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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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I have an AIWA pc set of speakers with a subwoofer that seems to match Jim's logitech solution. I've also had a look at some of the monitor speakers cited above.

However, most have a separate eq facility. My system as a separate control for the bass volume. So my question is how does one arrive at a representative sound for mixing if the monitors themselves have an eq setting?

What I'm currently doing is play a selection of commercially recorded sounds and get the sound i like. then presumably, my recordings should in eq terms just about be 'right' for matching commercially recorded songs.

i know i can get spectral analysis software but the low tech solution is to use my ears. advice from the forum would be greatly appreciated.

Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Bob,

I think the match your eq to reference songs by ear is by far the best approach. First you have a selection of reference songs, most people don't. Second you're training your brain to listen critically. Finally, as long as your satisfied, it works.

One suggestion though if I may.

Step 1 is to calibrate your maximum listening level to 80 db or slightly less. Load a sound level meter application into a smartphone or buy a sound level meter off the internet. Max out the volume level of your DAW, Band-in-a-Box, Windows audio playback miser. Minimize the volume level of your audio amplifier. Place the smartphone or sound meter close to your head. Play the loudest passage of the loudest reference song you have. Slowly raise the audio amplifier volume control until it is registering your maximum volume level or 80 db.


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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Originally Posted By: Bob Calver
I have an AIWA pc set of speakers with a subwoofer that seems to match Jim's logitech solution. I've also had a look at some of the monitor speakers cited above.

However, most have a separate eq facility. My system as a separate control for the bass volume. So my question is how does one arrive at a representative sound for mixing if the monitors themselves have an eq setting?

What I'm currently doing is play a selection of commercially recorded sounds and get the sound i like. then presumably, my recordings should in eq terms just about be 'right' for matching commercially recorded songs.

i know i can get spectral analysis software but the low tech solution is to use my ears. advice from the forum would be greatly appreciated.



Back in audio school we calibrated the studio monitors weekly. We played pink noise through each speaker and used a DB meter to match them up. We calibrated the pink noise to 79db for the monitors and 84db for the sub (as the DB meter will read less level from the sub depending on weighting). I often used a DB meter app on my phone for this.

This was using speakers that each had their own level control - for "computer speakers" you might need to have your DAW play the pink noise, pan from left to right to calibrate each with the sub turned off (or at least read an average SPL if you can't adjust left and right independently), then add a low pass filter after the pink noise with the cutoff at your sub's cutoff frequency to calibrate the sub independently.


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