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KRK...life MUCH easier now

12/3/2000 1:13 PM
Brad	KRK...life MUCH easier now This is not a paid endorsement of KRK Industries, just a shared observation of some relatively inexpensive studio monitor speakers. Nabbed a pair of like-new KRK RoKits from a local pawn shop for way less than half price of the cheapest I've seen new. Figured for that price, they would be useful. I'm surprised and impressed. While at the lowest end of the KRK line, they sound pretty good. I'd been using small JBL's and I had to adjust to them because if I had them sounding just right in my room, they were thumpy in my living room stereo, boombox, and car. So I had to learn to make them sound a bit thin on the bottom so they could sound right elsewhere. I connected the KRKs through an Alesis RA100 and did a quick mix of something I was finishing up. Left everything on the mixer flat, and no EQ. (I wanted to see how my previous mix translated with no help). Nice smooth bass, crisp but not sizzling highs, and well-rounded mids. I also noticed that the stereo imaging was pretty forgiving, because these are on a workbench shelf where if I'm standing, they are perfectly in plane with my head, but a little above when sitting, and I noticed very little difference between sitting and standing, and moving right or left, so long as I was in front of either, I could still hear the other. Took the tape to my other listening stereos, and SURPRISE, sounded REAL close to what it needs to be. Maybe a little hyped on the high end, but I can learn to adjust to that easily. Connected them to a speaker switcher, and when switching I could see why the JBLs would mix boomy. When I had the KRKs real tight and round and punchy, the JBLs had very little bass, which means I would have to hype the bass if I wanted to hear it while mixing. Then I learned while doing the dub to tape just how much bass to take out. Wasn't the easiest method, but I made it work. While having stated here before that you CAN make a decent mix on less than ideal speakers, even home stereo speakers if you learn how the mix translates to other systems, and do critical listening for noise, stereo balance, etc. through a good set of headphones, it does make it easier and quicker to mix through something that will be a lot closer to finished and translating well to other systems AS you mix. I realize that these are not even the IDEAL monitors, but for the price, (I've seen them for $299/pr new), they are surprisingly decent. Those on a budget may want to give these a listen, as well as others, of course. (I love pawn shops). Brad

12/3/2000 1:13 PM

Brad

KRK...life MUCH easier now

This is not a paid endorsement of KRK Industries, just a shared observation of some relatively inexpensive studio monitor speakers. Nabbed a pair of like-new KRK RoKits from a local pawn shop for way less than half price of the cheapest I've seen new. Figured for that price, they would be useful. I'm surprised and impressed. While at the lowest end of the KRK line, they sound pretty good. I'd been using small JBL's and I had to adjust to them because if I had them sounding just right in my room, they were thumpy in my living room stereo, boombox, and car. So I had to learn to make them sound a bit thin on the bottom so they could sound right elsewhere. I connected the KRKs through an Alesis RA100 and did a quick mix of something I was finishing up. Left everything on the mixer flat, and no EQ. (I wanted to see how my previous mix translated with no help). Nice smooth bass, crisp but not sizzling highs, and well-rounded mids. I also noticed that the stereo imaging was pretty forgiving, because these are on a workbench shelf where if I'm standing, they are perfectly in plane with my head, but a little above when sitting, and I noticed very little difference between sitting and standing, and moving right or left, so long as I was in front of either, I could still hear the other. Took the tape to my other listening stereos, and SURPRISE, sounded REAL close to what it needs to be. Maybe a little hyped on the high end, but I can learn to adjust to that easily.
Connected them to a speaker switcher, and when switching I could see why the JBLs would mix boomy. When I had the KRKs real tight and round and punchy, the JBLs had very little bass, which means I would have to hype the bass if I wanted to hear it while mixing. Then I learned while doing the dub to tape just how much bass to take out. Wasn't the easiest method, but I made it work.
While having stated here before that you CAN make a decent mix on less than ideal speakers, even home stereo speakers if you learn how the mix translates to other systems, and do critical listening for noise, stereo balance, etc. through a good set of headphones, it does make it easier and quicker to mix through something that will be a lot closer to finished and translating well to other systems AS you mix.
I realize that these are not even the IDEAL monitors, but for the price, (I've seen them for $299/pr new), they are surprisingly decent. Those on a budget may want to give these a listen, as well as others, of course. (I love pawn shops).
Brad