As a "headphone mixer" I have the greatest appreciation for what you have done here. I loved the monitor mix. Hands down. I suspect headphone mixing leads to a lot of detail finessing that adds up to a sterile mix. Thanks for doing this.
I have never mixed just using headphones. I track myself with headphones, mix down using monitors and double check through computer monitors, earbuds and Bluetooth speakers. That way I know what it's going to sound like over a range of listening devices.
Great review. You're right there is no way to review speakers without being subjective. I see a lot of blogs and comments saying these monitors are bass boosted or not good overall but you cant really take peoples opinion seriously. Thanks!
The difference between them is very minimal but the rokits were always known for more their deep response of bass and I think it's still pretty much better than yams.
Your mix reactions are on point, I thought the same thing especially about the guitar solo... it just melted away into nothing on the headphone mix. KRK mix was more balanced and all the mid and high end was present. Edit: Also, as a current owner of the Rokit 8 G4s and had previous generations of the KRKs, I think at least some of the bass monster meme of the KRKs come from G2/G3. The G4s changed a lot about the Rokits (for the better).
Thank you so much for putting your brilliant ideas in place to make things to understand so easily. That idea of mixing through headphone and monitors gave a crystal idea of the differences you hear. And that helped me BIG TIME to choose these monitors as my very first studio monitos. I can't thank you enough for this. God bless you.
A very informative and instructional video. I enjoy all of your videos because you explain everything simply and thoroughly. Don't be concerned about broadening your topics because I think there are others like myself that want to learn all we can to improve our home projects. Thank you.
Interesting how the headphone mix ended up sounding both muddy and dry in comparison to the monitor mix. Have noticed that recording/mixing through headphones have a higher potential for ear fatigue too, one of the biggest benefits to separate speakers aswell.
I'm happy to hear that you preferred the monitor over the headphone mix. Me too. I just got a set of krks 5 g4's today and I'm still waiting to plug in so I'm just watching videos. I watched a few UA-camrs review them and say that they were bass heavy but still wanted to keep them over the other monitors because they just sound good. I've had the yamaha hs5 and they sound expansive and clear but lacked bass. I always found myself trying to change the the yamaha hs5 settings because they made my ears tired after long sessions. Overall, the yamaha's became too busy and kinda harsh for daily use.
Don't pay attention to the numbers, you are loved and appreciated! Love it and my trust meter overmodulates when you are on my screen 😊 Big thumbs up Ricky 👍👍👍
Great presentation, and content. Thank you. I've been playing around with some PEQ settings streaming music, and I've managed to eliminate a bass port him at around 550Hz, plus my room has a really hard 100Hz reinforcement that I'm stuck with, so dialled that back also, but found that these things can really punch hard with a 2-3dB lift at 50Hz with a Q of 3-4. I think they're brilliant as a pair of affordable desktop music speakers.
The difference between them is very minimal but the rokits were always known for more their deep response of bass and I think it's still pretty much better than yams.
Not only was your monitor mix clearer and more harmonically rich, but it just sounded substantially better. I own a pair of KRK Rokit 5's and havent had the space to properly set them up yet, but I am sold that the purchase was worth every penny. Oh, and I listened to your mixes through very cheap, crappy external computer speakers.
Great video!! You can really tell that you were trying to dial back the lower frequencies when using the headphones. I've been on the fence about spending the money on a set of monitors and now I'm convinced. Thanks bud!!
Great review and great info. I just got some Eris 3.5s so I could stop trying to mix on some budget headphones. I’m glad you sneered the question about headphones and monitors.
Interesting video indeed. As a 100% headphone producer and listener, I could clearly hear the difference between your headphone mix vs monitor mix. The monitor mix you did sounded way better. Question though, are you using something like Sonarworks to correct the frequency response (both for your monitors and your headphones)? If not, would be interesting to see the difference between a headphone and monitor mix there.
Thanks dude! And yeah I am actually, I should have mentioned that during the vid. The CB-1s have a sonarworks preset, although I still felt the peaks in the upper midrange were pretty pronounced.
I agree, monitors sound fuller. The headphones sound different, not bad, they still sound good to me. Maybe more detail on the phones but I prefer a lot of bass in my mixes. It's more pleasant. High pitches and treble, little kids 😆, make me cringe. I love my daughter but her voice and high pitch squeals just hurt my ears.
Hi John here from Australia. I love my KRK 5 inch monitors. I also use them for transferring my 45 and 33 rpm vinyls to MP3 for personal use. They are magic.
Love how you explained the experienced detail between headphones and monitors. Also like how you transitioned and sectioned off each part of the Intrumental you produced. Sub and like here 👍
Nice explanation of what these are, and nice guitar playing! The difference in how you mixed on the KRKs and the headphones really was massive. Great example of how misleading consumer output equipment can be. Being nitpicky: Monitor speakers. Not speaker monitors. Or just monitors. :D While I totally agree that measuring speakrs is a heck of a lot more complex than a microphone’s frequency response, that too is pretty complex.
Great video. I am about to get a pair of KRK, and this is what i was looking for. I also have a small room and there is not so many place for fancy studio setup. I listened it on iphone but still was able to hear a huge difference. Thanks for info!
Interesting comparison of mixes. I'm listening in a pair of Sennheisers I've had forever. Your monitor mix sounded WAY more alive and detailed with a far nicer stereo spread.
I have some Beyer Dynamics 900 pro and just got the KRK g4 5 and can't wait to hear the difference. I know headphones are good for certain things but I keep hearing that monitors are where the magic happens. Appreciate the video on this!
Every single time there is a discussion on the KRK G4's the same comments appear about bloated bass from people who have never used these speakers. Even some professional reviewers are making the same claims. The only other decent review I've seen is from audio science review. As your measurements show, this is simply not a bass boosted monitor! (But can be, if desired, given the EQ control). Great review!
I got the KRKs and they are the big ones.. I don't regret them.. they are great monitors. People need to stop ragging on products that they don't use.. and just use them and make up their own opinion. First time viewer. Great video and I'm subbing!
