Nope! Plain ole phonos from a mini stereo jack from the PC - says it all huh? I must say that the sound is rather like using a GOOD CRT for colour Correction. I'm hearing stuff I didn't previously - yeah?

Anyway I got a show OFFER at our annual IoV convention, and went for it.

Tell me, as Douglas aint listening, what can I gain going the other, Optical or SPDIF, route? I did read that these can do it. I'm a complete rookie when it comes to these matters.

If you have optical or SPDIF out of your sound card, I believe it bypasses one or several digital to analog to digital steps. Purer sound. Also, wider range of audio formats (read: higher quality.)

Been using a pair of MA-20Ds for some time and they are wonderful. Unfortunately they are no longer available. I am now in a position to pick up another pair for rear surrounds so it'll have to be the MA-15Ds. Hope they'll do the trick.

Glad you're pleased with them G.
Tom

Optical SPDIF is easier to connect and completely interference free.
In reality probably doesn't amount to all that much but if you've got a spare SPDIF output why not use it.
One thing though, with SPDIF you'll have to use the level controls on the speaker, the ones on your sound card / box will most likely not work as it's a straught thru digital connection.

Anyways a few days ago I ordered a very cheap pair of Behringer "Truth" monitors, 1/2 price because the box was opened and / or they were refurbished. Well at least they'll look the part.

Bob.

What is opinion on the 'bass enhancement' such as featured in the ma-15Ds? I note the extra output for a sub-woofer, which might provide a way around bass enhancement.
I need to get better close field audio monitors and the Edirol and the Behringer Truth (which promises high linearity down to 50Hz) are in the price range I can afford.
An audio guy I'm working with has opined that he's "weary of bass enhancement for true monitoring", so possibly that promotes Behringer in my ranking.
I'm very interested in everyone's views on this subject!

Good point, Serena. I meant to post a warning to G-man.

The point of near field monitors is to present a "flat" sound to the listener. When you add sub woofer or "enhanced" anything, that may color your viewpoint of the final product.

So I would think that if they sound great on flat near fields, then they should sound great on other systems tweaked to your liking.

I wouldn't recommend "bass enhancement" or a system that touts such a feature. As previously said, the point of nearfields is to provide a more accurate, flat reference, both in frequency response and stereo field - for most video purposes, a sub wouldn't be necessary. How accurate nearfields are of course is a function of price, but you can do fairly well on an inexpensive system - just listen and compare to get a feel for the differences - some may be intolerable over long periods, and others may be misleading in a certain range. Try listening to a more expensive pair of nearfields, if you have the option (nothing too expensive, or you'll never want to go back :-).

As for subs - there isn't anything wrong with checking some material with a sub, as long as you can switch it off for critical mixing. A true, designed, 2.1 system (two nearfields with a sub) can do a good job of providing linear response down well below 50Hz, but a mismatched system can cause more problems. That said, fldave is right - if you don't have an ear for adjusting to what a sub does, it may be more problematic than helpful.

I don't use my sub for music mixes that much, other than for LFE for 5.1 (it's a matched 5.1 system), as the mains reproduce down to 50Hz quite well, and that's about as far as most pop/rock extends. If you do use a sub you need bass management (to redirect the lows below your selected cutoff - usually 50Hz or so - to the sub rather than everything). There is a freeware plugin for 5.1 that should work just fine in Vegas - I don't have the link handy, but if anyone is interested I'll find it.

Also, the room needs to be acoustically friendly for any set of nearfields to really work best. Standing waves and reflections can be more misleading than inexpensive monitors.

Regards,
Dedric

Just got up. Excellent feedback.

I was also told that the Eds would provide this "flat" monitoring. When I plugged them in it took me about an hour to adjust my ears to the extended range of frequencies that I could now hear. I have no idea if the bass enhancing at my level is going to exhibit the issues raised. But what I can already tell you is that the previous "hidden" bass woofing-distortion is now readily apparent and I can make some remedial adjustments accordingly. And as a reference I played back the original through my previous existing "speakers" and yes, there it was. I could now hear the issue.

Added to which I'm already experiencing a type of flat clarity I wasn't aware of, or possible at this price range. I can see that this set of monitors will provide me with more than enough monitoring for the foreseeable future. I shall keep a weather-ear out for the type of issues discussed, and until such time I can see these monitors are going to suffice. And as a final "check" I will run the outputs on another set of "normal" speakers to hear the effect of improvements made.

Serena awfully kind of you for checking out with your informed technical individual and taking the time to bring it here, to forum. Nice to have this "professional" information readily available. I'm jealous.

Dedric? Have you heard this particular pair? I'd be interested in your opinion. Actually I wasn't "swayed" by the bass enhancement feature - touted or not!

Grazie, your purchase and comments prompted me to think of buying the same monitors. The comment I posted was the response I got from my guy. After posting I started to worry that I'd done a most impolite thing to suggest that your purchase might in any way be less than perfect. Actually I was selfishly trying to get advice for myself! Anyway, your further post tells me that the bass enhancement in the Edirol is an option to be used or not.

Serena, you are exactly correct. There is a bass switch I CAN turn off if I so wish. The thing is I have that option.

