Monitors

strategem · Post by **strategem** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 4:29 pm

i wouldnt bother. you may as well just use hi fi speakers.
just because you dont have an ideal listening environment doesnt mean you wont get benefit out of decent speakers. The conditions may not be optimal but better speakers are better speakers.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 4:56 pm

SoulWhiteMan wrote: even if they're a piece of shit, they'll sound better than hi fi and I'll just use them as "entertainment" speakers

Not necessarily.

Behringer are a very ordinary brand my friend.

Save your money... get something around the $500-800 mark... maybe work out a payment plan with a store, get them on credit or something.

Whilst I'm a broke ass like yourself, it's pointless to just throw away the little money you do have IMO.

SoulWhiteMan · Post by **SoulWhiteMan** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 5:14 pm

not neccesarily broke ass; it's just an issue of "resource management" I still need some CD Dex; but i hear you on the other points.
I'm eying off some Alesis M1s; or something "midrange" and audiolifestyle have some good deals on atm (even if their web site is shit) i guess they want you to "walk in" the store.

SoulWhiteMan · Post by **SoulWhiteMan** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 5:16 pm

having said that, my speakers are bi amped, and bi wired, and my unit (although hi fi) is quite solid, they may have to do for the time being....

and my headphones are solid too

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 5:46 pm

Bro, if you're interested - drop me a line:

mark@elfa.com.au

I'll see what I can do.

I'd go the Alesis M1 520 or M1 620's above the M1's - they (620's) should be available at the same price as the M1 (cheap!).

Out of what we sell, I'd also like to recommend the Samson Rubicon 5a/6a's. Very cheaply priced and with ribbon HF drivers.

Check these also, Tascam VL-X5's. (under $900 RRP - cheaper avail.)

Info: http://www.tascam.com/Products/vlx5.html

Having said that, for the price M1's are going at - I'd take them ahead of Truth's... but obviously, I am biased.

strategem · Post by **strategem** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 11:39 am

I would definately agree with Direktor on his recommendations, particularly the Samson's. the ribbon drivers give a very nice high end. Take a walk down to audiolifestyle and give em a listen.

resist · Post by **resist** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:36 pm

SoulWhiteMan wrote:i'm thinking about picking up some Behringer MS20s or 40s for that very reason.
I don't see the point of forking out big bucks on high end equipment when I'm stuck in my 4.5x4.5 bedroom, living at home, with my whiny stoner brother, big windows and lots of natural sound from the great outdoors....

I'm in the same situation... Leaning away from monitors until I have room for a dedicated studio. I'm just using decent headphones instead.

a1studmuffin · Post by **a1studmuffin** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:58 pm

Don't headphones give you an unrealistic representation of the stereo image (among other things) though? Plus getting the low-end right is going to be much harder?

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:39 am

a1studmuffin wrote:Don't headphones give you an unrealistic representation of the stereo image (among other things) though? Plus getting the low-end right is going to be much harder?

Yup to the stereo image. And yes the to low-end, obviously the amount that the bass is mis-represented is dependent on the actual headphones you have. Ie. frequency response, build etc etc.

SoulWhiteMan · Post by **SoulWhiteMan** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:56 am

resist wrote:
SoulWhiteMan wrote:i'm thinking about picking up some Behringer MS20s or 40s for that very reason.
I don't see the point of forking out big bucks on high end equipment when I'm stuck in my 4.5x4.5 bedroom, living at home, with my whiny stoner brother, big windows and lots of natural sound from the great outdoors....
I'm in the same situation... Leaning away from monitors until I have room for a dedicated studio. I'm just using decent headphones instead.

some producers do this

sandy rivera mixes down on sennheisers....

i talked to my audioengineer friend, he said thats all well and good, except for the damage that you can do to your ears....

Little Evil · Post by **Little Evil** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:22 am

Direktor wrote:
a1studmuffin wrote:Don't headphones give you an unrealistic representation of the stereo image (among other things) though? Plus getting the low-end right is going to be much harder?
Yup to the stereo image. And yes the to low-end, obviously the amount that the bass is mis-represented is dependent on the actual headphones you have. Ie. frequency response, build etc etc.

Word.

A good point I got recently....

Do your panning in the monitors, then touch it up in some good studio headphones. Personally, I get really good panning estimates, and stereo image estimates in my headphones after I do the near-final mix down after I do the bass sound tweaking in my monitors. (Basswork is a fucker to get right at first)
Never do any basswork from the start in headphones - it just doesn't work properly 90% of the time (when eq'ing bass, compressing etc) - but by all means pan in heapdphones to touch up - after a monitor session. (Big mistake when I started out was trying for fat sounds in the cans - now my kicks and bass are phat as, because I have quality monitors)
A slight pan adjustment is all that's needed if you go to quality headphones after a session on good monitors - and a good ear.

Then, put it through your DJ speakers, to get a very rough estimate of how it will sound in a club.

Most dance music needs to go straight up the middle pan-wise anyway, with slight variations on rhythm, and other sounds. Usually all tucked up under one another gradually, with an even balance on both sides, and a major emphasis on non-clashing of similar freqs.
It's made to be played in a club after all.

And club speakers as general rule, belt straight out the front of the club, and sounds panned right out to one side can often sound unintentially minimal on a half-ass club system, as they don't have the quality nor the capabilities that good monitors do.
They are just made to be LOUD.

Anyway, that's how I do it.
Others may differ.
But good luck.

strategem wrote:i wouldnt bother. you may as well just use hi fi speakers.
Just because you dont have an ideal listening environment doesnt mean you wont get benefit out of decent speakers. The conditions may not be optimal but better speakers are better speakers.

Word again.

Don't get the Behringers man.
You'll just train your ears all wrong, and be stuck with it forever. You'll have to re-train your ears when you get a decent set of monitors.
Tannoy make some really good affordable speakers that measure up with the so called 'big guns' - check them out.
I'm no fan of Alesis either.
It's Tannoy, Genelec, or Yamaha all the way for me.

Dude, seriously - go down to Manny's in St Georges Rd, and get in their monitor booth.
I spent two hours in it, with $2000 to spend.
Ended up walking out spending $1000,and they are quite simply the best things I've ever bought.
Getting the subbies for them soon.

strategem · Post by **strategem** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:59 pm

seriously, the best thing to do is go to audiolifestyle or mannys and spend some time in the monitor booth (as little evil says) and THEN come talk to me, then go talk to Direktor. Listen first thought.

and stay away from the really cheap stuff, its cheap for a reason.