1st of all. Thank you for using your speakers for a few months before doing a review. 1 day use reviews of “studio” monitors are useless. 2nd. thank you for MIXING on them and testing their translation BEFORE doing a review. Unless you “mix” on mixing speakers you can’t do a qualified review, period. This review was actually helpful. Much appreciated ❤
TBH, I prefer the Adam Audio T and A series over KRK's any products for one single fact, that was not mentioned in this video: the high-end harshness. One of my main conserns when mixing (and this is especially true for home studios as well) is not in the low end, bc unless you're having a room treated well in the low end, the response curve of the speaker will be minor in comparison with the response of your room. You'll be better off checking it with SPAN. But adjusting a De-Esser, dialing in saturation, judging the volume of a hi-hat, boosting on a Pultec-style EQ, that matters more to me than having an accurate low-end response. As I said, there's countless ways to dial those in without even hearing it as it is, which is usually the case with home studios.
Nice insight here! So you're saying the Adam T handles high end response better in home studio environments? I personally haven't found the high end to be overly harsh, but haven't tried any other monitors in my room to be fair
@@AudioHaze I've used a lot of entry level monitors, including the G4, HS8, T7V, IN8 and for my ears, the G4 has the worst high-end accuracy from all. I'm not talking about the overall response, that's reasonably flat on paper, but you can't really tell the difference between a +1,5db or a +3db of gain reduction on a de-esser, or a can't tell the accurate saturation overtones because it's tweeter is overly distorted on its own. Don't get me wrong, they're nice to listen to music on, impresses clients a lot (especially with the yellow kevlar look) but I never achieved any transparent high-end on my mixes anything close to what I was capable of with the Adams.
@@skk6811 Los Monitores Adams son excelentes eso nadie lo puede negar yo tambien estoy interesados en comprar esos monitores debido a que son muy claros en su respuesta de frecuencias , Sin embargo eh pasado por muchos videos escuchando los krk rokit G4 y su respuesta de frecuencia es clara, plana y precisa, sin casi nada de realces en las frecuencias, similar a la que se podria escuchar en un monitor Adam , ahora si tu no lo escuchas que suenan muy bien los monitores krk g4 es por que ya has acostumbrado a tus oidos a los Monitores Adams eso hay que tomar en cuenta .
I demoed the KRKs and Adam Audio monitors in my studio for two weeks and settled on the KRKs. Both are great choices, but my mixes on the KRKs translated perfectly whether I was listening in the car or on AirPods or in another studio. I love the high end of the KRKs and the tight, punchy low end. To my ears, the KRKs are an unbeatable value.
I am astounded just how great the monitor mix sounds, and how muddy/truncated the headphone mix sounds. The monitor mix sounds like a professional release, the headphone mix sounds like crap! ;) Thanks for the video!
I've owned all the entry level monitors and out of all of them my mixes translated the best almost instantly from the KRKS. Their mixes TRANSLATE. But I do like switching it up with some yammahas because sometimes all that detail is just "too much information" when I just want to volume check a vocal with a snare. If you listen to DSAUDIO's comparison on here vs Genelecs and Focals (world class brands) the difference is almost non-existent. And the classics are great too.
@@AudioHaze I spent a couple of years and a lot of money trying to like headphones and make them work. I owned some Focal Clears, a pair of Oppo PM1s and various other headphones, and I just gave up; speakers produce a far more natural and expansive soundstage for me, headphones just sound so closed in and un-natural to my ears.
@@The80shilling Exactly and it's so exhausting to mix on headphones and you get fatigued much faster compared to speakers. Btw can i ask the op where did you listen to both mixes am i dumb for not seeing any link or anything? İts not even in the video so where are those mixes?
You also have to factor in there have been like 4 revisions to this product line. So when someone reports a boosted bass response in KRK rockets, they are most likely talking about the older versions. Also, people just say KRK in general, without being more specific a lot of the time, and if you reviewed the 8's for example, you'd probably have a very different result. Sometimes people also confuse the low mids as the bass, which some of the original KRKs had a huge bump in. The newer ones are much flatter than the old ones, but this is because they mostly (apart from the classic line) now have active dsp in them, which they never used to.
Which KRK's would you recommend for a small room, producing electronic music styles such as DnB, Dubstep and down tempo hiphop? I'm after a good genuine flat response and not just monster bass.
I prefer the monitor mix, listened on the iPhone 13 promax xD (actually love its speakers) Different lower notes and bass are easily distinguished from each other and feels punchier. The guitar volume is very different on the mixes and I can’t tell exactly what’s better, feels like each has its own “vision”
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuudddddeeeeee - at least plug in your AirPods. phones don't go below 400hz. that isn't the bass you're hearing - you're hearing overtones
Very interesting. What I would probably do is spend time tuning the headphones with a custom EQ profile and then run the test again to see how the headphone mix turns out after you’ve kind of compensated for the things that they would cause you to do otherwise. Eg taking out harshness.
I've seen Dave Pensando using old school KRK 2 way near fields in one of his Pensado's place videos. Yeah they are somewhat popular with people who are amateurs or at the beginning of their sound journey, but that's not because the speakers themselves are lacking.
I had a pair of vxt8s and my problem with those was that depth in the mix was flipped on vocals. I mixed the vocals to clearly sit infront in the mix. But in other speakers, the phone and headphones the vocals were in the back of the sound. They translated most tracks well, but vocals and some other sounds, they were very misleading.
Thank you for the review. Coincidentally at the moment I'm choosing between these and Adam T5Vs. Leaning towards KRKs because from what I can hear of comparison recordings (it's silly I know but at least something), KRKs are less bright and have a little bit more low end which for prosumer like me might be a sweet spot in terms of balance between natural sound and fatiguing from long listening sessions. I have a somewhat nerdy question though. Do these Rokit 5s have certain maximum input level, in Vrms/dBU, like we see on headphone amplifiers? The manual only says that default 0.0 dB setting suited for +4dBU and in case of -10dBV one might want to dial +11dB of volume on the monitor. However I would like to know the actual limits of its amp in order to avoid clipping the signal and tune up my DAC properly. Thanks!
