Studio Monitors/PC Speakers?

Bellycaster

For my laptop I have a pair of Creative Gigaworks T40 Series 2's.

These.

http://uk.creative.com/p/speakers/gigaworks-t40-series-ii

Even though they are great quality for listening to music, I am assuming these will be inadequate for emitting my Guitar sound when playing through an interface(without headphones)? I know I can use headphones and that's always an option, but I would like to hear my guitar and the backing track I am playing over through speakers/monitors "in the room" so to speak. 

I'm in the market for an interface and I assume I will be better off with Studio Monitors? I'm not 100% which interface, but something simple like a Line 6 UX1 or UX2.

Noob Alert: This is new territory for me.

I was recommended by a shop to go for KRK Rokit RP5's as a very good budget Monitor/s. Any other recommendations?

Next questions: Must you have 2 Monitors?

Should I keep the Creative Speakers for just listening to my MP3's on my Laptop or is listening to regular music through Studio Monitors a whole new orgasmic audio experience?

If I am thinking correctly, the interface(ux1) connects to Laptop by USB and the Monitors are fed from the Interface itself?

I know this is a lot to ask. I think I would have been better placed in 1968 when you just plugged your guitar into an amp :-)

Thanks.

digitalscream

KRK RP5s are OK, but not the best - they do seem to be the standard for some reason, but I vastly prefer my Tannoy Reveal 6s. Mine are passive, but I use an old knackered Denon micro-hifi to drive them and they sound perfect.

You can pick them up dirt-cheap second hand. For example:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TANNOY-REVEAL-STUDIO-MONITORS-UK-STOCK-/331086691593?pt=UK_ConElec_SpeakersPASystems_RL&hash=item4d164dfd09

Bellycaster

Thanks @digitalscream

Embarrasing, but I'm not sure what Active and Passive refers to.

What are your thoughts on how listening to regular music/mp3's sounds through Studio Monitors? I take it they are not the same as hifi or regular speakers?

ddlooping

Bellycaster said:

Embarrasing, but I'm not sure what Active and Passive refers to.

Active: has built-in power amp so you only need to connect a source (and connect the speakers to a power source)

Passive: your bog-standard speaker type, needs a pre/amp 

digitalscream

Bellycaster said:

Thanks @digitalscream

Embarrasing, but I'm not sure what Active and Passive refers to.

What are your thoughts on how listening to regular music/mp3's sounds through Studio Monitors? I take it they are not the same as hifi or regular speakers?

Active = has an amp built-in, therefore you just plug the speakers directly into your interface and job done.

Passive = needs an external amp between your interface and the speakers.

Your best bet is to do what I did - get a micro-hifi which has a broken CD player or similar, but still has a good sound and use that as an amp on the "flat" EQ setting. Here's one that'd do the job:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DENON-UD-M30-CD-RECEIVER-/221339563756?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_CDPlayerSeparates&hash=item3388ddb6ec

It takes a little getting used to, listening to music through monitors - you hear a lot more detail, and badly-mixed or badly-mastered tracks are pretty hard to enjoy (brickwalled tracks are particularly fatiguing). Overall, though, it's a fairly positive change.

ecc83

For general purpose recording I would go for a more conventional AI such as the Steinberg UR22. 

Passive monitors, like hi fi speakers require a power amp to drive them and pretty good one at that, 100W per channel sort of area. 

Actives have the amps built in and this confers many advantages not least of which is that with a good design it is pretty near impossible to blow up a speaker and this is important because a digital recording of a bass guitar is JUST as damaging as the real thing!

Tannoys have been mentioned and I am very happy with my 5As. If you want more bass grunt you probably want a 6" or 8" woofer. 

The new "budget" Adam 7's have attracted good comments. Note, really good monitors C.O.S.T!  5K  gets you into the bottom of the good stuff. Look to spend at least £300 per pair and more if you want serious levels (but you don't, not really. Google "calibrating monitor speakers").

Dave.

ChrisMusic

Here is a link to my answers to a similar question asked recently about monitors, saves repeating it here at least.

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/88116/#Comment_88116

The discussion was called "Which sub £100 monitors?" and a link to that is:

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/5285/which-sub-100-monitors

And some good advice above from digitalscream & ecc83 too.

Hope that helps a bit  

Bellycaster

Thanks fellas. I'm enlightened somewhat.

B-)