Monitor and acoustic treatment advice, help!!

[snouta]

OK so im slowly getting some gear together and setting up a little recording space/edit suite in my bedroom (yes i still live at home) and need some advice on some monitors to get. At this current time im looking to spend around $500 on a set of powered monitors and am looking at a few different sets, M-Audio BX5A Deluxe, Fostex PM0.4 or PM0.5, Yamaha HS50M or KRK Rockit 5s.

Has anyone had any experience with these hat can help make my decision a bit easier? or can offer any other suggestions in that price range?

Also ive been looking at treating my room a bit with some acoustic foam and am wondering if it is worth it or not? and how much i would need to purchase before it makes a difference.

Kristian.

[13thbeach]

Id say just go into a pro audio shop and have a listen with a familiar cd. Then you'll know for sure.

[Mark Bassett]

What your future speakers sound like in a store has no correlation with what they will sound like in your room, especially if it is untreated and a less than favourable acoustic environment. Acoustic treatment is always worth it. It's not about cash, it's about a good understanding of fundamental acoustic principals. You could drop $10000 on unsuitable treatment and make your room sound worse quite easily. Your monitor and listening position in the room will have the greatest effect on the sound you hear. You need to get these things correct before putting up any treatment. Then look at your first points of reflection on the left and right-hand walls. If your room is a perfect rectangle there's a few acoustic calculators around that will give you a better idea of what's going on with standing waves but you still need to use your ears. Don't get lost in Excel sheets staring an numbers, but take a look at a calculator just to see what may be happening in your room (even if your walls aren't perfectly parallel these calculators will give you an idea of what's going on. What's the dimensions of your room?

[snouta]

I know a little about room acoustics, im currently doing a music industry course at RMIT which we covered acoustics and stuff, but never really touched on actual treatment.

My room is basically a 3x4x2.4m, i have drawn the shape of it below. It has a window on the left side and a cupboard on the right opposite. My desk is in the middle on the longer wall and my bed is opposite that (if this helps).

Thanks for the help.

________________ 400cm _____________________
| | Desk | |
| | 110cm
_ |
| 200cm ______ |
| | 60cm
| |
_ |
| | 190cm
| | Bed | |
|____________ 340cm ______________|

[Kurt]

ou should have a trawl through the forums on www.johnlsayers.com

[snouta]

damn didnt realise my drawing didnt work

But thanks, ill have a look at that site now, seems like a good one, cheers

[Mickstape]

Yeah dude that site is pretty good. Just make sure you go through a few pages to find something similar to what you need before posting. If you can actually get a response from the top dawgs there then you'll have your problems sorted. Having said that, Mr Bassett here is quite knowledgeable in all things Acoustic related.

[stosostu]

There's also some good info here http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

[Damien]

from your list i prefer the M-Audio BX5A.. i dont like the M-Audio BX8A's at all..