Steenamaroo
...
That's true. With monitors you hear left and right channels in both ears
That crossover doesn't happen headphones, which could impair panning decisions.
That's true. With monitors you hear left and right channels in both ears
That crossover doesn't happen headphones, which could impair panning decisions.
dainbramage
Well-known member
Yeah, I've got the Sonodyne SM100AK. It is my first pair of monitors so I can't really say much comparatively, but they are indeed nice. Very flat response down to a certain point; not much low end, so a sub is definitely needed.
L
ldolamore
New member
My experience with studio monitors is minimal but FWIW I use JBL LSR305 monitors that I paid only $210 new for the pair. A friend has Focal Solo6 monitors. I prefer my JBLs for clarity and bass. However, I have not A/B tested these two monitors in the same environment. Regardless, my musician friends have all been impressed by the JBLs. As well, you can find numerous reviews that speak highly of them.
guitaristic
prophet of Dave
I wouldn't say it's completely different, and yeah it's not a top option to mix on cans, but I'd still take a nice pair over 5" monitors. They're just as dicey
guitaristic
prophet of Dave
K
kevin6string
New member
Some may gawk,but personally i use a pair of Mackie MR5's (also due to space limititations) and my mixes translate very well and they run well under your budjeted amount. Give them a try you will be pleasantly surprised. Also i have heard really good things about JBL LSR series and they are priced same range as the Mackies as well both the JBL's And Mackie make a 5" and 8" versions of comparable units...
R
Rod Norman
New member
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
The stereo field is certainly part of it. Listening with speakers, each speaker is actually heard with both ears but with a tiny delay between one and the other. With headphones though, each ear gets only the sound from the transducer clamped beside it. The alters the perception of the stereo field.
(As an aside, if you ever get a chance, have a listen to a binaural recording--one made with two mics spaced as if they were ears and with a simulated head between them. Listened to on headphones, THIS technique gives a stunning impression of "being there" albeit not really a technique suitable for most music.)
However, besides the stereo field, using headphones also interferes with the frequency response. In normal hearing, some of the sound travelling through the air is focused directly on the ear drum by the shape of the ear--but other sounds (particularly low frequencies) are partially received by causing minute vibrations in your actual bones. Your brain is used to piecing all this together to make the sound you consider natural. However, headphones clamped to the side of your head interact with your ears in a different way (and ear buds are even worse). Good manufacturers try to compensate for this in the frequency response of their headphones but this can only ever be an approximation since every head and ear is different.
There are lots of papers out there about the physics of hearing and the psycho acoustics involved--I won't pretend to be expert but some make fascinating reading.
Anyway, all this is at least partly why many people think everything sounds better on headphones--and it often does. However, for mixing you don't want things to sound artificially good. You want the "real thing" warts and all.
As often discussed, you can teach yourself to mix on headphones but it's never as satisfactory and a decent set of monitor speakers.
C
CSP
Member
Behringer Truths
Just to chime in. In our studio we use two pairs of Behringer Truth Monitors and they sould exceptional. The units we use are the older B-2031A and the newer B-3031A, the latter having ribbon high frequency drivers. We do use the Behringer B2029A sub for some of the really deep stuff (although this is no longer available for some STUPID reason). They have however recently brought out a smaller 10"" sub but I have no idea how it sounds or its part number.
Having just done a check with Sweetwater and they have both speakers for quite a reasonable price.
We have recorded everything from punk rock to string quartet on these speakers and outside the sutdio the sound is identical (or as identical as one can remember sound !!!!!)
As the original poster lives in the UK, a number of years ago a friend purchased a set of Acoustic Research speakers (12" main speaker and a tweeter or two) but I can honestly say that they were the best sounding speakers I have heard and I have heard virtually every brand on the market. I am notr sure if they are still being made, but if not he might be able to purchase a well cared for pair second hand.
The Grover speakers sounded quite good. but when I saw them at ENTECH they were not all that cheap --- definitely well above the 300 UK budget.
David
Just to chime in. In our studio we use two pairs of Behringer Truth Monitors and they sould exceptional. The units we use are the older B-2031A and the newer B-3031A, the latter having ribbon high frequency drivers. We do use the Behringer B2029A sub for some of the really deep stuff (although this is no longer available for some STUPID reason). They have however recently brought out a smaller 10"" sub but I have no idea how it sounds or its part number.
Having just done a check with Sweetwater and they have both speakers for quite a reasonable price.
We have recorded everything from punk rock to string quartet on these speakers and outside the sutdio the sound is identical (or as identical as one can remember sound !!!!!)
As the original poster lives in the UK, a number of years ago a friend purchased a set of Acoustic Research speakers (12" main speaker and a tweeter or two) but I can honestly say that they were the best sounding speakers I have heard and I have heard virtually every brand on the market. I am notr sure if they are still being made, but if not he might be able to purchase a well cared for pair second hand.
The Grover speakers sounded quite good. but when I saw them at ENTECH they were not all that cheap --- definitely well above the 300 UK budget.
David
A
AnguZ
New member
Hi guys,
I need a pair of portable monitor speakers. Any idea? I was thinking of getting the genelec 8010.
I need a pair of portable monitor speakers. Any idea? I was thinking of getting the genelec 8010.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
If Genelec fits your budget it's hard to beat the quality for the (admittedly fairly expensive) money and size. You'll have to go bigger for similar quality in any other speaker range I know.