a4eaudio]

No doubt worth it (if you have the money)

I have doubts

 

[Esprit]

Every counter example you can come up with will be $10K+. This thread is about cost effectiveness.

Nonsense.
Since I have better things to do in life, I'll ignore you.

 

[ivayvr]

Compared to these, Genelecs are a real bargain and probably best sounding:

Magico M9 (pair)

Magico M9 establishes new benchmarks in musicality, transparency, and fidelity. This four-way, six-driver floor standing system features the world’s first loudspeaker enclosure to combine inner and outer skins of carbon fiber with a revolutionary aluminum honeycomb core. Audiofi is your M9...

audiofi.ca

Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX (PLEASE CONTACT)

The Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX is a truly remarkable loudspeaker system that will transport audiophiles to a world of immersive sound. With exceptional build quality and cutting-edge technology, the XVX delivers unparalleled performance, boasting an expansive soundstage, deep bass response...

www.audioexcellence.ca

YG Acoustics XV3 Reference Speaker

Our Reference range offers the very best that can be achieved in accuracy and musicality. We are honored that these models are some of the most awarded loudspeakers in the world. They combine advanced materials with cutting edge science and engineering. Designed without compromise, their...

hificentre.com

The situation is not as bad as it may seem at the first glance!
The price of some includes free shipping

 

[RexrothPigeon]

With studio monitors it doesn’t at all, it’s the same plastic outer construction.

I thought Genelecs were aluminum

 

[Hayabusa]

take a look at the Adam tv5/tv7/tv8, also nice measurements by Amir

 

[pablolie]

... This thread is about cost effectiveness...

Utterly wrong. You need to read the title of the thread again. When I *buy* something, cost is *never* the only consideration.

 

[a4eaudio]

Hi Gemini, what does it mean for something to be "a better buy"?...

In the world of finance and consumer shopping, saying something is a "better buy" usually means it offers superior value relative to its cost, rather than just being the cheapest option available.It’s an assessment of the relationship between price, quality, and future utility. ...In Consumer Goods (Quality vs. Price)For physical products, a "better buy" is often about Total Cost of Ownership.Durability: A $100 pair of boots that lasts five years is a better buy than a $40 pair that falls apart in six months.Features: If Product A costs 10% more than Product B but offers 50% more functionality or efficiency, it’s the better buy. Resale Value: Items that hold their value (like certain car brands or high-end electronics) are better buys because you recoup more money when you're done with them. The "Opportunity Cost" Factor Sometimes, being a better buy is about what you don't lose. If buying a more expensive, more reliable tool prevents a project delay that would cost you hundreds of dollars in lost time, the expensive tool was the "better buy" from day one.

 

[dfuller]

I thought Genelecs were aluminum

Some are some aren't.

As far as "are they a better buy", factoring in additional costs (good amps will add another 500-1000 or so over the speaker cost) it starts to make more sense for comparison.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

If, as befits this forum, we define "superior value" objectively (as in superior fidelity to the source recording & superior SPL), then I think in almost all cases good-measuring studio monitors are better value to cost than are comparably good-measuring passive speakers and the amps required to power them.

There are some questions about the long term (and I think it's fair to acknowledge that lifespan is part of the value proposition) and a lot of active monitors are new enough that they don't (yet?) have a decades-long track record, but I'd say it's unwise to make assumptions about that either way.

 

[pablolie]

If, as befits this forum, we define "superior value" objectively (as in superior fidelity to the source recording & superior SPL), then I think in almost all cases good-measuring studio monitors are better value to cost than are comparably good-measuring passive speakers and the amps required to operate them.

There are some questions about the long term (and I think it's fair to acknowledge that lifespan is part of the value proposition) and a lot of active monitors are new enough that they don't (yet?) have a decades-long track record, but I'd say it's unwise to make assumptions about that either way.

Nothing prevents consumers from buying studio monitors, and several respected studios are known to use passive (consumer) speakers. I still think those boundaries are entirely artificial. And the price points are all over the place no matter what.

By all means, I love the idea of active speakers, and there are many great ones around. We can have discussions about specific ones, since many are sold in both active and passive configurations - with identical driver setup. I kind of doubt having integrated amplification by itself results in a better speaker, compared to driving the same speaker with a great measuring external amp. But it eliminates one or more boxes, which to me these days is a big plus.

Then again, I am not sure how far the integration should go. Several active speakers marketed to consumers these days have drivers and amplification proven in "studio monitors", but add streaming service integration and several other things. And we know software support for such integrations often has the life expectancy of a hamster.