small room studio monitors...

[mylesgm]

I'm moving to a smaller room and I'm thinking that my current monitors will be too large for the size of the new room. What monitors have people had success with in small rooms? My room will will be about 5 meters square or so and will have QRD diffusion on the back wall and probably some minor bass trapping. I have a pair of NS10 and a pair of auratones as my other monitors so I'm looking for something hifi, maybe the smaller dynaudio monitors?
Bass accuracy is important as is a non-hyped top end and they cant be fatiguing. I dont really care about brand etc as this will be my personal mix suite and I dont need to impress people with 'ooh he's got..." rubbish.

Thoughts?

[The Tasmanian]

I tell ya Myles
you GOT to try the Dynaudio BM5A!!'s
The best new powered small monitor I have heard in years and years - really good bottom end!
And $1500 a pair.

[Chris H]

In a similar style monitor, i have the duntech PCL 15's as they have Dynaudio drivers. Being a sealed box they don't try to represent the bottom end below around 150 so using a sub coming in at around 150 is an option. Placement is critical for the performance of these but when you have em in the right pos i think they are hard to beat for imaging and accurate representation of the mids and highs.

[13thbeach]

I have the BM5A's and I think they are great. Affordable too. Cant go wrong with these.

[wez]

if i was in the market i would also be looking at the dynaudios, i've heard a few and liked them over the years. of course my big PMCs have dynaudio drivers (which is a big part of their charm) and they are pretty special. the smaller TB2s USED to have the dynaudio drivers but i believe they use their own now - but i would still recommend listening to them if you can... manny's usually have them, and Carlton A/V love them, and are very friendly to studio guys (for an audiophile store!)

so you found a place then?

[13thbeach]

Hey Myles,
If you want, you can pop in to the studio and have a listen to my BM5A's. bring a PT session if you like.

[Barney Loveland]

I have the Dyn BM6P and have had for about 8 years. Welcome to come and hear if you're over this way.

[audioio]

If you want, you can pop in to the studio and have a listen to my BM5A's. bring a PT session if you like.

Better still, there's a pair sitting at work and now that the teaching is over you could probably borrow them overnight. Nothing like checking them in that new space.

Give me a call, a PM or an email and we'll work it out.

David

[The Tasmanian]

Hey Myles
I believe the BM5a Mark II is an improvement on the BM5 (better designed driver extension?)
I used them up against the new Adams A7's NS10's and BM15a's - and I felt If I could only choose one pair out of these the BM5a MKII's were the choice. They left the new Adams for dead !
I'm ordering my pair this week - will sit beside my BM6's and Avantones and I probably will ditch the trusty NS10's now these guys are in town.
Check out the Mk II's - curious for your impressions.

[Ben M]

Chris - what does the three legged cage around the tweeters do on the BM5a II's?

[musikwerks]

We mixed my sister's album on the Dynaudio's. I liked them and they translated well to the outside world.

I have KRK V6's. Not sure they're the greatest but I'm used to them and know their sound.

[The Tasmanian]

Ben - I noticed the new tweeter design when they we set-up and once I heard them i really liked the top end so I never considered the tweeter design again.
I generally trust the Dynaudio tweeters soft dome design (always preferred them to Genelecs tweeter design) One set of my main mixing monitors are BM6's - and Ive been using the BM15a's for a few big sessions and really like them for a great tracking vibe.
I used the BM5 MKII's for a day or two mixing on the Neve at BJB, I just kept wanting to mix on them when switched over from the other monitors.
Also the bottom end is suprizingly great for a small (deep) box.

[Ben M]

Wow... that's a good wrap.
Maybe the tweeter cage is there to stop little fingers from pressing the tweeter in?? I can't imagine it's for sound purposes. But the concave tweeter design makes a lot of sense as far as finding that monitoring sweet spot.

[chribble]

I use BM5a mk II

Top end is extended and not peaky like mid range monitors.
Top end past 5k seems to have good air.
The 6.5" woofer (i think) is enough. I'm pretty sure it rolls off completely at 50hz
ive not used genelecs but i have used M-audios and mixed on KRK before which i think are a little boomy

[Gian]

I've got Focal CMS 65, very nice.

[Text_Edifice]

I got a pair of these on a good deal a while back for use in my home setup and have used them in similar sized rooms to the one you describe:

http://www.noteperfect.com.au/alpha.htm

they're quite nice, australian (melbourne) made and are, to my ears, very 'un-hyped' / 'neutral'.

more expensive than the BM5a's though and need an amp.

[Chris H]

I got a pair of these on a good deal a while back for use in my home setup and have used them in similar sized rooms to the one you describe:

http://www.noteperfect.com.au/alpha.htm

they're quite nice, australian (melbourne) made and are, to my ears, very 'un-hyped' / 'neutral'.

more expensive than the BM5a's though and need an amp.

I had a look around the Note Perfect website and saw this pic of a sure 58 in a shock mount at one of their live gigs...........had to have a bit of a laugh at that one!

chriscallumneil.jpg

H.E.A.R. Recordings coming soon.................i can't wait.........

[The Tasmanian]

Ben I'm sure that 3 legged cage on the tweeter of the BM5A MKII's would be for some sort of high freq dispersion - as they have never done any other protection on any other monitors tweeters.
My guess is it gives a touch more width by throwing some of the hi freq outward as opposed to forward. It certainly looks like that aerodynamic type design.

[The Tasmanian]

Myles - one more thing to consider here.
This may sound odd but I have found (with other mix engineers comments as as well) that certain smaller monitors may sound great in one room and not suit another room.
Really at the end of the day the speaker is always interacting with the room you are in so this makes sense.
So trying them in the space is a good idea

[Ben M]

Ben I'm sure that 3 legged cage on the tweeter of the BM5A MKII's would be for some sort of high freq dispersion - as they have never done any other protection on any other monitors tweeters.
My guess is it gives a touch more width by throwing some of the hi freq outward as opposed to forward. It certainly looks like that aerodynamic type design.

Thanks Chris. I thought about dispersion and I can see it clearer now. So along with the concave tweeter design/ "the cage" dispersing/ and slight reflection back into the concave design for more spread, these must make for a very clear and well dispersed HF sweet spot.
With the 8" woofer rolled off at 40Hz, these make for an excellent nearfield.
Who's doing these in Sydney?

[The Tasmanian]

Not sure who's doing them in Sydney / Dynaudio have always been on the outside of the general music/equip retailers, I have no idea who stocks any Dynaudio stuff -But - $1490 on ebay in Aus
If you can try them somewhere first - I was lucky by chance I had the time with them in a real mix situation to make my judgements.

[chribble]

turramurra music do them.
amber distribute them.

[Adam Dempsey]

Myles - one more thing to consider here.
This may sound odd but I have found (with other mix engineers comments as as well) that certain smaller monitors may sound great in one room and not suit another room.
Really at the end of the day the speaker is always interacting with the room you are in so this makes sense.
So trying them in the space is a good idea

Nothing odd about it, Chris. Absolutely essential, really.

Myles, get in touch and feel free to check out then borrow my custom Desiére passive 2-ways. They're not for sale but usually made to order. Time-aligned, very efficient, revealing, great linearity & non-fatiguing.