Studio Monitors and mixing result

[cicciosound]

I think that choosing the right studio monitors, is the most important thing i need to have to be able to get a really good mix. Obviously being good at mixing, plays its part but being able to listen at the song soo clear trough the speakers it's a privilege!

Do you guys think the same as me??
Do/did you choose carefully your monitors?
Which one u use?

cheers everyone

[Trout Beatz]

Hello,

Yes having the right equipment (relatively flat-rate studio monitors and headphones) is a key to a good mix, and also to your continued growth as a producer/mixing engineer.

BUT; it is all about getting to know your own ears. I know people that create great mixes on a pair of shitty headphones and cheap computer speakers.

Having 'flat-rate' equipment meant for studio work is going to give you the HONEST sound of your mix and you're going to hear how it's probably going to sound on other music equipment. When you get to know the gear you have and how it translates to your ears and thereafter into other 'normal' speakers - then you will see a clear improval in your mixes.

I am currently using the Yahama HS 7 monitors (together with sound-proofing and absorption(!)) with my Sony MDR-7506 headphones.
The Yamaha's give me the ideal all-round sound for a mixing enviroment, while the MDR-7506 gives me the perfect crisp sound for 'detail' or late-night mixing sessions.

Hope this gives you any ideas on what you are looking for,
Best regards,
Trout Beatz

[LucidLife]

Think of your monitors as an extension of your ears. Having a great pair of speakers, can change the way you listen to music, but just as important as having a great pair, (or more) of monitors, is having a finely tuned room. Without out the proper treatment your speakers won't account to much. Honestly, you'd be waisting money in buying expensive monitors but not have your room treated.
I work at premier studios in NYC, and our monitors are tuned every month or so, and our rooms have their own sound to them which means because the way they are treated they bring out certain characteristics. Each of our 4 studios is a different place to mix in sonically.

I'd say get your room treated first, but if you can't get some great headphones trout was saying.

[cicciosound]

what do you men by "our monitors get tuned every month" ? I didn't know monitors need to get tuned. How do you tune them?

[LucidLife]

I'm not the tech that does it, we have a guy come in, but since our augspurgers get used so much they need to be tuned. A guy comes in and uses specialized software, to tune them to the room. It's a very scientific process I know nothing about, and the guy that does the studio pays him very good money for it lol

[DarkRed]

I think that choosing the right studio monitors, is the most important thing i need to have to be able to get a really good mix. Obviously being good at mixing, plays its part but being able to listen at the song soo clear trough the speakers it's a privilege!

Do you guys think the same as me??
Do/did you choose carefully your monitors?
Which one u use?

cheers everyone

It is kind of like this: The more serious you are, the better they need to be. I guess that tells something about their importance.

[ArrowHead]

It's a funny thing because you'll usually find cheap and dodgy speakers as invaluable as high end speakers. For instance I find that little £80 Behringer Aurotone knock off invaluable for mix balance and use in conjunction with a set of £900 Classic Dynaudios. I also have one new tannoy reveal. Yep, just the one And a cheap ghetto blaster with Aux input..look out for those.

Get a decent set of cans..I use Audio Technica ATH M50's, I'm sure there are better, and you're good. Then it is as it was said above down to learning and refining your ear. Some people have a natural ability, and some will slowly improve over time.

[DarkRed]

It's a funny thing because you'll usually find cheap and dodgy speakers as invaluable as high end speakers. For instance I find that little £80 Behringer Aurotone knock off invaluable for mix balance and use in conjunction with a set of £900 Classic Dynaudios. I also have one new tannoy reveal. Yep, just the one And a cheap ghetto blaster with Aux input..look out for those.

Get a decent set of cans..I use Audio Technica ATH M50's, I'm sure there are better, and you're good. Then it is as it was said above down to learning and refining your ear. Some people have a natural ability, and some will slowly improve over time.

Between the ears and the monitors/cans, it is the monitors/cans. LOL It is like this: Pick say 5 monitors/cans at random. Make 5 versions of a mix based on those 5 monitors/cans. Now you will be able to sort those versions in quality order. Just keep throwing new monitors/cans in there and you will have new versions at the top. This you can repeat across the entire spectrum of monitors/cans, that's how big this is and how much they contribute to the quality of a mix.

In my opinion there is just one logical conclusion worth making out of this. Either you have really great monitors/cans relative to the available array of monitors/cans and your mixes rock or you don't and they suck.

Gain staging the mix/master gives such a boost in quality when you have great monitors/cans. That is one of the reasons why they are so important and then there are tons of other reasons besides that major one...

[ArrowHead]

Between the ears and the monitors/cans, it is the monitors/cans. LOL It is like this: Pick say 5 monitors/cans at random. Make 5 versions of a mix based on those 5 monitors/cans. Now you will be able to sort those versions in quality order. Just keep throwing new monitors/cans in there and you will have new versions at the top. This you can repeat across the entire spectrum of monitors/cans, that's how big this is and how much they contribute to the quality of a mix.

In my opinion there is just one logical conclusion worth making out of this. Either you have really great monitors/cans relative to the available array of monitors/cans and your mixes rock or you don't and they suck.

Gain staging the mix/master gives such a boost in quality when you have great monitors/cans. That is one of the reasons why they are so important and then there are tons of other reasons besides that major one...

I"m not disagreeing but mixes can suck on great cans and great monitors..and someone who has good frequency recognition can learn to make good mixes on inferior equipment by learning their particular sound imprint. So my opinion would be that training your ears would be more valuable than spending 7k on some Barefoots for your progression as a mix engineer. But sure it would be nice to have those setup in an acoustically designed room and know what you're doing is the truth at all times and if you have the money then go for it. But as long as you're equipment and room isn't terrible and you learn it inside out then good results can be had.

[Mahohnik]

I used before Yamaha HS50M pair. One day I realized the highs so bright, a little annoying and I was thought about test another monitors pair. A friend (producer) switched their KRK Rokit RPG2 8''s for my older Yamaha HS50M pair. The difference was amazing! A lot of people says that KRK Rokits are very exaggerated in the bass range and people don't say nothing about mid-range and highs. I presenced first a mid-range and highs smoother, greater to be listened and presence bass frequencies. Detail: later I purchased a great pair of power cords, in the case AudioQuest NRG-X3 and the difference was even better. People in general forget about cables, but they're essential, as they deliver signals (signal from the electricity part and signal from your interface or mixer for the monitors pair). I never used a bad/cheap pair of cables or even three cables (two for monitors and another for monitors). I always used good brand (Mogami cables with Neutrik connectors). About power cords, after I had NRG-X3, the monitors pair generate harmonics around 125 Hz and it was annoying. After the switch from stock power cords for these from AudioQuest, it minimizes or even disappeared. So, you can have great monitors pair, but it won't deliver a good quality with bad/cheap cables (power cords and audio cables).