I have seen all of these mentioned, what is the difference between them, which is better for a nice clear sound for a DP? Is there any certain models you would recommend that are good and affordable?

I dont like amps. Im not too sure about a PA system as im not really sure what it is. Studio monitors look like something for me, I revisited a thread and GV mentioned something about a Behringer 2031/3031 being good

I remember reading here that the "M-Audio BX5a Deluxe 70-watt Bi-amplified Studio Reference Monitors" were a good option in the lower price range. Not sure how they compare to the Behringer though.

They (the behringers) are cheap, but after using them for a while I'm not sure I'd really say they are that great. I previously used KRK's and I liked them better I think. The 3031 seems a little harsh to me sometimes and I haven't been able to resolve that either with room treatment or EQ perturbation.

On the other hand, I used the KRK's in a different room than my current one and the acoustics were very different--my current room is acoustically worse--so it's hard to say. Unfortunately I have not been able to A/B them.

Someone else on the boards was saying that the 2031's were really good for piano music. That's the older one. It is really cheap. It has less good reviews among people who want to use it for mixing, but that doesn't mean it's not good for pianos. I haven't personally used them, so I wonder if they wouldn't sound as harsh as the 3031's I currently use.


I did try the M-audio 5bxa and I definitely did not like them for piano music. I think the Behringers are much better. Of course, they cost more too. Perhaps with a subwoofer I could have gotten used to the m-audios. When I was using the KRK RP8's, I was definitely underwhelmed until I got the 10S sub. Then I liked them pretty well. The M-audios have very little ability to reproduce low sounds.

At the moment I'm sort of interested in the idea people have been kicking around of using passive Hi Fi monitors like floorstanding Polk Audio. I haven't tried it, but I could believe that it sounds better.

Unfortunately I have not been able to find a speaker system I really like, so I can only speculate about what would be better than what I have now.

thanks gv, I was hoping you would reply. 2031's I;ll keep those in mind. It seems just as difficult finding good speakers as it is a DP. My room is in the attic and I'd say its a fairly big room, if that means anything haha

The main difference is that the 2031a's have a traditional tweeter and the 3031a's have a ribbon tweeter. Harshness is usually in the highs, so maybe that's the problem.

I do think the big room is potentially a good thing. And funny shaped rooms are good too, which attics tend to be.

The other cheap monitors I hear about a lot but have not tried are the Yamaha HS50m and HS80m's.

My personal opinion (which I do not follow, unfortunately) with monitors is that getting smaller monitors and a sub is better than getting big ones that supposedly can do the whole spectrum. In this case that would mean getting the HS50M, or the Behringer 2030a or 3030a, or the KRK RP 5 or 6. And then a good studio woofer like the KRK 10s.

Haha, my rooms big and kind of funny shaped, glad to know thats a good thing As you said, sometimes less is more

A studio woofer? you mean if I got like a behringer 2030a I would need to purchase a woofer aswell? (sorry im new to this stuff)

The Yamaha HS50M (£270 a pair at amazon uk) would perhaps give the clearest and most detailed sound if that's what you want. They are, I think, the new replacements for the Yamaha NS10s which were used by studio engineers/ producers from the late 70's onwards - the were the professional reference of choice.

The advantage of the new HS series is that they have matched amplifiers inside, so you just plug them in to the line out of the digital piano.

My question is, are they good as digital piano speakers? I imagine they are so good that the sound of anything but the most supreme, well set up DP - or more likely, software piano, might sound intolerable....but at least they'd be 'telling the truth'.

Has anyone used them with Roland HPs, Kawai CNs or Yamaha CLPs? What's the verdict?

(as for my own set up, I'm replacing the blown-out tweeters and crossover in my old Kef speakers, and the sound is really nice - but HiFi speakers go both ways - they give a big, beautiful sound, but show up some unpleasant details in some upper range notes.)

Yamaha HS80Ms with a Roland FP7-f here. I auditioned them over the period of a couple of weeks against the KRK RP8, M-Audio, the Behringers, and even the JBL LSR 2328P.

The Yamaha's and the JBLs came out on top for Piano. The JBLs were perhaps slightly more enjoyable for listening to Music (I tried them out in my house), but the Yamaha's were more detailed.

As a non-expert I looked at the flood of favorable reviews and opinions on the Yamahas and picked them. Definitely glad I got the 80s vs. the 50s. The 80s do not need a sub. I think it was someone in this forum that said you want to move a lot of air when trying to replicate a Piano hence the larger speaker.

@toddy
Thanks, I;ll take note of those speakers you mentioned. And I was considering hi fi speakers since I was going to get a hifi at some point for music.

@farstar
thank you, sounds like something I will be doing, finding favourable reviews and looking for top rated items, for an affordable price.

That's interesting, far star, because my DP is a Roland HP 302 - same sound generator as the fp7f. Sometimes some sympathetic resonance mostly in the G4 - C6 region is a bit intrusive. This becomes more evident with the external speakers.

