Recommended Pro Studio Monitors?

[MusicEnthusiast101]

Calibration can add significant latency when you want to correct also the phase, but you can do basic correction (room modes and sound signature) without latency (just a few ms, nothing problematic)

In your situation I'd get a measurement microphone (UMIK-1 for example) to try basic room correction (a simple parametric EQ on your master is enough for this) before selling the Kalis

This is something that you will need anyway, unless you buy a dedicated calibration system like Genelec GLM for example

I do have a sonarworks measurement microphone. There's one slight issue with your suggestions, which is good for sure: I use Logic Pro and I've discovered after doing a lot of tests that having anything on the master channel in Logic, even if the plugin is bypassed (that suprised me too) adds MIDI latency. So, no matter how tight I play the notes to not get placed on the right position on the grid. I did a lot of testing but this is unfortunately one big flaw of Logic Pro, which is in all other aspects my favorite DAW.

 

[Earth]

I'm new here but have been involved for decades...


These things take time to get right, or at least get the best for the context.

One of the things that quickly became apparent after getting serious with recording is listening fatigue, it's that smooth aspect of the top end that is very important. I used and worked with Tannoys initially, pin point stereo presentation is difficult to beat with the dual concentric driver design, but the cabs sounded boxy (tuned port) and lacking bass. The listening fatigue was apparent (metal domes on the inverse tweeter).

Mackie introduced the fully active HR824 in a form factor that many emulated since, this form factor (some with forward tuned ports) seems to be much of your choice list. I did not work with the HR824 for extended periods, but it was clear this was an exceptional Monitor.

To cut a long story short, every time, when taking a different route to study topologies that are related to every conceivable aspect of sound reproduction in the cabinet, ATC and PMC continually seemed to have identified the lacking areas and produced Monitors to accommodate 'the narrowing of the gap between the music performed in the room and the sound coming out the monitor'. I went with PMC's because they go an octave lower than anything else for the size of cabinet, they have attained that balance between revealing clarity and smooth delivery in the top end. The mid range is superb and the bass is uncoloured and accurate down, (way down on some of their larger productions), which has the benefit of keeping the upper registers clean too.
The importance of cabinet design cannot be overstated in loudspeakers. The transmission line won 'hands down' for me. The bass driver loads the room not the box, which has the additional benefit of being louder in the room whilst being quieter outside the room, because it's not a box (speaker) within a box ( room). The transmission line becomes the room.

I have found it helpful to reduce as much tech between the outputs of the desk and the inputs of the monitors, active will always be more revealing.

If you can't tell the difference between any machine connected in the studio and its own noise signature when 'wide open' and not played, you're not monitoring...