Glad I could help! But unfortunately I do not have an answer to that, I think thats beyond my scope in terms of what I know about the monitors and I don't want to give an educated guess and be totally wrong :/
I just bought a KRK 8 Gen 4 as an impulse buy (DUDE WAS LETTING IT GO FOR 120 I'D BE STUPID NOT TOO) but this video solidified my "Good purchase" feeling lol. Yay, me!
Hi, I have a bit of a long winded question for you, apologies in advance. I've recently bought a Bugera 6262 212 combo amp, and the amp says it should be set to 16 ohms for internal speakers. I'm actually going to bypass the speakers and plug into an axetrack isolation cab I managed to get, it's a speaker and an SM57 in a sealed box. It uses the input from where the amp would usually go to a cab, so the amp gets full use, it just goes to the iso speaker instead of the combo speaker. The SM57 picks it up, there's an XLR out which I'm planning to connect to a Behringer UMC22. That plugs into a computer and has headphones out, but to be honest I'm not that bothered about recording, I'm basically using the whole setup as an analog attenuator with air and a mic rather than limiting the signal electronically. I'd like to get the output from the UMC22 to go to the speakers on the amp that I'm using instead of through PC or headphones, I asked on Amazon and someone said that the signal would need a power amp otherwise it would be too weak for the speakers. So my chain is: Guitar > amp section of combo > iso box with sm57 > xlr > Behringer UMC22 > ...... Can I output from the UMC22 into something , amplify without colouring the sound (at least not too much), then send to the speakers in my 6262 cab? Are you aware of a product like this? I'd rather use my amp speakers than buying more. I don't know, I'm very confused lol. Sorry it's such a long question and thanks for your time.
Hey! Okay so I think I understand, so you'd be using the outputs of the UMC22 to go back into your amp rather than just to studio monitors? Those are stereo outs so how would you route it? Just send one of the stereo outs into the cab for a mono signal? You'll have to go through some sort of DAW to make this happen, the interface won't do direct routing without first converting it into a digital signal, going through your computer, and then spitting it back out as an analog one. I'm not sure if these will need a boost after leaving the UMC22, you could try to adjust the output in the DAW before it goes back out to the amp, and if it doesn't meet your expectation you could try a cloudlifter to clean transparent gain between the UMC22 and combo amp speaker. If you want to try a more janky solution, you could try compressor guitar pedal if you have one lying around. Hope this helps a bit!
That song was one of the best songs I heard all year! lol.... Aside from that, I liked the monitor mix better :p...Listening on AKG headphones. Let me know if you want to throw down some lyrics on that Jam!
I'm a bit torn between the KRK Rokit 5 G4 and the Yamaha HS5s. I suspect they are both really similar. KRKs are a bit more modern, the Yammies have been around for about a decade without a refresh and pushing close to twenty years regarding the basic design (HS50 came out around 2005). I suspect the Yammies have slightly better build quality and possibly slightly less flattering than the KRKs.
Hi. Thank you for the video,. However, How can you do a speaker review in a completely untreated room and based on your mix output? I dont get it... sorry..
Bravo! At least someone is saying the king is naked. Not many things trigger the rage in me like speakers and headphones reviews on which a reviewer tries to explain the sound by using some arbitrary words, urgh... 🙆🤦😵💫
Big difference, which might be critical depending on your layout. HS5 has rear ports, KRK front, so if you're remotely close to a rear wall, Rokits every time.
You noticed a HUG difference, I noticed nothing, they sounded the same to me / : All the same, was debating Presonus E5, Yamaha HS5 and the Rokit 5 G4s, back and forth I kept going and couldn't say no to these given the Cyber Monday deal on Amazon right now. Thanks for the great video!
hello, I have the Rokit 8 studio speakers, and trying to figure out why one is louder than the other. I switch them and the left side is always louder, so it tells me perhaps it's a cable thing? I've checked all cables, all identical so trying to see if you have any advise on other troubleshooting i could do. Thanks for your videos!
Would you say they're good enough to use them as speakers for guitar amp sims? Or I'd need bigger woofers for heavier/downtuned stuff? Thanks! and nice playing man good feels!
I agree they are great references for mixing validation for general listening. But they are not that good for mixing/mastering for any initial mix, too much bass in the frequency response curve. By experience, if your mix sounds good on the KRK Rokit 5 G4 and on the Yamaha hs5, there is a 99% chance it will pass the car stereo test. With the KRK Rokit 5 G4 alone, you are exposed to overcompensate the highs and not raising the lows enough is you are not careful. It's all about knowing your monitors and using them properly, the perfect monitor does not exist.
Honestly a couple reasons, I’ve just had my eyes on the krks for a while, but also I knew the krks would be a more content-friendly monitor, since it’s a popular choice. If I could pick from a higher price bracket though, I’d probably go with HS8s! You have a nice day as well!
I was going to add a separate comment until I saw this one. I owned and/or auditioned all the usual suspect 5/6”monitors (KRK 5 g3/4, Eris XT, Adam TV5, JBL 305/306, Mackie CRX, and Kali LP6). In direct comparison, the Eris is a better monitor to the KRK. Better dynamics, depth, and clarity. Out of all those speakers, the Eris is the one on my desk. I switch between those, and the CRX’s (they give a more general/consumer audio viewpoint with the sound, but are still very good for monitoring, and have Bluetooth). The Eris tweeters are especially excellent with a wide sweet spot; probably the best out of the lineup I mentioned, in an untreated room.
