subwoofer needed?

[bluesallday]

My monitor speakers freq. range will not go as low as most speakers.Hence when I mix they are not reproducing all the bass.The bass is there I just can't tell it is there.So when I master it doesn't sound overly bassy,but once the master cd is played in a home or car stereo it is really really bassy and boomy.Instead of running out and buying new monitor speakers could I use a active subwoofer to capture some of those lower freq.

[Massive Master]

This is typical of a room without sufficient low end treatment also...

*IF* the room has sufficient broadband absorption in place, and you're reasonably well-versed and prepared to properly calibrate the system, go for it. If not, you're almost guaranteed to cause more trouble than you're having now.

Mastering, mastering your own mixes, mastering on the same system a project was mixed on (etc., etc., etc.) aside -- You're waiting waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy too long here to find out that you have problems in the low end.

The core - Always the core.

[mamm7215]

Massive is right. Do a search here and google about studio acoustic treatment. If you don't treat your room, don't even bother, just get a good set of headphones and send your mix out to get mastered. If you do treat your room, then yes, as above, a sub will definitely help (depending on your budget, some nearfields have excellent bass response without needing a sub). FWIW, the new Yamaha HS80M's are said to be a GREAT low cost monitor with an 8" woofer that I've read many say doesn't need a sub.

[bluesallday]

Thanks for the info,I was going to look into room treatment.Might as well start there first.

[COOLCAT]

Originally Posted by bluesallday

My monitor speakers freq. range will not go as low as most speakers.Hence when I mix they are not reproducing all the bass.The bass is there I just can't tell it is there.So when I master it doesn't sound overly bassy,but once the master cd is played in a home or car stereo it is really really bassy and boomy.Instead of running out and buying new monitor speakers could I use a active subwoofer to capture some of those lower freq.

what equipment do you have? whats the room like?
maybe do a fast check with headphones, their know to overemphasize the bass sometimes.

i mess with a sub, and yes the missing bass will be heard....but..there's where the tricky stuff can get trickier.

my son likes Reagge and it has so much frkn bass its way out of my league..damn! I love the music, but there's another entirely different bass-thats required to pull this type music off, very heavy bass, some way down low...in the swamp land.


as i see it...
1) not enough bass, because the shit speakers used can't handle the bass, so its turned down in the mix...
then when played back on good hi-end full range stuff the bass is light or missing.
2) too much bass, things are mixed with a sub where the bass is handled easily....sounds great.
but now when the "full force" mix is played back on shit plastic computer average joe speakers the speakers can't handle the amount of bass in the mix and it sounds like blown speakers.
3) as you stated, you can't hear the bass so you turn it up to where you can and then its too much in full range systems.

so many types of playback systems...
I think the car is my most "universal" playback unit too....in between the higher end home and the shitty plastic pc speakers.

[bluesallday]

The room is only very minimally treated with acoustic foam.I think you summed it up best with your #3 description.The speakers may be most of the problem,they are yamaha,but not quite sure if they are monitor speakers or geared toward home stereo bookshelf speakers.I bought them second hand.They sound good but may not be geared towards what I am using them for.

[SonicAlbert]

Specifically, what is the model number of the speakers you are using, and what is the size of the woofer? Chances are a sub would help, assuming you dial it in properly re: level and crossover frequency.

[bluesallday]

Sorry,they are not yamaha's. Sony model #SS-MB350H.They have an 8 inch woofer,a 3 inch mid and a 2 inch dome tweeter. I run them out of an Alesis RA-100 amp.