Basic questions about monitors

[NotThatBright]

I've seen people mention "monitors" on this site since I've been on it, and like a dunce I just assumed that a monitor was essentially a computer program that graphically showed the output of each track and therefore visually showed the optimum volumes of the tracks when mixed together, or something to that effect. So today I google "mixing monitors". Anyway...

Now that I know monitors are speakers, I'm going to buy one/some. Can anyone answer these questions given their experience with monitors?

-I see that some are sold as single units and some as pairs. Does it matter much if I use one or two? If I use two, they will connect to each other so I just have one cord to plug in the mixer, right? I'd rather just use one unless there's a marked benefit to using two.

-Are there any particular features I should make sure they have (in other words, will I be pissed later on if I don't get monitors that have X, Y and Z)?

I was just looking at some on amazon... I'm not going to go nuts, ideally I'd like to spend around $300 unless I need to buy 2, then I'd look to cap it at $400, though I'd go as high as $600 if I have to. I'd appreciate any info you could give me. Thanks.

 

[mjbphotos]

You need to do a lot more reading.

How are you recording - what equipment do you have? Is your mixing/recording space acoustically treated?

yes, you need two monitor speakers - unless everything you do is in mono.

For $300/pair the JBL LS305's are a good deal, but there are other options if you raise the budget.

 

[Steenamaroo]

If I use two, they will connect to each other so I just have one cord to plug in the mixer, right? I'd rather just use one unless there's a marked benefit to using two.

They usually have a balanced input per speaker.
Audio interfaces generally have separate balanced outputs for left and right.

There are other ways it can work but that ^ is the keep-it-simple option.

-Are there any particular features I should make sure they have (in other words, will I be pissed later on if I don't get monitors that have X, Y and Z)?

In an ideal world - No.
You want full frequency coverage and an on/off switch. That's about it.

In the real world, it might not hurt to have adjustable HF level and settings for bass control.
The latter is often shown in the form of a 3 way switch for against a wall, in a corner, or in open space.
You might want volume controls on your monitors. Personally I control the level at the interface.

 

[NotThatBright]

You need to do a lot more reading.

How are you recording - what equipment do you have? Is your mixing/recording space acoustically treated?

yes, you need two monitor speakers - unless everything you do is in mono.

For $300/pair the JBL LS305's are a good deal, but there are other options if you raise the budget.

My mixing/recording space is pretty "bare bones", so I think Occam's Razor applies here. I'll check out those JBL's. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[NotThatBright]

They usually have a balanced input per speaker.
Audio interfaces generally have separate balanced outputs for left and right.

There are other ways it can work but that ^ is the keep-it-simple option.


In an ideal world - No.
You want full frequency coverage and an on/off switch. That's about it.

In the real world, it might not hurt to have adjustable HF level and settings for bass control.
The latter is often shown in the form of a 3 way switch for against a wall, in a corner, or in open space.
You might want volume controls on your monitors. Personally I control the level at the interface.

I understand. Thanks for the feedback, I'm good to go now.

 

[Schwarzenyaeger]

Remember that monitors aren't something that you try out like playing guitar. You can get away with a Yamaha Pacifica as your first guitar but going cheap on monitors isn't going to help you at all. It's an investment.

Don't think about bad-middle-high tiers, just focus on good-better-best.

 

[Dogbreath]

also keep in mind that you're gonna have to learn those monitors in your room.

Doesn't really matter how they sound in the store. What counts is in your room.

Figure on makin some crappy mixes , play those mixes in your truck, boombox, house stereo etc and take note of how much it changed from your room to each of those stereos.

It's called translation and it'll take a little time to learn how to make em translate well to other systems.

Just a thought so you don't beat yourself up too much for a crappy mix.

 

[NotThatBright]

Thanks for the responses, Schwarzenyeager & Dogbreath. I'm actually just about ready to click the button on amazon to get the JBLs MJB suggested.

What's special about monitors? That is, how are they different from regular speakers? Are they ultra-sensitive or something? Do they magnify certain things that regular speakers don't? I'm talking speakers of comparable size, obviously.

 

[jimmys69]

Thanks for the responses, Schwarzenyeager & Dogbreath. I'm actually just about ready to click the button on amazon to get the JBLs MJB suggested.

What's special about monitors? That is, how are they different from regular speakers? Are they ultra-sensitive or something? Do they magnify certain things that regular speakers don't? I'm talking speakers of comparable size, obviously.

