Good audio monitors? (KRK ROKIT?)

Tommy Starsson · Dec 7, 2015

Good audio monitors?
So I have recently discovered that audio is very important in movies (yes, bit of a newbie)

So i'm getting a zoom h5 and ntg2.
but audio is a whole new world of knowledge for me. I have no idea where to start even.

I need good speakers ( i guess) for my editing
Ryan over at Riotfilm recommends KRK ROKIT RP-5.
and focusrite scarlett 2i2.

Now I don't get it, is the scarlett like a sound card? you cannot connect the speakers to the computer like regular 2.1 or 5.1 speakers? Considering the costs, is the scarlett 2i2 really worth it?
what do you guys think? what do you use when you edit your audio?
any suggestions would be helpful...

Alcove Audio · Dec 8, 2015

You should also consider the JBL LSR305 if you can get them in Europe. The RP-5s are okay, but KRK is a little more music oriented.

The Scarlett will give you two mic inputs (VO/ADR, sound FX, Foley) and a "decent" headphone preamp as well as a physical volume knob.

Both are worthwhile investments. Explore other options. There are dozens of gear sites that discuss these topics ad-nauseum; read through some of the posts. Read the reviews. Give 'em a test drive, if at all possible.

Oh, don't get the NTG-2, it's notorious for low output levels; get the NTG-1 or Audio Technica AT875 and use the H5 to supply the phantom power to the mics. With the money saved get battery packs for the H5. And again, if you can get them in Europe, check out the Tascam DR series of audio recorders.

Tommy Starsson · Dec 8, 2015

Thank you so much! This was my first post on this forum and
This is exacly the kind of kind response i was hoping for.

Tommy Starsson · Dec 8, 2015

Alcove Audio said:
You should also consider the JBL LSR305 if you can get them in Europe. The RP-5s are okay, but KRK is a little more music oriented.

I found a store in sweden that has the lbj speakers.
Do i still need the scarlett? Or do you suggest any other ehm, whatever these things are called?

Tommy Starsson · Dec 8, 2015

Is the scarlett really nescacary? I read on a different post, that the scarlett is used to record audio.
If i only intend to use my (future) zoom h5 to record audio, maybe the scarlett is overkill?
Or does it give the speakers some extra audio quality?

SkyCopeland · Dec 8, 2015

Tommy Starsson said:
Is the scarlett really nescacary? I read on a different post, that the scarlett is used to record audio.
If i only intend to use my (future) zoom h5 to record audio, maybe the scarlett is overkill?
Or does it give the speakers some extra audio quality?

I'm in no way an audio knowledge person that could compare to what Alcove knows about the field... but I will say I own a Scarlett and it is by far the most amazing piece of tech I've bought in the sound field.

Granted... I use it for very minimal things... like making my NTG-1 into a computer mic haha...

AudioPostExpert · Dec 8, 2015

Tommy Starsson said:
Now I don't get it, is the scarlett like a sound card? you cannot connect the speakers to the computer like regular 2.1 or 5.1 speakers?

The Scarlett isn't "like" a sound card, it IS a sound card. You cannot connect the speakers to your computer like regular speakers because they are not regular speakers, they are audio monitors. If you don't get the Scarlett you'll need a different sound card to feed the monitors with a balanced line level signal.

I've never used a Scarlett so I can't comment on whether it's any good or not. It is fairly popular with amateur film/music makers, so I presume it does the job. All the suggestions Alcove made, I agree with. The JBL 305s are not "good" audio monitors but they are the best I've heard in their price range.

G

Alcove Audio · Dec 8, 2015

AudioPostExpert said:
The Scarlett isn't "like" a sound card, it IS a sound card. You cannot connect the speakers to your computer like regular speakers because they are not regular speakers, they are audio monitors. If you don't get the Scarlett you'll need a different sound card to feed the monitors with a balanced line level signal.

What he said.

You need to understand that APE (AudioPostExpert) and I do this for a living. My speakers set me back well over $2k; I'm sure that APE has a lot more invested. At the under $1000/pr range - for professionals like us, at least - it's more a case of which speakers sound the least crappy than which speakers sound better.

Another thing to consider is your listening environment. You can spend many tens of thousands isolating your space, and more thousands "tuning" it (room treatment). Then there's a myriad of other considerations currently way beyond your budget.

At least make sure that your speakers have similar placement (don't cram one in a corner and the other with nothing on either side, for example). Get some thick carpeting, "soft" furniture (i.e. couches) and maybe a tapestry for the wall. It's light years from professional, but at least you're making a nod in the right direction.

Tommy Starsson · Dec 9, 2015

Alcove Audio said:
What he said.

You need to understand that APE (AudioPostExpert) and I do this for a living. My speakers set me back well over $2k; I'm sure that APE has a lot more invested. At the under $1000/pr range - for professionals like us, at least - it's more a case of which speakers sound the least crappy than which speakers sound better.

Another thing to consider is your listening environment. You can spend many tens of thousands isolating your space, and more thousands "tuning" it (room treatment). Then there's a myriad of other considerations currently way beyond your budget.

At least make sure that your speakers have similar placement (don't cram one in a corner and the other with nothing on either side, for example). Get some thick carpeting, "soft" furniture (i.e. couches) and maybe a tapestry for the wall. It's light years from professional, but at least you're making a nod in the right direction.

Geez, wow. I hear what you are saying guys.
I guess im just not at that level yet.
But everything you told me had been really helpfull.
I think im gonna start with a bit simpler setup, maybe something like
Speakers. m-audio av40
Headphones audio technica ath m50x

AudioPostExpert · Dec 9, 2015

Tommy Starsson said:
So I have recently discovered that audio is very important in movies ...
I think im gonna start with a bit simpler setup, maybe something like
Speakers.

These two statements are mutually exclusive!

As a relative newbie, my advice is to start simple, say some relatively cheap computer speakers and then once you've got some filmmaking basics under your belt and want to progress, find or hire audio people to work with.

G