Mastering without monitor speakers?

Komet64 · Post by **Komet64** » 02/07/2005 - 12:55

Hey there!

Although I've been dabbling in music making for quite some time, only lately I've given serious attention to the process of mastering. I'm currently working on a track and I can't seem to get the mix to sound equally good on different stereos and speaker systems. It sounds just fine in my headphones, but all speaker setups I've tried sound very different (panning displacement, clarity issues etc).

I'm aware that with good monitors you have a good chance of avoiding this problem. Thing is, I don't have any, and no money. =( So, does anyone have any suggestion for me if I want to make the track sound alike on different systems without monitors? I prefer headphones when mixing but I'm flexible =)

/Komet

DHS · Post by **DHS** » 02/07/2005 - 17:05

I don't use monitor speakers, i cordially hate them *all*.

Nonetheless, my mixes should sound quite good, don't they?

dan gillgrass · Post by **dan gillgrass** » 02/07/2005 - 17:18

Altho I shouldnt really speak on this board

I would think panning displacement is something that can be solved within what ever software you are using

Chris Abbott · Post by **Chris Abbott** » 02/07/2005 - 17:27

dan gillgrass wrote:Altho I shouldnt really speak on this board I would think panning displacement is something that can be solved within what ever software you are using

Dunno about everyone else, but I find a course of antibiotics does the trick

Chris

Komet64 · Post by **Komet64** » 02/07/2005 - 18:30

DHS, do you mix and master using headphones only?

Today I tried to mix my track by going back and forth from my stereo speakers (not very good as monitors at all) to my headphones, and my koss the plug and even the crappy speakers that are plugged into my computer. I think I managed to come a lot closer to a mix that sounds good on different speakers now than ever before... but I still have a lot of work ahead of me.

I googled a little and apparantly most people think that mixing and mastering with headphones is a no-no.

DHS · Post by **DHS** » 03/07/2005 - 10:49

Komet64 wrote:DHS, do you mix and master using headphones only?

Nope, that's really a bad way to go.

I use a "normal" loudspeakers set, then i double check the mastering with other systems (car, other hifi, headphones).

Mastering only with headphones won't lead anywhere.

jgb · Post by **jgb** » 03/07/2005 - 19:48

Standard disclaimer: This is how it works for me with mastering/mixing

1. Headphones are basically worthless for mixing/mastering. I hear everything too well and cannot judge the levels of the individual sounds in a good way.
2. Whatever speakers I have available, I try to learn how they sound by listening to commercial music that sound something like the current track I am working on.
3. Sometimes I let other people listen to the mix/mastering to give me feedback on how it sounds.

All of the above assuming that you are familiar with the mixing/mastering process in itself.

Komet64 · Post by **Komet64** » 04/07/2005 - 2:42

jgb wrote:Standard disclaimer: This is how it works for me with mastering/mixing

1. Headphones are basically worthless for mixing/mastering. I hear everything too well and cannot judge the levels of the individual sounds in a good way.
2. Whatever speakers I have available, I try to learn how they sound by listening to commercial music that sound something like the current track I am working on.
3. Sometimes I let other people listen to the mix/mastering to give me feedback on how it sounds.

All of the above assuming that you are familiar with the mixing/mastering process in itself.

This sounds like a really good set of advice. One thing though; i think it can be a good thing to refer back to headphones sometime during mixing and mastering so the sound isn't completely out of whack in them...

At any rate, I think I need to set up a better pair of speakers instead of these plastic computer mini-speakers-with-woofer. I have a pair of Jamo Compact 70's which at least LOOKS like monitors, and I think they are my best choice right now as I can't afford to buy anything more proffessional.

I just need a little amplifier between the soundcard and the speakers... hmm.... Of course the followup question here is how should I set this up? Can I just use a car stereo 2 channel amplifier? Or would any amplifier do? I want the sound as clean and unmodified as possible, right? The speakers are 70 watt (rated power, 90 watt music power) and 4-8 ohm.

Post by **LMan** » 04/07/2005 - 6:59

In fact I do all prodcution on headphones, but double check on various systems afterwards.

Pex `Mahoney` Tufvesson · Post by **Pex `Mahoney` Tufvesson** » 04/07/2005 - 7:09

I'm a headphone man myself. But when I'm home alone, there's a pair of Genelec monitors to check with. And, yes DHS - I love them.

And when I think I'm finished, this mix goes into a 80'ies really bad JVC cheap plastic home cassette deck (AUX in). And also into my car stereo.

If all of these are fine, then I'm happy, and I can live with it! It takes a while to get to know what _not_ to do. The car stereo is the worst - it's so easy to ruin a track by the bassy sound that's supposed to be louder than the engine noise...

devilhood · Post by **devilhood** » 09/07/2005 - 14:27

I master on a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770's, the abundance of bass on these heady's make it easy to get a good balance for speaker systems.

Chris Abbott · Post by **Chris Abbott** » 09/07/2005 - 14:32

devilhood wrote:I master on a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770's, the abundance of bass on these heady's make it easy to get a good balance for speaker systems.

Hey, so do I (before it gets checked on as many systems as I can find)

Chris

devilhood · Post by **devilhood** » 09/07/2005 - 14:33

I'll need to be getting myself a new pair soon though, starting to rattle a bit after a couple of years

Chris Abbott · Post by **Chris Abbott** » 09/07/2005 - 16:19

I've had mine since 2000

Chris

nada · Post by **nada** » 18/07/2005 - 8:14

I master on a pair of car speakers...