I'm seriously considering Rokit 5G4 (maybe 7G4) for my arranger keyboard playing at home. And so trying to get as much info as possible, I found your channel. Now, I won't say your "judging/testing" methodology is right or wrong, because at least you say what YOU look after. And that makes somehow easier for me to make my conclusions, as I know what I am looking for -as to be expected, your and my preferences aren't the same. Actually I first watched your older video, where you compare Rokit 5 vs Rokit 7 (vs original), by using hi-quality headphones. And I couldn't believe: both KRK's sound like a trash.. like listening music on cheap cellphone (if we forget loudness).. details (instruments definitions) just aren't there. Not to mention lack of low frequencies, which are crucial to give "volume" or "room" if you prefer, to the whole music (I don't mean loudness). Since ever, usable frequency response (linearity) is defined at fall-off of -3dB. And looking at your diagram, at 50Hz, there's a fall-off of about -6dB! It's interesting, that's almost the same on both KRK's, even one would expect 7" speaker (in bigger enclosure) would give a bit better performance than 5". I'm not music producer and as you point out many times, what's good (enough) for one person, is maybe not for another. Still I think, "monitoring" (by definition) means "carefully" controlling the music/sound. But one can only do that if speaker can reproduce the sound that's coming in. Btw. I have a pair of (very old) JBL 2-way passive speakers hooked on Yamaha amplifier. Having 8" woofer, they are quite bigger than KRK's, though. Now, even my JBL's also have frequency response of 50Hz-20kHz (+/-3dB), they sound MUCH better than KRK's on your video. Too bad I don't have the possibility to check KRK's myself.. and so I decided to think over again about "monitors". Thank you for sharing your videos.
Yo si soy productor musical y te digo que los monitores son mejores que los auriculares ahora , eso va a depender del buen tratamiento acustico que le des a la habitacion para que los monitores suenen perfectamente como debe de ser , ahora en lo otro yo me inclinaria por los Krk G4 suenan mucho mas planos sin enmascaramiento en las frecuencias o realces.
I'm sorry I don't have more out at the moment! Influences are definitely 90s grunge (soundgarden primarily), muse, radiohead, st vincent, royal blood, aphex twin, I could keep going lol
I'm planning on buying them for mixing, but what about this... could I play guitar through them (with another person for example on the second guitar (via interface) ) and expect something actually enjoyable while practicing in the room. The reason is I have 1 amp at the moment, it's only for 1 guitar and it's a bit too loud (actually very loud ) and I would like to plug a bass aswell into something that is not a guitar amp while practising :"D
Still watching but because the mids are so forward in the monitor mix, they must be much more forward on the headphones than the monitors which is why they have been pushed back in the headphone mix
2 year old video,,,, don't wanna be dramatic but in music terms this is life changing,,,,, wow amazing content thank you, and i have just ordered my krk from sweetwater. thank you
Hmmm, would have been revealing if you used sonarworks and compared the profiles of your headphones ( i know they’d be averaged) and the monitors, they are likely quite different ? Thx!
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
If this review helped you make a decision, these affiliate links are how the channel is supported! Thank you my friends, happy mixing
Do you upload your music??
You song on this video. Was amazing clean. I could listen every frequency through my phone❤. You are amazing ❤❤❤❤
As a "headphone mixer" I have the greatest appreciation for what you have done here. I loved the monitor mix. Hands down. I suspect headphone mixing leads to a lot of detail finessing that adds up to a sterile mix. Thanks for doing this.
I have never mixed just using headphones. I track myself with headphones, mix down using monitors and double check through computer monitors, earbuds and Bluetooth speakers. That way I know what it's going to sound like over a range of listening devices.
I like, not only the content of the video, but also the way you talk, clearly, articulated, that's a sign of caring of listeners. Thanks.
Great review. You're right there is no way to review speakers without being subjective. I see a lot of blogs and comments saying these monitors are bass boosted or not good overall but you cant really take peoples opinion seriously. Thanks!
Glad I could help!
The difference between them is very minimal but the rokits were always known for more their deep response of bass and I think it's still pretty much better than yams.
Your mix reactions are on point, I thought the same thing especially about the guitar solo... it just melted away into nothing on the headphone mix. KRK mix was more balanced and all the mid and high end was present. Edit: Also, as a current owner of the Rokit 8 G4s and had previous generations of the KRKs, I think at least some of the bass monster meme of the KRKs come from G2/G3. The G4s changed a lot about the Rokits (for the better).
absolutely agree
I have been using KRK's few years now. Good price, very reliable and solid quality. I also use them to dial in my guitar parts.
Thank you so much for putting your brilliant ideas in place to make things to understand so easily.
That idea of mixing through headphone and monitors gave a crystal idea of the differences you hear.
And that helped me BIG TIME to choose these monitors as my very first studio monitos.
I can't thank you enough for this.
God bless you.
Ah thank you so much for the kind words! Glad I could help out in some way, you've made my day :)
Conclusion... I need to stop mixing in headphones and pick up some KRK monitors. I'll take your word for it. Thanks.
NICE, you'll love them :)
It's incredible how different the song is after the mixing. Really interesting video!
right??? the differences in the mixes so still crazy to me
A very informative and instructional video. I enjoy all of your videos because you explain everything simply and thoroughly. Don't be concerned about broadening your topics because I think there are others like myself that want to learn all we can to improve our home projects. Thank you.
Thanks dude!
Interesting how the headphone mix ended up sounding both muddy and dry in comparison to the monitor mix. Have noticed that recording/mixing through headphones have a higher potential for ear fatigue too, one of the biggest benefits to separate speakers aswell.
I'm happy to hear that you preferred the monitor over the headphone mix. Me too. I just got a set of krks 5 g4's today and I'm still waiting to plug in so I'm just watching videos. I watched a few UA-camrs review them and say that they were bass heavy but still wanted to keep them over the other monitors because they just sound good. I've had the yamaha hs5 and they sound expansive and clear but lacked bass. I always found myself trying to change the the yamaha hs5 settings because they made my ears tired after long sessions. Overall, the yamaha's became too busy and kinda harsh for daily use.
Don't pay attention to the numbers, you are loved and appreciated! Love it and my trust meter overmodulates when you are on my screen 😊 Big thumbs up Ricky 👍👍👍
"Trust meter overmodulates" is now one of my favorite phrases haha, and thank you so much!!
Great presentation, and content. Thank you. I've been playing around with some PEQ settings streaming music, and I've managed to eliminate a bass port him at around 550Hz, plus my room has a really hard 100Hz reinforcement that I'm stuck with, so dialled that back also, but found that these things can really punch hard with a 2-3dB lift at 50Hz with a Q of 3-4. I think they're brilliant as a pair of affordable desktop music speakers.
