Good monitors to use with helix lt?

[PuriPuriPrisoner]

Just got a helix lt. I have a ath-m50x that I plan to use with it, however, I wanted to get a set of speakers to listen to it since headphones get annoying. My budget is $100-150. Any good suggestions? I have a mark v that I can use as a poweramp but I need some speakers to play at low volumes. Thanks. 

[cruisinon2]

There are plenty of small, near-field studio monitors out there,  but you might have to spend just a little more than that...JBL LSR305's can be had for ~$200/ pair. And they're powered (as are many similar options) anyway, so you won't need the power amp...

[codamedia]

Since you have a Mark V  (although I am not sure what Mark V you are referencing) you can use for power, I'd suggest buying an Eminence Beta-12LTA, then look for an empty used 1x12" cabinet for it to sit in - or build one.

https://www.parts-express.com/eminence-beta-12lta-12-full-range-pa-driver--290-409 

 

You could probably do both within a $150 budget (or close) and you would have a setup capable of live use, not just home use.

 

A decent set of studio monitors would likely cost much more, and they could only be used at home. 

[spikey]

I know money doesn't grow on trees, but remember that at least half of your tone comes from the speakers you use. 

And "usually" you get what you pay for tone wise.

[Lachdanan0121]

Honestly, I would say save your money until you can invest a bit more into a pair of monitors.  Also check sales during holidays. If you save a bit more, and check the sales, your patience can potentially "pay-off."

 

[funkyou86]

I own a pair of JBL305L's at home, and they are fine for home use, practicing, creating patches, etc. Or you can invest 300 bucks to an FRFR (for example RCF) and you'll have a decent sounding monitor at home which you can use live as well.

[DunedinDragon]

I expect you can see there's a theme developing here regarding the importance of decent quality speakers for use with your Helix LT.  There's a reason for that.  I'm sure you've watched some great demos of the LT and have some level of expectation about getting the same quality level of capabilities.  But you can be assured in every case you've heard that those sounds were produced on some fairly decent quality, most likely powered speaker systems.  Most likely some form of full range and flat response powered speaker system because that's the only real way you can take full advantage of ALL of the capabilities in the LT to the greatest extent possible, and those types of highly engineered systems won't come cheap.

 

I'm sorry if this comes as a complete surprise to you, but it's not a secret about any of these type of modeling systems regardless of manufacturer.  Many of us spent almost as much on our speaker systems as we spent on the Helix itself.  That's how important this is.  I might suggest making do with your headphones (if they're quality studio headphones) until you get the lay of the land when it comes to what type of speaker will best fit your situation and put together the funds to get something that will allow you to take full advantage of the capabilities you just paid for.

[willjrock]

It may sound as if im trying to be funny, but as long as you have nothing else to compare them to, or no others players set up to compare them to, it really doesnt matter what you get. As long as they are functional, they will work fine. You will learn to compensate for their deficiencies as you would with any monitor, and you will continue to tune helix until it sounds good to YOU...so It doesnt matter if they cost a penny or $1,000.

 

Its when you start playing helix thru similar TYPE set-ups or having guys you jam with similar set-ups show up and you think "oh man his stuff sounds good" or "oh man Axl, he can play but man, $50 set up smokes his $500 set up" (which may or may not even be a product of his monitor choice)...only then will you start making a determination as to whether or not you like the speakers you paid a penny for.

 

Dont sweat it too much until you have a specific goal in mind.

[spikey]

Quote

It may sound as if im trying to be funny, but as long as you have nothing else to compare them to, or no others players set up to compare them to, it really doesnt matter what you get. As long as they are functional, they will work fine

 

No, it doesn't sound funny at all, esp if as I said the money for good monitors is tight. Working fine is a bit of a stretch but I know what you meant. The point I was trying to make is that every little thing you do "tone-wise" matters, and since the speaker your tone comes thru is the last and final thing you will use to create/carve/sculpt  that perfect sound, then at some point everyone needs to invest in a quality FRFR (or speakers) that they prefer/like. Emoji here!