Using Hi-Fi amp to power passive monitors ?

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Jak of all trades Master of none
Member Since: Aug 21, 2006

Gday,

I'm looking at getting some near field reference monitors soon and was wondering if powering them with a Hi-Fi amp is feasable as my budget is pretty tight.

My amp is a Kenwood KR-A4080 (2x80W RMS)

Almost identical to this one...
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI...item=9729759664

Obviously all 3D/surround/bass boost features will be switched off.

Does anyone know if the output of an amp like this will be linear enough to warrant using decent monitors?
Or should i just save until i can afford either 1.properly matched amp/passive monitors OR
2.actives

Cheers.
J

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 31, 2006 07:23 am

Hey Jminor,

I would say that while what you are wanting to do isn't, obviously, the optimum situation, it is a good way to start. Decent nearfield monitors will do you a lot of good over using some home theatre type speakers, even with a hi-fi amp. I would say go that route and begin saving for a decent reference amp.

In very hi-end situations amp and speaker matching can make a big difference, but, for us commoners the bottom line is to get as flat of a response from both amp and speakers is the name of the game, not necessarily "matching" them up. If they both get flat responses and have compatible specs (ohms and wattage) then you have a good set up.

Most of the more reasonably priced active monitors say they have "matched" components, but all that typically means is they are spec'd to match ohms and wattage needs of the speaker for the lowest price the manufacturer can do it for.

Jak of all trades Master of none
Member
Since: Aug 21, 2006


Aug 31, 2006 12:03 pm

Thanks dB,

That's the answer I was hoping for :) (+ fast and fastidious, as always)
I will now look toward some decent passives so my mixes don't sound like dog excrement.

Curiously, What variety of speakers/systems do any other members use to check mix downs/masters... ?

I still plan to use the Hi-Fi, headphones, PC speakers and car stereo to check mixes thru various hardware before settling with a final cut.

Hope to hear some replies,

Peace,
J


Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 31, 2006 12:07 pm

Glad to help.

Personally, I use JBL 4206's for monitors, I have had them for years, I don't think they are made any more but they are great and reasonably priced if you can find 'em. For an amp I have an old Alesis RA200...I don't like much of Alesis' products, but their reference amps I have always found to be good, they are pretty much Samson's with a different brand on 'em.

As far as using loads of sources to listen thru, I suggest you look in to the application HarBal. it takes loads of time off of mastering by allowing you to see and adjust the frequency spectrum...it has saved me TONS of time over the last couple years when mastering, it really makes easy work of the "sound best in all speakers" sort of problems.

Jak of all trades Master of none
Member
Since: Aug 21, 2006


Aug 31, 2006 12:33 pm

I used to have JBL drivers (subs) in my car.... They needed fairly large enclosures though...this was 6-8 years ago, but awesome sounding :)

A friend of mine used to use an RA200 aswell, with the Alesis monitors... (although this was many years ago before i was recording myself, so i didn't take much notice, but it did sound much cleaner than my Hi-Fi or Car System for that matter)

I've just been on the HarBal website (never heard of it?) to see what the deal is... Can you briefly describe how it works if you have a few minutes to explain.. (it's FAQ mostly tells me about purchasing and technical issues) and i want to know what the hell it provides, that I can't do myself.

Desc. seems very vague for a company with something genuine to offer..
Description:
Quote:
HarBal Harmonic Balancer is the software that introduces the new process of Harmonic Balancing as the replacement for traditional processes of mastering recorded music. Sometimes, todays songs can be mastered incorrectly and producing extremely irritable tones to the listener. With HarBal you can create a harmonically balanced sound of unparalleled quality one hundred percent of the time. With this software you will be able to create original and re-mastered recordings that rival the best mastering studios the world has to offer. Please make sure you have your spam filter turned off when ordering the program.


Should i download the trial version and stop bothering you... ?

Cheers mate.
J



Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 31, 2006 12:43 pm

Well, regarding HarBal, here's the drill...

The reason audio can sound so different from speaker to speaker is often because different speakers have different strengths and weaknesses in the frequency spectrum.

If you mix has a big peak at, say for example, 500hz, and you are listening to it thru a speaker that has a serious weakness at that range, your mix will sound like crap, if that speaker is very strong on the high end but your mix is very weak on the high end it will sound like crap.

What HarBal does is show you a visual layout of the sonic fingerprint of your mix and show you all the peaks and valley in the EQing. The trick to getting it to sound the best possible across all speakers is to not rely on huge peaks and valleys in your spectrum...with HarBal you can grab those peaks and valleys and drag them up or down to correct the EQing. It makes mastering so easy it's almost scary.

I wrote about HarBal a couple of time, here is the first review:
www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=214

Here is a little update when version 2 came out:
www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=675

They also just released version 2.2 which ads a few cool features.

Conjurer of Emotion
Member
Since: Jan 14, 2006


Aug 31, 2006 01:37 pm

dB, this seems like a good spot to ask a favor I have been thinking of. I was wondering if you, or anyone else could post a before and after of a track that was mastered using HarBal. I am thinking of purchasing it but I really want to hear an example first. If it would be easier, the before and after could be emailed to me at [email protected] for anyone willing to do it.

Also, in your review dB, you mentioned doing most of your mastering in WaveLab. So then do you pretty much balance the track in Har-bal to get it sounding good on all systems and then you maximize and everything else in WaveLab? I am simply trying to evaluate my best options.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 31, 2006 01:40 pm

I use WaveLab to do fade ins and outs, maximize, compress and such, then, when that's all done I sweep over the final EQing in HarBal and I am done.

I would suggest you get befores and afters from music you know better, your own, get the demo (I think they still give a demo out) and work on your own tunes. A feature that came in v2 was HarBal "Air" that was a sort of stereo imager that is awesome.

I am always impressed with what HarBal does for my final mastering, and how quick it does it.

The demo, if they still have one, is 8 bit, so it won't be a perfect sample, but it'll give you a good idea of it's power.

Conjurer of Emotion
Member
Since: Jan 14, 2006


Aug 31, 2006 06:50 pm

Oh alright, I'll give the demo a shot then. Also, what are your words on Izotope ozone? I tried a demo of that and loved the interface and quick results i was able to obtain. However I have not tried anything else in the way of mastering. Would you give this app good marks?


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 01, 2006 04:11 pm

Hey Jminor, I'll toss my mixing and listening rigs up here for referance as well.

Main mixing: KRK K-Rok nearfields with an Alesis RS300 referance series amp.

For monitering live and referance: Peavey PR15 large scale speakers with a Peavey PV-900 amp.

CD mix testing: Paradigm MK3's with a Yamaha A-32 800 watt stereo amp. Various Sony boombox's and CD discman. And finally my Pontiac Vibe running an Eclipse head unit through an MTX 3404 480 watt amp to Kicker 2 way componants front and rear and an MTX 3401 480 watt mono to a Kicker SoloBaric sub.

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