Monitors as a term, really does not mean much.

The fact that any production model is called a 'Monitor' does not really mean anything unless you spend time with a pair in 'your' room.

You could use a pair of nice JBL/Sony/Blah Blah home speakers and get good mixes. The monitor speakers that are sold as such, are (supposedly) designed to give accurate representation of the input given to them. We hope that that means 'flat' response. The problem is that everyone does not have a room that a 'flat response' even means shit.

In the end, it all comes down to how your mixes translate to other systems/rooms/speakers using your monitoring speakers.

Yeah, $100 speakers will likely give you less 'honest' assessment of what you are listening to, but worse will likely be the room you are in that has convoluted what you actually are hearing.

$10,000 monitors will give you no better results that $100 monitors unless you have an understanding of what they are telling you.

IMO, without room treatment, you will be chasing your own tail forever.

Yes, spending money on some decent monitors will help. But without a decent room and experience with understanding what they are telling you, they will be worth much less.

 

[NotThatBright]

Monitors as a term, really does not mean much.

The fact that any production model is called a 'Monitor' does not really mean anything unless you spend time with a pair in 'your' room.

You could use a pair of nice JBL/Sony/Blah Blah home speakers and get good mixes. The monitor speakers that are sold as such, are (supposedly) designed to give accurate representation of the input given to them. We hope that that means 'flat' response. The problem is that everyone does not have a room that a 'flat response' even means shit.

In the end, it all comes down to how your mixes translate to other systems/rooms/speakers using your monitoring speakers.

Yeah, $100 speakers will likely give you less 'honest' assessment of what you are listening to, but worse will likely be the room you are in that has convoluted what you actually are hearing.

$10,000 monitors will give you no better results that $100 monitors unless you have an understanding of what they are telling you.

IMO, without room treatment, you will be chasing your own tail forever.

Yes, spending money on some decent monitors will help. But without a decent room and experience with understanding what they are telling you, they will be worth much less.

I appreciate you taking the time to give that explanation. I shouldn't be surprised... since I've started recording, most of my questions have boiled down to "what easy things can I do so that I don't have to do the hard things". It's my nature to exhaust pretty much every possible shortcut before I bite the bullet and do the hard things. Eventually I'll break down and do some room treatment.

 

[jimmys69]

I appreciate you taking the time to give that explanation. I shouldn't be surprised... since I've started recording, most of my questions have boiled down to "what easy things can I do so that I don't have to do the hard things". It's my nature to exhaust pretty much every possible shortcut before I bite the bullet and do the hard things. Eventually I'll break down and do some room treatment.

I realized long ago that there are 'NO' shortcuts. Just learning experiences that found that the basic steps had the most beneficial results.


Funny thing is it is the basic stuff that is actually the least expensive in hindsight....

 

[YanKleber]

I've seen people mention "monitors" on this site since I've been on it, and like a dunce I just assumed that a monitor was essentially a computer program that graphically showed the output of each track and therefore visually showed the optimum volumes of the tracks when mixed together, or something to that effect. So today I google "mixing monitors". Anyway...

Now that I know monitors are speakers, I'm going to buy one/some.

Taking in consideration that until yesterday you still didn't know what monitors are I think that's a bit early to consider to buy them! Study a bit more, play with your DAW and your current speakers/headphones, make some recordings. Do that for a few months and THEN think about new purchases.

 

[jackjameson_]

Guyz.. im going to get the Yamaha hs7 are those in your opinions any good? Greetz

 

[NotThatBright]

Taking in consideration that until yesterday you still didn't know what monitors are I think that's a bit early to consider to buy them! Study a bit more, play with your DAW and your current speakers/headphones, make some recordings. Do that for a few months and THEN think about new purchases.

Yeah, I don't have an excuse for that one other than pure absent-mindedness and an assumption that from the first time I saw the term I assumed monitors were something else. Definitely should have googled them months ago. Apologies to anyone who's taken the time to answer any of my other questions before and was annoyed to learn of my ignorance on so basic a subject.

 

[jimmys69]

Yeah, I don't have an excuse for that one other than pure absent-mindedness and an assumption that from the first time I saw the term I assumed monitors were something else. Definitely should have googled them months ago. Apologies to anyone who's taken the time to answer any of my other questions before and was annoyed to learn of my ignorance on so basic a subject.

It's all good man. We all start from knowing nothing.

We are still learning.