Don't invest in anything much larger than monitors such as the Mackie HR824s if you have a small or medium sized room.
I need a pair of monitors and like the look of the Mackie HR824s, but would also be interested in the KRK V8s. Do you have any preference? Or any other thoughts for a pair of self‑powered monitors for under $1500 (US) that would suit a home studio about 13‑foot square recording techno, funk‑jazz, metal and rock music?
Jim Sloves
Editor Paul White replies: The Mackie HR824s are a good choice for the type of material you mention, simply because they can handle a lot of bass at realistic monitoring levels — though see the warning about room sizes at the end of this reply. In your situation, setting the bass switch to its mid position would probably give you the best results. The 824s are also pretty neutral sounding, so you can rely on your mixes being properly balanced. The KRK V8s are also worth a look; you can search for our review of those on the SOS web site. Another personal favourite of mine is the Dynaudio BM15, and again you'll find a review on our web site.
At a lower price point, I recommend the Alesis M1As, though Alesis have a new active monitor just about to hit the marketplace, so it may be worth waiting until we've checked that out before making up your mind. Bear in mind that with your room size it may be unwise to choose anything larger than the monitors we've mentioned, as you could end up with low‑frequency problems, especially as the room is almost square.