Good day, because of health condition I can't use headphones for several months because the pressure they put on my head so I've a question if I could use small monitors to take with me to help me find correct positions and balance for the microphones I use when I'm recording on location - mostly churches so far and rooms obviously not treated.
I know it's not as portable as headphones but is there any other con to use monitors instead of headphones?

What monitors would you recommend?

SpeakEasy™ v4BT
Self-Contained Battery-Powered Speaker System

I use Neumann kh80s. Cheaper alternative is Avantone cubes.

For really inexpensive, small monitors that sound surprisingly good, check out the Presonus Eris monitors or the iLoud ones. I use the Eris 3.5 on location because they are small, light and sound great (but I also use headphones). If money is no object: Neumann or Geithain monitors.

In the old days when we mixed 4 to 16+ channels into stereo-machines on location, no multi-track, we only used speakers. We had Klein & Hummel, (today Neumann), Genelec 1019A, Spendors and B&W DM12. When the budgets were going down I started to use headphones, STAX, but still prefer speakers. I use Spendors QT100 and SA200. If I would buy something new for that I probably take a Genelec or Neumann KH120.

How about high quality in-ear earbuds....like Etymotic 4S or similar, they won't exert any side of head pressure and you'll get very clean, low distortion reproduction (including probably better bass than either headphones or speakers [in an untreated monitoring room]) ?

i hate using headphones or in-ears and therefore use almost always monitors on location - monitoring needs to be in a different room (or in a truck) though...

i'm using either k+h, genelec or a tiny (single) fostex speaker; worth noting that i even use a speaker processor to adjust fr (and yes, a headphone amp with a built-in crossfeed matrix for those moments i might be forced to listen via headphones).

They would then need to be custom made because I often have trouble with plugs and normal earbuds.

Some other pretty neutral small boxes are the JBL305p. If I wasn't so happy with my Equator D5s (they're discontinued) I'd likely have a pair of these for the times I need location nearfields. If you can find a pair of Equators, they punch above their weight- and price-class. JBLs are about $240/pr via Sweetwater... Equators are about $400/pair, if you can find them. Both are easier to haul and site than my "usual" Tannoys. I also carry Sony and UltraSone "over-ear" cans, and, for sealing out noisy environs, Westone UM20 buds.

When I do a location gig, I also carry a couple of 2'x4' folding tables (Sam's Club/Costco, for about $30 each) with adjustable legs, so as never to need anything but an empty room and an electrical outlet.

HTH.

HB

For there size these sound really really good https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 of course you would need a power amp to use them.

This is another self power set of speaker I really like https://www.kaliaudio.com/ FWIW

Eve Audio SC203...

Thank me later

Would Genelec 8010 be good for this kind of portable monitor setup? Can get a pair on good price.

The Neumann I perfectly understand, but the Avantones are totally inapt in my book. I know all the myths about a cheap kitchen-table-radio style sound to check playability on cheap systems. I think that it is nonsense, because using the Avantones will lead to very wrong decisions when mastering...

That myth has probably caused a lot of awkward mastering decisions...

A point source can be beneficial for spatial accuracy when mastering in close proximity to the speakers, but it should still be a fairly neutral speaker.

I recently tried a pair of 8010s next to my Neumann KH120s. This cured my curiosity, and, no I will not be buying a pair. Anything from slightly above middle C and below sounded plasticky on the Genelecs.

Well, the 8030s would be kind of equivalent to the KH120, but I agree that Neumanns are much more rewarding regarding sound quality.

Jim mentioned them already and maybe I've beat this drum enough, but I waited a long time for a second hand pair of Geithain RL906 and it was worth it, they are just stonking good. A rewarding and honest presentation if there ever was one - like a best friend.

Which, one's monitors should be I suppose...

Thank you for your replies so far.

One question, I'm using Zoom H6 as a recording device and it has only one "line out" so I'm not completely sure if I can connect it directly to monitors with XLR (balanced) input or if I need another device to be able to connect it to xlr monitors.

Assuming that the monitors are "active" monitors (meaning that they have a built-in amplifier), you can certainly build (or have built) a cable that will allow an unbalance line out (mini TRS on the Zoom?) to two unbalanced XLRs.

D.

My pair of iLoud MTM speakers is doing a great job here as a portable monitoring solution. Recommended.