TheTruth_Mikeyd
New member
It all boils down to using a reference cd for your type of music your mixing....after that you can mix in anything anywhere
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
Lt. Bob, I don't think anyone can argue with what you say. Blanket statements that "you CANNOT mix on headphones" are just wrong.
However, the point is that you've spent a lot of money on your headphones and your Headroom amp. Down here in Oz, your headphones would cost me around Aus$500. A Headroom amp would cost me about $130.
For slightly less money, I could have a brand new pair of powered Tannoy Reveal 601a speakers. For a hundred dollars less, I could have the 501a model. For under $50 I could have a second hand pair of Tannoy M20 bookshelf hifi speakers which would make pretty adequate monitors.
Beyond the price though, you've also spent a lot of time teaching your ears/brain what things need to sound like on your monitors and headphones to sound good everywhere. That sort of learning curve is needed whatever you mix on--but is much easier for a newbie on monitors than on a set of cans.
So that's the reason most of us tell beginners to invest in some form of monitor speakers. Yes, headphones can work but, as your investment shows, can't be seen as a way to save money--and, when you're just starting out, it's just plain easier to educate their ears.
Impossible to mix on headphones? Absolutely not. Advisable for beginners? Again, absolutely not--unless they're willing to put money and effort into teaching themselves how.
However, the point is that you've spent a lot of money on your headphones and your Headroom amp. Down here in Oz, your headphones would cost me around Aus$500. A Headroom amp would cost me about $130.
For slightly less money, I could have a brand new pair of powered Tannoy Reveal 601a speakers. For a hundred dollars less, I could have the 501a model. For under $50 I could have a second hand pair of Tannoy M20 bookshelf hifi speakers which would make pretty adequate monitors.
Beyond the price though, you've also spent a lot of time teaching your ears/brain what things need to sound like on your monitors and headphones to sound good everywhere. That sort of learning curve is needed whatever you mix on--but is much easier for a newbie on monitors than on a set of cans.
So that's the reason most of us tell beginners to invest in some form of monitor speakers. Yes, headphones can work but, as your investment shows, can't be seen as a way to save money--and, when you're just starting out, it's just plain easier to educate their ears.
Impossible to mix on headphones? Absolutely not. Advisable for beginners? Again, absolutely not--unless they're willing to put money and effort into teaching themselves how.
Hakea
New member
Hi all,
From my lofty position as an opinionated but enthusiastic noob I'd say that telling newcomers that they should simply buy a set of monitors and not mix on headphones is as problematic as telling them that anything goes. Neither is really true and the unwary newbie can have a whole raft of difficulties with monitors too.
Firstly, our newbie rooms are almost certain to be wildly unreliable across a range of frequencies as they soak and bounce and reflect and generally misbehave. There's also the issues of ported monitors. According Mike Senior's respected book on mixing they are also unreliable because they boost some aspects - but at a cost. And guess what, a big chunk of us eager newbs will be using KRK Rokits, Behringers, MAudio etc, which are ported.
So our monitors will tell us lies too - just different ones...
So I'd think that the best approach would be to gently enlighten us about what the merits and trap are with all the options, and explain what the work-arounds are - because there are workarounds.
cheers,
Chris
From my lofty position as an opinionated but enthusiastic noob I'd say that telling newcomers that they should simply buy a set of monitors and not mix on headphones is as problematic as telling them that anything goes. Neither is really true and the unwary newbie can have a whole raft of difficulties with monitors too.
Firstly, our newbie rooms are almost certain to be wildly unreliable across a range of frequencies as they soak and bounce and reflect and generally misbehave. There's also the issues of ported monitors. According Mike Senior's respected book on mixing they are also unreliable because they boost some aspects - but at a cost. And guess what, a big chunk of us eager newbs will be using KRK Rokits, Behringers, MAudio etc, which are ported.
So our monitors will tell us lies too - just different ones...
So I'd think that the best approach would be to gently enlighten us about what the merits and trap are with all the options, and explain what the work-arounds are - because there are workarounds.
cheers,
Chris
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
The workaround, is to not rely on one set of monitoring device. Learn what you are using tells you. There is no right or wrong when you find what works for you. That being said, the advice in this thread was based on the question of whether headphone mixing is doable. The answer is yes. Advisable on its own, no.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
These two sentences sum up all the best advice in 5 pages of posting!
ecktronic
Mixing and Mastering.
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
Which 2? There are 6.
G
Had I written it with correct grammar, it could have been two.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
A 2 is sort of an upside down, backwards 5 and I live in Australia.
(This answer makes no sense at all but if I post it fast enough maybe nobody will notice.)
(This answer makes no sense at all but if I post it fast enough maybe nobody will notice.)
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Two wrongs don't make a right and three wrongs make even less of a right than two wrongs don't.
rayc
retroreprobate
Yes Folks, the mark up in Australia is WAY beyond wholesale + transport cost + reasonable profit.
Just come down our way & try to buy a Blues Jr or any 1-5 watt valve amp for less thatn $500!
I started with an old stereo aided by h/phones for detail listening. I moved to better h/phones and the same stereo (because I knew it in the space quite wel by then). It's only in the last 3 years that I've had "real" near field monitors, (& cheaper ones at that), BUT the difference is remarkable (after I learnt to read them in the room that is) and whilst I still use h/phones for some detailed listening I now am able to do so much more on the near fields that I feel I'm mixing better.
Just come down our way & try to buy a Blues Jr or any 1-5 watt valve amp for less thatn $500!
I started with an old stereo aided by h/phones for detail listening. I moved to better h/phones and the same stereo (because I knew it in the space quite wel by then). It's only in the last 3 years that I've had "real" near field monitors, (& cheaper ones at that), BUT the difference is remarkable (after I learnt to read them in the room that is) and whilst I still use h/phones for some detailed listening I now am able to do so much more on the near fields that I feel I'm mixing better.
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
that sucks! And I'm assuming there aren't enough Australian companies making this kind of stuff?
R
RAMI
Guest
A few opened, but then they ended up going Under.
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
niceA few opened, but then they ended up going Under.
Armistice
Son of Yoda
Hey Ray.... all too true, as we both know, but just occasionally you score a win - Got a Vox 4W amp + 1 x 12 cab for $400 new at Gallins on Annandale Road when they were having one of their periodic fire sales, for $399.... yay!
Armistice
Son of Yoda
A few opened, but then they ended up going Under.
LOL... the thing you have to remember about Australia is that it's the same size as the US ex-Alaska with about 1/15th the population and a deeply ingrained cultural cringe which tends to work against musicians... so, on a "per person" basis, probably less interest in creating music. It's also basically empty in the centre. And we pay higher wages for basic jobs. All this adds up to an extreme cost differential when trying to manufacture stuff.... basically we don't do much electronics at all, except some small niches..
As for the OP's question... once again, with feeling.
Q. Can you (some undefined person, probably with years of experience) mix with headphones? Probably... although few do
Q Can I (noob) mix with headphones? Of course, you can mix on a transistor radio if you want to... knock yerself out...
Q. Can I (noob) mix well with headphones? Probably not...