Monitors for studio use are supposed to be flat but any listen side by side will tell you that they are not.

Here's the interesting thing. Critter called the JBL's "tin cans" .... compared to the others. We tend to like the music to fit what we think it should sound like. In many cases that equates to biased frequencies and not anywhere close to flat.

Perhaps the JBL's were in fact telling the "truth" in that room and with that particular music. Flat to most people isn't appealing. But as recording and mix engineers, you want FLAT.

I read somewhere that a certain major studio and engineer had a single NS-10 on the shelf that he used in the mixing stages. It sounded like crap since the mix was also in mono. But the goal was to hear the truth of the mix not for ear candy in the studio. His recordings and mixes were stellar.

Too often, a huge beginner mistake is to choose studio speakers that sound good (ear candy) and then the person wonders why their mixes never translate to the other systems very well.... car, stereo, etc....

Mixing on biased speakers gives you a disadvantage from the start. Oh sure, the mix sounds really sweet in the studio... YOUR STUDIO, but every other place the bass is too strong or too weak, the mids are too prominent or not enough, the highs will shatter glass or sound like they are under a wet blanket....and it comes from ear candy monitoring.

There is a solution, and probably the best is to learn the speakers you are using. ARC is also a handy fix to one degree or another. Mix at lower volumes as well.

My advice on choosing monitors is to get some that you DO like the sound from, and then learn their strengths and weaknesses. That's an essential part to getting a good mix on any monitors. I also suggest using a sub especially if you have 5" cones. A sub will help 8" cones as well. Again, learn the system with the sub and get it set up properly and balanced. There's nothing wrong with ear candy in the studio as long as the folks listing on the other systems can also get that "ear candy" experience.

Pick up a copy of Mike Seniors Mixing Secrets for the small studio. The first several chapters are specifically on speakers and sound in the small studio because, lacking good speakers, and/or not understanding the ones you currently have.... NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 07/06/14 06:36 AM.
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