Studio Monitors vs Guitar Amp

[EzraLaFrance]

Hey guys, I'm looking at buying some studio monitors for my Helix Floor. Currently, I'm running into a cheap Fender amp and I believe that it is coloring my tone. I like using the amps and cabs in the Helix and everything sounds so much better in my Shure earbuds than my amp. Will studio monitors be any better than my amp in terms of sound quality and not coloring my tone? If so, what studio monitors would you suggest for a $200-300 budget?  

[jester700]

If you like the buds over the amp, I'm betting you'll like monitors. A guitar amp speaker is made to color the sound; earbuds and monitors aren't supposed to. They DO (ALL transducers color the signal), but they do so far less than guitar amps. There are many choices in 2-way monitors with 5, 6, 7, or 8" woofers, but I like larger woofers for generally more bass. Sweetwater has the Presonus Eris E8 on sale for just over $300/pr., which is a deal - but if you can you should try to go to a place where you can hear monitors in person. They all sound different.

 

Also - since your amp IS coloring your tone, you might try turning the cab in the Helix off. That might be an improvement. What is it about your current sound that you don't like?

[MGW-Alberta]

I run mine into my amp in 4CM.

For my purposes it's the best way to use Helix but I do agree with jester700 in his advise to avoid the use of cabinet blocks.

If you genuinely feel the need for some kind of cabinet sim then I suggest you try using IRs instead because you can adjust the mix level.

[datacommando]

On 2/24/2023 at 12:34 AM, EzraLaFrance said:

Hey guys, I'm looking at buying some studio monitors for my Helix Floor. Currently, I'm running into a cheap Fender amp and I believe that it is coloring my tone. I like using the amps and cabs in the Helix and everything sounds so much better in my Shure earbuds than my amp. Will studio monitors be any better than my amp in terms of sound quality and not coloring my tone? If so, what studio monitors would you suggest for a $200-300 budget?  

Hi,

 

If you’re wanting to experience your Helix without colouring the sound, playing it into the front of a cheap Fender is not ideal, as you are adding that amp and cab into the equation. As suggested by other contributors, if you want to run into the front of the amp avoid using any cabinet blocks. I guess that your Fender cannot run 4CM, or you would be doing that?
 

You say that you have a preference for the sound you hear from Shure buds, then a Studio Monitor system might be a better option allowing you the full range of tone from the Helix. The thing about monitors is they can be outrageously expensive items and the prices you see are usually for a single speaker - ouch. 

 

Here’s something that surprised me. I recently had one of my workhorse 8” Tannoys pack up, only to find that my backup 5” near fields had also decided to throw the towel in. Horror! Needing a quick replacement to keep running until the other stuff was fixed, I discovered these which I ordered from Amazon late afternoon, and was back up and running the next morning. I wasn’t expecting anything to shout about with these being super cheap, but … Yikes, these things actually do the job better than my old ESI nEar 05s, and - damn they are loud.

 

I’m not a great fan of Uli Behringer as a human being, but at this price these are definitely worth investigating.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Studio-Inches-Powered-Monitors/dp/B010Q6QY16/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2G38WTN1BMIW7&keywords=Behringer+USB50+MONITORS&qid=1677239549&sprefix=behringer+usb50+monitors+%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-3

This is only a suggestion for a low price solution, you will want to check out the the brands which are available - only you can decide.
 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

 

 

[codamedia]

On 2/23/2023 at 6:34 PM, EzraLaFrance said:

I like using the amps and cabs in the Helix and everything sounds so much better in my Shure earbuds than my amp. Will studio monitors be any better than my amp in terms of sound quality and not coloring my tone?

 

Yes the amp is coloring your tone, yes the studio monitors will be much more accurate/faithful to the tone you are creating on the Helix. 

 

Will you like it? That's up to you! I love it, but that's me! 

 

On 2/23/2023 at 6:34 PM, EzraLaFrance said:

If so, what studio monitors would you suggest for a $200-300 budget?  

 

You will find some 5" monitors in that price range and others may vouch for them, but I would always recommend stretching the budget to go a touch bigger. For $100 more the KALI 6's (6.5") are really good... and there are often great deals on used 6.5" monitors as users upgrade to 8's. 

[silverhead]

On 2/24/2023 at 7:34 AM, codamedia said:

 

…..You will find some 5" monitors in that price range and others may vouch for them, but I would always recommend stretching the budget to go a touch bigger…..

I agree. I have a pair of 5” that I use sometimes but find them a bit underwhelming. Much better low end on bigger speakers.

[PierM]

Studio monitors and guitar amps are like apple and oranges. Two very different device for two very different purposes... :)

 

I find my Yamaha HS5 (mounted into a small studio where a HS8 would sound boomy at volume parity) very helpful for creating tones at studio volumes. Since a modeler is simulating a mic'ed amp that's a pretty much correct use, if you don't need stage volumes.

 

For rehearsal or small gigs a 12" FRFR would be a better choice.

 

In any case I would use a guitar amp as would sound terrible with a modeler, and if I were you I wouldn't expect or ask to any monitor or FRFR to sound like your guitar plugged to your guitar amp. I still see too many guys expecting a modeler plugged into a 8" monitor to sound like a stack of marshals. :)

 

 

[Schmalle]

When it comes to studio monitors: find a store that has a show room where you can compare. This will lift your intuition of the differences of studio monitors to another level.

[MusicLaw]

@EzraLaFrance, in response to your questions: 

On 2/23/2023 at 4:34 PM, EzraLaFrance said:

Hey guys, I'm looking at buying some studio monitors for my Helix Floor. Currently, I'm running into a cheap Fender amp and I believe that it is coloring my tone. I like using the amps and cabs in the Helix and everything sounds so much better in my Shure earbuds than my amp. Will studio monitors be any better than my amp in terms of sound quality and not coloring my tone? If so, what studio monitors would you suggest for a $200-300 budget?  

Based on your stated preference for your Shure earbuds (model unstated), almost certainly Yes! I have a set of Shure SE530 IEMs which are phenomenal with my Helix Floor and HX Stomp. By design, they inherently sound different than any of my headphones (closed back: BeyerDynamic DT-770 Pro, Sony MDR-V6; or open back: Sennheiser HD6xx/HD650 headphones), JBL studio monitors, amps, or FRFR monitors. 

 

For your targeted budget range try to get a listen to the Kali, JBL, Presonus, or even the IK Multimedia iLoud, all depending on your intended position to the speakers. Bear in mind that any studio monitors are ideally best positioned equilaterally relative to your listening/playing position, and if rear ported not positioned too close to a rear wall. 

[EzraLaFrance]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I practice in a fairly small room that is not acoustically treated, so I don't need or want super low bass tone and the power that 8" monitors bring. (Also, I usually put eq cuts around 80-100hz because my guitar has fairly dark pickups). I asked for advice from somebody from Sweetwater and they suggested JBL 305p (5" monitors) based on my room situation. However, like many of you suggested, I'll first try turning off by cab blocks and maybe that will fix the issue. If not, then I'll look into studio monitors some more and probably buy some. I'll take a look at the Kali's though because my monitors would be close to the wall.

[soundog]

Plenty of good suggestions here. Keep in mind that for studio speakers you usually pay more for accuracy. If you are focused on Helix guitar playing rather than critical DAW mixing, you can focus more on price and power/watts than spendy brand-name flat frequency response curves. Don't gotta be accurate, just loud and reliable.