Monitors
From DNBWiki
In the studio world, monitors refers to "monitor speakers" rather than VDUs (screens).
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[edit] What makes speakers monitor speakers?
In essence monitors should be "flat". That is, they have a flat frequency response, outputting a consistent volume regardless of frequency. This is in contast to consumer gear which may have an unpredictable frequency response, typically including boosts around the low and high end, to "flatter" material (ie, make it sound good). Producers need speakers which reflect the material accurately, exposing its defects, rather than making it sound good when it possibly is not!
Flat is not entirely literal, as this is barely possible: it is usually defined as a variance of +/-3db between 20hz and 20Khz.
However, good monitors are not only defined by their frequency response. Their dynamic range and performance in the time domain is also important, as is the sense of "depth" and stereo width.
[edit] Monitors vs Hi Fi speakers
[edit] Nearfield vs Farfield
Nearfield monitors are those designed for use within relatively close quarters. These are what you can afford.
Farfield monitors are found in professional facilities like Abbey Road. They tend to cost silly money (eg £20,000) so you probably should not worry about them at all.
[edit] Passive vs Active
Passive monitors require a separate amplifier. Active monitors contain their own amplifiers.
More information:
[edit] Ported vs Un-Ported
Un-ported monitors are now quite rare as ported monitors have out-grown them in popularity over the years. They have a sealed space behind the speaker cone, allowing the cone to come to a halt more immediately once the signal it recieves is stopped due to the difference in air pressure.
Ported monitors are the opposite and contain holes to allow air to flow freely to behind the speaker cone. The holes are measured to the wavelengths of low frequencies so that, due to the effect of resonance, the percieved bass output can be increased. The disadvantage of this, however, is that the speaker cone riccochets about a bit more when a signal fed to it stops - the holes mean that air pressure is the same on both sides, contrary to un-ported speakers. This means some speakers may ring out for a short time after thier sound source is silent.
[edit] Grid threads
There are a huge range of threads on the grid debating monitors, either giving general advice or discussing/comparing specific products.
Many of these are listed in the Grid Threads of Interest.
