EQ Magazine - February 2009 - (Page 55)

AC/DC album hit with meaty force, and interplay between the lead and rhythm guitars was spot on. Engaging in a totally unfair comparison, we A/Bed the set up against the far more expensive Equators. And while the KRKs lacked equivalent definition and precision, the balance of mix elements was very similar. Translation: You can probably trust that mixes made with these units will travel to other systems. Nick Barnes, who was helping with the evaluation, made the observation that the Rokits had a pretty wide sweet spot for such little speakers. Comparing them to the Bag Ends confirmed this opinion. Provided you invest the time to find the correct crossover setup, this is definitely the best value in the bunch. They would make a great starter set, and even a second opinion monitor (in place of a boom box or smaller speakers). And I can’t emphasize enough how much bang you get for your equipment dollar with the Rokits. Price: Rokit $399, Sub $599 Strengths: One of the best values on the present market. While not as accurate as more expensive models, you can trust mixes made on these. Small footprint of Rokits makes integration easy in tight spaces. Limitations: Need the KRK10s Sub for best results. Setting up correct crossover point requires effort. Not as much resolution as high-end models. Can distort if pushed too far. Contact: www.krksys.com IS THERE A “BEST” MONITOR? On Internet forums, you’ll see endless discussions on which near-fields are best. In truth, the answer may rest more on which near-field works best with your listening space and imperfect hearing response. How many times have you seen a review of a speaker where the person notes with amazement that some new speaker “revealed sounds not heard before with other speakers”? This is to be expected. The frequency response of even the best speakers in reasonably well-treated rooms is sufficiently uneven that some speakers will indeed emphasize different frequencies compared to other speakers, essentially creating a different mix. Although it’s a cliché that you should audition several speakers and choose the model you like best, I believe you can’t choose the perfect speaker, because such a thing doesn’t exist. Instead, you choose the one that colors the sound the way you prefer, or even better, provides the least amount of coloration. Choosing a speaker is an art. I’ve been fortunate enough to hear my music over some hugely expensive, very-close-to-perfect systems in mastering labs and high-end studios, so I know exactly what it should sound like. My criterion for choosing a speaker is simple: Whatever makes my “test” CD sound the most like it did over the high-end speakers wins. If you haven’t had the same kind of listening experiences, book 30 minutes or so at some really good studio and bring along one of your favorite CDs (you can probably get a price break because you’re not asking to use a lot of the facilities). Listen to the CD and get to know what it should sound like, then compare any speakers you audition to that standard. For example, if the piano on your mix sounds a little understated on the expensive speakers compared to what you’re hearing at home, choose speakers where the piano is equally understated. One caution: If you’re A-B comparing a set of speakers and one set is slightly louder than the other (even a fraction of a dB can make a difference), you’ll likely choose the louder one as sounding better. Make sure the speaker levels are matched as closely as possible in order to make a valid comparison. —Craig Anderton www.eqmag.com FEBRUARY 2009 EQ 55 http://www.royerlabs.com http://www.krksys.com http://www.royerlabs.com http://www.eqmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - February 2009

EQ Magazine - February 2009 Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Dave Cooley Low vs. Diamond Hank Williams III Travis Franz Ferdinand Guitar Trax Bass Management Key Issues Drum Heads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet Apple Logic Pro 8 Cakewalk Sonar Near-Field Monitor Roundup Gadgets &�Goodies Sounds Room with a Vu

EQ Magazine - February 2009

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