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When is enough?

1K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  296 
#1 ·
I am getting to the point where I am pretty content with my guitar tone. Its not perfect but I am not a professional at all. When I listen to my mix on various speakers, its good enough for me. As soon as I put on shitty little skull candy headphones, the guitars harsh highs come out. I put on some of my favorite mixes while wearing the same shitty ear buds and it is not there. Do any of you guys actually mix your songs to sound good on really cheap headphones? The trade off for me, is removing some of those highs, gives a slightly duller guitar tone on the other speakers. My favorite mixes (of course Andy Sneap stuff) the guitars are slightly duller on all speakers except cheap headphones.

Am I becoming Rocka and just need to walk away?!?!? :rofl:
 
#2 ·
I reference on standard iphone headphones all the time. I ran into that same situation as you a few months back while mowing my lawn and it took me by surprise. My truck is my main reference point, outside of the studio, I get everything sounding killer in there and then earbuds will trash it.

I've found an EQ on my master bus works better than going after just the guitars. a high pass filter tames everything down and in context, nothing sounds dull after.

I'm at a point now with gear that the next big thing will be some better monitors. I'm very comfortable with the HS-5's in this small room, but I'd like at least 3 different pairs of monitors to switch between. As far as guitar gear goes, after getting the AxeFX, I don't really feel the need to buy much more aside from guitars themselves because I love guitars.
 
#3 ·
Yeah, I check on a range of systems too. If it sounds fine on your monitors but harsh on your headphones, and other mixes sound fine on both, then it doesn't actually sound fine on the monitors, they're hiding something harsh. Paradoxically, you might want to pop your earbuds into your interface and try to find the problem frequencies with them, because they;re being hidden by your monitors so you're not likely to actually be able to hear the cut you need to make.
 
#7 ·
Yeah, thats a good point. For some stupid reason I was thinking its because the earbuds are missing other frequencies that is causing the harsh highs. But that logic makes no sense at all. The lack of certain frequencies in the earbuds, exposes the harsh highs, that is not as exposed on other speakers I am using.

Also don't listen to it so loud like you're rocking out. If you can get the tone you want when the volume is lower and not damaging, then it'll be really rewarding later when you wanna put the volume on max and rock out to it.
I tried doing this is the past and my big issue was not hearing certain frequencies at the lower volume. Turns out its the Fletcher Munson Curve. I try to mix at a medium volume with lowering and/or increasing the volume to hear how it changes.
 
#4 ·
Me three. I listen to it on my monitors, then quality headphones, then earbuds, then a portable JBL speaker, and in the car. Then, I drive myself crazy trying to fix whatever I didn't like.
 
#6 ·
I know this issue all too well. Think about what you listen to music on the most. If it's iphone headphones or your car then judge it there. Also keep in mind the "tone" you're going for also might really be layered with multiple guitars and different amps. I don't think it's uncommon to do something like 5150/6505 layered with a Triple rectifier. Also don't listen to it so loud like you're rocking out. If you can get the tone you want when the volume is lower and not damaging, then it'll be really rewarding later when you wanna put the volume on max and rock out to it.
 
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