Picking the best monitors in my price range what I have or MR5'S ?

Use your ears to decide

As you are probably aware Tapco is the budget line of Mackie and it also looks like the S5 was their budget monitor (ca. 2004) and the MR5 is Mackie’s current entry level line of studio monitor.  The MR5 could possibly be the replacement for the S5.  If you scroll down I cut and pasted the reviews from the SOS web site for these two models.

This is my opinion so please take it with a grain of salt.  Personally, I would not swap one entry level product for another entry level product without good reason.  If you can audition the MR5’s side by side with your Tapco’s and you feel the investment is worth your while then go for it.  Otherwise, (and again, this is just me) I would put a budget together and start saving to upgrade the hardware in question (versus a lateral move).

From the SOS review it looks like your Tapco’s are solid performers.  Simply buying a new set of monitors may not have the desired effect of improving your mixes.  The thing about using studio near field monitors, independent of the make, model or price range is to understand how they (and your mix) translate … essentially, understand your speakers and (and not to sound “new-age”) become one with them.


Here is a review of the Tapco S5 from the SOS website (2004):

“Despite being conceived as a budget alternative to the Mackie HR monitor range, the S*5s are beautifully designed from a cosmetic viewpoint, incredibly solidly put together (they weigh 15.5lbs each) and they deliver a nominally accurate sound that is free from serious vices. Clearly there must be compromises with a monitor of this size and cost — the bass end drops away quite rapidly below the traditional kick-drum frequencies, the overall 'focus' isn't quite the equal of expensive monitors, and the maximum SPL is lower — but there are no compromises so serious that you can't make great mixes on them. They do a workmanlike job of interpreting a mix, which is ultimately what counts, and they don't sound at all like small monitors. I also found the sound comfortable to work with, which is very important when monitoring for long periods. If Mackie manage to maintain this quality/price ratio with all their new Tapco offerings, I foresee the range doing very well for them.”

Here is the review from SOS (2008) on the Mackie MR series:

“The MR speakers certainly look the part but at around half the price of the Mackie monitors we've come to know and love, surely there are some compromises? Actually, there aren't too many. The sound of the little MR5 is punchy, with decent separation between instruments, a smooth mid-range and a non-fatiguing top. However, in my studio (11 x 16 feet), with the speakers a couple of feet from the end wall, the low end seemed just a bit hyped on the flat setting. Moving the tweeter up to its +2dB setting helps redress the balance but my impression is that the low end has been tuned to flatter drums (kicks and toms sound really punchy) and the result is that the balance between bass notes isn't quite as even as it could be. I can't imagine ever wanting to use the +2dB bass setting, let alone the +4dB setting, so having 2dB of switchable bass cut or boost would have been a better option, in my book. Nevertheless, for such a compact and affordable model, I was extremely impressed with the overall sound. These speakers managed to put across the detail in a mix without getting noticeably harsh or gritty at the top end. The stereo imaging is pretty decent (as you'd expect from a physically small speaker), and the phantom central image is reasonably solid too. I tried stuffing a pair of socks into each bass port and actually got what I felt was a much tighter and better controlled low end — although I'd have to experiment a little more to be sure exactly what type of sock is most effective!

You might expect that swapping to the larger MR8s — with their greater bass extension — would be overkill, but that actually turned out not to be the case. They reproduce the deepest notes with no sense of effort, but there's definitely less of a sense of hyping up the 80-90Hz region than with the MR5s. In fact, all sounded well balanced with everything set flat. The overall sense of clarity was improved, with less lower-mid ambiguity, and although half the price of a pair of HR824s, they weren't that far off in terms of performance. The old 824 Mk1s have a bit more air around the top end, a touch more overall clarity and perhaps slightly better stereo imaging, but the overall character is not dissimilar.”

Yeah, you can't just go on price as well. I personally liked the sound of my HS80Ms better than the Mackie HR824mk2's even though the Mackies were a decent amount more expensive. But if I mixed dance music, I probably would have preferred the Mackies. You need to listen in the store with music you know well. Listen critically. Make notes if you have to. Then go home.

This is important.

Don't buy on the first day!

Listen, then go home. Only buy on the second visit, or even third if you aren't ready. You need time for your ears to adjust. And don't look at the brands or the price, just listen.

DON'T listen in stereo when ciritically comparing. The monitors will be set up differently and it will skew your judgement. Listen to single monitors in mono.

Try and go to a store with a decent acoustic setup so you're not just listening to them sitting inside a shelf in the corner of the room. The shop I go to has a dedicated listening room. You need it. With a door. You need silence when listening!

Finally, if you're gonna make a jump to new monitors, make a big jump. Don't just get the next model up. Cause in a year you'll want the next model again, and again, and you'll waste your money. If you think you'll eventually go to an 8" cone (recommended) then save up till you can afford it. Don't just get something now because you want it for xmas.

And just stay away from 5" unless they are really good (generally NOT cheap at all). They tend to just boost the low end to extend the response and they just sound more hi fi than studio monitor. The KRK Rockit 5s are a perfect example. Sound like a hi fi stereo. The 6 and 8's are much more professional. Both very similar but the 8s have a bit more power and slightly lower response, but the 5's are just way out of the league of the 6 or 8's. You can get good 5's, but you will be paying for it. Decent 5's will cost you more than a pretty good set of 8's.

