J
jeffree
New member
To anyone currently outfitting a low-cost home studio with monitoring equipment, you might want to consider my rather unconventional approach that works very well for me...
BACKGROUND
I've been a semi-pro studio musician (my part-time gig) for 20 years, and I recently set up my home studio with a Yamaha aw16g as the centerpiece. I read 100s of posts, especially at this site, and spoke with local engineers regarding monitoring equipment. In the end, after buying and trying quite a few products, I decided to do what many reading this might criticize:
***I set up my entire monitoring chain to sound the same as my quality home stereo. I decided to forget the "flat response at all costs" comments that swirl around these sites, and I tried something that just a few daring souls have mentioned: to emulate the sound of my pro home stereo system as closely as possible. And it works for me.***
MY RATIONALE
Yep, here come the arrows as I quietly proclaim that I started producing better (more transferable) mixes when I EQ'd my monitors and phones, as closely as possible, to my home stereo.
Using this set-up, it was a funny thing for me when--suddenly, overnight--my mixes sounded good on every system I own, including the car stereo and Walkman. When I knew what balance to target, I found that I could do so rather easily.
There is a catch, though, which nearly everyone agrees is key:
I spent hours listening to various types of well-recorded pro music on my home stereo and new monitoring system--to be sure of what everything *should* sound like on my systems. Then, I just made sure that these pro CDs sounded *the same* on my home stereo and my home monitoring systems, and the rest has been easy.
Needless to say, I've had to choose monitoring equipment that allows me to EQ the sound to meet my target sound: such items as M-Audio monitors (with their EQ fine tuning) and a headphone amp with EQ controls are keys in this process.
The cream on the cake here is that I can fully enjoy the sound as I record it and shape it to sound the way it will on most other systems. If it sounds good on my monitoring system, then it also will on my home stereo system... and, because I know these systems well, the sound will transfer will to other systems, too.
Well, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Now, I'll sleep better even
as others might launch the first arrows at my naiive (but successful for me) approach. Just remember, though, if you're considering my crucification, that I'm talking about a *low-cost home studio* in which I want quick, yet relatively accurate, results. When I want more, I pay the bucks and head over to
a full studio for their wizardry--they have the time and money
to take my work to another level. At home, unfortunately, I don't have this luxury.
Best wishes to you in setting up your own musical haven, regardless of which approach you decide to follow...
J.
BACKGROUND
I've been a semi-pro studio musician (my part-time gig) for 20 years, and I recently set up my home studio with a Yamaha aw16g as the centerpiece. I read 100s of posts, especially at this site, and spoke with local engineers regarding monitoring equipment. In the end, after buying and trying quite a few products, I decided to do what many reading this might criticize:
***I set up my entire monitoring chain to sound the same as my quality home stereo. I decided to forget the "flat response at all costs" comments that swirl around these sites, and I tried something that just a few daring souls have mentioned: to emulate the sound of my pro home stereo system as closely as possible. And it works for me.***
MY RATIONALE
Yep, here come the arrows as I quietly proclaim that I started producing better (more transferable) mixes when I EQ'd my monitors and phones, as closely as possible, to my home stereo.
Using this set-up, it was a funny thing for me when--suddenly, overnight--my mixes sounded good on every system I own, including the car stereo and Walkman. When I knew what balance to target, I found that I could do so rather easily.
There is a catch, though, which nearly everyone agrees is key:
I spent hours listening to various types of well-recorded pro music on my home stereo and new monitoring system--to be sure of what everything *should* sound like on my systems. Then, I just made sure that these pro CDs sounded *the same* on my home stereo and my home monitoring systems, and the rest has been easy.
Needless to say, I've had to choose monitoring equipment that allows me to EQ the sound to meet my target sound: such items as M-Audio monitors (with their EQ fine tuning) and a headphone amp with EQ controls are keys in this process.
The cream on the cake here is that I can fully enjoy the sound as I record it and shape it to sound the way it will on most other systems. If it sounds good on my monitoring system, then it also will on my home stereo system... and, because I know these systems well, the sound will transfer will to other systems, too.
Well, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Now, I'll sleep better even
as others might launch the first arrows at my naiive (but successful for me) approach. Just remember, though, if you're considering my crucification, that I'm talking about a *low-cost home studio* in which I want quick, yet relatively accurate, results. When I want more, I pay the bucks and head over to
a full studio for their wizardry--they have the time and money
to take my work to another level. At home, unfortunately, I don't have this luxury.
Best wishes to you in setting up your own musical haven, regardless of which approach you decide to follow...
J.