First hand monitor lesson

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rusty K
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Rusty K

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Hello,

I just thought I'd pass a recent experience along for others.

I have been using my stereo, an Onyko TX 2500 and KLH speakers for monitoring my system. I also had a pair of Sony MDR 7502 headphones. I was constantly getting results that were bass heavy on other players. I compensated somewhat by kicking my tone controls up to 3 oclock on my stereo but it wasn't until my Sony headphones died and I bought a pair of Sony MDR 7506's that I was able to hear exactly what has been going on.

When I get a full mix in the new headphones and then listen to them on my monitor speakers the bass is way back. I realized that my monitor speakers weren't reproducing bass effeciently so I had been overcompensating for bass. Now I mix mostly using the new headphones and my next purchase will be some real nearfield monitors.

This brings me to my question: How are passive monitors powered? Could I still use my Onkyo? In all the discussions about monitors that I've read here I've somehow missed the "power" issue.

Thanks,

Rusty K
 
they are powered with, drum roll please.... a power amp!

You can probably use your Onkyo(if it has power) but it would be better to get a clean studio power amp with no preamp or eq to color the sound. Just go straight from your recorder or mixer into the amp.

You can get clean amps for under $200 that will provide plenty of power for monitoring. 50-100watts is plenty for most near-fields but like always the more the better.
 
Or you can go with... (drum roll)... active monitors.
They have the power amps specially matched to them. And in some cases it may be cheaper to go this way. Some active near fields are cheaper than buying passive with a nice power amp.

As soon as I get enough money saved, I'm getting the Mackie 824's.
 
Tex,

Hey funny name for someone who's in AZ. Must be a transplant?
Where you from Bubba? Austin here.

Ok maybe I should have explained a bit more. I know it's generally a bad idea to use one's stereo as a PC recording monitor....hey just trying to save a buck.

If I have to buy a power amp it would seem just as simple to get powered monitors but since I don't use a mixer I need an output for headphones....do powered monitor have same?

Maybe I'll just use the passive speakers with my Onkyo till I can afford a power amp. I'm thinking the speakers are the main problem since I monitor my mixes with the Sony headphones through the same amp with much better bass response and the old headphones showed no appreciable difference.

Thanks
Rusty K
 
Rusty K said:
Maybe I'll just use the passive speakers with my Onkyo till I can afford a power amp. I'm thinking the speakers are the main problem.....
Click to expand...
Good plan. A nice amp is definitly nice to have, but good speakers are essential since they are by far the weakest link in most any signal chain.

barefoot

ps - keep those tone controls set flat:mad: :)
 
barefoot,

Good day and thanks!

Yes I originally had the tone controls set flat but I was getting so much bass in my mixes I thought by boosting the stereo's tone controls on playback it might help trick my ear.

When I get my real speakers they will go flat again!

Rusty K:p
 
Rusty,

consider Active monitors, they have built in Amplification and negate the need for an amplifier.

the plus side is they're matched better with the right amount of amplification.

the problems your describing could well be your amplifier or your speakers so replacing one won't neccessarily solve your current problem then you'll be back at square one with the problem only half solved.

JBL or Behringer Truth have been rated ok within the $400 price range, there are others too.
 
allo

hello rusty, i think we went over this in another thread just about 2 days ago having to do with price for powered and non powered.


By the way, im in austin as well. UT student.
 
kristian,

Ola!

Well the thread started a bit different but I'd like to see the other one as well. Is it still on this page? Actually I've seen many threads about monitor questions. Some of them don't mean much till you have one of those "eureka" moments as I did with my current setup.

Hey good to meet another Austinite here! I was a UT student in the dark ages...."the 60's". Limey eh?

Rusty K
 
By the way, errr... um... Rusty K:p

What's your budget for monitors?

barefoot
 
barefoot,

Umm well that's a tough one. I think that by buying passive monitors for now I could probably afford good ones. Then when I get a bit more money together I can pick up the right amp for them. Let's say $400 max for passive monitors.

Rusty K
 
I couldn't help but join in on this if I may with a question of my own. What do you guys recommend about sub-woofer bass units? Are they a good idea for use with monitors, or are they something only for surround sound applications and/or dance/trance music.

Do active nearfileds cater for connecting to sub-woofers?
 
Good question!

I think you'll need to examine who you mix for 1st. Then decide if you have to budget to add a sub woofer set up.

Surround sound would be a logical application but how many of us are really doing that now? Do you have a DVD burner? Can your DVD/CD player read CDRs?

Its my opinion that we're still a ways from wide acceptance of surround formatted audio - not everyone has a dvd player yet and typically, you need an pretty expensive set up to do 5.1 mixes.

Everybody (pretty much) has a way to play strereo mixed cds and they'll be a round for a few more years at least so I feel pretty confident making an investment in a pair of good monitors.

Maybe in a year or two, there may be more reason for the average recording enthusiast to add surround monitors and sub woofers for mixing but right now, I don't think it will do much to help you monitor mixes meant for two track (stereo) - in fact, it may cause some distraction. Mixing to account for the sub *may* cause you to over emphasize or de-emphasize bass that doesn't translate well on stereo mixes.

Your milieage may vary but I'd say, concentrate on making your mixes sound good in stereo 1st, with the best monitors you can afford and then if you feel like you want to move towards mixing for surround, you can start from a higher place of knowledge.

Just my 2 scents...

ZK
 
woops... forgot to mention that Mackie 624's are designed specifically to be used in conjunction with a (Mackie) sub woofer but most Active Monitors are designed to be used alone in pairs.

ZK
 
Specs are nothing to go by. But my 20/20bas have a frequency response of 35Hz - 20kHz. Ok, so you may say I'm missing the last 15Hz. But the bass on these things THUMP when you have bass that thumps and is smooth when its just a smooth bass line. But i don't listen to much R&B/rap. I think subwoofers for mixing R&B and rap are essential to test how it sounds down there.
 
Many thanks for the replies.

I followed what you were both saying and will invest in a good pair of monitors minus the bass unit. As I record for myself (folk rock blues plus some vocal work) I don't need anything that heavy on bass.

Thanks again.
 
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