Love the in depth way you're tuning the monitors! More nuanced than my set up for sure :) they definitely can get super punchy when dialed in properly
The difference between them is very minimal but the rokits were always known for more their deep response of bass and I think it's still pretty much better than yams.
Not only was your monitor mix clearer and more harmonically rich, but it just sounded substantially better. I own a pair of KRK Rokit 5's and havent had the space to properly set them up yet, but I am sold that the purchase was worth every penny. Oh, and I listened to your mixes through very cheap, crappy external computer speakers.
this was one of the best reviews I ever seen period. I subscribed from this video. the monitor sound a lot more open than the cans.
Wow thank you!! And yes definitely, I was shocked as you could tell in the reaction section lol
Great video!! You can really tell that you were trying to dial back the lower frequencies when using the headphones. I've been on the fence about spending the money on a set of monitors and now I'm convinced. Thanks bud!!
Love this! So glad I could help :)
Just purchased KRKs and found this video, made me confidence. Man the difference. Wow.
Hahaha glad I could relieve any post-purchase anxieties
@@AudioHaze 😄🙌
Great review and great info. I just got some Eris 3.5s so I could stop trying to mix on some budget headphones. I’m glad you sneered the question about headphones and monitors.
Interesting video indeed. As a 100% headphone producer and listener, I could clearly hear the difference between your headphone mix vs monitor mix. The monitor mix you did sounded way better. Question though, are you using something like Sonarworks to correct the frequency response (both for your monitors and your headphones)? If not, would be interesting to see the difference between a headphone and monitor mix there.
Thanks dude! And yeah I am actually, I should have mentioned that during the vid. The CB-1s have a sonarworks preset, although I still felt the peaks in the upper midrange were pretty pronounced.
I agree, monitors sound fuller. The headphones sound different, not bad, they still sound good to me. Maybe more detail on the phones but I prefer a lot of bass in my mixes. It's more pleasant. High pitches and treble, little kids 😆, make me cringe. I love my daughter but her voice and high pitch squeals just hurt my ears.
Idk what was better: the song or your surprise with the final mixes. Awesome video o/
Thank you my friend!! It was nice to catch my genuine shock on camera lol
This is such a unique way to give perspective on a monitor. Excellent content.
Your sound quality and your recordings it's awesome.
Great review and track and mix (monitor version haha). I love how much work you put in and I think it may have sold me on the KRK Rokits!
Hi John here from Australia. I love my KRK 5 inch monitors. I also use them for transferring my 45 and 33 rpm vinyls to MP3 for personal use. They are magic.
Love it! And cheers from Brooklyn :)
Love how you explained the experienced detail between headphones and monitors. Also like how you transitioned and sectioned off each part of the Intrumental you produced. Sub and like here 👍
Nice explanation of what these are, and nice guitar playing! The difference in how you mixed on the KRKs and the headphones really was massive. Great example of how misleading consumer output equipment can be.
Being nitpicky: Monitor speakers. Not speaker monitors. Or just monitors. :D
While I totally agree that measuring speakrs is a heck of a lot more complex than a microphone’s frequency response, that too is pretty complex.
Thanks for the feedback! Yeah I should just say monitors lol
Great video. I am about to get a pair of KRK, and this is what i was looking for. I also have a small room and there is not so many place for fancy studio setup. I listened it on iphone but still was able to hear a huge difference. Thanks for info!
Interesting comparison of mixes. I'm listening in a pair of Sennheisers I've had forever. Your monitor mix sounded WAY more alive and detailed with a far nicer stereo spread.
I have some Beyer Dynamics 900 pro and just got the KRK g4 5 and can't wait to hear the difference. I know headphones are good for certain things but I keep hearing that monitors are where the magic happens. Appreciate the video on this!
What you think about the monitors now?
Every single time there is a discussion on the KRK G4's the same comments appear about bloated bass from people who have never used these speakers.
Even some professional reviewers are making the same claims. The only other decent review I've seen is from audio science review.
As your measurements show, this is simply not a bass boosted monitor! (But can be, if desired, given the EQ control).
Great review!
great video man, thank you! also WOW what a demo track. As a prog metal fan that scratched the itch for me. great playing!
I got the KRKs and they are the big ones..
I don't regret them.. they are great monitors. People need to stop ragging on products that they don't use.. and just use them and make up their own opinion.
First time viewer. Great video and I'm subbing!
100% agree!! And thanks for joining the community :)
do you mean the Rokit 8s or the Rokit 10s? I've heard the 10s have a lot of hiss.
Amazing video mate! Cheers!
1st of all. Thank you for using your speakers for a few months before doing a review. 1 day use reviews of “studio” monitors are useless.
2nd. thank you for MIXING on them and testing their translation BEFORE doing a review.
Unless you “mix” on mixing speakers you can’t do a qualified review, period.
This review was actually helpful. Much appreciated ❤
TBH, I prefer the Adam Audio T and A series over KRK's any products for one single fact, that was not mentioned in this video: the high-end harshness. One of my main conserns when mixing (and this is especially true for home studios as well) is not in the low end, bc unless you're having a room treated well in the low end, the response curve of the speaker will be minor in comparison with the response of your room. You'll be better off checking it with SPAN. But adjusting a De-Esser, dialing in saturation, judging the volume of a hi-hat, boosting on a Pultec-style EQ, that matters more to me than having an accurate low-end response. As I said, there's countless ways to dial those in without even hearing it as it is, which is usually the case with home studios.
Nice insight here! So you're saying the Adam T handles high end response better in home studio environments? I personally haven't found the high end to be overly harsh, but haven't tried any other monitors in my room to be fair
@@AudioHaze I've used a lot of entry level monitors, including the G4, HS8, T7V, IN8 and for my ears, the G4 has the worst high-end accuracy from all. I'm not talking about the overall response, that's reasonably flat on paper, but you can't really tell the difference between a +1,5db or a +3db of gain reduction on a de-esser, or a can't tell the accurate saturation overtones because it's tweeter is overly distorted on its own. Don't get me wrong, they're nice to listen to music on, impresses clients a lot (especially with the yellow kevlar look) but I never achieved any transparent high-end on my mixes anything close to what I was capable of with the Adams.
