No point of monitors without a good room?

M

mellotron

New member
I got a pair of KRK RP5's, but don't have a room that's set up for flat frequency response, or whatever you call it.

I think I got the dreaded Gear Acquisition Syndrome when I decided to pursue recording. I got a part-time job to also pay for 2 AT4047 mics and a Firebox, but don't even have a room set up right acoustically for recording.

Now I'm considering selling the monitors for something I can actually put to good use now, like a drum machine or acoustical bass traps. I actually think my equipment is way too good for where I'm at right now knowledge-wise and musical skill-wise. I probably would've done better getting a Tascam Portastudio or something first, something simple that doesn't take up workspace. I'm starting to realize that there's really a disadvantage to having accurate equipment if it'll only capture crap. I don't know if I should sell some stuff, or just wait till I save up for room treatment.
 
Your hearing (and in tow, your skill level) will grow exponentially once your room is in order. With 5" speakers, you're always going to be limited to what 5" speakers will give you. But in a properly treated space, at least you can count on getting the best possible performance from whatever speakers you're using.
 
Depending on the size of your room, it really doesn't cost too much to get it under control. I have an 11x12 room and use 2" thick fiberglass boards. I bought 10 of them for about $100 and covered them with lightweight fabric I bought for $1 per yard and used about 1 yard per board. $5 for a can of spray-on adhesive and about $10 for hardware to mount the boards to the walls.

I don't think it's perfect, but I think it helps a lot and it wasn't expensive. Ethan Winer has a good write-up here:

http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html


Hope this helps,
 
mellotron said:
I got a pair of KRK RP5's, but don't have a room that's set up for flat frequency response, or whatever you call it.

I think I got the dreaded Gear Acquisition Syndrome when I decided to pursue recording. I got a part-time job to also pay for 2 AT4047 mics and a Firebox, but don't even have a room set up right acoustically for recording.

Now I'm considering selling the monitors for something I can actually put to good use now, like a drum machine or acoustical bass traps. I actually think my equipment is way too good for where I'm at right now knowledge-wise and musical skill-wise. I probably would've done better getting a Tascam Portastudio or something first, something simple that doesn't take up workspace. I'm starting to realize that there's really a disadvantage to having accurate equipment if it'll only capture crap. I don't know if I should sell some stuff, or just wait till I save up for room treatment.
Click to expand...


I'd say hang on to them. I mean, what else are you going to monitor through?
Just keep working the second job and save some money to put toward some acoustic treatment.... and maybe a few more quality mic's.



Tim
 
mellotron said:
I'm starting to realize that there's really a disadvantage to having accurate equipment if it'll only capture crap.
Click to expand...

yes, i know what you mean..:p

my first few LDC were such a frkn ugly recording....picked up everything, sounded like drywall cardboard acoustic shit noise.
 
Well unless bought them used, and are going to sell them for the same price, there's no sense in losing money over it.

You're still going to have to use something, and I'm pretty sure that montors in a bad room will be alot better than pc speakers in a bad room.:)
 
You can use mover's blankets to hang around and dampen any wierd reflections. Monitor at lower levels, and the room makes much less difference. I use a stand-alone 16 track digital recorder and wouldn't change if I had millions to spend... So whatever you're using as your medium of choice, don't get discouraged. The Guerilla Guide to home recording keeps tings in perspective...
 
COOLCAT said:
yes, i know what you mean..:p

my first few LDC were such a frkn ugly recording....picked up everything, sounded like drywall cardboard acoustic shit noise.
Click to expand...

Haha, I think it's mostly my fault. I'm not that good of a singer and I'm still in my first year of guitar, and a good recording starts at the source, right? I really think if I focus enough on improving my singing and practicing more, I'd be able to make it sound better.
 
basic room setups like Ethan's free website.
checkout the 4th picture, my favorite of the triangle setup.
http://www.realtraps.com/info.htm
some DIY bass trap articles
http://www.ethanwiner.com/articles.html

I like the lower volume comment too, for untreated rooms.

Selling your monitors? your monitors are often called the most important tool for mixing and tracking...of course yours will most likely be playback only. Your going ot need some so you might as well just wait for some Bass traps and wall coverings, read Ethans sight and other articles.

thats the big difference from HR to Pro & SemiPro studios...the engineers are generally listening to the "band" from the monitors in an isolated room....in HR you are the room, its all one place, your guitar amp sits next to the monitors.
the engineer is the musician is the janitor. :p
 
basic room setups like Ethan's free website.
checkout the 4th picture, my favorite of the triangle setup.
http://www.realtraps.com/info.htm
some DIY bass trap articles
http://www.ethanwiner.com/articles.html

I like the lower volume comment too, for untreated rooms.

Selling your monitors? your monitors are often called the most important tool for mixing and tracking...of course yours will most likely be playback only. Your going ot need some so you might as well just wait for some Bass traps and wall coverings, read Ethans sight and other articles.

thats the big difference from HR to Pro & SemiPro studios...the engineers are generally listening to the "band" from the monitors in an isolated room....in HR you are the room, its all one place, your guitar amp sits next to the monitors.
the engineer is the musician is the janitor. :p
 
mellotron said:
I got a pair of KRK RP5's, but don't have a room that's set up for flat frequency response, or whatever you call it.

