Originally Posted By: rockstar_not
" While I want to improve my mixing setup I am NOT planning to do ANY room treatments or special mounting of the monitors. I currently mostly use headphones and reference recordings. I view adding monitors as a slight improvement over that setup. I know you are supposed to position monitors a certain way and add treatments to the walls and all of that...but I am NOT going to do any of that! smile"

Well, I understand the sentiment, but please consider trying as much of the above as possible. Otherwise just continue mixing on your headphones - you will get more accurate frequency balance if your headphones are relatively flat response. Save yourself the money of spending anything on monitors if you outright refuse to do any of the above.

Your statement "I currently mostly use headphones and reference recordings. I view adding monitors as a slight improvement over that setup." is only true if you take the effort to remove room modes on the low end of things, and comb filtering on the high end, then your view will very likely end up wrong and headphones are very possibly a better option.

-Scott

Thanks, but as I said, I will NOT be doing any room treatments! smile I have been very satisfied with headphone mixing using known references of music/artists/productions I enjoy. After I "finish" a mix I then test it on several systems including my car and home stereo and sometimes I'll stop in the Best Buy to demo it on their systems! I also send it to a few trusted music friends who tend to be VERY critical...er...honest with me!

Adding monitors will provide me with another reference point and hopefully help me improve my mixes further. This is a hobby for me and the room I use will always need to be very multi-purpose and shared with other family members. If I hit the lottery maybe I'll build a sound booth!