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Mid-Range versatile monitors for multi-purpose use

TheEnigma13

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Joined
Dec 8, 2024
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Hello! First post here.

I currently live in a small apartment. I have a medium sizing living room with pretty poor acoustics. I'm after a pair of speakers to serve the following purposes:

1) Monitors to be used while home-DJ'ing. For this they will be run straight from an Allen+Heath PX5 mixer. For this activity I'll be listening pretty close - around 1m from the speakers. I mix relatively fast electronic music - trance, psy, techno etc. So I need a decent amount of low-end but without being bloated and a fast response.

2) Watching movies. For this I'll be be listening from around 3m distance.

3) General music listening / entertaining. Key thing here is that people may not be in the sweet spot so I need a decent level of dispersion.

I will not be doing any actual mastering or pro-audio work so complete accuracy is not necessarily a top priority.

I am currently using a pair of EV ZLP-12 for this purpose (leftover from party days), which work in a punch, but don't give much low extension at low volumes.

Key things I'm looking for:

- Decent dispersion. I don't want a super tight sweet spot if possible
- Decent level of low-end (but without bloat), especially at lower volumes. I don't seem to get much below 60Hz with the EVs.
- Ability to work at mid range distance for movies.
- On-board EQ settings so I can nudge the bass down at unsociable hours.
- Low levels of his if possible

I'm looking to spend up to about £1000 for the pair.

Options I was looking at:

Kali Audio IN8 v2​


Eve Audio SC208 or SC207​


Focal Alpha Evo 80​


Any thoughts?

Please let me know if I'm barking up the wrong tree going down the studio monitor route. Generally avoiding Hi-Fi as I don't want to mess around with separate amps etc at this stage.

Thanks!
 
I think you're on a solid path to finding good monitoring in your room. The Kalis are highly regarded & I have had very good experience with Focal Alpha(50s in my modest hobby studio).
Are these avail in the UK ? https://fluidaudio.com/product/fx80/
I use them currently with LIVE12 and ARC = happily. The coax, I find, allows wide dispersion.
Best of Luck
 
Thanks Eric. Those Fluids are available but from smaller online shops. There is also these Presonus pros with a similar coax setup?


Too many options!
 
I should also mention that the speakers need to be posiitoned quite close to the back wall (<1ft). So rear-ported might be at a disadvantage?
 
Also adding the JBL 308P to the shortlist. Erring toward the Kali's overall to be honest


How loud you going to use them? I have a pair, think they are really good. The only issue I have is if you push them hard in a normal size room as a stereo pair you can get them to compress. Also get a sub with them as this helps taking the load off the woofer amp depending on how heavy the bass content is in your music and crossover point. If you can get a pair you can return and see if they work for you. I used them in my office with a sub before I brought them home and could listen to them all day long and no fatigue.

Rob :)
 
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