Opinion on my setup

singerRecorder

New member
Hello,

here's my setup to listen to music : mac book pro, outputting to focusrite scarlett solo sound card, going to an old hifi with speakers (see photo attached).

I am interesting in mixing, but I do not have a good enough skillset, and the room I mix in is not treated for sound. So I am not trying to achieve a very high quality level, because I know I cannot.

However I am wondering if there is something at a reasonable cost (say downward of $1,500) that could help me achieve better quality sound to hear music for mixing.

I am grateful for any advice, but let me try to ask a few specific questions:
- what do you think of these speakers (6 ohm, made by sony a while back. definitely not specialist equipment) ?
- what do you think of the hifi itself ? Does it matter at all, given that I just set it to "aux" ?
- Can I just upgrade speakers, and keep everything else the same ?


Thanks !
 

Attachments

  • 2.jpeg
    2.jpeg
    16 KB · Views: 62
  • 3.jpeg
    3.jpeg
    90.3 KB · Views: 19
Last edited:
Hello,

here's my setup to listen to music : mac book pro, outputting to focusrite scarlett solo sound card, going to an old hifi with speakers (see photo attached).

I am interesting in mixing, but I do not have a good enough skillset, and the room I mix in is not treated for sound. So I am not trying to achieve a very high quality level, because I know I cannot.

However I am wondering if there is something at a reasonable cost (say downward of $1,500) that could help me achieve better quality sound to hear music for mixing.

I am grateful for any advice, but let me try to ask a few specific questions:
- what do you think of these speakers (6 ohm, made by sony a while back. definitely not specialist equipment) ?
- what do you think of the hifi itself ? Does it matter at all, given that I just set it to "aux" ?
- Can I just upgrade speakers, and keep everything else the same ?


Thanks !
This question maybe/probably belongs in the studio building/treatment subforum, but I'd say most of us would suggest getting powered monitor speakers - even at $3-400/pair they'll give you a more accurate representation of the mix, especially coupled with a good set of headphones ($100-200, maybe).

Keeping that setup for a way to test how the mix "translates" to a different output is always useful, though.

However, the value of speakers depends a great deal on the room, which almost always lacks treatment. You might post some room dimensions and your mixing "desk" layout in the other forum for ideas about the size of monitors and kind of treatment (if needed) that would help you get your ears used to hearing the mix in a less colored way than that setup is probably doing right now.
 
This question maybe/probably belongs in the studio building/treatment subforum, but I'd say most of us would suggest getting powered monitor speakers - even at $3-400/pair they'll give you a more accurate representation of the mix, especially coupled with a good set of headphones ($100-200, maybe).

Keeping that setup for a way to test how the mix "translates" to a different output is always useful, though.

However, the value of speakers depends a great deal on the room, which almost always lacks treatment. You might post some room dimensions and your mixing "desk" layout in the other forum for ideas about the size of monitors and kind of treatment (if needed) that would help you get your ears used to hearing the mix in a less colored way than that setup is probably doing right now.

Ok, thanks for that.
I'll try to post in the other forum.

Regarding powered monitor speakers, is that something that will plug into my hifi, or directly to my computer ? (I assume the former, since my computer only has 1 audio out). The quality of the hi-fi will not matter then ?
 
yeah your system is already set for very high quality level.
your DAW and Mac and Focusrite interface can do very high quality.

agree with Keith the room and your sounds being captured is the weaker link. (tracking and playback)

Tracking $$$ theres very cheap Mics and preamps and FX dynamic nits that can create very high quality recordings.
Billie E used the AT2020 for example, many use the Shure SM58/57 etc...MXL990 used on a Billboard # 1.

How do you know your tracking tones are right if you dont have a great monitoring system?
The pro's have a Control room with speakers and isolation and can hear whats being Tracked and can tell the Musicians and Techs to move mics and turn treble down etc..
HR dudes often guess at sounds quality with crappy closed back headphones with bass blasting headphone poo...so the HR artist cranks up the treble for headphone poo to sound better ...and more junky decisions based on headphone sounds...(instead of a nice control room monitoring system like the semi and pro have to make decsions.)

HR bedroom producers have to work a lot harder. I think thats why more Headphone amps, Crossfeed plugins and Openback Headphone mixing posts are becoming more common, as the rooms and monitors arent always an option.
 
Back
Top