@@skk6811 Los Monitores Adams son excelentes eso nadie lo puede negar yo tambien estoy interesados en comprar esos monitores debido a que son muy claros en su respuesta de frecuencias , Sin embargo eh pasado por muchos videos escuchando los krk rokit G4 y su respuesta de frecuencia es clara, plana y precisa, sin casi nada de realces en las frecuencias, similar a la que se podria escuchar en un monitor Adam , ahora si tu no lo escuchas que suenan muy bien los monitores krk g4 es por que ya has acostumbrado a tus oidos a los Monitores Adams eso hay que tomar en cuenta .
I demoed the KRKs and Adam Audio monitors in my studio for two weeks and settled on the KRKs. Both are great choices, but my mixes on the KRKs translated perfectly whether I was listening in the car or on AirPods or in another studio. I love the high end of the KRKs and the tight, punchy low end. To my ears, the KRKs are an unbeatable value.
Excellent review!!!! This is exactly what I needed!!! Just ordered some G5 / 5s
This has totally helped me find the right pair of speakers! Keep up the great videos!
So glad I could help!
Listening to the music on the very monitors you are reviewing, it's no surprise that the KRK mix sounded so much better than the headphone mix
No, he used in-ears to compare.
as im considering buying these as a first studio purchase, this video is really helpful, thanks
I wonder if it would have given closer results to the KRK’s had you used open back headphones.
Great video.
Good point
BRO COOKED WITH THIS VIDEO HOLY SHI, this video sold me on getting monitors cuz WHOA that monitor mix is sweet
I am astounded just how great the monitor mix sounds, and how muddy/truncated the headphone mix sounds. The monitor mix sounds like a professional release, the headphone mix sounds like crap! ;) Thanks for the video!
That monitor mix sounds so open and clean
Thank you heaps man! Watched different review on these studio monitors, but yours was the best!
Wow thank you I really appreciate it my friend!
@@AudioHaze ❤️ simply the truth!!!
I've owned all the entry level monitors and out of all of them my mixes translated the best almost instantly from the KRKS. Their mixes TRANSLATE. But I do like switching it up with some yammahas because sometimes all that detail is just "too much information" when I just want to volume check a vocal with a snare. If you listen to DSAUDIO's comparison on here vs Genelecs and Focals (world class brands) the difference is almost non-existent. And the classics are great too.
Nice take! Yeah the Yamahas are great for getting a sort of "big idea" opinion
I far prefer the monitors mix, vs the headphone mix. And yes, what a crazy difference, it's not subtle, and immediately apparent.
Absolutely! I'm glad I didn't use another monitor to compare, I think the headphones vs monitors here makes a bigger point of discussion
@@AudioHaze I spent a couple of years and a lot of money trying to like headphones and make them work. I owned some Focal Clears, a pair of Oppo PM1s and various other headphones, and I just gave up; speakers produce a far more natural and expansive soundstage for me, headphones just sound so closed in and un-natural to my ears.
@@The80shilling Exactly and it's so exhausting to mix on headphones and you get fatigued much faster compared to speakers. Btw can i ask the op where did you listen to both mixes am i dumb for not seeing any link or anything? İts not even in the video so where are those mixes?
Yeah i am a big dumbass for skiping the mid part 🤦
Great video, you are really talented, love the mix!
Why is no one talking about this track? Killer. Great review too. Love the A/B.
This is an awesome video man!! Wow!!! What a great shootout!!!
Nice review bro!
i got those 5 g4 after several months Research
Great review. I'd add only the OLDER KRK's didn't have those attenuation options and probably had a little to do with the bad "bassy" rap...
Nice thanks for the info!
You also have to factor in there have been like 4 revisions to this product line. So when someone reports a boosted bass response in KRK rockets, they are most likely talking about the older versions. Also, people just say KRK in general, without being more specific a lot of the time, and if you reviewed the 8's for example, you'd probably have a very different result. Sometimes people also confuse the low mids as the bass, which some of the original KRKs had a huge bump in. The newer ones are much flatter than the old ones, but this is because they mostly (apart from the classic line) now have active dsp in them, which they never used to.
Which KRK's would you recommend for a small room, producing electronic music styles such as DnB, Dubstep and down tempo hiphop? I'm after a good genuine flat response and not just monster bass.
Thenkiu senpai. It really takes a weight out of my mind to listen that if some gear doesnt ring good, it is not appropiate for me
Yes good good we all need ideal noise boxes happy to help
That was an incredible difference, thank you for making this video!!
I prefer the monitor mix, listened on the iPhone 13 promax xD (actually love its speakers) Different lower notes and bass are easily distinguished from each other and feels punchier. The guitar volume is very different on the mixes and I can’t tell exactly what’s better, feels like each has its own “vision”
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuudddddeeeeee - at least plug in your AirPods. phones don't go below 400hz. that isn't the bass you're hearing - you're hearing overtones
Great video u have really helped me on bass I got discouraged from getting the krk speakers coz someone said they have too much bass
Fantastic video!! Keep it up buddy, you’re doing great work
Thank you so much my friend! More to come for sure, would love to dive more into audio monitors
Very interesting. What I would probably do is spend time tuning the headphones with a custom EQ profile and then run the test again to see how the headphone mix turns out after you’ve kind of compensated for the things that they would cause you to do otherwise. Eg taking out harshness.
I watched this for the review, but that jam was incredibly good.
Appreciate it my friend!
I've seen Dave Pensando using old school KRK 2 way near fields in one of his Pensado's place videos. Yeah they are somewhat popular with people who are amateurs or at the beginning of their sound journey, but that's not because the speakers themselves are lacking.
Where I can find your music. I clicked for a review now. I want to hear more of this crazy style.