So my final judgement, save and get something better, you're probably not spending enough money yet for the deal to be worth it!! I know it's hard to wait, but it's worth it.

Not quite as easy as going to a local store to listen to lots of different monitors

I live a few hours away from my nearest city I live waaaay out in the country.

Then when I get to glasgow (City) I would go to GG Digital its quite a new shop but its not going to have every set of monitors I would be thinking of buying. It is one hell of a shope though best thing glasgow has seen yet :)

So the next thing I would have to do is do the couple of hour trip and then jump on a plane and go to london and the price of a plane ticket to go there and back say 3 times to look at monitors would start to beome crazy money

This is why I am asking on here I dont have much of an option than to try and take advice off of what people are useing on here and make a choice about it

If I was spending 1-2k on a set of monitors (I plan to do that next year) then going to london staying there a few days wont be a problem when spending that type of money.

What I am loking at at the momment are bottom end monitors
so I will be takeing a chance on this one since I cant realy hear in store. although I think gg didgital has the mr5s so I can take the tapcos there and set them uip and reference them against the mr5s and mr8s I have been looking at.

I am just looking for a slight up grade for the time being from my tapcos to something else.

Norrie

gustabo


If that's the case, get the MR8's without a sub. My cousin that has a PT studio has MR8's and I was quite impressed with them. IMHO, you can't go wrong with those. Keep in mind, whatever you buy, you will need to treat your room.

Cheers for the reply man!

Yeah I am thinking the MR8s are the way to go with this at least untill I decide to go a lot better then its off to london for a few days of trying out really top end monitors propperly then.

I think I will make the trip to glasgow this weekend with a few songs Ive done with the tapcos and check out the MR8s compared to them I think I think I know with out going what will win though :D

Norrie

bitflipper


Norrie, the conundrum you'll be facing is that the price of quality goes up exponentially. That means every appreciable step up will cost double what you'd have paid for the previous tier. You can't just spend a little more and get noticeably better-sounding speakers. You have to spend a lot more. You're looking at about $2500-3000 (£1500-1800) for accurate, full-spectrum speakers. Ouch.

Furthermore, most people who do spend that kind of money are throwing it away anyhow, because they overlooked acoustical treatments for their rooms.

That's actually good news, though, because acoustical treatments cost a LOT less than better speakers but offer a much bigger bang for the buck than even a major speaker upgrade.

Hey Bitfliper Not spoke in ages !

Yeah I just havent been 100% happy with the tapcos for some time now so I felt a change was in order.

I bought the tapcos before I knew everything about monitors etc

Ive done some reading up about the tapcos I have and I havent heard anything good about them apart from the review in sound on sound.

The mackie MR5 and 8's on the other hand I hear all god reports

Any ways that brings me to what I was going to say.

I cant properly accousticly treat the room I am useing at the momment but on the plus side I wil be moveing to a place away from home and I can then accousticly treat the room ( I cant wait )

This is when Iwill then be spending Between 1k and 2k on a good set of monitors

But If I upgrade from the tapcos to the mr'5s or 8's I will then have them to go along with the better set I will get in the future if you get what I meen

Or the other thing that was in my mind was that I will still have a small set up at home.
Once I get the place so I will still have the MR'5s or MR8's for use at home.

That way I dont feel like I am throwing money away at the momment by geting a new set of monitors as there will always be a use for them :)

I hope that made sence haha

Based on your Avatar, (at least as much as I can tell from a tiny pic) it appears your monitors are close to the back wall. If that’s the case, then look at front ported monitors instead of rear ported. If your setup has changed, then check them both.
 
I’d go with nothing less than 8” unless you want to use a sub.  
 
Shopping for monitors is an ORDEAL. There’s no easy way. Everyone has their own preferences as to what sounds best, so it’s really up to you to decide. Just remember, you're listening for detail and clarity, stereo imaging, etc….not the overall “hi-fi” sound of conventional speakers. You want monitors that translate well, so when you listen to your final mix on conventional speakers, it sounds good.

OK, Norrie, it sounds as though you're intent on replacing the Tapcos. In that case, go with 8" woofers. That'll at least improve your low-frequency response. Just don't expect a night-and-day improvement. And yeh, try to get those speakers out away from the wall if you can.

If you can, I suggest you check out the Yamaha HS80m monitors as well as the MR8s. A pretty similar price range. Same as the KRK Rockit 8's. I personally didn't like the Rockits (started compressing too much when you turn them up and the low end appears separated from the mids and highs, almost like there is a hole missing in the spectrum), but the MR8's and HS80m's are great. The yamahas just suited my music better than the MR8's, but both have their place. I bought the HS80m's. I think the MR8s had bigger sounding bass than the HS80m's, but I liked the midrange clarity in the HS80m's better. If you do more dance music I would go MR8's. For most other things I would prefer the HS80m's (hence why I chose them).

Your results may vary!

But yeah, if you can afford it, definitely go with an 8 inch cone.