Thursday, July 3, 2014

Review: M-Audio Studiophile AV-30 Speakers are Perfect for Aspiring Music Producers

Good value for money for novice producers.
by Jameel Randeree

The Studiophile AV-30 are entry level studio monitor speakers made by an American company M-Audio. M-Audio is part of the larger company Avid, which is responsible for one of the best music-making software programs on the planet, namely Pro Tools. M-Audio also make high quality keyboards, microphones, headphones and midi controllers.

Being the real cheapo that I am, I went out in search of the cheapest yet best studio monitor speakers I could get my hands on. Up until now I have been using just headphones to produce music and this is dangerous for my hearing. After careful comparisons I purchased the M-Audio AV30 Studio Speakers. The AV40, which is slightly bigger and louder, is also available but there is a bit of a price difference here.

Packaging

The packaging and overall presentation of these speakers are of the best quality. Overall the speakers, box and cables look and feel like they are of the highest quality. When you switch them on you see a relaxing blue glow around the volume knob which is a nice touch.

M-Audio Studiophile AV-30 Speakers Review

Pros:               Clear sound
                        Very sturdy construction
                        Value for money
                        Good quality

Cons:               No low end bass
                        Not powerful
Quality

As mentioned earlier, the quality is superb. They might be cheap entry level speakers but they look and feel amazing in black with the little piano black finishes. They have weights installed in the base of their boxes. This causes them to feel a bit heavy which is perfect because they wont vibrate if you set them on a desk and play them loud!

Sound

The sound isn't sweetened at all. This is perfect for music producers because you want your studio monitors to replicate the true sound you are producing and not a sweeter tone. Mid to high frequencies are nicely balanced. The treble is clear, but not brain piercingly sharp. Bass? Im afraid there is none! this is the only downfall of these monitors. There is nothing in the lower frequencies. People may argue, but trust me there's none. I actually connected a separate sub woofer just to compliment the AV30's outstanding, but bassless sound. If you want speakers with a bit of kick then you should look into the KRK Rokit series.



These speakers are not as powerful than you would think they are. if you have them playing at high volumes in one room, they will probably still sound soft in other rooms. This is okay if you have a setup and purpose similar to mine, which is to produce music on my laptop in a small room and mix and master at lower volumes in order to preserve my hearing. Another serious enjoyment I get from these speakers is listening to my old favourite tunes and hearing sounds I never heard before in those songs. These speakers are so crisp and clear, you can pick up all sorts of different sounds when listening to or creating music.

Cables & Extras

Apart from a power cable all you get is a RCA to 3mm jack, which is a cable that connects the speakers to your PC or MP3 player. Aside from these and a manual, there are no other extras. I was hoping for more goodies like free software.

My Honest Opinion

These are cheap enough to buy to use as just computer speakers for watching youtube and your music. They can serve that purpose well, but are more specialised in music production and composition. If you are not a musician, then you should rather buy a standard 2.1 computer speaker setup. If you are a novice musician who needs something small to play your keyboards or guitar or to use for recording, then these are ideal for you.