Why?

Amped

Amped

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Why is it that when Im mixing through my monitors (Event TR 6's) I get things to sound pretty decent but when I play it back on my home stereo (Sansui 80-80 JBL speakers) the bass is almost always too loud and dominating. Do I have to train my ear better to get the necessary transposition from monitors to playback? My room shouldnt an issue, its very well tuned and the monitors are in the standard triangular position with 703 and diffusers on the facing wall. I have to say, Im a little stumped on this one, Ive been decreasing the bass output signal to get it to sound better, and it does, I was just wondering if this was normal or am I missing something here...?
Thanks for anything!
 
its really just a matter of training your ear to translate your monitors better. Or your home stereo may just be bass heavy. Have you tried it on any other systems? I would imagine your home stero has bigger woofers than the events.
 
notbradsohner said:
its really just a matter of training your ear to translate your monitors better. Or your home stereo may just be bass heavy. Have you tried it on any other systems? I would imagine your home stero has bigger woofers than the events.
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for the response! My home stereo definately has larger woofers, but it sounds great when playing back commercial CD's, Im wanting to use my stereo as a reference vehicle when mixing through the monitors... make sense? I have indeed played back through other devices and the same scenerio occurs.
 
Amped,

> the bass is almost always too loud and dominating. <

This is a very common problem. Most rooms have a huge null somewhere around 80 - 120 Hz at the mix position, with other nulls at other low frequencies.

> My room shouldnt an issue <

It surely is.

> 703 and diffusers on the facing wall <

How much 703, and what kind of diffusors? Though diffusors - even the really good ones - do nothing to solve low end problems. Nor do thin panels of 703 or foam. What you need most is serious bass trapping, and that requires very thick rigid fiberglass placed straddling all the corners including those where the walls and ceiling meet.

> Thanks for anything! <

See my Acoustics FAQ, which will answer these questions, plus many you didn't yet know to ask.

--Ethan
 
Thanks Ethan, the 703 is two inch and the difusers are standard Aurelex Z cut. Both applied to a door that faces the monitors. The problem isnt that the room is boomy, its that I dont think the monitors are accurately reproducing the lower signals correctly, that or my ears arent properly trained. My room, 20 feet x 24 feet was designed, soundproofed and acousticaly treated using techniques provided to me by Steve (knightfly) all corners are trapped as well as wall/ceiling corners, the ceiling is vaulted and there are traps at the ridge also as well as along the walls. Im not saying its perfect, but its very sweet sounding at least to my ear. Im considering additional trapping in the door area.
Thank you very much for your response,
Jim.
 
Jim,

> acousticaly treated using techniques provided to me by Steve (knightfly) <

Steve knows his stuff, but you still may need more bass trapping. The only way to know your speaker/room combined response for sure is to measure it. Again, most rooms have a huge null around 100 Hz at the mix position, and usually many other bass-range nulls too.

You can use sine waves at 1 Hz intervals to measure, or if you're serious about this you could get the ETF software which is better and can run a comprehensive test in five seconds.

--Ethan
 
You might consider getting a powered sub to supplement the TR-6's in the low end, and you'll be less likely to boost so much in the low-end. Also a good RTA is a must if you are suffering from room problems. You might be decieved at the ears, but the room can't trick your eyes.
 
From my experiences i have had the same problem. You want to get used to about 3 different home stereo systems and test your music and commercial music on all three. I just kept remixing/remastering my tunes till i got it right in the bass department. I did waste a few cds in the process but it was worth it. Trial and error is the way to go along with frequency analysis of the 120Hz down.
 
Guys, this is excellent feedback, exactly what I was hoping for!.
Ethan, I downloaded the ETS software and Ill be checking it out tonight, any tips on application/comprehention? Thanks for the linkage...

Atterion, adding a sub is an excellent freekin suggestion! I dont know why I didnt think of that myself! Got a link to a good supplier or can you give me an idea of one that would work well with the TR6s? I should know what RTA stands for, but it escapes me at the moment... duh..

ecktronic, Thats awesome, I dont feel so bad now, so far Ive probably wasted 20 cds trying to get this down, its good to know Im not the only one. I happen to have 3 different stereos in my home and Ill be taking that advice.
 
RTA (Real-Time Analyzer) Check out: http://www.elementalaudio.com/downloads/

This one is a free VST. Strap it across your outputs, and it will show you in realtime the frequency, panning, levels of a signal. It allows you to basically see your audio (Hint: Compare your favorite CD's with your mix, and see what frequencies your boosting to hard, then dial in a crossover for a sub).

As for a sub you could look into the M-Audio or Samson ones, they are fairly well priced, and should probably do the trick for you. Or you could get all exotic and spend 2 or 3 times more for something higher-end.
 
One trick I've found to help me EQ and mix is to turn the vol. down until it's really low, and listen. If the bass is out of whack in my mix, it will be all you can hear. Or of course, not heard at all. This has helped me "tune-in" and compensate for my less than stellar monitors.
 
Atterion said:
I usually give it the stand in another room and listen test.
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That's a good one for an alt. perspective, along with listening at low volumes.
Then there is also the most direct tack to take; Bring the commercial ref. CD's to the studio environment, and learn that sound as your mix standard.
Wayne
 
Amped said:
Guys, this is excellent feedback, exactly what I was hoping for!.
Ethan, I downloaded the ETS software and Ill be checking it out tonight, any tips on application/comprehention? Thanks for the linkage...

Atterion, adding a sub is an excellent freekin suggestion! I dont know why I didnt think of that myself! Got a link to a good supplier or can you give me an idea of one that would work well with the TR6s? I should know what RTA stands for, but it escapes me at the moment... duh..

ecktronic, Thats awesome, I dont feel so bad now, so far Ive probably wasted 20 cds trying to get this down, its good to know Im not the only one. I happen to have 3 different stereos in my home and Ill be taking that advice.
Click to expand...

Get two other sets of speakers, say a set of hifi speakers and a pair of computer monitors. Buy a speaker switch. Link it all up so you have a choise of switching between these two sets of crappy speakers and your good monitors that are too bassy. When you do a mix and think it sounds good, flick to the computor monitors, if it still sounds ok flick to the hifi speakers, if it still sounds good, listen in another room with the door open. if you do this you'll eventualy get your mixes right for listening to on any system, including cars.

Good luck.
 
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