Hi Josie,

This is a great question and one that I'm still trying to work out!!! I know I'll be following this thread to see what others say.

What I think, for what it's worth, is that both the speakers and the headphones are correct.... just different. In a real-world scenario, people will listen on a variety of audio output platforms and each will have its own unique sound-of-presentation.


For me, the below is my work flow for mixing...

I sometimes begin with headphones (if it's late at night, especially) and sometimes begin with speakers.

I always mix in stereo. While I've read that some people prefer to begin mixing in mono and then translate that to stereo, this approach isn't the most productive for me. I prefer to listen to a mono output in Reaper at the end of the mixing journey as this can help identify some problems I might have missed.


First Mixing

1. Resolve any low-frequency clashes found in the following pairing of instruments.

  • listen to bass and drums together
  • listen to bass and each individual guitar as a pair
  • listen to bass paired with piano

I talk about this a little more fully in the post below...

www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=496844#Post496893

2. Once I've done my best to eliminate low-freq. clashes, I mix a backing and try slightly boosting higher end frequency on a couple of instruments to see if helps with clarity and presence. Ozone is inactive at this time.

I don't add too much high end here, though, because when I eventually activate Ozone, the presets that I tend to use in the software add high frequency sparkle and often this is plenty.

3. Add vocals and balance the mix.

4. Activate Ozone, add a suitable preset, and now re-balance the mix as thoroughly as possible. (Ozone now remains active for all subsequent mixing sessions.)


Second Mixing

When I come back to the mix, if I began it on headphones, I will now use the speakers for this second mix.

Since all elements of the mix are now present and have been mixed and balanced as thoroughly as I could in round one, I only tweak what is present.

Initially, I also usually find myself preferring the previous sound of the headphones over the new sound of the speakers, too. I've found that this is just an initial reaction, though, because I got used to the headphone sound in the previous session. After a couple of times through the song, my brain no longer compares the new sound with the old sound.

  • Note... If I start with speakers and then move to headphones for the second mix, I find that I initially prefer the sound of the speakers over the headphones. Again, I put this down to a familiarity that's retained in the brain from the previous session.

I now adjust the mix and balances so that my song sounds as 'right' as my ears can get it on the speakers.


Third and Subsequent Mixings

Each time I now come back to the mix, I alternate between headphones and speakers.

So, in the above scenario, because I last used speakers, for the third mix I'd use headphones, the fourth mix I'd use speakers, fifth mix with headphones, etc.

Each time I now mix, I aim to get it as balanced and as clear as possible on the device that I am using for sound output.

Eventually I get to the stage where the mix sounds fine to me whether I use headphones or speakers and I no longer feel a need to tweak it. All I hear at this point in time is the slight difference in sound that is due to the audio output device (headphone versus speakers). When I get to this stage, I take that to mean that I've accomplished my mixing goal!

This 'homing in on the final mix' by alternating between headphones and speakers works well for me. I find it very difficult to get to the final mix by only using one type of sound-output device (i.e all headphones or all speakers). To get to what most likely becomes my final mix usually takes me around four mixings on headphones alternating with four mixings on speakers.

Hope this is useful information. I'm pretty sure that there are quicker ways to do things but I haven't discovered them yet. The above is just what works for me at this moment in time.

All the best,
Noel

P.S. Thank you for asking this question!

P.P.S. I see floyd posted while I was typing! It's pleasing to read that his approach is similar to mine. I use ATH-M40X Audiotechnica headphones. Before that I used ATH-M30. I was advised that these headphones have a good, flat/even response to frequency that makes them useful for mixing. They do the job for me!

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2025