Monitoring upgrade

[Mr. Torture]

I have a set of Mackie HDR824's, they are around 23 years old. I think it's time for an upgrade, was wondering what you folks thought about Focal products?

 

Thanks!

[Mr. Torture]

Realized that I posted this in the wrong section, if someone could move the "Gear" it would be appreciated. Thanks!

[User 905133]

Just so you know, you can edit posts.  While you cannot delete a post, you can write something like [ post moved to a different thread ] .

Edited June 6, 2022 by User 905133

[jesse g]

3 hours ago, Mr. Torture said:

I have a set of Mackie HDR824's, they are around 23 years old. I think it's time for an upgrade, was wondering what you folks thought about Focal products?

 

Thanks!

Mr. Toture,

Take a look at these Frontier by Barefoot Monitors.   

Barefoot is a well known monitor company in the music industry and I had the chance to listen to a pair of these in person.  I had to save to get these because it was worth it.    The company will allow you to test a pair for 30 day but you have to either buy them or return them.    I bought them before the 30 days were up.  ?

Check them out on YouTube when you get a chance.

[Byron Dickens]

What makes you think you have to "upgrade" something just because it is a few years old?

[Mr. Torture]

14 hours ago, bdickens said:

What makes you think you have to "upgrade" something just because it is a few years old?

I have done a bit of reading and they say monitors are usually good for a maximum of 10 years. I cannot help but think after 23 years that they may not be operating at peak performance. Plus technology has eclipsed these monitors long ago.

Edited June 7, 2022 by Mr. Torture

[Alan Tubbs]

I use a Yamaha pro system 40+ years old.  10 inch woofer and beryllium tweeters.  Needs a new amp, the last time I had it worked on the tech said don’t bother bringing it back in.  He couldn’t believe it was still working.  So they can last (tho a 70s Yama is probably better built than a 90s mackie).  Still, the speakers themselves can last a long time.  Amps? I’m ordering an old transnova to replace the Yama.

many of the studios I’ve used use barefoot speakers.  Great if you can afford it, even the new cheap model.  If not, I’ve been out of the speaker market for so long i couldn’t advise.

[Pathfinder]

I still use my Mackie HR624 mkii's. Sound great. See no reason to change except maybe for the sake of change. I get that. I agree the tech has certainly changed though. So, is that good or bad?

[Byron Dickens]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:52 AM, Mr. Torture said:

I have done a bit of reading and they say monitors are usually good for a maximum of 10 years. I cannot help but think after 23 years that they may not be operating at peak performance. Plus technology has eclipsed these monitors long ago.

Who, exactly, is "they?"

No offense, but I think less reading and more listening is in order.

By all means, if you aren't getting what you want out of what you already have and you are sure you have found something that will, then go for it.

But let your ears tell you to change and not "them "

 

This is a fantastic video on the subject. Its a drum channel but the same principles apply:

 

 

[jesse g]

One of the major advantages with these newer monitors is, they allow you to hear sounds clear and more distinct than you did 10 or 20 years ago because the technology is more advanced inside of them.  I listened to my KRK's and older Yamaha and the clarity the Frontier monitors  were remarkable and what I heard was cleaner and much better because of the technology that didn't exist 10 or 20 years ago.   I don't blame him for upgrading his 23 year old monitors because the inner parts are 23 years behind the current time.

Edited June 13, 2022 by jesse g

[Mr. Torture]

On 6/13/2022 at 5:57 PM, jesse g said:

One of the major advantages with these newer monitors is, they allow you to hear sounds clear and more distinct than you did 10 or 20 years ago because the technology is more advanced inside of them.  I listened to my KRK's and older Yamaha and the clarity the Frontier monitors  were remarkable and what I heard was cleaner and much better because of the technology that didn't exist 10 or 20 years ago.   I don't blame him for upgrading his 23 year old monitors because the inner parts are 23 years behind the current time.

My thoughts as well.

[Alan Tubbs]

I replaced my 45 year old Yama amp with a halfler transnova.  A lot punchier than the softer Yama, more upfront.  Like an api preamp.  Interesting.  More difference than I thought. 

[Misto]

I've heard great things about the Focal Twin 6 BEs, if that's your sort of budget?  I'm a big fan of Genelecs, you can match with a subwoofer depending on your needs...

Edited June 29, 2022 by Misto
Minor edit

[garybrun]

I have the Focal Trio6 Be
Focal Review<

They are the best thing I have ever spent my money on in the studio.
I don't even need a subwoofer either.

Edited June 26, 2022 by garybrun

[whoisp]

I worked as a sound engineer for ITV and been in quite a few film and music studios.  They all have different gear and were told by "them" to get this or that. Many studios etc bought gear the shop basically wanted to get rid off because they get stuck with old stock etc Speakers will last forever if your not pumping them over 70% all the time. People now go crazy over old gear, especially valve or and pre amps. 

Here is my ten bobs worth. We train our ears to what ever we are using and only notice a difference when we compare. We can only hear 20 Hz to 20 kHz when we was probably under 30. Everyone listens to music we produce on different headphones and speakers (*Audio equipment) so how does our system effect that, it doesn't its our ears. I know people with great gear that can't mix, produce and ear for sh*t. 

Get what works for you, what your ears like and can separate ranges to mix and master the way you want. Its like musicians some prefer a fender over a Gibson. Some of the best will only mix and master with headphones and not separate amps and speakers or monitors.  Whatever system you change to will take time to train your ears to the end product, so get something your happy with and then you'll be happy.   

[bats brew]

the focals are excellent!

 

and if you're going that route,

consider adding the focal sub one,

reviewed last month in Tape OP

https://tapeop.com/reviews/gear/148/sub-one-active-subwoofer/

[Tim Smith]

Test- Rub the fingers of thumb and forefinger together on each hand close to LR ears. Do you hear that? You should.

Now move your hands to full arm length and continue to rub the fingers together lightly. Do you still hear that? Good. If you can hear that you can still mix detail and are a candidate for super detailed monitors.

Now for the real test- Try the rubbing the fingers together in a loud environment. Right now I hear an air conditioner and someone talking in the background ( plus my tinnitus). Can you still hear the fingers? Don't fake yourself out by thinking you hear it because you know when you rubbed your fingers. Maybe get your wife or girlfriend to do the same thing at the same distance. Just make sure they aren't pulling one over on you by telling you they are doing it when they aren't. If you can hear it with low background noise from 3Ft. out you can mix critically. If you can't, good monitors are wasted on you, sorry. Good monitors can also help to mix low end detail, but most can still hear that even with high end hearing loss.

No harm in having that old Mackie pair alongside another pair of monitors. Put em' on an A/B switch and make comparative A/B listens.