What to use for monitoring mixes

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guitarplayer08

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Is it better to use a speaker or headphones for monitoring?

I want to buy a monitoring headphones because its cheaper than speakers.
Which headphones you guys recommend? I'm kinda on a tight budget so I will be looking for the not so expensive one and at the same time with a dependable quality.

Thanks for reading
 
guitarplayer08 said:
Is it better to use a speaker or headphones for monitoring?

I want to buy a monitoring headphones because its cheaper than speakers.
Which headphones you guys recommend? I'm kinda on a tight budget so I will be looking for the not so expensive one and at the same time with a dependable quality.

Thanks for reading
Click to expand...

I monitor on headphones but I only mix on speakers.
 
It is far easier to make good mixes from monitors than from headphones, and therefore the much preferred method. The one possible exception is if you are mixing for a target audience of headphone users, but even if you plan on mixing only for Podcasting, the likelihood that you listeners will listen to you stuff only on "earbuds the size of a 10-yr-old's nipples" (a John Mayer quote which I love ;) ) is small. Monitors are the real way to go.

However, I understand the budget thing. You gotta work with what ya got. So in that spirit, I will say that when doing live/location tracking/mixing where headphones are a necessity, I use a pair of Sony headphones that I really like the sound of. My old model number (MDR-V600) has been retired, I believe, but in Sony's current lineup the almost exact duplicate headphone is the MDR7506. Same price as my 600s too :). At a street price of US$99 they are a worthwhile investment.

Good, balanced sound through the spectrum, they are a closed-ear design (meaning they wrap around the ears and isolate you some from outside sounds) yet are quite comfortable, even for my big round head.

G.
 
On the headphone front, I haven't used the Sonys, but my favourites of the numerous other sets I've tried are the Sennheiser HD280 Pros. Very good sounds but also excellent build quality and isolation. Servicable parts, too - you can replace the lead, ear pads and headband pad just like that.
 
Headphones are great until you hit the low end. Where a mix may sound killer on headphones, you play it on a set of speakers, and I can almost guarantee you that you will notice some serious bass thumping (way more than you thought you heard on the phones). This ends up making you make some dicey EQ choices. Basically, if you're EQing on Headphones, you are going to be in for a wake up call when you pop that on someones stereo...unless you got REALLY lucky.

I know this because (sadly) i've only really used headphones myself, and my EQs are WAY off at the bottom end.

Get some monitors (like i need to). That will save you a lot of time trying to mix in the dark.
 
but im living in a college dorms and i work at campus and i usually do my recording/mixing stuff at night cause its against the rule to play something noisy and i've been using headphones.
 
guitarplayer08 said:
but im living in a college dorms and i work at campus and i usually do my recording/mixing stuff at night cause its against the rule to play something noisy and i've been using headphones.
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yup. i know the feeling. i was basically in a 1 bedroom apt with a roommate. that was tough...oh yeah, and i was broke, that's why i mixed on headphones, but I can tell you, you are NOT going to get as good of a job if you don't use monitors of some kind. it's a sacrafice. however, you typically will not need to blast it when you mix...no louder than you'd listen to a stereo in your room anyway.

if you want a better job, get monitors. if you want to do it quietly, get headphones, but don't expect it to be as good.
 
What monitors do you recommend?

By the way, i clicked on ur link to ur band. I love your band stuff man. ;)
 
If you use quality headphones (open type) with good headphone amp and that you get used to them with your favourite records, you can easily mix on headphones. A good headphone set will cost you around 250$, the amp, maybe 200$ and then you will be set for mixing and mastering quietly. This is what I do with good results.

If the low end isn't right on speakers afterwards, you have to get flatter and more accurate headphones guys. Don't expect a mix that's made on HD280 to sound good at all.
 
guitarplayer08 said:
Right now I'm using these Altec Lansing speakers for all my audio need. I know its a pretty crappy speakers.

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Altec Lansing 220 Computer Speaker:1990888127?used=1

and this is the specification

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Altec L...InDLn0D;_ylu=X3oDMTA5ZW01N2htBHNlYwNiZ3NpYg--
Click to expand...

Altec Lansing speakers are JBL's....not bad stuff! But, they are most suited for gaming..........I use a pair of Sound Tech BTW5's with an alesis ra 150 and get exactly what I hear through them on to a cd......can't ask for anymore than that. :D
 
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