A/B ing Mixes

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dsealer

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Do most of you use1 pair of monitor speakers or do you have different sets of speakers in your studio so you can compare the mix and get a mix that will sound good most everywhere?

Thanks,
Don.....
 
I have 2 sets of near fields and 1 big set. Usually only use the big ones at the end of a session. Good near fields at a low volume is the best way to mix for me.
dsealer said:
Do most of you use1 pair of monitor speakers or do you have different sets of speakers in your studio so you can compare the mix and get a mix that will sound good most everywhere?

Thanks,
Don.....
Click to expand...
 
NO matter if you have 1, 2 or more sets of monitors, you still need to 'learn' them to get the best translation. A/B-ing is good if you know, for example, tha tone set is good for interpreting the high end, and the other for the mids - but you still need to know how that all translates together.
 
I've got one set of near-fields and 2 fairly different headphones on the i/f. I use the speakers and then check the bounces on the speakers and headphones. That's usually enough but I've only had the new monitors a month or so and sometimes something shows up in the iPod earbuds (kind of last test), and I'll go back and tweak.

I've thought about a 2nd set of monitors - still have one of the JBL pair I started with so keeping my eyes peeled for a giveaway used one (repair of the broken one was not financially sensible). I'll probably try it if one ever shows up at the local GC and I can get it for a what I have in my pocket...
 
I've got two sets studio monitors, plus a big set of 3-way Hi Fi stereo speakers.

TBH...I only really use my one, primary set of studio monitors. Oh sure...I might check out the mix on the Hi Fi speakers, or even burn a CD and do the car check, but that's just to see how the mix translates. The point was/is to learn how mixes are supposed to sound on my primary pair so that they translate well on other systems.
You don't really want to actually mix while bouncing between multiple sets of monitors...it will just keep you guessing.
 
When I was doing it full time I had 2 sets, one big and one small.

In my situation, if I got the mix to sound the same on both sets, it was a good mix. However those were the only ones that I could do that with. I've had other speakers in the past where I used one set to get the low end right and the other set to get the kids and highs right.

It really depends on what speakers you are using and how the room is treated.
 
I have a large set of studio monitors and a smaller set of nearfield monitors (both around 30 years old by the way). I do most of my mixing on the large studio monitors but that's mainly because my main emphasis is putting together tracks for live theatre and the large monitors are closest to the PA speakers in most theatres.

However, rather than lot's of A/Bing, it's best to teach yourself how things need to sound on your main set of monitors to sound good on a wide rage of playback gear. This can be done when you first get the monitors--do a mix and play it back on a wide range of systems and formats. Take note of things you want to change then try again applying your notes--keep doing this until you're happy with the mix. Similarly, play back some commercial recordings that you know really well onto your monitors and note how THEY sound.

It won't take too much of this before your ears become accustomed to the sound you need on your monitors.
 
I try to have a large set of reference for gear and music.
Here, for example, is a LP designed for testing(Bill Schnee mixing live to the lathe);
4201600873_3358cbaf4c_z.jpg
 
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