Want to get monitors for mixing, need help!

[NTK88]

Ok so I think I have figured out why my mixes sound 10x better on my computer speakers than in.. well everywhere else. On my computer I have 3.1 creative speakers, and the woofer is very responsive.

An example, I was listening to some well made records and they all seem to have a nice low end to them, so I went and re-mixed my song with my speakers off at 1st, getting what I thought would be a solid low end. Then I went and topped it off with a nice crisp sound.

On my speakers they sound great!

I burn the song, and play it in the car, on a bose stero, and a JVC kaboom box and it sounds very thin and as if it has almost no low end!

I think my problem is alot of the low end was coming from the 21HZ-50HZ range and I am guessing most speakers dont articulate those frequencies as well as my speakers do.

Anyway, I decided that I wanted proper monitors for use while mixing. I am guess that mixes will sound generally the same from place to place if I have a good pair of monitors. I mean I thought my mix sounded amazing on my computer, and I turn it on in the car and find that it sounds very flat and thin.

Are there any pairs of monitors that I can just plug into the standard audio jack on a computer, and not need to be a new sound card?

Or, even better if anyone mixes with a 3.1 combo... where should I have my bass level at? My woofer has a little controler with a volume and bass control.

Originally Posted by NTK88

I am guess that mixes will sound generally the same from place to place if I have a good pair of monitors.

No. The key is to learn your monitors so YOU can make your mixes translate and sound good on other systems. The point of monitors is so you can hear what is actually going on and make better judgments.

Another thing to do would be to listen to a bunch of professional recordings, or "reference" CDs on different systems (car, boombox, etc.) and learn how they sound. Then learn how they differ from your monitors.

Just as, if not more, important as monitors is room treatment. Don't forget that.

Originally Posted by NTK88

Are there any pairs of monitors that I can just plug into the standard audio jack on a computer, and not need to be a new sound card?

Not that I know of. I don't have professional monitors either (just decent computer speakers). I had to get a new sound card and a headphone amp. M-Audio 24/96 and the Presonus HP4 headphone amp.

The outputs go from the 24/96 into the headphone amp. The headphone amp will supply sound to the speakers and headphones. Up to 4 pairs of them at the same time.

Originally Posted by NTK88

Or, even better if anyone mixes with a 3.1 combo... where should I have my bass level at? My woofer has a little controler with a volume and bass control.

I would personally only use 2 of the speakers and a sub. I don't use my sub because it just makes everything sound boomy and way over-bassy even when it's at it's lowest setting.

Yours may be different though. I would adjust it until you notice your mixes don't seem too "thin" or bassy on the other systems.

[Massive Master]

Ok so I think I have figured out why my mixes sound 10x better on my computer speakers than in.. well everywhere else.

Computer speakers are generally very inaccurate, hyped, inconsistent sounding speakers made to homogenize pretty much everything.

Think about it - Have you *ever* heard something sound really BAD on them? Probably not.

[surfmaster]

I recently purchased my first set of studio monitors because I was in the same boat as you. 3.1, not enough bass elsewhere, hyped hi's. I now use my new monitors in conjunction with my old sub just to keep those 20-50hz in check.