Vol Control on Monitors

  • Thread starter Thread starter cygnus
  • Start date Start date
cygnus

cygnus

Member
I figured this was sort of a "newbish" question so I posted it here.

I have been borrowing a set of really nice Genelec powered monitors from a friend for quite a while now. Needless to say they are fantastic. The clarity through them is amazing and they allow me to hear very subtle things in my mixes. The biggest gripe I have with them though is that each has their own separate volume control, and I am always worried that the two may not be set evenly. It would be an awful way to screw up a mix by mixing through monitors that aren't matched in volume.

So my question is: why are some monitors designed this way? Is there some hidden advantage to this? Isn't it better to have a matched set of powered monitors with no volume controls, and just adjust the stereo monitor volume on the desk instead?
:confused:
Thanks.
 
Because each speaker has its own amplifier. Simple solution - turn both up all the way, then control the overall volume with your interface or desktop volume control!
 
Tried that one already. Wayyy tooo loud. Doing this, I only get a range of 0 to about 1/4 turn on the volume knob.
 
I would personally hope that my ears were enough to tell if each monitor was producing the same level with a mono signal. You could easily test the output level of each with a DB meter tho. Hell, you could just mic up one at a time, and compare the level within your DAW.
 
I was giving some consideration to an SPL or DB meter, and I think that may be the way to go. It is probably a good tool to have around the studio anyway. Thanks for the replies.

I still don't understand why they design monitors with volume control. It seems useless.
 
There are more situations than just stereo recording. 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 surround sound for 3.

Seriously, it is not that tough to hear if one monitor is louder than another. Not to mention, with any decent pair, the incremental indentations should get you close enough. If you have to ask which is louder, then you may have more to learn about listening than looking at knobs. Don't sweat the small stuff. Pay attention to getting tone at the source, in a 'well treated' room.

No disrespect meant, it just is what it is man.
 
My monitors have volume controls, and I did measure them with a DVM (not an SPL) meter, for actual output voltages (it was a PITA 'cuz I had to open the back of the monitors so I could touch the amp's outputs with my DVM probes).
I did this mainly because I could detect just an ever so slight off-center midpoint when I had them both turned up full.

It was minor, I mean, not enough to skew a stereo mix...but I just wanted them dead center. :)
Heck, when you sit in your mix position, you don't lock your head into the perfect center postion and hold...but I had to get them even.
It was a very minor difference...like the midpoint was at maybe (can't recall if it went left or right) 12:02 instead of 12:00.

John's method with the SPL is a lot easier...I just got anal about being precise. :D

Anyway...you can get a "big knob" like the TC Electronic Level Pilot so you can have more "play" in the turn of the volume without getting too loud at the first couple of clicks.
Set your main volume at 50% or 75% instead of 100%...and the you use the Level Pilot to dial in your desired volume.
 
Can't you tell if you are sitting dead center if whatever is panned up the middle sounds as if it is eminating from between the speakers and not from the speakers themselves?

Yes, I suffer from that as well; being anal about precision. Miroslav, what were you measuring exactly with the VOM, the voltage at the speaker connections? Good idea, but I am not going to go that far, the monitors are borrowed.

John, I have a tone generator. So I could pump a 1kHz tone through the mixer, set up a mic in the mix position, send it back through the mixer, and do what (other than get some serious feedback)? What am I looking to measure doing it this way?

I guess this can be very trivial, but I like to know that everything is setup properly before spending hours mixing. The worst is not finding a screw-up until the end of a long session.
 
cygnus said:
Miroslav, what were you measuring exactly with the VOM, the voltage at the speaker connections?
Click to expand...

Yes. 1kHz sine wave...and I could then read the voltage at 0.000 precision. The monitor that was a tiny pinch lower in level, I turned it's volume to full...took a measurement, then adjusted to other monitor to that exact same voltage level...then hit the small volume adjustment knob with some nail polish to lock it in place.

cygnus said:
John, I have a tone generator. So I could pump a 1kHz tone through the mixer, set up a mic in the mix position, send it back through the mixer, and do what (other than get some serious feedback)? What am I looking to measure doing it this way?
Click to expand...

Read John's step-by-step process...he's pretty clear on what/how to do. I's easier to do than what I did.
You are measuring the loudness coming from each monitor using the SPL meter.
If the mic is perfectly centered, and both speakers put out the same level, the SPL meter should register exactly the same for each monitor in turn (you measure then one at time, and adjust one to match the other.)
It may not be "anally precise" as the DVM voltage measurement approach... :D....but certainly good enough for hands-on monitoring purposes.
 
miroslav said:
Anyway...you can get a "big knob"
Click to expand...
I get e~mails from dubious sources every day telling me that. I don't ever recall seeking enhancement ! :D

cygnus said:
I still don't understand why they design monitors with volume control. It seems useless.
Click to expand...
I think monitors with their own volume control are one of the best ideas in the whole business of recording music. Better than sliced bread.
I've never noticed any volume discrepancies. There would have to be a seriously marked difference between the two speakers before I'd get concerned. I look at it like this ~ in the world in which we live, there are numerous examples of symmetry, be they visual or aural. But few things are truly 100% symmetrical. No ones two feet, for example, are exactly the same size. But most people wear the same size shoe on each foot. And it makes no discernable difference. Even when we mix, each speaker will rarely carry exactly the same volume of recorded sound unless it's mono. But how often do we listen to music and say "This sounds unbalanced ?".
 
Good point grim traveller. You just made my life a whole lot easier. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top