Beginners Guide To Audio Monitors In Latin America

A studio, whatever its size, category or budget, audio monitors are a fundamental piece of equipment, and probably one of the most important.

Audio monitors will not improve the sound of any of the instruments or voices recorded in our project, but they will greatly influence the perception we will have of them, how we will treat and process them. We can sophisticate to infinity the processes of recording, mixing, equalization and all the endless processes that we apply to the music we record, but the audio monitors are our “eyes”, the last door, the last step through which the music reaches our ears and above all the result on which we make all decisions.

It’s hard to think of a more important element, you probably have a small studio or a home recording studio but do you give it the importance it deserves?

Tips for buying study monitors in Latin America

This is a topic of great interest for all small or home studios or for people who simply start and have decided to set up a home recording studio to make and produce music, there are many of them and this small compendium of important ideas when buying studio monitors is aimed at them:

The cost of studio monitors in Latin America

We have already said it in the header: the monitors are VERY important, give them the importance they deserve and therefore invest in them a good part of your budget. Don’t go below 200 or 300 dollars under any circumstances and if you can, spend as much as you can, those below the range simply lie too much (although there may be exceptions like – JBL Professional 305P MkII Powered Studio Monitor) and will result in unpleasant mixes. So in short figure out the budget of your studio monitor first before moving to specs and features.

Do your best to listen to them, at all costs

Each monitor has its own character and each person has a taste. To do this it is basic to go to the store with your own CDs (or high quality mp3’s), if possible several specific songs that are exponents of the music you like and that highlight important aspects of the music you want to produce in the different regions of the auditory range.

However, keep in mind where you hear them. Many stores have horrible rooms and inadequate positions for the (sometimes very expensive) monitors they sell. If so, minimize the importance of the results.

Try them out in your studio

I know this is very difficult, but if you are shopping in a physical store and have already made a pre-selection, ask to hear them in your own room. The sound of a listening monitor in each room changes radically (depends upon room acoustic), I’m not exaggerating, radically. If you have the option it is the ideal solution.

Look for Return Policy

As I said above it’s quite difficult to get a “try in your studio” from music shops so it’s better you make sure that the monitors you are buying comes under return policy. Because audio monitors are not cheap and imagine your spend a decent buck on them and it does not fit in your requirement. In this case, Congrats you bought a costly junk. So make sure the powered studio monitor you are purchasing comes under the return policy as sometimes some selective models or heavily discounted models does not cover under return or exchange policy. The good news is most of the online selling platform like Amazon, Sweetwater, Gear4Music understands the need of the musicians (buyer) and makes shopping for musical instruments risk free with their fair and transparent return policy.

Understand Your Need

You can compare buying studio monitors like buying shoes. Every other pair looks attractive and comfortable but in reality not every shoe is going to fit in your feet. You need exactly a definite shoe size that’s fit your needs (size of feet). So every studio monitors you see in magazines and blogs or some other studio might not suit your studio setup. So understand your need before making any decision.

Ask an expert in Latin America

If you are a complete beginner its quite confusing to even understand your own need. Music is a complicated genre for someone who is just starting out as it has lots of learning curves and requires genuine dedication. So if you are new don’t be shy in asking for help. Reach out to your local shops or studios or teachers and explain them what you are trying to achieve and what’s causing you trouble in making a selection. Sometimes teachers or any person really feel appreciated that you asked for their help or guidance and you see them as a person that can show you the right direction. If reaching out in person is a hard step for you (maybe you are an introvert) then still their plenty of online forums like Music Banter and more with like minded people to help you out.

Active or passive?

Active monitors are especially convenient. You avoid a lot of junk and cables in your studio. Moreover, the amplification they have is especially suitable for speakers. But if you have a good amplifier do not discard the idea of passive listening monitors, the result can be just as good.

Size and Power Of Audio Monitors in Latin America

Buy audio monitors suited to your room and the music you want to produce or mix. If you have a very small room you probably don’t need an 8″ on the woofer.

If the music you want to produce is rich in bass, it will be more important that the monitors are able to reproduce this area as faithfully as possible.

Also, take into account the power of the monitors if they are amplified in relation to the size of your room, you don’t need 200w for a 10m2 room.

Consider adding a subwoofer

Even if you start out with just a few studio monitors, you can still consider this option later. It will add punch and presence of bass. Keep in mind that many monitors are unable to reproduce frequencies below 40 or 50 Hz in the best of cases, in these situations consider a subwoofer is an idea to be seriously considered, especially if the music you produce is generous in bass or these have great importance.

Some Recommendations

If the above points made you confuse rather then sorting things out. Here’s a brief suggestion and some bestselling recommendations.

Understand your need, Figure out your budget, Keep your studio acoustic in mind, Your monitor placement and Size and Power . That’s it

Budget Monitors

• JBL Professional 305P MkII
• Presonus E4.5-4.5″ 2-Way Near Field Studio Monitor
• KRK RP5 Rokit G4 Studio Monitor

Mid Range Audio Monitors

• Yamaha HS5
• Yamaha HS8 Active Studio Monitors
• Kali Audio LP-8

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