Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Audio Interface and Monitors

Hi again!, I got my VPC1 4 days ago and I'm totally surprised about its quality, I'm using Pianoteq 5 as some of you told me but I don't want to continue using headphones (They give me headache) and my computer's Speakers are horrible so I Want to buy an audio Interface and Monitors, I have only $350 so I know that I'm not gonna get a miracle, but I just want them for me and probably I will never use the volume over 25%, so What do you recommend?

I don't have any experience with budget monitors so I'll leave it to others to make specific recommendations but keep in mind unwanted colouration is a permanent hazard, the more you pay, the more truthful the monitors are likely to be so I'd advise spending as little as possible on the audio interface so that you can lavish as much of your budget as possible on the monitors.

For a basic no-frills interface I can highly recommend this. I bought one for a second laptop and it works flawlessly - in fact it works even better with the ASIO4all driver than it does with its own dedicated driver, latency down to the minimum 64 samples.

The Behringer lacks features (which I'm sure you don't need) but will provide almost as 'flat' (true/uncoloured) a frequency response as the much more expensive alternatives.

The UCA222 is more or less identical in performance so pick the cheapest available. Because these are cheaper interfaces, you don't have the option of using balanced connectors so avoid using excessively long cables which might introduce noise.

I'm using cheap computer speakers (powered+subwoofer) with Pianoteq and it sounds OK up to 85% volume level. The key though is placement as at eye/ear level facing you, the sound is too sharp so I place them on the floor besides the piano legs facing up. You should try moving your speakers around first to see if that saves you from spending the rest of your $350 budget.

You could get a set of Roland CM-110 2.1s for $300. I have the larger CM-220 version, and I like them. There is a slight soft "hissing" when they aren't doing anything that some people can't stand, but I haven't found it to be a problem. The nice thing is the subwoofer unit has a little mixer built in for every variety of input. I don't know what kind of connections the VPC1 has, but the Roland does take balanced connections in addition to everything else.

A used set of Logitech Z2300s is also pretty nice, and you can probably find a good deal on them on eBay for less than $200. Or even get some Z5500s and surround yourself with speakers.

Gerardo, congrats for your purchase! I'll get my VPC1 in october when I'll be back in Europe.
I did quite a lot of online searching and, apparently, the best budget monitors are the JBL LSR305. From what I was reading on several blogs they are very neutral and uncoloured throughout the whole range, and they say they even outperform more expensive models. I was initially intrigued by the Krk rockit RP5 G3, but realized they are a bit too coloured especially in the lower register.
I'll get the JBL and, to save some money, I'll use my Alesis Multimix 8 USB 2 mixer as audio interface, otherwise I'll have to get a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 which has balanced outputs.
Hope it helps........

Behringer has the MS40 in your price range. It's clearly compromised, especially on the low end. But it's better than most "computer speakers".

. Charles

PS - FWIW -- I'd get new loudspeakers first, and see how thay sounded with the computer's soundcard. If that didn't work well, I'd get an external audio interface. But I'm just suggesting that you follow _my_ path, rather than anyone else's.

No sure how it is where you are, In the UK at least the older gen M-Audio BX5 D2 are only slightly more expensive and will probably be better I imagine and is within your budget. The newer design has a silvery look, called something like the "carbon" edition, whereas the older ones are all black design and a bit cheaper.

Funnily enough I also had the Behringers MS40 as sort of budget in mind as well as the M audio seeing like to get something at some stage, but will only do so before I have actually heard them myself in a shop, and I haven't heard either I should add, but I know of at least one person using the BX5 an asked him, he said he was very happy with them and he uses pianoteq also, but he did add the sub later.

The BX5 M audio are well regarded though on the whole for the money.

Coming back to the headphones I have never had issues like what you describe, but perhaps the phones may have something to do with it ? just in case since for that money you could also buy a decent headphones that may be more comfortable. Perhaps a more airy open back style instead of closed back design would suit and alleviate that problem ?. Thought perhaps worth a mention anyway