Need advice on studio monitor upgrade

[kofman13]

It might sound funny/crazy but ive been producing and now mixing on a professional level for 10+ years in an untreated room and budget monitors and random speakers ((cannot re arrange furniture and hang up treatment in my current situation) ). I didnt want to change much with the setup over the years since it just worked for me and i just wanted to focus on making good music and dope production instead of the endless cycling of gear research and room perfection. but i want to upgrade monitors now.

My first studio monitors were KRK RP6 Gen2 from like 2010. then for a year i transitioned to producing/mixing with headphones. then when i started using speakers again i got iLoud Micros. Out of curiousity now i went back to my old KRKs, i realized that while the sound is muddier in low-mids and not as clear as my iLouds, i really want the size of a bigger speaker compared to the iLoud Micros which often feel narrow and compressed.

I am thinking my budget is $1,000 for the pair. Should i get the latest KRK 7 Gen 4 ($400-$500)? iLoud MTM ($700-$800)? What else would be good for under $1000 for the pair, has clarity (not harsh though), and also has low end Oomf? I produce/mix EDM. iLoud MTM having self calibration and very big low end extension is tempting. but them being small worries me. Something about the KRKS having a full bodied powerful (albeit muddy dirty low-mid) sound stage compared to my iLouds makes me want to get something bigger than Micro/MTM. KRKs are temping for the price ($400-$500 for the pair)and because they have the "oomf" for EDM. If there is something just over $1000 thats much better i am open to that as well.

whatever i plan on getting, im also going to get Sonarworks to correct.

 

[staticV3]

Here are some big studio monitors within your budget, with flat on-axis response and well extended bass response (deeper than the iLoud MTM):

-JBL 308P MKII (Review)
-Kali IN-8v2 (Review)
-Kali LP-8v2 (Review)
-Adam T8V (Review)

There's a website that collects spinorama speaker measurements from all over the web, where you can filter speakers by type, size, price, etc. and sort them by their calculated preference score. Check it out, it's awesome!

Ranking table of speaker's measurements

www.spinorama.org

 

[dfuller]

If you can't treat your room, just get headphones. There's very little point.

 

[OfficialChill]

What about a sub? And why Sonarworks over REW?

 

[kofman13]

What about a sub? And why Sonarworks over REW?

i dont know alot about REW. id still have to buy a mic right? seems like sonarworks is more noob friendly from what i read.

 

[kofman13]

What about a sub? And why Sonarworks over REW?

i live in an old apartment building with paper thin walls so im afraid a sub would be too much.

 

[OfficialChill]

i live in an old apartment building with paper thin walls so im afraid a sub would be too much.

You said "i really want the size of a bigger speaker" - how would bigger speakers also not be an issue with your paper thin walls? What exactly do you mean by more "oomph"?

 

[unpluggged]

What exactly do you mean by more "oomph"?

Sorry, I couldn't resist it

 

[kofman13]

You said "i really want the size of a bigger speaker" - how would bigger speakers also not be an issue with your paper thin walls? What exactly do you mean by more "oomph"?

Well when i went back to my bigger KRKs, i didnt listen to them louder, they just had a "fuller and bigger" sound to them compared to the iLoud at the same exact listening dB.

 

[Ciobi69]

Here are some big studio monitors within your budget, with flat on-axis response and well extended bass response (deeper than the iLoud MTM):

-JBL 308P MKII (Review)
-Kali IN-8v2 (Review)
-Kali LP-8v2 (Review)
-Adam T8V (Review)

There's a website that collects spinorama speaker measurements from all over the web, where you can filter speakers by type, size, price, etc. and sort them by their calculated preference score. Check it out, it's awesome!

Ranking table of speaker's measurements

www.spinorama.org

Bought the kali in 8 Great bass I wasnt expecting it

 

[Berwhale]

A pair of iLoud MTMs + Presonus Sub8 (or similar) + desktop mic stands to get the MTMs up off the desk and the tweeters to ear height...

Hopefully you've got a balanced source to drive the Sub8 and MTMs.

My signal chain is...

PC -> Topping EX5 --balanced--> Sub8 --balanced (80hz high pass)--> (80hz LF Extension) iLoud MTM

I guess it's a bit 'belt and braces' using both the crossover on the Sub8 and the DSP on the MTMs, but it seems to work fine. I have the MTMs EQ's individually using their own mics and the pair are then EQ'd together with measurements taken using moving microphone technique in REW and applied with eAPO in Windows.

 

[bfburkejr]

Here are some big studio monitors within your budget, with flat on-axis response and well extended bass response (deeper than the iLoud MTM):

-JBL 308P MKII (Review)
-Kali IN-8v2 (Review)
-Kali LP-8v2 (Review)
-Adam T8V (Review)

There's a website that collects spinorama speaker measurements from all over the web, where you can filter speakers by type, size, price, etc. and sort them by their calculated preference score. Check it out, it's awesome!

Ranking table of speaker's measurements

www.spinorama.org

 

[bfburkejr]

I have, and love my Dynaudio BM 6 series III's with a single Dynaudio BM14S II, 12" SEALED SUB class AB 300 watt amp, -3db @ 18Hz. The special thing about my setup is the particular version of satellites I got. My woofers are approx 6". The tweeters are 1 1/8" silk dome m. You must look for is the two class A/B amp per satellite, 1 x 50 watt and 1 x 100 watt, here is the key, they must be crossed at 6 db/,octave, 1st order, at 1,500 Hz. The crossover slope, rear shelf port, the whole thing matches perfectly. The next size up is exactly the same except size of woofer and max spl. The ist order crossover makes sitting nearfield easy on the ears.

 

[Penelinfi]

Perhaps a speaker with narrower directivity?
I guess then the highs will be "too muted" or something...