Sound:
It took me about a month to understand these monitors. It was only when I read Butch Vig used them and then went and bought some of his productions things became clear (in my mind). What I didnt understand at first was how accurate these monitors are. I had been using a set of KRK V8s and Event ASP8s for about a year and mixes werent translating well at all. With the events bass was always to light, vocals to low. With the KRKs not enough mids and a generally unbalanced mix such as vocals to low, drums to loud. Anyway when I got the EX66s the difference in sound was like night and day. Every single detail of a mix could be heard on the EX66s which I definitely wasnt used to with the KRKs and Events. That (strangely) is why it took a month for me to understand the sound of them. I was still mixing as if I were using my previous monitors.
Their magic for mixing vocals. Far to often with vocals regardless of monitors you end up mixing them to low. Not so with the EX66s. You want to be able to mix instruments and vocals as you would like to hear them..Right? Of course you do, and thats exactly what you can do with the EX66s. Synth and guitar lines are wonderfully lively, full of presence...they just spring out at you in a very musical way. I make indie electronic stuff and I can honestly say that unlike many other monitors I have tried these EX66s excel at both. The events were hopeless at indie guitar stuff and the KRKs were hopeless with electronica. Another really great thing with the EX66s is you can mix at very low volumes as well as loud...cool. The sound filed (sweet spot) is excellent. Theres none of that move your position by one foot and the sound goes pear shaped.
Although M audio dont make a big point of it (but they should have) is these speakers have been designed with less than stellar rooms in mind which I would imagine many people have. They can sound excellent in the worst of rooms which is a big ++ point imo. Of course if your room is treated then WOW...you will really start hearing audiophile quality. I didnt have my room treated but a few months after I got these I did some work and I cannot recommend that enough for any studio regardless of your monitors.
My only critique of these is the mids are a little bit loud. But there is a switch on the back which allows you to reduce the mids by -2db. Excellent. If you have them against a wall (even though their rear ported) you can set a switch to qtr sace. Theres also half space and full space depending on where you want to position your speakers. Very versatile for sure. Theres a low bass cut off from 100hz to 37. Great if your in a flat like me. I cut the 37hz button when working in the evening because the bass can go really low.
I have read on some forums people saying stay clear of M audio speakers. I think they are snobs and have probably never tried them. I notice they all run in packs and recommend the same speakers over and over again. Beware of what those people are saying. Try and listen to them first, but remember their very very accurate. If Butch vig uses them to mix on you can be sure they have something cool about them.
Incidentally. I was playing Justice Cross album on them the other day and wow. I hadnt listened to that album for nearly two years and I could hear exactly what was going on like i had never been able to before. I could hear the details of that heavy compression they use and could tell they were using analog compressors because the compression their using just cannot be had from plugins. Something I wasnt able to tell before.
Feature:
Digital inputs, jack and XLR inputs. Good chunky volume control, and a wealth of buttons to tune the sound to your room
Ease of Use:
Their speakers, easy
Quality:
Excellent build quality
Value:
I bought mine a two years ago for 900 uk pounds which I thought was a total bargain then. Ive seen them now for around 650 a pair. A steal if you ask me. You wont get anything as detailed and accurate as these for the same money.
Manufacturer Support:
havent needed any
Overall:
I plan on keeping these for many years. If I blew them up I wouldnt hesiate to buy another set. Now my mixes are as they should be.
Sound:
The sound is even and clear. It brings out things I could have never heard from my old ones. The bass is very accurate...it really fills the room when it's supposed to.
Feature:
The thing for me that is most helpful is the space setting. I don't have them setup in a huge control like some who own them might. They are in a dorm room so I keep it on the "Quarter" setting. It really helps because with it being a small room and having a roommate I can still listen accurately and not bother the rest of the building. haha (which these are easily capable of)
Ease of Use:
I had a slight problem with setting the volume of each speaker, since they have their own control. With my room being so small these speakers when set at "0" on the back are waaaay too loud. I finally have found a happy medium around -13, but the best part is the quality of the sound is not compromised at all when turning the volumes down. Good job on that M-Audio!
Quality:
These speakers are made extremely well... I often get nervous of knocking one of the 4 mid-woofers though, but as long as you're careful it's not a issue. It's nice the tweeter has a guard on it though. I feel like if you take care of these speakers they could last you many many years. These would be appropriate for on the road too. If you read in the manual they are made to withstand very harsh conditions of heat, cold or humidity among other things. I don't have any experience with taking them on the road thus far though.
Value:
I think the price may be a bit high on most sites...It's a good speaker though and definitely worth what you pay. Compared to other high end monitors.
Manufacturer Support:
Haven't had any problems yet.
The Wow Factor:
I think as far as how they look... They are the coolest speaker out there..... The design being so unique and clever...how could you NOT have to have these?
Overall:
These are perfect for amateur or professional. If you can afford them, you won't be disappointed! Trust me.
11 of 13 people
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Sound:
Fantastic distortion free sound. I have been using the M-audio BX8a monitors for a few years. They sound good but are a little rough on my ears. The EX-66 monitors are easy listing. The sound is so smooth and clean. I can clearly hear everything in the mix. Fantastic set of studio monitors.
Feature:
They included what I needed. The acoustic space switch is the most useful feature for me.
Ease of Use:
Easy as can be. Great set of instructions included also.
Quality:
The build is just breathtaking. They are built very solid and flawless.
Value:
Worth every penny. They cost double what my other monitors cost but the sound difference is something I can really hear. So in my book they are a bargain.
Manufacturer Support:
Well I haven't needed it yet for the EX-66. I have called M-Audio in the past and they were very friendly and helpful.
The Wow Factor:
Technical marvel for the ears and eyes.
Overall:
Since these are a major upgrade. These monitors should meet my needs fine for the next five years.
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