{"id":6410,"date":"2020-02-11T11:29:31","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T11:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/currentsound.com\/?p=6410"},"modified":"2020-12-02T12:18:45","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T12:18:45","slug":"why-you-need-studio-monitor-speakers-for-mixing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/currentsound.com\/recording-and-sound-engineering-lessons\/why-you-need-studio-monitor-speakers-for-mixing\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Need Studio Monitor Speakers For Mixing – Home Studio Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
So you want to start a home studio. Maybe you’ve heard about studio monitor speakers? You’re first thought is probably, why do I need studio monitor speakers for mixing? So I’m here to tell you why… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is usually the first question people ask when being told they need studio monitor speakers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s start by having a look at any of the speakers in your apartment or living room. You will find that they are all over the place. I bet that everyone has theirs in a different place. No wonder sometimes the music you listen to at home can sound different to what the guys in the recording studio intended you to hear. So where are yours? Are they behind you or in front of you? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The biggest contribution to a bad mix is not always down to the guy doing the mix, even though this often is the case lol. The biggest problem even for an experienced engineer, is a monitoring system that will not reproduce the sound that has been recorded correctly in playback. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How many times have you mixed your sound in your studio and played it back somewhere else just to find that it sounds totally different? This is where a proper monitor system comes in play for any professional or home studio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using monitor speakers ensures you are hearing what is exactly there. That means you can mix the audio properly so that it will play back well on most systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The point of having good speakers is to hear your music played back properly and accurately, no matter what system it is played back on. The reason for this is, that everyone has different stereo system, speakers and this could range from massive PA system in a night club down to Joe Bloggs playing your tune walking down the street with his iPhone. So in a sense, this is why it is important to have the proper monitoring system while mixing down your song in the first place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life would be so easy if we all had the same systems, monitors and hearing! But this is not the case, when you do find those decent monitors, you have to trust the output they are giving you and this will come through time <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So when it comes to buying you monitoring system, get the most out it! Ask the music store for a system that will suit your needs. What is the point in of going overboard? But never buy a system just because the price looks good. You usually get what you pay for when it comes to studio monitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The large format studios with huge control rooms that need to output a higher volume level. They often have several sets of monitors to switch between. There will be large monitors; usually ‘soffit’ mounted (that’s fixed in the wall to you and me) which represent the full sound spectrum including the bass end. And there will be smaller nearfield monitors placed closer to the mixing position that, due to the limitations of cabinet size, have a more limited bass response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nearfield monitors simulate playback conditions comparable with your home listening environment, reproducing the quality of sound played back on, say, a standard hi-fi system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As few of us have the budget or space for huge monitors, especially in Los Angeles where space and rent is super high. It’s nearfields that must be the speakers of choice. You can also add a sub if you need more low end bass response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, the first question must be, if nearfields are meant to sound like domestic hi-fi speakers, why not use your existing hi-fi speakers and save some money? The truth is, hi-fi speakers are often deliberately designed with ‘coloration’ that flatters the music, rather than reproducing it, warts ‘n’ all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nearfield monitors reproduce the entire frequency range as accurately as possible with a minimum of distortion and coloration. So they’re much truer to the real sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you mix music on hi-fi speakers tuned to make the bass sound louder, you might not add enough bass to your mix. In this case it’ll sound lightweight and lacking in bass when played on other systems. Studio monitors are also built more robustly to take higher sound levels; useful when you want to solo a particularly raucous sound at high volume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most monitors these days are active. That means they have their own build-in amp. If you’re buying used monitors on ebay or Craigslist, check to see if they’re active or passive. Lots of older monitors could be passive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Passive speakers need a separate power amplifier whereas active speakers have the amp (or amps in the case of bi-amped systems where the tweeter and bass drivers have separate amps) built into the speaker enclosure. Active speakers mean you can’t choose your own power amp, but their built-in amps are specifically designed to work with their speakers, creating an efficient, matched system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most nearfield monitors have little bass reproduction below, say, 50Hz, so you won’t hear the real low end. Still, if you need to hear these frequencies, the bass response can be extended with the addition of a sub bass unit, which can sit out of the way under your mixing desk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You want to place the monitors in an equilateral triangle between yourself and the speakers. That means, from where you sit at your desk, the speakers should be the same distance away from each other as you are from them. The tweeters should be at the height of your ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n