I think I got the dreaded Gear Acquisition Syndrome when I decided to pursue recording. I got a part-time job to also pay for 2 AT4047 mics and a Firebox, but don't even have a room set up right acoustically for recording.

Now I'm considering selling the monitors for something I can actually put to good use now, like a drum machine or acoustical bass traps. I actually think my equipment is way too good for where I'm at right now knowledge-wise and musical skill-wise. I probably would've done better getting a Tascam Portastudio or something first, something simple that doesn't take up workspace. I'm starting to realize that there's really a disadvantage to having accurate equipment if it'll only capture crap. I don't know if I should sell some stuff, or just wait till I save up for room treatment.
Click to expand...

Don't sell your monitors; treat your room. It doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive. Try this place: foambymail.com. I have their stuff in my studio and it does what it's supposed to do.
 
VSpaceBoy said:
Well unless bought them used, and are going to sell them for the same price, there's no sense in losing money over it.

You're still going to have to use something, and I'm pretty sure that montors in a bad room will be alot better than pc speakers in a bad room.:)
Click to expand...


Well said. I've got a very bad room, but actual monitors are still a night/day difference over even just normal stereo speakers through an amplifier/receiver.

Until I can get into a place more condusive to treatment I just try out mixes in the car, stereo in the bedroom, mp3 player, etc and adjust as needed. I also try to listen to as much "reference" material as I can through the monitors (something I'm very familiar with) just to get an idea of the response and go from there. It works, but it could be so much easier/better.
 
Chili said:
Depending on the size of your room, it really doesn't cost too much to get it under control. I have an 11x12 room and use 2" thick fiberglass boards. I bought 10 of them for about $100 and covered them with lightweight fabric I bought for $1 per yard and used about 1 yard per board. $5 for a can of spray-on adhesive and about $10 for hardware to mount the boards to the walls.

I don't think it's perfect, but I think it helps a lot and it wasn't expensive. Ethan Winer has a good write-up here:

http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html


Hope this helps,
Click to expand...
10 for $100? I can get 10 for £20($40).
 
Don't sell your monitors; treat your room. It doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive. Try this place: foambymail.com. I have their stuff in my studio and it does what it's supposed to do.
Click to expand...
DO treat your room - But I'd avoid FBM products like they were on fire. (A) It's junk. (B) It does n-o-t-h-i-n-g for the low end (which is where 90% of your problem is).

(EDIT) I see someone beat me to the punch... No surprise...
 
Massive Master said:
DO treat your room - But I'd avoid FBM products like they were on fire. (A) It's junk. (B) It does n-o-t-h-i-n-g for the low end (which is where 90% of your problem is).

(EDIT) I see someone beat me to the punch... No surprise...
Click to expand...
Teehee sorry about that John :p
 
Massive Master said:
DO treat your room - But I'd avoid FBM products like they were on fire. (A) It's junk. (B) It does n-o-t-h-i-n-g for the low end (which is where 90% of your problem is).

(EDIT) I see someone beat me to the punch... No surprise...
Click to expand...

Let me state upfront I have no connection at all with FBM. I was looking for an inexpensive solution for my room and I found them online.

I won't/can't dispute the results of that test but I know that in my recording room it did what I needed it to do, although I'll admit I have way more foam in the corners than would've been needed with a better product.

And while the product is clearly not of the same quality as Auralex, the OP, like myself at the time, seems to not have the kind of funds available to trick out his room with the very expensive Auralex stuff. Quality issues what they are, FBM on the walls is better than nothing on the walls.

All that said, I don't like the fact that they're lying, so you won't see me recommending them again nor purchasing from them again. Thanks for the education!

Jim
 
Let's put some more perspective in here -- Auralex -- Decent stuff for what it does is VERY CHEAP for a good quality acoustic foam. Illbruck/Sonex/etc. are several times the cost for a "somewhat nicer" product.

Some of this other stuff - I won't mention any names are "ridiculously" (as opposed to just "very") cheap stuff.

It's sort of like saying that Mackie is really expensive because Behringer is so much cheaper...

And again - I'm not "dissing" Auralex. Auralex is very good stuff and incredibly inexpensive for the quality. And to the untrained ear, a room covered with foam might sound great - When in reality, it just has no ambience -- It can (and usually will) still have terrible peaks and nulls in the low end (which is typical in nearly every single small to medium sized room you'll ever walk into). It takes several times the mass and area to absorb those low frequencies which make up a huge percentage of the problem.

Killing the high end kills the high end and leaves the low end to take over. Killing the low end spills over into the lower and upper midrange - generally smoothing out the response of the entire spectrum. So by starting with the lows (always, ALWAYS start with the low end), you're fixing the rest of the room almost "by accident."
 
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