Industrial Music forum » Music tech forum

Let's talk about monitors

(34 posts)

1 2

  1. Modulate

    offline
    Member

    Depends on what you are doing. If you are aiming for the clubs I would say something with a good low end is essential, the Mackie HR's are well regarded in that sense to the point I've heard them described as having something of an over hyped bass sound. Otherwise, I guess what you like the sound of. Beyond a certain price point you are getting technically good monitors, the differences are down to personal taste.

    I personally mix on Tannoy Reveals with a separate amp. Next set will probably be either Genelec 1040, KRK V8, Mackie HR824 or Adam A7. And I mixed some good stuff on old hifi speakers before I got the monitors. Key is always knowing how things sound on them and how things translate to other systems. Reference mixes here are a great help...ie: a CD of other mixes you want to sound like. Also critical listening on a variety of systems to check mixes out.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  2. metaball

    offline
    Member

    DO NOT try to mix on Bose. (unless you want to amuse yourself)
    their "psychoacoustic" design makes it damn near impossible to make a mix that will translate well to other systems. ok for a livingroom listening speaker, but VERY bad for critical listening.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  3. SVII-5AM

    offline
    Member

    http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt341/stevieseven/monitor.jpg

    i say get a good mix and ear for what people usually listen to shite on and that is usually this /\
    and listen to mixes on as many different setups as possible...a piece of duct tape helps, too ;)

    Posted 1 year ago #

  4. Modulate

    offline
    Member

    There is much to be said for listening to a mix on something shitty. Good detailed monitoring is essential, but a lot of studios have something akin to these http://www.avantelectronics.com/AVANTONE_mixcubes.htm

    I've even heard of a top mix engineer who keeps a ghetto blaster in his studio and uses it as a reference monitor, just to check what the mix is going to sound like on that system. I've been in major TV studios and as well as top monitors they'll also have a crappy TV wired up.

    Checking a mix in the kind of environment it's intended for is a really useful tip.

    If I do a club track I'll nearly always try and give it a play before the doors open if I'm DJ'ing, just to check how it's sounding on a big PA. 9/10 it will highlight something in the mix that you just don't notice at low volumes or without a wall of subs.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  5. metaball

    offline
    Member

    i tend to have more problems getting a mix to translate to car stereos than i do with any other type of system. differences that seem subtle are grossly exaggerated.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  6. SVII-5AM

    offline
    Member

    @ meta: right, it's kinda backwards, cause you're actually *inside* the speaker enclosure to an extent..

    Posted 1 year ago #

  7. YADE

    offline
    Member

    @Modulate: these mixcube are awesome...I once had a pair of those in an Ableton course I attended...first we all laughed about them...until we heared what they were able to bring in the mix....pretty decent price and stuff for the money....

    cross-checking is imho a must before one delivers a song....what sounds decent in your studio can sound shitty as hell in the club or car....we normally always check the tracks on a small PA and in a car...

    Posted 1 year ago #

  8. ketoujin

    offline
    Member

    I use my old JBL C1 with SB1 since 16 or 17 years. I guess I know how it should on them when it´s good on other systems.
    I often thought of buying a new pair of other and better monitors. But even after 5 fulltime releases, 4 ep´s and quite a lot other stuff I use them. I think it would just take a while for me to learn to make better mixes on other monitors.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  9. metaball

    offline
    Member

    it's nice having a couple sets of speakers wired up as a reference tool.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  10. Modulate

    offline
    Member

    Slightly OT, but does anybody use anything like a Mackie Big Knob as a monitor controller? Just wondering how they wire up with a couple of monitor sources. Do they take an amp out and switch it to passive speakers or just switch the line signal to each set, ie: each set requires it's own amp.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  11. metaball

    offline
    Member

    i have the Big Knob. each set of speakers needs it's own amp. i like mine, it's not the most pristine device nor is it a glaring weak link in my signal chain. at very low volumes the sound is off balance. but otherwise it's decent bang for the buck routing & very ergonomically friendly.

    some folks prefer the PreSonus Central Station but i've yet to use it.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  12. Plastik Suicide

    offline
    Member

    i've been looking for some update for my current monitors (M-Audio AV40..). i would use them for mixing and general listening. My budget is bit over 300€.

    Do you have any experience of these:

    -Yamaha HS50M
    -KRK RP5 ROKIT G2

    Posted 1 year ago #

  13. Randy Roze

    offline
    Member

    I got an Art SLA-1 (100 watts per channel @ 8ohms) that is powering two old school speaker cabinets (3 way w/ 12" woofer). I get good frequency response, flat eq on the amp, and intensely loud before I even get half way.

    Edit: paid 120 for the amp(used), and basically nothing for the speaker cabinets.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  14. mordezlet

    offline
    Member

    Yamaha ns10 is pretty standard as a "reference" monitor. For monitoring you have a few things to keep in mind: your room, your room treatment, your budget and ear fatigue. I would recommend in no particular order: focal, barefoot, adam and genelec.

    Posted 1 year ago #

RSS feed for this topic

1 2

Reply

You must log in to post.