Current recording set-up: monitoring playback with conventional stereo system

Ricklh

Ricklh

New member
I've recently started monitoring my recorded tracks through my stereo system that consists of a Sherwood receiver, small Sony bookshelf speakers and an Atlantic Tech subwoofer. I figure if I can make the mix sound good coming out of this, which I also use for music listening, as well as watching movies (TV in same room), then it should be a fairly balanced mix. My instruments are electric guitar (w/ effects boxes), bass, Zoom drum machine, pretty basic stuff. Anyone else doing this sort of thing for basic demos?
 
I'm not condoning it, but I also mix into a home stereo receiver (Realistic) and crap home stereo speakers (Hitachi) with I'm guessing 4" speakers.

While it sort of works for me since I'm used to this system and I have a well-treated room, my next purchase will be good monitors.

So, yes, you can make decent mixes with below-budget gear, but I don't agree with "If I can make it sound good on these, it will sound good everywhere". I know that's not really what you said, but the point is, without good monitoring, there is no way me or you are hearing everything the way it should be heard.

Having said that, I will say that I chose to get my room treated because I think it's better to have a good room with not-so-good speakers than it is to have good speakers in an un-treated room.
 
RAMI said:
I'm not condoning it, but I also mix into a home stereo receiver (Realistic) and crap home stereo speakers (Hitachi) with I'm guessing 4" speakers.

While it sort of works for me since I'm used to this system and I have a well-treated room, my next purchase will be good monitors.

So, yes, you can make decent mixes with below-budget gear, but I don't agree with "If I can make it sound good on these, it will sound good everywhere". I know that's not really what you said, but the point is, without good monitoring, there is no way me or you are hearing everything the way it should be heard.

Having said that, I will say that I chose to get my room treated because I think it's better to have a good room with not-so-good speakers than it is to have good speakers in an un-treated room.
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Thanks for your reply, sounds like a fair assessment! My plans are to keep doing it the way I'm doing it for the time being and keep honing the craft of basic tracking & mixing and at some point in the future - as finances permit - move up to better monitors and other gear. Thanks again, man.
 
RAMI said:
I'm not condoning it

While it sort of works for me since I'm used to this system and I have a well-treated room, my next purchase will be good monitors.

So, yes, you can make decent mixes with below-budget gear,
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I was listening to a load of your songs the other day. Your excellent mixes kind of torpedoed your argument here !
I agree with what you've said here, but at the same time, I'm thinking "this guy mixed these great numbers on a home hi fi with speakers he regards as crap !".
 
Best bet is to use what you've got, but burn a disc and then listen to your mixes on other systems - in your car, at a friend's etc. What sounds great on your system might sound not-so-good elsewhere. For example, with a sub, you're getting all the power of the bass in your mix, but listen on a typical car system or a portable player with small speakers and the bass could disappear completely.
 
I'm glad someone else pointed out that this is how they monitor. I've often wanted to suggest this as an alternative to cheap "studio monitors", depending on the quality of the stereo system. I use a Technics receiver (SAG76) and freestanding Technics speakers (SB-A27's) for monitoring purposes, and my mixes actually translate quite well to other systems. Since they are larger speakers (10" woofer, 3" and 1" tweeters), they definitely "shouldn't" be used as even semi-nearfield speakers, but even at safe listening volume they work very well spaced out about 5 feet.

You can find these Technics stereos used for around 150 bucks if you watch craigslist and ebay for a short bit of time, and since they were designed for high quality audio playback, they do a pretty good job. I've shyed away from recommending this route to younger and extremely lowbudget home recordists though, since its used gear which you may get screwed on.
 
RAMI said:
Having said that, I will say that I chose to get my room treated because I think it's better to have a good room with not-so-good speakers than it is to have good speakers in an un-treated room.
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how about not so good speakers in an untreated room :D *looks around embarrassingly*
 
Yeah, I use a home stereo (early '90's Denon amp and Bose 301 speakers) for monitoring as well and I'm quite happy with it. If you already own one and you're on a budget, I would recommend giving it a try before going out and buying cheap, dedicated monitors...especially if you're already really used to how stuff sounds on your existing stereo. If you're starting from scratch with neither monitors, nor a home stereo, perhaps monitors are the way to go.

My room is untreated and while my mixes are perhaps not quite where I'd like them to be, they do seem to sound more or less the same on a variety of systems, so...

I have no plans to invest in the monitoring situation but instead would probably invest in additional instruments if the opportunity presents itself.
 
heatmiser said:
my mixes are perhaps not quite where I'd like them to be.
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Your mixes are great. But, I hate to tell you, they'll never be where you'd like them to be. I share your pain. The only place my mixes sound exactly where I'd like them to be is in my head when I "headmix" my songs.:)
 
Thank you Rami - yours are as well.

I assume you've owned your stereo for a while already before using it to mix with, right? I think that makes a big difference.

Maybe the future will bring devices that capture the headmix direct from the neurons and imprint it on some hard drive or something.
 
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