Studio monitors

[davexo]

anyone got any recomendations on some ?
im not on a really tight budget, but if theres a pair that are cheap and do the job, then im happy to buy them

thank you

[In10city]

If you are tight on a budget, the best choice I could recommend would be the Alesis Monitor 1 MK II seen here: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...air?sku=603201
We got a pair of these for our studio and they are excellent! We had been using some "home stereo" bookshelf speakers made by Cerwin Vega that were very good but I don't think they were as accurate as the Alesis. I think it's very important to have good monitors if you are doing your own mixdown becuase you need to hear an accurate representation of the mix.

Obviously, listen to your mix on as many other systems as you have access to but you need good monitors as your starting point.

[brandondrury]

Your the first guy I've met who has liked the Alesis Monitor Ones. If they get the job done, more power to you! I tried them alongside my Mackie HR 824s (which I've considered selling for the past 3 years) and the Alesis Monitor Ones have a whole lot more happening at 1-3Khz. Whether that's good or not depends on your mixing style and personal preference.

Brandon

[In10city]

Well my experiance with studio monitors is pretty limited. I did an internship when I was a Recording Industries student in college but that was 17 years ago and a lot has changed since then.

We've only used JBL, Polk Audio, and Cerwin Vega before moving to the Alesis so the improvement has seemed substantial. Perhaps it's better if I don't hear a "real" set of monitors, I'm going broke on mics and other drum accessories...

[brandondrury]

I think the studio monitor thing is over rated. I think accuracy in the studio monitor is over rated. Why? Because there is an extra link in the chain and it's just as destructive as room modes. It's your brain! (and your ear). When both of these little bastards get together all hell breaks lose.

I would rather work on monitors that I know, understand, trust, and find predictable than simply working in an "accurate" environment. The only time accurate is predictable is when you are used to mixing in an accurate room. Don't get me wrong. I'd love more my room to be a million times better. However, I think the relationship the engineer has with the studio monitor is more important than the actual monitor itself. People don't seam to touch on that one much.

I hear an astounding amount of difference between the Mackies and the Alesis monitors. Of course, my mixes didn't sound good elsewhere after mixing on either monitor. So what does that mean?

I hear an astounding difference between my mixes on Mackie' HR824 monitors and major label cds played on the Mackies. This has nothing to do with accuracy. It's because my brain finds X sound acceptable and some of this is totally unacceptable for the typical major label cd.

Brandon


I spend hours working on the vocal effects for a given song. I have hel

[In10city]

So what are we to do? I've read to get a mix as good as I think it can be, then to turn the speakers down so I can barely hear it and listen again to see if everything still sounds balanced as intended. I've also made it a practice to take a prelimanary mix and listen to it on as many different systems as I have access to (car, truck, van, boom box, computer speakers at work, home stereo system, and discman with cheap earbuds) and make a list of things I'd like to correct with each listen. If something gets more than one vote, I'll seriously consider making that adjustment.

[brandondrury]

Listening on multiple systems is the only way to really do it right if you don't have a great monitoring system and a great understanding of what you are listening for on your monitors.

Brandon

[AcoosticZoo]

+1 cool advice Brandon. Another valuable tip is to monitor at the same level to ensure consistent results.

The Apparent Sound Quality of your Mixes is only limited by your own ears - given that you already have to right tools for the job.

If you asking about which is the best monitors for you then I think you're on the right path. imo, try to get the very best monitors you can afford. Much better to wait 6-12mnths more and save up for the best then spending the rest of your working life second guessing your skills becos your monitors don't translate well due to inferior design.

Regards
Josef Horhay
Mixing Engineer

[brandondrury]

Another valuable tip is to monitor at the same level to ensure consistent results.

It took me 7 years to buy into thtis completely. When I did, my life changed!

Brandon