If I were to get a new system, I'd seriously consider the Yamahas (unfortunately, the HS80's are almost twice the price of the HS50's on Amazon UK). However, I'll be pottering on with these old Kefs which I've been using and abusing since 1979.....lots of PA stuff they've done through the years. But they are good with the digital piano - while they have never sounded particularly 'hi-fi-ish' they sound pretty reasitic with the DP - much better than my other newer speakers which sound better with most commercially recorded stuff.

I checked the HS80's out earlier, infact on thomann site they are the top seller in the category of studio monitors, so thats good

EDIT: Btw would I NEED a subwoofer?

With the HS80s I would say certainly not. They deliver enough bass as it is.

Lol at first I thought you weren't recommending the speakers then I realised you were answering my question. haha but to what you said, thats good then I dont like the idea of paying for a subwoofer aswell

I should note that I almost never use the sounds from my FP7-f. Mainly I use Ivory II or Galaxy's Vintage D.

Also I am very bad at noticing sympathetic resonance. If there is a test you use to see if it is present I would love to know about it.

I've heard about the vintage D, thats one Im considering in the long run. As far as the question you asked im afraid I cant answer that Im a beginner, so much so I dont understand what you said haha, Hopefully toddy can help you out on that one

Well, far star, 'sympathetic resonance' is a term I made up to describe the sound the Roland makes - I think it's probably the 'duplex' effect, which is realistic, and what you'd hear in a real piano - it's just that it is sometimes too strong for my liking, and can sound like a kind of distortion.

This is not to criticise Roland's SN system - I think it's great. Very expressive, full of character and with a lot of timbral variation from piano through to forte. Eventually, I might experiment with Galaxy or some other software piano set, but the Roland sound itself will be good enough for a long while yet, I think.

is there any popular headphones you would recommend? @ toddy and farstar, Im not really familiar with some of these headphone brands so its kind of all new to me. Sennheiser is meant to be good? Preferably I;ll be wanting to pay around the 150 pound range

Many would say you can't go wrong with these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-240-Studio-H...;sr=1-1-catcorr

I got a pair well over 30 years ago, and I'm still using them every day. They came out with an improved model some time in the 1980's: http://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-K240-MKII-Ci...;sr=1-2-catcorr

....by the way, you'd better hurry up. Last time I looked a few weeks ago, these headphones were 80 - 90 pounds. Now look what's happened!

Thanks tod, I read some old threads about that model actually, but buying such an old model doesn't feel right, surely technology has improved since then? Is there not any newer versions to it or something. Btw for the price its good

I made a note of the AKG K 240 MK II btw, thank you for that tod

You would think so wouldn't you? Certainly these super hifi sennheisers would be better but these are classics - and were way ahead of their time. And they still are the choice for many people. Like the Shure SM58 mike - they're still going strong - Zippo lighters, too.

Nice as they say old is gold, and you mentioned you had them for 30 odd years so they must be decent if you decided to keep them

The Yamaha's and the JBLs came out on top for Piano. The JBLs were perhaps slightly more enjoyable for listening to Music (I tried them out in my house), but the Yamaha's were more detailed.

I'd agree with is. The Yamahas will be very detailed. That may not be what you want for your piano or it might be. People have different opinion of what they want.

I like the accurate, detailed sound for things I do on the computer like edit and "tweak" sound. But for live play I like a warmer smoother sound you get with larger home stereo speakers.

But in either case it is best if you don't need to use a sub. Buy speakers that can do the full range or at least to 50Hz or so all on their own.

Of the brands, I'd rank them by overall quality as "Yamaha, KRK, M-Audio then a large gap then Behringer". If you are looking for a brand as cheap as Behringer but a good step up from them look at samson. but go for the first three if you can

I use a pair of Polk Audio M50 on my piano (amazon has them cheap)

Regarding the monitors, I think even an 8-inch monitor requires a subwoofer to really sound good. That was my experience with the KRK's, anyway. It made a noticeable difference.

Thank you for replying Chris! Im looking to spend about
200-300 pounds on it, im looking to get fairly decent ones. I have a yamaha model in mind that someone mentioned in this thread

Hmmm, Btw monitor speakers apart, I was considering buying this for my computer at some point, http://www.ebuyer.com/256220-logitech-z906-surround-sound-5-1-speaker-system-980-000469 , would this be any good with a DP you reckon?

Two possible problems:

1. This is a 5.1 system. You will have to rig it to work with the stereo out from your computer.

2. If these are like other logitech computer speakers (I own a couple of model and have listened to others...though none this high-end) it won't be as good as the other things we've been talking about. Specifically it will be lacking in the midrange (which is very important for piano) and have very little definition in the bass. Plenty of power, but no clarity. That's generally what you get with computer speakers and logitech in general.

It depends on your taste. Technically you don't need a sub because pianos don't really have so much of a low end bass. Yes, even a full size grand. What you hear is a LOT of power in the harmonics of the lower register.

That said many people like a punchy bass, especially in car audio systems and home theater setups.

The think about subs is that if you can hear sound coming out of them, they are crossed over to high. A sub "done right" is completely transparent and you'd never be able to find it if you were blind folded. And you really don't hear then either because most peeole don't hear much below 50Hz. But you feel the thump in the chest.