Welcome to the next installment of "Tech Talk." This monthly feature
will hopefully help you understand about certain sound and musical
gadgets that everyone sees but are just not sure how they operate in
the real world.
This month we will be talking about
floor monitors.
First off, you are looking for an "active" monitoring system if you
don't want to purchase a seperate amplifier. An active monitor has the
amp built in. A passive monitor is just the speaker - no amp.
Secondly, if you ask 10 people which monitors to purchase, you're
likely to get 10 different answers. It's similar to asking a group of
runners what type of shoes a person should buy. It all comes down to
personal preference and how the shoe fits the foot. Similarly, most
folks determine which monitor to purchase based on how the speaker
sounds to them. So it becomes a very subjective proposition.
We should know a few things first before we can give a good answer.
1. What's your budget?
2. How large is the room?
3. Is the reproduction of frequencies below 80Hz important to you?
4. Will you be creating final mixes on them? (You've given us an indication already)
You'll probably end up with a good set of nearfield monitors, but they
are designed to provide very good imaging in a "sweet spot" which is
the point where the listener will sit in which the audio will arrive
simultaneously from both speakers. To find the sweet spot, you make an
equilateral triangle with the speakers and the listener's head. If the
monitors are spaced 5 feet apart and pointed diagonally towards the
center, the listener's head should be roughly 5 feet from either
monitor.
Here are some good monitors:
JBL-JRX112M Designed from the ground up as a
stage monitor, the JRX112M is a 12" two-way stage monitor in a compact
enclosure also featuring the dual-angle pole socket for front-of- house
applications. Voiced to perfection, the JRX112M cuts through to allow
performers to hear everything they need for a professional performance.
J
BL JRX112M Features:
12" two-way portable stage monitor or front of house speaker system
12" woofer
1" titanium diaphragm, fluid-cooled compression driver mounted on a Progressive Transition waveguide
SonicGuard high-frequency protection
Carpet-covered, trapezoidal enclosure
3/4" MDF construction
18-gauge steel grill
35 mm dualangle pole mount socket
Steel handles
Neutrik Speakon and 1/4" input
Yamaha SM-12v
The drivers, or speakers in these cabinets, are custom made by
Eminence Speaker Corporation to
Yamaha's
exacting tolerances. Woofers share design features like high strength
curvilinear cones and Dupont Kapton voice coil formers. Oxygen-free
copper voice coils and oversize strontium ferrite magnets are also used
to provide high power handling and long life. The 15" and 18" drivers
use cast aluminum frames to support the massive magnet structure
eliminate flex and help dissipate heat. The compression driver that
generates the high frequency sound uses a pure titanium diaphragm. This
2" dome is one of the largest in its class, allowing for very high
output and low distortion, without the aid of cooling fluids. It's
mated to a 90 degrees x 40 degrees custom designed CD (constant
directivity) horn with excellent dispersion and response.
Crossovers Crossover networks that divide the
signal going to the woofer and compression driver are constructed with
oversized coils, high voltage capacitors, and power resistors designed
to provide the best possible sound quality and minimize loss. Overload
protection is also included to protect the components.
Yamaha SM-12v Features:
12" 2-way floor monitor
Low profile design
Can easily be used as a main speaker
Awesome vocal monitor
Really, the best advice to share is go to an audio store(not just one)
and see and hear what is available. Be realistic about what you need
and you will be more satisfied in the long run.
Til next time,
Roger
For custom guitars and basses, check out
Fortner Guitars.
