Events as Monitors

  • Thread starter Thread starter drstawl
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drstawl

drstawl

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I used my Event passive monitors to get the final "mix" on this MIDI piece. I purposely
went heavy on the bass up to the point where I thought more would just sound like a Bronx cheer on most speakers. I'm interested in feedback (and so is S8-N) on whether I've wussed out and not pushed it as far as I can
or have I achieved a flatulent tone on your set of speakers. 2402 KB (1 minute)
44.1 KHz 320 Kbps stereo .mp3 file.
 
That sounded fine on my PC speakers... I didn't feel any air from my subwoofer so you didn't get into the ultralows...
Nice piece... I just got back from seeing "Sleepy Hollow" and that piece started giving me a flashback... It would have fit right in... Very Elfmanish...
Cool movie, by the way... Nice Antichristian slant... Lots-o-violence.

S8-N
 
it sounded fine on my pc speakers as well. those events seem to have no bass response, whats the deal? I mix on home speakers right now, and they mess things up like that too. I have to mix heavy on the bass, and lighter on the vocals to get a good mix.

ametth
 
I have a question, sorry to butt in. I've never used reference monitors, but it doesn't suprise me greatly that those Events don't have much bass response as they appear to be geared towards the midrange (just by size alone).

I was on 8th Street a while back and found reference subwoofers. Maybe if you're going to be doing a lot of real low frequency stuff, then you need a good sub? Would you also need to purchase a decent crossover to make this work?

Slackmaster 2000
 
Well, I have quite a few rap artist clients. In fact, I even write some MIDI music for some of them too. I use Event 20/20bas' as monitors and they produce frequencies very clearly where as my late 1998 JVC Boom-Box with 5 1/4" woofers won't produce at all (you'd never know it was there). In fact, some stuff I've done goes so low, I don't recommend playing on speakers smaller than 8". Some cheaper 10" won't produce some low-end I've delt with (now that's low)!

I must be doing something right because they all keep coming back. I'd post some stuff, but I only have access to the net at work and don't even have a soundcard on this thing.
 
I really DON'T know what I am talking about so bear with me.

The conclusion that I've come to from the limited amout of rap that I've listened to...and I don't care much for it...is that rap is less bass-oriented and more "lower-midrange". That thumping noise in popular rap doesn't come from real low frequencies.

When I'm talking low frequency I mean things like the bass in Soundgarden's "4th of July" (one of their last good songs). I can't even hear it on the speakers in my truck, literally. On my "stereo" at home I can sorta hear it. When I put through my decent headphones it's incredible.

I don't have any experience with Event monitors and am more curious than anything since I will eventually get some nice monitors. It does concern me that S8-N and a few others can't seem to get any bass response from em....not that my stuff is all that bassy.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Came across this blurb in a mastering faq which can be found at:
http://www.drtmastering.com/faq2.htm

Might be interesting to some...

"Some prefer smaller nearfield monitors placed close to the listener, since these can minimize problems associated with the acoustics of average rooms. These monitors can't deliver deep bass, but since this is also true for most speakers that consumers use, it's not a bad compromise. Also, speakers in this size range can often create a very accurate stereo image, in depth as well as width.

Some engineers prefer larger wideband monitors, correctly placed in a room that is designed for listening. These systems will give the most accurate picture of the music, assuming the speaker/room match is done right. Of course, most consumers don't have systems this good. Still, there's a lot to be said for speakers that are just plain accurate, regardless of what the rest of the world uses. If your speakers tell the truth, then you can compensate based on experience."

Slackmaster 2000
 
rap music is bass heavy down at about 25 htz... those are frequencys that you can only hear accurately in a car stereo subwoofer system , for home stereo systems cant get that low..they cut off at about 40 htz i believe... that also explains why you hear herbie homeboy boomin up your block at 3 am .. now that i think of it , if you generally record hip hop music , what kind of monitors do you use ? or do you have run out to the car with every rough mix ?

- eddie -
 
Eddie N

I don't know if that was directed at me. But if it was, the monitors I use are in my post above. Also, refer to my responses to the posts Tannoy vs. Event (battle of the century) under the Mixing/Mixing Down forum.

Also, I don't generally record rap music. I generally record about 1/3 rap, 1/3 heavy rock, and 1/3 jazz combos; with odd-ball styles every now'n'then. "Rule #2 in recording is not to discriminate on the style of music you're recording." The first "pro" recording engineer I ever talked to told me that. "If you want to know if you really love recording music, then you'll want to record it all or won't care what style you're recording as long as you are recording." I LOVE RECORDING MUSIC!!!

Slackmaster2K:

I own a RTA and all of the rap stuff I do goes a lot lower than "lower-midrange". Are you sure you're not experiencing masking?

Listen to what Eddie N said. Although at 25Hz, I doubt most of us can really hear that (and I'm not that old). After your teens, most of us can't really hear anything below say 35HZ; anything below, we just feel. Some sub-bass can make you **** your pant if it's at the right frequency and volume as compared to your individual body.

Also, remember frequency responses of speakers (cars or home) are not flat. Especially now'n days, mostly all car speakers boost at around 80-100HZ or so.
 
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