mix translation issues on smaller, suboptimal systems...why?

R

ryguy76

New member
Hi,

I just finished writing this and submitting it when something went wrong and it didn't take. DOH!

Anyway, I keep having the same issue with my mixes... I get it souding great in the studio, on both pairs of my studio headphones, my car, etc, but on some smaller systems, it sounds terrible. Like the speakers are covered by a thick blanket and the vocals disappear beneath the rest of the musical mud. When I listen to pro recordings on the same system, they translate as they should, and although it may not sound great, due to the system, it sounds right. The detail is there on my mixes on most systems, but these small, suboptimal systems.

Am I doing something fundamentally wrong? Or should I just be incorporating a system like this into my mixing process and finding the happy balance between both?

Thanks!
 
Share one of the mixes that translates badly so others can listen on their systems. I suspect that if if sounds blaneted and muddy on the small system and you adjust for that, its going to sound crappy elsewhere.
 
What are you using for monitors? Where are they placed in the room? Is the room treated for mixing?
 
ryguy76 said:
Or should I just be incorporating a system like this into my mixing process
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This is probably a good idea. A pair of very cheap PC speakers can be useful for this - put them right next to each other on one side of your mix position to give an idea of how it will be heard on less than ideal setups most people have (I've lifted this advice straight out of Mike Senior's book).
 
Well, I can't give you mix advice as well as others might for this kind of music. But I have to say that I was expecting it to sound a lot worse than this. This doesn't sound bad to me at all.
 
RAMI said:
Well, I can't give you mix advice as well as others might for this kind of music. But I have to say that I was expecting it to sound a lot worse than this. This doesn't sound bad to me at all.
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Ya, I don't think it sounds bad at all on most systems, but the night and day difference on some systems is disconcerting to me. I gave it to a non-musician and had him play on his mediocre system and he came back to me with the same conclusion, not knowing I was having this issue myself.

I'm sure part of my issue is I don't record much. I work fulltime and have young kids and am exhausted most nights, so I only record people here and there, and it's always ever-changing as far as style is concerned. (mostly single song demos) So I seldom get to use tips/tricks I've picked up from a previous song, as it's never quite the same programme material. This is my first piano ballad.

I am under 15 songs deep for experience. Maybe closer to 10, but I try and make it the best I can and don't give up until I feel i start to become destructive. :)
 
Ok, as you can see from the number of posts here... I'm quite the newb. But, to my ears I detect a bit of odd "afterglow" (reverb) on the piano especially with the right hand higher chords. On my cheap desktop speakers it almost sounds like a slight rotary effect. I put on my closed back headphones and it seems pronounced. I wonder if it gives the slight mud you refer to? Could also be the mp3 compression not helping here. Just a thought. Very delicate song so every little thing will stand out.

From a songwriting point: Great song! Thought about bringing in the strings a bit sooner. I was waiting for them. Could also lend itself to a power ballad in that regard... if that's your thing. ;)
 
wmalan said:
Ok, as you can see from the number of posts here... I'm quite the newb. But, to my ears I detect a bit of odd "afterglow" (reverb) on the piano especially with the right hand higher chords. On my cheap desktop speakers it almost sounds like a slight rotary effect. I put on my closed back headphones and it seems pronounced. I wonder if it gives the slight mud you refer to? Could also be the mp3 compression not helping here. Just a thought. Very delicate song so every little thing will stand out.

From a songwriting point: Great song! Thought about bringing in the strings a bit sooner. I was waiting for them. Could also lend itself to a power ballad in that regard... if that's your thing. ;)
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Ya, there's not much going on with the piano other than some mild reverb and a bit of delay. Not sure what you're hearing, per se, but if you're hearing it in the upper register of the piano chords, those frequencies are too high to be creating mud, imho.
 
I do hear a bit of build up in the mids, like maybe in the 300-500hz region. Not a lot, but it's there. Maybe just a little eq cut in the offending area would clear it right up.

As a side note, you'll probably get more responses in the MP3 Clinic.
 
RAMI said:
I do hear a bit of build up in the mids, like maybe in the 300-500hz region. Not a lot, but it's there. Maybe just a little eq cut in the offending area would clear it right up.

As a side note, you'll probably get more responses in the MP3 Clinic.
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I did, but unfortunately,it didn't receive much love...

I revisited the studio last night and made some freq. changes. not sure if it's better on good systems, but definitely better on small systems.

http://snd.sc/11V2bCK
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ryguy76 said:
Anyway, I keep having the same issue with my mixes... I get it souding great in the studio, on both pairs of my studio headphones, my car, etc, but on some smaller systems, it sounds terrible. Like the speakers are covered by a thick blanket and the vocals disappear beneath the rest of the musical mud. When I listen to pro recordings on the same system, they translate as they should, and although it may not sound great, due to the system, it sounds right. The detail is there on my mixes on most systems, but these small, suboptimal systems.
Click to expand...
Well, I played it on my small computer speakers and I couldn't detect any of the issues you spoke of. It sounds beautifully clear to me.
 
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