OK, I'm now editing a piece I shot during HIGH Summer here in London. The birds were singing and I've got some strumming South American slowish guitar work tinkering in the background along with a "breathy" flautist. The bass strings on the guitar are resounding around my studio and I swear that the flute player is behind me. The interplay of both these audio elements - birds + South American Combo - would have been less than perfect on my - ahem/cough/splutter - other set-up! Buying decisions? Small steps for me. Bit by bit. I feel comfortable with this purchase.

As to getting info for yourself, no worries Serena, you go for it!

Oh, the "other" inexpensive purchase I'm getting soon is a SpiderBrace. $65US, can't "buck" that now? - Have to thank JR for convincing on this one.

Serena,
just forwarded an email from Venue Music here in Sydney. If you're quick they've still got some B2030As going for 1/2 price.

Bob.

Bob, thanks for that. I'll see if I acted in time. My audio guy differentiates between "eastern ears" and "western ears" (nothing to do with orientation of the edit suite) and summarised this as "Asians look for an “edgier” treble range and suffer by not presenting a more linear curve throughout. For “edgier” read “falsely bright.” He reckons I'll be able to hear the difference quite easily and prefers "western" designs himself. So, we will see!

Serena

By my understanding of studio monitors they aren't (shouldn't?) be designed to sound pleasant. Rather they're designed to accenuate errors or problems and can indeed sound harsh.
One post I read somewhere suggested listening to some of your favourite tracks through the best monitors you can afford, narrow your choice down to two and select your least preferred sound of those two.

Bob.

Contrary to all the pictures you see get your near field monitors up to ear level! You’ll win 2 ways: first the frequency response will only be flat if the distance between the 2 drivers and your ears is the same otherwise there will be a notch at the crossover frequency . Second is getting them up minimizes the reflections and diffraction off your desk, mixer, CRT, etc. of the sound before it gets to your ears. I did this a few months ago and the results are amazing – no going back. The stands themselves should be non-resonant.

Near field monitors don’t need to sound harsh to be accurate. Being harsh, or having listener fatigue, is usually a sign of electronic or mechanical distortion.

Larry

I am the guilty one who was there when Grazie purchased those speakers.
They were on my list for the IOV show and I am very pleased with them. I have run them from my laptop and listened to a collection of my music on them (mp3) and I can certainly here things that were no there in the past, such an hear opener (nearly said eye) and they are loud.... My old PC speakers with bass box are now sounding a bit naff.

I also had down the new Sony HDD capture device, but did not see one, anyone had any dealings with it yet.
no news from this lot yet
http://www.bella-usa.com/Catapult.htm

> I was also told that the Eds would provide this "flat" monitoring.

Yes, but only if your sound card is not “coloring” the audio! If it’s just the motherboard sound chip, it might be optimized for making DVD playback sound good and not necessarily giving a flat frequency response for audio editing. So now you are hearing more of what is being delivered but you still can’t be sure it’s an accurate representation of what’s in your project.

I would get a pro audio card. Anything from M-Audio or Echo would be fine. I have an M-Audio Firewire-410 with the M-Audio Studiophile LX4 2.1 system with the 5.1 expanders. Having reference audio monitors is only half of the equation. Getting flat reference audio is the other. Now that you know the big difference reference monitors make, you can extrapolate that having a pro sound card (even just a $99 one) will take you up to another level.

> first the frequency response will only be flat if the distance between the 2 drivers and your ears is the same otherwise there will be a notch at the crossover frequency

This can’t be stressed enough. If you are sitting 3 feet from the monitors, they should also be 3 feet from each other. You need to be at the apex in order to get true flat response.

~jr

Using M-Audio BX5 monitors here with an Echo Gina 3G sound card and I'm very happy with the combination. The Gina 3G is like the perfect base-level pro sound card. Just enough inputs/outputs and great quality.

Grazie - I haven't heard the Edirols personally. For monitors in this range, it may come down to what you like, and whether you have any ear fatigue after listening for a while. Since the bass enhancement is switchable, then if they sound relatively clear for the full range without it, you will probably get a more accurate response from them.

As a couple of other posters noted, nearfields shouldn't sound harsh. They won't sound like a home stereo, but after spending time with quality monitors, the home stereo starts to sound like mush. :-)

This thread was a good example of something I wouldn't have seen under a "subscription to a thread" arrangement. I knew my audio monitoring system needed some improvement, but never knew how much until I switched in my new Behringer monitor speakers. Wow! Although the subject has been discussed previously, it was this time that Grazie did a wonderful thing in posting this thread. The "downside" was that I had to reorganise my editing suite and move some of my beloved (but now infrequently used) film gear aside. Valuable input from others (farss in particular).

So you got your Behringers!

How are you liking them. I agree about the need to reorganise things. Yet to get mine a proper home.

Bob, the difference between the new and the old was rather shocking and once again made me realise that "making do" isn't good enough. And on this occasion the fix wasn't unduly expensive! It was a very good thing that the acquisition forced a revamp of the editing room, for not only is the sound better but I'm much less squeezed for space. Thanks for the pointer to that sale.

EDIT: the "east ears" "west ears" thing was a furphy, I would say. Or at least for linear monitors!