Hi, I think I specifically said there are exceptions, no?
Of course there are exceptions. But to claim that the term monitor speaker is nearly a marketing ploy is misguided. For one thing the price range is of influence.
You know how much the BMW’s cost right? They are considered one of the best ever mastering monitors.
I do agree that there are hifi speakers that can do the job. I’m just pointing out that saying the term monitor speaker is a pure marketing ploy is nonsense.
Currently in the process of picking high-end monitoring for my new studio to build the treatment around and in that segment there are techniques being used that aren’t used in speakers aimed at home listening environments. Look at barefoot, kii etc.
Sure, it if you look at “home audio” speakers in the same price range as those you mention you’ll find a bunch of very excellent speakers suitable for home or studio use.
I guess the point is, there is no distinguishing characteristic that sets “studio” monitors apart from “hi-if” monitors, good studio monitors make good hi-if speakers and vice versa.
I wonder if we’re suffering a hangover from the early days of home recording, Tascam Portastudio 1980s era, when mass produced “hi-fi” speakers were often all the was available for a lot of people and even the affordable “studio monitors” available then we’re really not great.
And this is where I disagree. Again look at speaker brands I mentioned before. New techniques in dsp and speaker build are being employed specifically aimed at studio use. Actually at the moment there are some new interesting things happening in this segment. And they are not aimed at home use.
Could you use such a speaker in a home listening environment? Sure.
Could you use a professional color grade monitor for a gaming PC? Sure.
Could you use a hi end hifi speaker in a studio? Yes of course.
A flat on axis frequency response. Home audio speakers assume listeners will be off axis.
If you notice people using B&Ws and Egglestons (which btw is entirely other ballpark) they are far back from the speakers.
No one here disagrees that the OP can use their Paradigms to monitor. The point is however they werent designed for that purpose and won’t be as accurate. That’s all were saying.
Have a look at the brands I mentioned and specifically the kii Three monitors. Which are very interesting in how they work and the tech used in them. It would make no sense to use these in a home listening environment. Unless you are an audiophile with a dedicated listening room with a perfect listening position etc. In which case the question arises if that can be called a typical home listening environment.
Sorry but you are just buying into their marketing.
There is absolutely no reason why a speaker used in a studio should be any different from a speaker used in a Hi-Fi system. In both scenarios the user requirements are identical, i.e. faithful reproduction of the inputted audio signal.
A cursory glance at any audiophile community will show a good number of people using tube amps, vinyl and the like. A ‘warm’ (or whatever buzzword they choose) sound is specifically sought, often at great cost, by a sizeable chunk of the audiophile community. That is, they go out of their way to colour the source audio.
Sure, some audiophiles are looking for flat, accurate, ‘cold’ reproduction of the sound, but they’re not all audiophiles, and I’d hazard a guess that they’re not even most audiophiles.
