Having had the KRK Rokit RP5 monitors since December 2008, the main choice at the time for me picking them was price and a recommendation by the salesman at Dolphin Music based in the UK. My main purpose for using the Rokits was/is producing and music mixing, which they are very capable of doing. Used in pairing with both a E-MU tracker pre interface and a Focusrite Saffire Pro 14, the RP5's have a consistent and defined sound to them which carries on no matter what interface is being used in conjunction with them. One of the other influential factors for me choosing these monitors was the impartial sound and flatter frequency response they offer. SOUNDS The sound the KRK Rokit RP5's provide is very useful for mixing and producing, especially if you are just starting out. The stereo image is well defined and once you get used to them you will easily be able to tell when elements in a mix are out of phase with one another (for example when mixing drums a loss of low end in the kick drum or body in the snare) and when listening to top pro mixes you can hear extremely wide elements such as backing vocals in a chorus compared to more restrained panning of instruments during a verse for example. Dynamics (and sometimes lack of dynamics with some genres) are well respected. From the extremes of classical music right through to flat out, compressed-to-hell hip hop and pop tracks of today's charts, the Rokit RP5's stay true and honest to the original integrity of the music. You will also be able to tell when you hear a track that has not been mixed properly, as the RP5's will not 'hype' bad mixes or recordings to make them sound good unlike the majority of consumer speakers available today. You don't buy these monitors to make all your music sound good with a ridiculously inflated bass or treble response, you buy them to tell you the truth about your mixes so you can craft it to be neutral and suit any music style. The spectrum is fairly presented (with a frequency response of 45Hz all the way up to 35kHz incase your dog needs to mix a track), there are also controls on the back of the speakers to control the high frequency volume amount they give out incase the room you are mixing in is not acoustically treated and has a particular preference to either enhancing the high frequencies too much or soaking them up. Depending on the style of music you are working on, the low end sub response may not be enough for you with the 5" Aramid Glass Composite woofers, so adding a dedicated subwoofer to the setup might be an idea in that case. OVERALL OPINION For the price range the Rokit RP5's are in, they can't be beaten for quality and value for money. KRK really spoil consumers with these reasonably priced monitors. Yes there are better monitors for mixing out there such as Genelecs and even the higher end models of KRK monitors, but of course they will cost you more than double the price of these. Add to that the fact that acoustic treatment of the room you are mixing in is just as important - you can have the best, most expensive monitors money can buy but if you're main mixing room is a loft in a council house then it will make little difference. These speakers are also quite portable for travelling with if you are on the go a lot of the time. At the time of purchase i tried other monitors by companies like M-Audio but ultimately decided on the KRK's, and the fact that they still work perfectly more than 5 years after purchase with no trouble is a testament to the quality of the RP5's. So overall, if you are new to producing/mixing or are a keen hobbyist with a set budget then the KRK Rokit RP5's are highly recommended, however if you are building a proper recording studio and have a fair amount of money to spend then i would advise looking higher up the monitor food chain at some of KRK's or Genelec's (as well as many other pro audio monitor companies) more expensive models.
The first generation of the KRK’s haven been used and loved by so many people its crazy. This was one of my better purchases of monitors that I think that I have every made. This are the original KRK monitors and when they first came out I under estimated how good they would actually sound. The KRK rokit 6’s actually sound so much bigger than 6’s. this are professional monitors but they are affordable and sized at the perfect size so you can have them at home for you mixing of your songs. The frequency response on them are great, the highs are clean the mids are perfect and the lows are good but not over bearing. Most monitors today have just too much low end and I like my low end to be a little flat so that it can be mixed better and come out to make the song sound fuller rather than just sound like a bunch of bass. SOUNDS The sound is great, unfortunately KRK didn’t keep the exact same formula with the 1st generation KRK’s with the new ones because there are a difference from these to the newer ones they have come out with. The flat bass on these is what makes them stand out in my opinion. These are made for mixing or doing some mastering of your music in. Not to just listen to your music in at high volumes. If you want to just listen to your music go out and buy some Bose systems and listen. OVERALL OPINION Overall, these are the best KRK’s to me and the original flat response is excellent. My right monitor had some issues and ended up going out on me so I ended up getting a different set of monitors from Alesis which couldn’t compare to the KRK first generation 6’s. I still have KRK monitors today but they don’t sound as good as the first generation KRK’s.
For the price they are really nice speakers, they're KRK's and they have a good reputation. SOUNDS Sound quality I would say an 8 on a 1 to 10 scale. solid speakers with a few minor flaws, like the RP8's tweeters tend to pop at higher volumes and the sub is a little tricky to set up. once your up and running they bang, they have a really crisp sound to them. OVERALL OPINION I used to be all about the Event 20/20's but I feel the RP's are a step up in that price range. I'm happy with the purchase. Originally posted on FutureProducers.com Posted by: K-Diesel (January 2-, 2005)
