Originally Posted by sirjuxtable ➡️

Hey folks,

As I just moved to a new place with a larger room for my home studio, and my current monitors are starting to show their age, I think it's time to upgrade.

TLDR: Should I upgrade my KRK VXT4's plus 10s Sub to the Neumann KH120(A or D?) or should I swing for the fences and get the ATC SCM20asl?

Before everyone tells me to get the more expensive option, a little background:

I record and mix mostly podcasts/dialogue and live bands, although I want to do more studio work with bands. Either way, detail is important for the dialogue work and balance is important for bands.

I currently have the KRK VXT4's which I loved, paired with the KRK 10s sub. The VXT4's are started to get noisy, one with a faint crackle and one with a bad buzz, and the sub footswitch hasn't worked for years, so it's always on (loved the option of turning the sub off and bypassing the crossover). I may get them fixed or try to fix them myself as a "B" and mobile setup, or I may just sell them for cheap and help pay for the upgrade. Either way, they've given me dutiful service for about 10 years now, and I know them well.

These were my first set of monitors that weren't just glorified computer speakers, and I found the detail and soundstage to be excellent, while still sounding very pleasant. I found them to be a little too relaxed in the high mids and highs, and my mixes would come out a little too pokey. I also found that (more likely due to my previous room, which was only partially treated) my mixes were tubby and bloated in the low end. I hope to treat the new room much more to avoid lowend issues, but I think the flattering mids/highs are a feature of the VXT4s. I could be wrong.

My new room is in a basement with low ceilings (7' tall) but fairly long and wide (21' x 15'). I will most likely set up along the short wall firing downwards but will measure both positions to see what is optimal due to some eccentricities to the space. Again, I want to add much more treatment this time around to avoid flying blind especially in the low end.

After I get things in the room placed optimally and well treated, I hope to upgrade my ailing monitors to hopefully something much better.

I have two competing options in my mind that both seem like an obvious upgrade, but one is much more expensive than the other.

The Neumann Kh120's seem really well loved as nearfields and won't break the bank. I expect them to be better than the VXT4's, but unsure if it will feel like a quantum leap or a marginal improvement. Also, unsure if these will be "my last monitors" or if in 5-10 years or sooner I will feel the need to upgrade again.

The ATC scm20asl seem really well loved as nearfields as well, but seem huge. I'm assuming based on what I read that I will definitely have a "night and day" feeling with my current monitors, but the price tag is certainly high. I would have to get these financed. At this price, I would definitely want them to be my "last" monitors.

For both pairs I imagine I could add a sub later, but that would increase the cost significantly and will probably have to wait a while as I prioritize treatment and mains.

So, assuming I get the room sorted properly, is it worth it to go ATC? Overkill? Are the Neumann's going to be so much better than the VXT's that I will be over the moon at a fraction of the cost of the ATC's? Which set is better for the dimensions of the room? Other contenders that I am overlooking?