More then one set of Monitors

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TechNAB76

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Hello everyone.

I'm kinda stuck in my studio with something technical. Over the years I've bought two set's of Monitors. One set is the Alesis M1 Active Monitors (The big ones) and the other set is the Alesis 520 M1 Active... the smaller ones.

For an audio interface I'm using the Edirol FA-101. Two computers, one selfbuild Quadcore PC with Windows XP and running Sonar Cakewalk 8.5 Producer and the other, an IMAC 20" inch with OSX 10.6 Snowleopard running Reason 4.1, are connected to the FA-101.

No matter what setting's I choose... I can only get sound out of one of the two studio monitors sets. I've double checked the wiring, the connectors even signal tested the monitors and cables and they all pass the test.

For example, within Reason parameter settings... I can check the boxes on the outputs that I want to use. 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 & 9/10. The first two are the main monitor outputs. It doesn't matter on which output I connect the monitors to... it always comes out of one set.

Does anyone here have got that same problem?

Thank you very much in advance for your advise.
 
I don't think the FA-101 was designed to be used as a monitor distributor.
Per the manual, the mixed output exits from the Main (1/2) jacks and the others are for direct outs to a mixer etc.
I'm not familiar with the unit, and there may be ways to route the signal to the other outputs, but on the surface, it appears as if it's capable of sending only one mixed signal at a time.

If you want to utilize both sets of monitors, you will need a monitor distribution unit like the Mackie Big Knob or PreSonus Monitor Station
 
I just want to chime in and say that I do not recommend switching between different monitors regularly by any means. This is begging for acoustical vertigo and will confuse anything you think you know. Go with one solid pair of monitors that you know very well for all general purpose mixing. When you're 99% done...go ahead and listen on other monitors but take it with a grain of salt if you don't know what you're listening to.
 
I've got six pairs of monitors/speakers and one mono speaker hooked up. I like it. If find that different monitors have different strengths, and let me "zoom in" on particular aspects of the mix, while also helping to prevent me from going too far in any one sonic direction.
 
recordman said:
I just want to chime in and say that I do not recommend switching between different monitors regularly by any means. This is begging for acoustical vertigo and will confuse anything you think you know. Go with one solid pair of monitors that you know very well for all general purpose mixing. When you're 99% done...go ahead and listen on other monitors but take it with a grain of salt if you don't know what you're listening to.
Click to expand...

I hear you, and I agree that that's usually the best way to go, but a really nice, accurate set and a reference set are pretty common. I mean, that's sort of the whole point behind NS10's or Auratones. You want to hear your work on a pair of speakers that simulates the less-than-ideal conditions it's going to be heard on. Plus, those tiny speakers tend to be really midrangy, so any mistakes you made in that area (which are frequent for just about everybody) will show up clear as day.

Frank
 
Yeah, I'm not so sure about the one set of monitors thing.
Having another set (or two) lets you hear what it'll sound like in "real life".

True...most of my mixing is done on my A7's but I constantly A/B/C my stuff and hear details another set didn't reveal.

If it works for ya...it's good.:cool:
 
Having more than one pair of monitors is very useful, but you have to get to know them BOTH inside and out.

You could have two sets of monitors (set A and set B). You could get a kickin mix on set A (which are a little light on the bass end and very harsh), and then check on set B which are bass heavy and very warm.

If you don't know those monitors, you'll be pulling for both sides when you reference the two, and then you could end up with problems in translation to other systems.

There have been Genelecs that I've mixed on, and didn't know very well. Got it sounding perfect on them. Took it home, and it there was very little high end in them, really dull mix. And I accidentally gave the vocalist a lisp :p

Went back again, and using a reference, I had a really good listen, and they're incredibly bright and harsh.

So, just know them, and how they sound :)
 
Oh, yeah I agree about having a second set of speakers (generally smaller than your monitors) to reference for a real world mix but you surely either have to know them inside and out like someone said or take it with a grain (or a bucket) of salt
 
I only trust my NS-10m's but have a few other's on a homemade speaker switch box.

It's nice to have extra ones - a have several mounted up high so they shoot over my head and I like those for times like yesterday when I was trying to figure out why a program change wouldn't work for a couple of hours. It was a lot nicer listening to the sound over my head than in my face. In times like that, it isn't about mixing, it's about if something works or not.
 
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