Monitors - why do I need them?!

  • Thread starter Thread starter westermane
  • Start date Start date
All this monitor talk...help!

So, I've been using Sennheiser headphones to mix on as long as I've had my home studio (5-6 years) and always knew it'd be better if I had monitors, etc.. but I've never had the money good monitors demand.
Could anyone recommend a cheaply-moderately priced set of monitors that are still good quality?
 
westermane

Wow, I didn't know monitors could be such a 'hot' topic. Thanks all for the help on my initial question. After spending a frustrating few hours mixing with my Aiwas, I think you've convinced me to give a pair of monitors a try.

I'm looking at the Yorkville YSM1's. They are cheap and from what people have said here, they do a good job for the money you are spending. I have the Korg D16 digital multitrack and was wondering how I hook up these monitors. Do they connect right into the machine, or is there something else I need to buy?

Thanks for your help...
 
If you buy...

...active monitors, you can connect then directly to your unit. But for passives (such as the Yorkville YSM-1s), you will need a power amp. The Hafler Trans*Nova series would be a pretty decent unit.

Bruce
 
HEADPHONES

Hi, pls do not kick me out. I was just surfing around looking for info about Extremely good headphones.
I bought a Grado SR 80 and i am totally disappointed. Yes, i grab it too quick to realize it only has 96 db of dynamic.

I am actually giving a look to Sennheiser models but people advise me Sony models.
I need it to record and mix electronic music; I play synthetizers, samplers and in general i like extremely defined but kicking basses.
What do you advise me ??
Tks a lot
 
If you promise not to MIX on them, I'll suggest AKG 240s, Audio Technica ATH-M40fs, or even Sony 7506s...

But like I said, you don't want to be mixing on them (or any other headphone for that matter!)

Bruce
 
You will NEVER hear true bass reproduction through cans, the bass waveform takes too much distance to fully develop. At 1 meter you are only hearing half the bass frequencies that you will hear at 2 meters. And even if you are now only recording vocals/guitar, you will want more. More tracks, gear, everything! THIS IS AN ADDICTION!
You might try what I did:
I have a Alesis RA-100 driving Event 20/20's for the main mixing setup. Then, I have a quality Harmon Kardon amp through a speaker selector switch driving four sets of auxilliary speakers, everything from 15"
Altecs to Radio Shack cheapies. I can mix on the main system, then check the mix on very different sounding speakers. I spent a bit of money on the main system, but everything else I got at...............................................GARAGE SALES!!!!!
Yes, Bunky, garage sales! I have about fifteen sets of great speakers(JBL,Altec,Wharfdale,Klipsch) and I never paid more than $50 a pair for any of them!
Anything would be better than mixing through cans!
 
So Near field monitor is crazy ??

Buffalo Tks for explaining. Am i correct saying that in these days many people like nearfield monitors to mix ??
So, are they loosing all the bass frequencies ??
Tks for commenting again
 
Everybody these days is sub-woofer crazy. In the real world, most playback systems (car stereo, home hi-fi's)
won't reproduce anything below 100 hz. If you are mixing for film or Dance music you do need the lower frequencies, and you will need a sub.
As for near-fields, there are dozens of companies making very good units. If you peruse these threads you can get a lot of great advise on them, but remember that opinions are like .......well, everybody's got one, if you know what I mean.
I got my Event 20/20's because of the initial reviews
I read, and for my modest budget they are perfect.
Happy tweaking!
 
Pappy -
p.s. on the Sennheisers -----STAY AWAY!!!!!
I have a pair of their top of the line models and they have great response, but they have plug-in connectors on each side that are pure crap! I agree with Bruce @ Blue Bear - get the AKG 240's - they are great, and won't kill your budget.
 
Yes that price is for one Each!

I bought mine for $90.00 Each

Pier
 
Where ?

I bought mine here in Salt Lake City, Utah at Summerhays Music Center. But I saw a thread earlier that mentioned a place called Wheaton Music.

I hope their still in business, good luck !

Pier
 
mixing through headphones is fine i guess if you cant afford monitors. but, if you've got monitors, you're gonna produce better, more accurate results by using them. eq will be one of the faults of mixing through headphones.

i run a pro studio (sorry, shouldn't be on a home recording board, but i like it). here, i use monitors for all the mixing..BUT, once i've got 90% of the mix completed, i chuck on a pair of headphones, and just have a listen to the panning of the kit and other panned instruments, just as a check. there's no way, i could mix the bass well on a whole track using just headphones.

get some monitors!

-Romesh
Long Wave Studio
 
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