I guess my question in response is, "Why are you asking?"Do you guys think I could get away with just using the RP-5s without a subwoofer for mixing rock, folk, and acoustic?
I guess my question in response is, "Why are you asking?"
Is there a problem with your current mixes for which you believe the answer might be a subwoofer, or is this an inquiry about a solution in search of a problem? If you are having a problem, the real solution might be elsewhere, but the only way to analyze that is to analyze the problem itself, not just talk about one possible solution. And if you are not having a problem, then don't lose any sleep over it and move on to the next subject .
Can perfectly good mixes be made on only RP-5s? Sure, in a good enough sounding room and by a practiced engineer who has learned to translate them well enough. If perfectly good mixes can be made on Auratones, they can be made on RP-5s.
Can you make good mixes on them in your room and with your current skill level? No one can answer that but you. But I can say this: if the answer is "No", buying a subwoofer is probably not the best solution.
G.
And *that* is exactly why I asked what I did. There's all sotrs of things that could be happening here, the first of which is that it's very difficult to get headphone mixes to translate, and - unless you have headphones that cost more than the RP-5s - will rarely translate evenly. We may save you money on a subwoofer yet...Well, I listened to a mix of mine on a system with a subwoofer and it was just unbelieveably booming. It sounded wonderful in my headphones (which is all I have right now), but not so great on this other system. Thats why I'm asking.
If your system can do a good job of reproducing 60Hz, you'll probably hear much of it. Electric guitars tent to emit strongest at the first overtone rather than the fundamental. Farview or someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd think the same thing is true of electric bass guitar.- Say you record a five string bass - I'm pretty sure the low B of a five string is around 30Hz. Now, knowing that there are also formants and other harmonic frequencies that occur along with the low B, would you still be able to discern a low B note with any quality at all if your subwoofer goes down to only, say, 40hz? Regardless, I'm sure it would make a dramatic difference in the sound, right?
Often brands make their subwoofers purposely to match their nearfields. That doesn't of necessity mean that is the best sub for the job, but it certainly makes sense to check it out. Also, there are some brands that make more than one nearfield and more than one subwoofer, any given combination of which is not necessarily the best match.- Also, when considering monitors, do you guys usually match brands for the sake of having the same structural design and frequency compatibility? Seeing as there are some ways certain speakers are produced "differently" to set them apart and improve them in certain areas (for instance a frontal port instead of a rear port in some KRK monitors), wouldn't it make sense to buy a sub of the same brand to sort of be consistent with the sound?
Electric guitars tent to emit strongest at the first overtone rather than the fundamental. Farview or someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd think the same thing is true of electric bass guitar.