which of these speakers would you use for monitors?

[jlewis]

So while I save for some real monitors, I have these three choices for mixing, which would you use and why?:
1. Boston Acoustics stereo speakers (these sound good but are huge)

2. Hitachi stereo speakers

3. Altec Lansing computer speakers (these seem like the worst choice)

 

[leaningpine]

The Boston Acoustics should have a better frequency range than the others.

 

[felixgk]

Probably the Boston Acoustics. I'm not familiar with the Hitachi and computer speakers are generally crappy at best. Good luck.

I'm assuming you own all three set of speakers, so I suggest that you test each set with your favourite recording and see which sounds best in your mix room.

 

[dintymoore]

Pretty much a no-brainer... the first are the only ones that seems like they have a chance but who knows - I'd probably hook up all three and compare some known-to-be-good recordings.

 

[jlewis]

Thanks for the responses guys, I appreciate it.

I figured the Boston Acoustics was the choice, but I am listening near-field (maybe should have mentioned this in the original post) and I didn't know if their size might cause an issue which is why I asked you guys.

I have also heard that shitty speakers can be good for mixing which is why I was even considering the Hitachi's (and because they're smaller) Though they may be too much on the shitty side.

 

[leaningpine]

What I would do is use the Boston Acoustics speakers for your main mixing and use the Hitachi's and/or the Altecs to see how translation is.

Lots of great producers and musicians have mixed on home stereo speakers, Todd Rundgren used Klipsch Heresey's to do his mixes in his studio and Tom Scholz mixed on Cizak home stereo speakers for the first 3 Boston LP's, they were audiophile grade speakers though....

I have a set of Pioneer CS J525 home stereo speakers, They have 2 woofers and a tweeter in the middle, they are really accurate so if you can find a set(They're pretty hard to find) grab them!

I have 4 other speakers I test mixes with, on my desk I have JVC bookshelves, Harmon Kardon computer speakers with a sub, and a set of HUGE Cerwin Vega High energy design speakers from the late 70's. The other set is my car speakers.

 

[ReInventor]

I don't know which you should use, but I do have some experience using speakers like the Bostons. I have a set of large hifi speakers like this that sound amazing and that is their downfall. They have this slightly lazy midrange that has the effect of making everything sound wonderful and completely impossible to mix. I started on them and was even convinced that my freeware guitar amp sims sounded good. HA! Not to say you can't get good sounds with these, but when I finally bought some real (albeit budget) monitors, I finally heard the details of what I was recording and oh my god was it bad. Those mixes still sound great on the big hifi's but they sound like hammered shit on everything else.