# Pro Audio Monitors at home



## jerry123 (Mar 19, 2010)

Hi to all Home Theatre lovers!
I'm just wondering, I don't have much of a home theatre at this time but hope to in the near future.
I am a recording studio guy and love listening to pro monitors in studios.
I currently have a set of Mackie HR824's that I 'listen' to movies and TV through.
I'm considering setting up 5 for surround as that is a typical studio setup for surround in studios for mixing.
Is anyone else doing this? What are your experiences?
Also, this setup uses equal power/size of speaker for LR, centre and rears.
Mackie also makes HR624's which are a 6" woofer instead of an 8" one.
Advantages? Disadvantages?

Thanks.


----------



## drdoan (Aug 30, 2006)

Welcome to the Shack. Nearfield monitors are designed to sound better up close, however, it should be fine to use them in a surround setting. Matching all speakers is always a good idea. Have fun. 
Dennis


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Hi Jerry, Welcome aboard!

As Dennis has already said studio monitors tend to work better in small rooms nearfield such as a studio and my personal opinion is that Mackie does not make the best quality speakers. But as you already have two, matching them to the same or at least the same line would be your best choice. 
The 8" driver wold give you a lower frequency response and seeing as you dont have a sub listed in your needs That would be a better choice.


----------



## looneybomber (Sep 20, 2006)

There's nothing wrong with using PA monitors in a home theater, and actually, Harman Int (parent company of JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon, Revel, and more) uses 7 JBL LSR-6332's in their reference listening room...Yet they own Revel and could use any of those loudspeakers. So there must be some advantage to using reference monitors. Maybe function over fashion?



















Hmm...I'm having issues getting these pictures to show up.

Here's the link.
http://seanolive.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-11-01T15:52:00-08:00&max-results=7


----------



## jerry123 (Mar 19, 2010)

Thanks for the info. My room is quite small and I understand the near field aspect.
No woofer at the moment but hopefully in the future.

Thanks for the input!


----------



## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

The main issue with Monitors is their limited off-axis response. This means you get a narrower sweet spot for listening in. Of course they will sound fabulous in the sweet spot. In fact the Behringer 2030p's are a gem at a very nice price. 

The best way to approach audio is to ignore labels and evaluate purely on performance. If you do so you'll save yourself tons of money and have a way better system. Yamaha pro amps with 7 Behringer 2030p's and a pair of DIY subs would absolutely destroy the majority of home systems if implemented well. 

Of course don't forget to treat the room. a bookshelf on the backwall in each corner, broadband absorption behind the seating positon and leaving the first order reflections untreated work very well for most home theater systems. I realize the last suggestion goes against conventional logic, but the first order treatment is usually detrimental because it reduces your systems output capability with little audible difference.


----------



## looneybomber (Sep 20, 2006)

lsiberian said:


> The main issue with Monitors is their limited off-axis response. This means you get a narrower sweet spot for listening in. Of course they will sound fabulous in the sweet spot. In fact the Behringer 2030p's are a gem at a very nice price.


This could also be a pro. It means more directivity and less sound bounced off walls. But that's usually only the case with horns/WG's


----------



## Ricci (May 23, 2007)

I use Behringer B2031A's in one set-up and Mackie's in another. They are both great speakers and perform very well in either a studio or domestic environment. 

I'm going to humbly dissagree with Tonyvdb about the HR824's both Mk1 and MK2. They have been rigorously tested by numerous publications and shown to be a very neutral speaker with solid performance characteristics, especially for the money. Lot's of people also happen to think that they sound very good subjectively too. Me among them.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ricci said:


> I'm going to humbly dissagree with Tonyvdb about the HR824's both Mk1 and MK2. They have been rigorously tested by numerous publications and shown to be a very neutral speaker with solid performance characteristics, especially for the money. Lot's of people also happen to think that they sound very good subjectively too. Me among them.


Not a problem, Its just my opinion nothing more. I've never been a Mackie or Behringer fan probably because Ive used much higher end equipment for pro audio setups and just dont trust either for options or features for the money they just dont last if used in a road system. For home/studio use they would be good enough.


----------



## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

tonyvdb said:


> Not a problem, Its just my opinion nothing more. I've never been a Mackie or Behringer fan probably because Ive used much higher end equipment for pro audio setups and just dont trust either for options or features for the money they just dont last if used in a road system. For home/studio use they would be good enough.


Behringer is a hit or miss company. They have some great products and some dreadful ones. I'd never use their stuff for the road either, but the EP2500, 2030p and DCX2496 are all excellent products. After all sometimes you find diamonds in a coal mine.


----------



## jerry123 (Mar 19, 2010)

Yep, Behringer has a couple of cheap gems.
The main issue I've found people complaining about the Mackie's is that they are to honest in the low end.
I like that though!


----------



## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Mackies have always had a good following in the UK, not exactly expensive but most definitely up for the task, you also have the MK Pro range which is always worth considering but they are expensive..

 MK Sound Pro Range


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I really agree with Dennis in that Pro Monitors are designed for Nearfield Listening. If you have a relatively small HT, they really might work well. However, if you main seating position is over 10 feet, I really think you are better off with a well designed Home Audio Speaker.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> I really agree with Dennis in that Pro Monitors are designed for Nearfield Listening. If you have a relatively small HT, they really might work well. However, if you main seating position is over 10 feet, I really think you are better off with a well designed Home Audio Speaker.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Problem is a well designed Home Audio Speaker will cost you significantly more money.:crying:


----------



## jackfish (Dec 27, 2006)

If your Mackies are the HR824 MkIIs they are designed for good performance in both the nearfield and off-axis farfield applications, and are THX certified for surround sound applications. With another HR824 MkII for a center channel and two or four HR624 MkIIs for your surrounds you would have a servicable 5 or 7 speaker home theater speaker system. With 1310 total watts and an effective low end of 30 Hz (fronts and center as large) you could get by without a subwoofer for a while. You could run it all off a home theater preamplifier/processor.


----------



## a1161979 (Aug 26, 2007)

Ricci said:


> I use Behringer B2031A's in one set-up and Mackie's in another. They are both great speakers and perform very well in either a studio or domestic environment.


I have been very happy with my B2031A's that i use for desktop speakers, been used lots over the past 18 months everyday without fail, only issue is turn on pop and don't leave a mobile phone on top of them. In terms of sound i think they are very respectable sounding speakers and for the price are unbeatable, i paid $550 AUD for mine and i have not heard anything from the home market under $1000 sound as good.


----------