Great video! Lots of information and extremely helpful, I’ve subscribed to your channel and liked this video
That monitor had a huge issue with capacitors failing and the company not supporting customers denying warranties.
interesting, haven't heard about this
KRK is owned by Gibson so nothing new
I like that German Sheppard portrait ... Whoever painted it has a good eye. 🤘🏻
Great video. The upper mids seem to have been shaved off in the headphone mix, making it sound dull.
A really well made review, thank you. Top notch mix, do you have like a place where you post your music?
Thank you sooooo much for that, best review for sure, I've seen them all x)
Ah thank you so much!!
Great video. Just saw you at NAMM last weekend!
ahaha wow you should have said hi!!
I was just about thinking "Well, on my headphones the headphones' mix kinda sucks..." and then you went on and said it yourself 😂
I had a pair of vxt8s and my problem with those was that depth in the mix was flipped on vocals. I mixed the vocals to clearly sit infront in the mix. But in other speakers, the phone and headphones the vocals were in the back of the sound. They translated most tracks well, but vocals and some other sounds, they were very misleading.
Thank you for the review. Coincidentally at the moment I'm choosing between these and Adam T5Vs. Leaning towards KRKs because from what I can hear of comparison recordings (it's silly I know but at least something), KRKs are less bright and have a little bit more low end which for prosumer like me might be a sweet spot in terms of balance between natural sound and fatiguing from long listening sessions.
I have a somewhat nerdy question though.
Do these Rokit 5s have certain maximum input level, in Vrms/dBU, like we see on headphone amplifiers? The manual only says that default 0.0 dB setting suited for +4dBU and in case of -10dBV one might want to dial +11dB of volume on the monitor. However I would like to know the actual limits of its amp in order to avoid clipping the signal and tune up my DAC properly. Thanks!
Glad I could help! But unfortunately I do not have an answer to that, I think thats beyond my scope in terms of what I know about the monitors and I don't want to give an educated guess and be totally wrong :/
I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure they have built in limiters so you won’t get any clipping no matter how loud you go
Leave the review,but the melody you created is f***ing awesome.. Loved how you played 🔥
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the music :)
Great vid as always. What do u think of the monitors? Say, compared to Genelecs? Should we skip em n go right ahead to gennies or they hv value?
I just bought a KRK 8 Gen 4 as an impulse buy (DUDE WAS LETTING IT GO FOR 120 I'D BE STUPID NOT TOO) but this video solidified my "Good purchase" feeling lol. Yay, me!
Hi,
I have a bit of a long winded question for you, apologies in advance.
I've recently bought a Bugera 6262 212 combo amp, and the amp says it should be set to 16 ohms for internal speakers.
I'm actually going to bypass the speakers and plug into an axetrack isolation cab I managed to get, it's a speaker and an SM57 in a sealed box. It uses the input from where the amp would usually go to a cab, so the amp gets full use, it just goes to the iso speaker instead of the combo speaker. The SM57 picks it up, there's an XLR out which I'm planning to connect to a Behringer UMC22.
That plugs into a computer and has headphones out, but to be honest I'm not that bothered about recording, I'm basically using the whole setup as an analog attenuator with air and a mic rather than limiting the signal electronically. I'd like to get the output from the UMC22 to go to the speakers on the amp that I'm using instead of through PC or headphones, I asked on Amazon and someone said that the signal would need a power amp otherwise it would be too weak for the speakers.
So my chain is:
Guitar > amp section of combo > iso box with sm57 > xlr > Behringer UMC22 > ......
Can I output from the UMC22 into something , amplify without colouring the sound (at least not too much), then send to the speakers in my 6262 cab?
Are you aware of a product like this? I'd rather use my amp speakers than buying more.
I don't know, I'm very confused lol.
Sorry it's such a long question and thanks for your time.
Hey! Okay so I think I understand, so you'd be using the outputs of the UMC22 to go back into your amp rather than just to studio monitors? Those are stereo outs so how would you route it? Just send one of the stereo outs into the cab for a mono signal? You'll have to go through some sort of DAW to make this happen, the interface won't do direct routing without first converting it into a digital signal, going through your computer, and then spitting it back out as an analog one.
I'm not sure if these will need a boost after leaving the UMC22, you could try to adjust the output in the DAW before it goes back out to the amp, and if it doesn't meet your expectation you could try a cloudlifter to clean transparent gain between the UMC22 and combo amp speaker. If you want to try a more janky solution, you could try compressor guitar pedal if you have one lying around.
Hope this helps a bit!
Basically what I expected.
...but, yes, I did not expect THAT much of a difference. Makes sense though.
I have faith now in deciding. Thank you
best comparison ever , thanks
That song was one of the best songs I heard all year! lol.... Aside from that, I liked the monitor mix better :p...Listening on AKG headphones. Let me know if you want to throw down some lyrics on that Jam!
I'm always down haha! If you want the wav file just email me I guess :)
I have the 5 neighbors are banging on my wall and I have it low with the bass at the lowest level possible 😩
I'm a bit torn between the KRK Rokit 5 G4 and the Yamaha HS5s. I suspect they are both really similar. KRKs are a bit more modern, the Yammies have been around for about a decade without a refresh and pushing close to twenty years regarding the basic design (HS50 came out around 2005). I suspect the Yammies have slightly better build quality and possibly slightly less flattering than the KRKs.
Hi. Thank you for the video,. However, How can you do a speaker review in a completely untreated room and based on your mix output? I dont get it... sorry..
Bravo! At least someone is saying the king is naked.
Not many things trigger the rage in me like speakers and headphones reviews on which a reviewer tries to explain the sound by using some arbitrary words, urgh... 🙆🤦😵💫
Been thinking about picking up between Yamaha hs5 and krk r5. Still trying to decide. Any suggestions? Thanks
Both great choices, I don't think you can go wrong either way. Gun to my head, I would go with HS5s, a bit more of a proven product I would say
@@AudioHaze thanks bro. I was more into hs5 but doubtful, now your opinion makes me feel safer. I'll go for it
Big difference, which might be critical depending on your layout. HS5 has rear ports, KRK front, so if you're remotely close to a rear wall, Rokits every time.
how do you feel about the Sony MDR-7506 headphones? I thought they were the studio reference standard?
