Monitor Dilemma/What to Buy Now?

A buddy of mine is selling his Solo 6be's as he picked up a pair of these and swears they're the best speakers he's ever heard. www.equatoraudio.com/D8-Studio-Monitors-with-DSP-Pair-p/d8.htm "my search for the perfect monitors is over". He's listening thru a symphony i/o. We have the same setup (he does have a monitor controller cuz he has other monitors), so his listening experience is pretty similar to mine (symphony -> focals), excluding the room differences.

Check 'em out, maybe. they're cheap enough to not kill your bank account if you aren't sure.

Thanks guys. I'll have a listen to Equators when I can. For now though, I just wanted to have some big bottom for a change, and to experience a 3 way speaker, y'know?

I just got tired of little monitors, and wanted at least a touch of that big studio feeling. The Avantones are nearly full range, 28 hz to 35khz, with 200w to the bottom, 100w to mids, and 100w to the highs, that should give me some real headroom. One thing I liked was they sounded reasonably full at low volume, but of course, I won't really know for sure until they're here. I'm expecting them this evening, but it might be a day or two until I can set them up and start breaking them in.

Two summer's back, at the NYC AES show, I listened to Alan Sides Ocean Way monitors in a private room, I don't recall if it was HR3 or HR2, but man, the impact and clarity of those speakers with the Focusrite Red Net system was inspiring to say the least, and I've wanted me some of that ever since.

Great news. Seth's a straight up guy, and he knows what he's talking about. I'd bet they're cool. It's possible they would have been an even better choice for my needs, but once I'd heard the Abbey's, I just looked no further. Let us know what you think shadowamd.

Yep ! You're right jcoutou. I'm planning on taking over the whole room and putting the speakers in the middle soon. One thing I liked about the Abbey's was they sounded good at low levels, so hopefully I'll be OK in the corner until I do the switcharound.

As  for my neighbors, well, I never pump up the volume past 8:00 PM and usually only for a little while for 20-30 minutes during the daytime.

I'm going to play the devils advocate here a bit. I found not one review on the abbeys? I'd like to know, are these Polypropylene drivers? Paper pulp = accurate, my Mackie's have pp. Some info on the amp? I can't even find a high Rez pic? Can they be 1/2'd and 1/4 spaced? if not, that is going to be a big problem for u MJB, even centered on a wall, they're on a wall. I used my Mackies in 1/4 for many years. Do these come with a satisfaction guarantee return period?

that said, I like the minimum refracting shape, and they look very pretty, if they are easy translators, and sound as good as they look, then they'll be a winner?

Thanks guys.

I know what you mean Tony, there's scant info on them. It was simply that I got to listen to them in a room with a bunch of standard types of near field monitors, Eve, Adam's, and I'm familiar with the Neumann's and Focal Alpha's and Solo6 Be, and the Presonus Sceptre, and honestly, these were just in another league altogether.

Now, when put up next to their real competitors, you know, the $4000 -$5,000 monitors, it might be another story. They've revoiced them, so it'll take me a little time to break them in and then see how I feel about it. Seth from Avantone said that the mds are more balanced and smooth now. I thought they were fine in the first place, but he knows them well, and I trust his opinion, so the updated Abbey's should be even more smokin'.


I think the port design helps when they're on a wall. Eventually, I'll find my way to a room where I don't have to position them like this, but for now, it's OK. I only listened at low levels to a few tracks last night, but it's very clear I've been EQ-ing incorrectly, I just couldn't hear it on the Adams, and was pumping he frequencies the Adams were lacking in. I'll have to get used to real bass again, these things have monster bass for a cabinet this size.

I'll see if I can dig up some detailed info, maybe Seth will help us out in that regard.

Oh, and you're right, there aren't any high res pics I could find. These things are one of the classiest looking monitors I've ever seen, and I bet for those people with clients, they would add a nice touch to their presentations.

Martin,
The re-voicing of a speaker I fell in love would scare me, I would make sure I can return them if I didn't like them or that the manufacture would either custom tune them back to the original or find an original pair if this no voice didn't work for me.

Hey Matt, I'll ask Seth if he can give us a few more details.

Eric, I don't think it would be problem to change back if I preferred the voicing as I first heard it. I've been concerned about this too, but even at late night, low volume, it seemed to have the same transparency I was so attracted to, so I'm not worried yet.

Tony, according to the manual, the midrange speaker is made from "paper cone, using the latest FEA modeling, and "old school" speaker design. The finest Canadian pulp material is blended with carbon and mica fibers for rigidity and accuracy at low frequencies. The cloth surround material is made in Japan". The motor structure is 1008 low carbon steel.

That measurement is at -3dB

So far, I'm not listening to speakers. They're so transparent, and the soundstage so real, I'm just hearing the music float in front of me, the speakers just disappear.

Until I get some high res pictures, they look like the guy who designed this made them:

asap bannedchuck.