Equilisation and listening devices

[BurningMusician]

I have one mix I'm working on, but I've noticed a problem: the EQ is very different depending on which headphones/speakers I'm listening to it through.

It might be that the frequency response is so different between gear, or it might be software, or the mix, but I'm certain I've never heard a discrepancy this pronounced before.

I'm working off of the assumption that it's not impossible to fix this. Any tips?

 

[Massive Master]

Moving Target Syndrome -- This is where it would do you well to have *one* monitoring source that you know and can trust.

The mix is likely spectrally imbalanced in a way that the differences between listening sources are exaggerated.

This is partially the reason why (A) many suggest listening on a variety of sources to "average things out" and why (B) many others find one system that's accurate and consistent enough that using other systems isn't necessary.

 

[Farview]

If you really listen to commercial music on all these playback systems, you will find these same discrepancies. The difference between commercial CDs and what you are doing is you have control over your project, so you think you can 'fix' it.

It's not that everything you listen to on these systems doesn't react the same way, you just don't question it when you are listening to a store bought CD.

No, there is no way to fix it. you simply have to do as John suggests.

 

[Massive Master]

Well, I mean he could do the "moving target" thing and try to find out if something is really stand-outish on one system but not another and eventually find some sort of middle ground... Maybe...

It's just a lot easier to use a more-accurate and consistent chain.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

You'll unconsciously compensate for monitoring inaccuracy by applying "corrective" eq to the mix. Then when you play your mix on another system with different inaccuracies the corrective eq becomes additional inaccuracy.

 

[Elton123]

This drives me crazy!!! I have spent time on my work environment, room treatment etc, but it is far from accurate. And unless I get into a space that is accurate, I'm gonna keep having the same problem. So, I listen in various environments and spend more time on a mix than should be necessary. Commercial mixes do sound different on different systems, but the differences are far less pronounced because they are recorded, mixed and mastered in great rooms with great engineers.