For Monitoring: Speakers or Headphones?

For Monitoring: Speakers or Headphones?

  • Speakers

    Votes: 23 85.2%

  • Headphones

    Votes: 4 14.8%
  • Total voters
    27
V

valacirca

New member
In general, considering you have good-quality speakers and same-quality headphones with a similar sound signature --- what would you prefer to use for monitoring and why?

Most of the time I use headphones or in-ear monitors. Although recently, when I listened to my project through speakers, I noticed that a certain element was too loud in the mix. Even when listening through neutral, high-quality headphones like the AKG K701, that didn't show up. But through my Wharfedale speakers, it did.

I'm not saying speakers are better because I spotted something I didn't spot with headphones. I'm just saying they're different and I'm thinking it could also happen the other way around. Basically, I guess a different medium for monitoring really makes a difference. What is your preference?
 
I voted for headphones.

I believe the monitors provide better results.

The problem is I usualy work with mixing when everybody sleeps at home, so I cannot make loud sounds. At day time I listen to the mix on Hi Fi system, PC speakers, car audi, MP3 player earplugs to see if there are some bugs with mixdown. I got used to my headphones, I know the problems they give me and I complensate for it. In general I would say my mix translates quite well.

Cheerz!
 
There is really no contest - Speakers in a decent space.

You can't hear phase relationships properly with headphones. You aren't going to hear the low end content with any hope of consistency. Etc., etc., etc.

It takes nothing to make a mix sound good on headphones (or computer speakers).

Any decent mix will translate on headphones - But a mix that sounds decent on headphones doesn't necessarily translate to everything else.
 
I'm gonna have to say both too. I've mixed solely on monitors and when I listened to it on a good set of headphones the mix sounded pretty bad. I did the same thing in reverse and sounded bad on monitors. I try to find a a decent middle ground. I also play what I'm trying to mix through my television speakers as well as my car speakers. So take what I say with a grain of salt.
 
bilbomarks said:
I'm gonna have to say both too. I've mixed solely on monitors and when I listened to it on a good set of headphones the mix sounded pretty bad. I did the same thing in reverse and sounded bad on monitors. I try to find a a decent middle ground. I also play what I'm trying to mix through my television speakers as well as my car speakers. So take what I say with a grain of salt.
Click to expand...

Its mostly the hard panning that sounds bad with headphones...I agree that you should check with them...most of the tracking will be done with headphones on if the control room will have some live tracking of a miced instrunent...so often by the time tracking is done, my faders are fairly close to where they are going to end up.
 
it does basically not matter what the quality of both the speakers and the headphones are. No matter how good the headphones, you do not have the same stereo image with speakers, that is the actual problem w/ the headphones, you will subconciously not pan stuff the same way u would w/ speakers.
 
Hold the horses. You said "monitoring", not "mixing". These are 2 distinct and separate activities. Monitoring is listening to the music when it is actually being recorded. As far as monitoring on speakers, I have no idea what it would be like, because I don't have a separate and isolated control room. I *have* to monitor with headphones. Mixing is done with speakers. Headphones give you an MC Esher view of the world, where it is possible to hear something in your right ear, but not your left. Real sound in real space doesn't work that way. I agree that headphones are one of the things I check the mix on, but it all starts with reference monitors.-Richie
 
Rich says it all :) I use headphones to monitor except for musicians in a live setting unless they have wireless available. I use reference monitors near field and far for mixing.
 
Richard Monroe said:
Hold the horses. You said "monitoring", not "mixing". These are 2 distinct and separate activities. Monitoring is listening to the music when it is actually being recorded. As far as monitoring on speakers, I have no idea what it would be like, because I don't have a separate and isolated control room. I *have* to monitor with headphones. Mixing is done with speakers. Headphones give you an MC Esher view of the world, where it is possible to hear something in your right ear, but not your left. Real sound in real space doesn't work that way. I agree that headphones are one of the things I check the mix on, but it all starts with reference monitors.-Richie
Click to expand...

ding ding ding...:)

I missed that part too. Yeah, monitor on cans , mix on monitors. :D
 
I have an iso booth so I can monitor with my normal Adam monitors in my control room. All mixes are done via speakers. My headphones are only used to help vocalist or guitarist monitor a mix while recording.
 
my bad I think I was responsible for bringing the word mixing into it. But when you mix you are monitoring your mix aren't you? This is confusing.. lol
 
Well it becomes more confusing because we call them "monitors" but we mostly use them for mixing. This is because "real" recording studios have genuine isolated control rooms, so you really can "monitor" with monitors. I understand that a number of people here have invested enough in studio construction to do that. I can only dream of looking at the talent in his iso booth through the nice triple glass . Until then, I'll wear my cans and be very, very, quiet.-Richie
 
If, for some reason, you knew the mix was only going to be played through
headphones, then that would be the obvious choice.

Other than that, speakers all the way for all the reasons posted above.
 
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