You noticed a HUG difference, I noticed nothing, they sounded the same to me / : All the same, was debating Presonus E5, Yamaha HS5 and the Rokit 5 G4s, back and forth I kept going and couldn't say no to these given the Cyber Monday deal on Amazon right now. Thanks for the great video!
hello, I have the Rokit 8 studio speakers, and trying to figure out why one is louder than the other. I switch them and the left side is always louder, so it tells me perhaps it's a cable thing? I've checked all cables, all identical so trying to see if you have any advise on other troubleshooting i could do. Thanks for your videos!
Ha actually listening to this video through some Rokit 5s! They're awesome!
Great video! keep doing like this
Would you say they're good enough to use them as speakers for guitar amp sims? Or I'd need bigger woofers for heavier/downtuned stuff? Thanks! and nice playing man good feels!
I agree they are great references for mixing validation for general listening. But they are not that good for mixing/mastering for any initial mix, too much bass in the frequency response curve. By experience, if your mix sounds good on the KRK Rokit 5 G4 and on the Yamaha hs5, there is a 99% chance it will pass the car stereo test. With the KRK Rokit 5 G4 alone, you are exposed to overcompensate the highs and not raising the lows enough is you are not careful. It's all about knowing your monitors and using them properly, the perfect monitor does not exist.
It is your room, not the monitors.
You sound amateur
The KRK mix is really good I agree. The headphone mix was veiled in comparison
Thanks for super informative contents man. And great music too. The Korean subtitle sucks tho.
Thanks for the review! As good and helpfull as always! Why did you choose the KRK instead the Presonus Eris E5XT? Have a nice day!!!
Honestly a couple reasons, I’ve just had my eyes on the krks for a while, but also I knew the krks would be a more content-friendly monitor, since it’s a popular choice. If I could pick from a higher price bracket though, I’d probably go with HS8s! You have a nice day as well!
@@AudioHaze Thanks man!! You are so kind! I've tried de HS5s and the highs was too much for me...
@@GER_1 ahh but that’s the thing!! When you get your mix sounding good on hs5/8s they sound good anywhere lol
I was going to add a separate comment until I saw this one. I owned and/or auditioned all the usual suspect 5/6”monitors (KRK 5 g3/4, Eris XT, Adam TV5, JBL 305/306, Mackie CRX, and Kali LP6). In direct comparison, the Eris is a better monitor to the KRK. Better dynamics, depth, and clarity. Out of all those speakers, the Eris is the one on my desk. I switch between those, and the CRX’s (they give a more general/consumer audio viewpoint with the sound, but are still very good for monitoring, and have Bluetooth). The Eris tweeters are especially excellent with a wide sweet spot; probably the best out of the lineup I mentioned, in an untreated room.
I'm seriously considering Rokit 5G4 (maybe 7G4) for my arranger keyboard playing at home. And so trying to get as much info as possible, I found your channel. Now, I won't say your "judging/testing" methodology is right or wrong, because at least you say what YOU look after. And that makes somehow easier for me to make my conclusions, as I know what I am looking for -as to be expected, your and my preferences aren't the same.
Actually I first watched your older video, where you compare Rokit 5 vs Rokit 7 (vs original), by using hi-quality headphones. And I couldn't believe: both KRK's sound like a trash.. like listening music on cheap cellphone (if we forget loudness).. details (instruments definitions) just aren't there. Not to mention lack of low frequencies, which are crucial to give "volume" or "room" if you prefer, to the whole music (I don't mean loudness).
Since ever, usable frequency response (linearity) is defined at fall-off of -3dB. And looking at your diagram, at 50Hz, there's a fall-off of about -6dB! It's interesting, that's almost the same on both KRK's, even one would expect 7" speaker (in bigger enclosure) would give a bit better performance than 5".
I'm not music producer and as you point out many times, what's good (enough) for one person, is maybe not for another. Still I think, "monitoring" (by definition) means "carefully" controlling the music/sound. But one can only do that if speaker can reproduce the sound that's coming in.
Btw. I have a pair of (very old) JBL 2-way passive speakers hooked on Yamaha amplifier. Having 8" woofer, they are quite bigger than KRK's, though. Now, even my JBL's also have frequency response of 50Hz-20kHz (+/-3dB), they sound MUCH better than KRK's on your video. Too bad I don't have the possibility to check KRK's myself.. and so I decided to think over again about "monitors".
Thank you for sharing your videos.
Did you get G4 ? do you like it ?
Yo si soy productor musical y te digo que los monitores son mejores que los auriculares ahora , eso va a depender del buen tratamiento acustico que le des a la habitacion para que los monitores suenen perfectamente como debe de ser , ahora en lo otro yo me inclinaria por los Krk G4 suenan mucho mas planos sin enmascaramiento en las frecuencias o realces.
Dude, where can I listen to more of your music? At the very least what are your influences so I can listen to them.
Thanks! Great video
I'm sorry I don't have more out at the moment! Influences are definitely 90s grunge (soundgarden primarily), muse, radiohead, st vincent, royal blood, aphex twin, I could keep going lol
I'm planning on buying them for mixing, but what about this... could I play guitar through them (with another person for example on the second guitar (via interface) ) and expect something actually enjoyable while practicing in the room. The reason is I have 1 amp at the moment, it's only for 1 guitar and it's a bit too loud (actually very loud ) and I would like to plug a bass aswell into something that is not a guitar amp while practising :"D
Still watching but because the mids are so forward in the monitor mix, they must be much more forward on the headphones than the monitors which is why they have been pushed back in the headphone mix
2 year old video,,,, don't wanna be dramatic but in music terms this is life changing,,,,, wow amazing content thank you, and i have just ordered my krk from sweetwater. thank you
Hmmm, would have been revealing if you used sonarworks and compared the profiles of your headphones ( i know they’d be averaged) and the monitors, they are likely quite different ? Thx!