Totally. Don't drop your load on something that won't be useful ;)

I've been on the hunt for some cheap HR824s. Some were on Craigslist for $650 - a pair of the MKIs. I was pretty upset that I missed that one. You can basically find a used pair though for about $700, less if you're lucky.

Not surprising, everything in Beatport's top 10 usually sounds like ass (never been able to figure that one out, though). He might not write on studio monitors, but I bet you when he does his mixing he uses monitors. Obviously one can do whatever the hell they want to do, but you just can't do a proper mix on headphones. I emphasize the word proper. It's absolutely ludicrous to make a blanket statement saying that you just don't need monitors at all, or to think that you don't need them (if that's what he has been saying). Knowledge gathered after >60 years of studio recording history as well as something called physics will tell you otherwise.

And if you're just starting out, I'd say anything that fits your price range is fine in the beginning.

I agree, nobody needs the latest or greatest. Latest is a moot point as a good pair of speakers will last >20 years (which is why tracking down a used pair of great monitors can be the right answer). "Greatest" in terms of studio monitors will set you back about $3000 per speaker or more. So yes, latest & greatest is not the answer with monitors.

Howeeeverrrr.... It's incredibly important to get decent monitors at the very least. NS10s are relatively decent, however keep in mind the reason why they are so popular in recording studios is because they are perfectly "just ok." Look at the curve above. Around 1k-2k there is a 5-6db boost (Mackie HR824s are advertised as having a frequency response of +/- 1.5 dB from 39 Hz to 22.5 kHz) ! Recording studios will have 3 or 4 different pairs of monitors to do their mixing (that's how you get something sounding good on all sound systems) - and that is what NS10s are good for. Your 2nd pair of reference monitors. it's the same reason why Auratone 5cs are so popular (google link), they are $500 and the shittiest speakers ever, but if you mix on them you can get a good idea for what something will sound like on a consumer level sound system. Something not so necessary in our industry since our music goes straight towards gigantic club systems, but if you ever put something out on CD or for listening purposes you have to keep these kinds of sound systems in mind. People don't listen to music at home on a club PA.

When starting out, having flat monitors aren't as important because at that point you are concerned about understanding how to improve your production and writing skills. But at some point you have to work on your mixing skills as well. At some point you need to be able to hear the absolute smallest, minute details in what you are working on (like spending over an hour making 0.5db adjustments to a linear EQ curve on a kick drum). And when that happens, you will have a hard time doing a good job on monitors that are at least not somewhat flat.

Mackie HR824s. They are the way to go. Just getting monitors that flat for under a grand is a steal. And like I said, the MKIs (older model) can be found for cheap (relatively) and do in fact still sound amazing (I hear the MKIIs are made in China, too - boo mackie! :( ).

Anyway, my point of all this is, if you don't have money to spend on flat monitors right now, you do still in fact need to buy something at the very least (that comment about not needing them was what irked me). But do save up money for flat monitors, as it will make your music sound exceptionally better (as long as you know how to use them - that's how it always goes).

Studios don't come together instantly! I've been working on mine for a few years now, and its still pretty laughable.

bedroomstudiolikewhat

I suppose if I ever wanna have a real studio, as in like... a totally separate room from every other room, with acoustic paneling and what not, I should probably stop living in really expensive cities. heh

I need to stop living in expensive countries :D

So, any discussion about monitors is not complete without touching on the room you are listening in. My room is small and boxy and has LARGE peaks at 150hz and dips at 80-90. I need some dispersion and I tried a pseudo drop ceiling (HA!). I also have some auralex put up but none of it really helped the low-end additive frequencies.

What I ended up with was this:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/arc/

Dang my mixes are so much better. Still takes some learning about which frequency's gain is in the proper place but evens the entire mix quite a bit.

Of course this doesn't apply to DJing but maybe it does cause DAMN does your room color your sound.