[Soopahmahn]

Finally got my PreSonus rig working after I ditched the notion of routing any audio whatever through my PC - it's strictly a DAW system now.

I am currently monitoring from the FireStudio Mobile with Sennheiser HD590 open-ear headphones, which are extremely accurate but... there's the question. Should I get a set of cheapie active monitors to use for guitar tracking, and then do my mixing on headphones (and check results on hi-fi and car stereo)?

If so, what about something like this at $200/pair? Very compact/portable, and probably a better product than this.

 

[1]

Yes. :lol:

 

[Drew]

Actually, I think you've got it backwards. :lol: Use your headphones for tracking (to minimize bleed), and mix on monitors. :lol:

That said, what's the deal with the computer speakers you're using now? They won't really be pro quality monitors, but for the time being a 2x1/4" mono male to 1x1/8" stereo female jack from Radio shack would let you hook them up...

 

[GentleHands McCoy]

Actually, I think you've got it backwards. :lol: Use your headphones for tracking (to minimize bleed), and mix on monitors. :lol:

That said, what's the deal with the computer speakers you're using now? They won't really be pro quality monitors, but for the time being a 2x1/4" mono male to 1x1/8" stereo female jack from Radio shack would let you hook them up...

Unless if you have a studio where the control room is isolated from the "live" room :metal:

But I'm assuming thats not the case for most of us. The tracking headphones I was using were the Ex-29s, since my cab is miced in the same room I mix in (and the rivera needs to be fucking loud for good tones), but even those don't cut it. I'm probably gonna have to end up dropping some major $$$$ on the crazy aircraft runway worker iso phones.

 

[Drew]

You know, honestly, 'phones are useful for dialing in tones, but I'll always do a quick double-tracked test before I start tracking in earnest. My top concern while tracking with phones is making sure nothing's bleeding into the mic, and with a Rectifier I can pretty much track monitoring through my monitors and not hear a thing bleeding when I play back. :lol:

(I generally mic up anyway)

 

[Soopahmahn]

Drew, I did have it backward, but this is my point - if I'm doing my primary mixing on powered monitors, they have to have reasonable bass extension and accurate and flat response. A $200 set of JBLs doesn't seem like it would provide this.

I forgot about your suggestion with my Klipsches. I ran the Headphone out to my PC card and it was pissed - laggy and with a shitload of hiss and noise. But connecting the monitor outs to the speakers directly might rock. :metal:

 

[GentleHands McCoy]

Yeah, I didn't see the context of the thread when I replied to your post. I'm assuming most of us don't have an isolated control room :lol:

What phones are you using?

 

[Drew]

Drew, I did have it backward, but this is my point - if I'm doing my primary mixing on powered monitors, they have to have reasonable bass extension and accurate and flat response. A $200 set of JBLs doesn't seem like it would provide this.

Mixing on phones is such a nightmare, though, that you might actually be better on the $200 set of JBLs. :lol: That said, as a guy working on only slightly less cheap monitors, if recording is something you want to get into, if you have any other free interim solution, I'd roll with that and just start saving for something decent.

I mixed on a set of Kliptsch ProMedia 2.1s for years, and while I wasn't churning out awesome mixes, exactly, that probaby had more to do with recording straight into the soundcard than it did with my monitoring chain. :lol:

 

[Soopahmahn]

Sennheiser HD590 open-ear headphones

They are not isolation phones by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Soopahmahn]

I mixed on a set of Klipsch ProMedia 2.1s for years, and while I wasn't churning out awesome mixes, exactly, that probaby had more to do with recording straight into the soundcard than it did with my monitoring chain. :lol:

That's exactly what I'm talking about. :yesway: I'm trying not to get too ahead of myself with my gear, too, or I'll never get anything done.

Next step (which seems more important) is finding a good pencil condenser, thinking MXL 604 is a good start.

 

[GentleHands McCoy]

On the topic of monitors...

In general, recognizing the frequency response of your monitors is infinitely more important than which monitors you get. I've held off on getting pro monitors for a long time, because I'm super familiar with the frequency response of the speakers I use for everything else (which are actually huge JBL monitors from the 70s :lol. If you have speakers or headphones that are relatively hi fi, have a relatively flat response, and you've spent enough time with to no how the response effects what you are listening to you should be good to go IMO. If we are talking about shitty computer speakers with tiny drivers, yeah buy some cheap monitors.

Heres my setup BTW

 

[Soopahmahn]

That is fucking win, sir. :tmm:

I'd like to mix on these, but they're in a different room (the bookshelves, not the towers):

 

[GentleHands McCoy]

Haha, thanks. They are actually meant for a proper studio. Ideally they should have more seperation and a greater angle between them.

I actually got them from my grandpa (he dropped serious dough on these in the seventies), who is a huge classical music buff. They aren't similar in design to modern "monitors", but the frequency response is really accurate, which is all that is essential to a monitor. If the 590s are the headphones I think they are you should be good, as long as you are fine mixing on headphones.

 

[Soopahmahn]

If the 590s are the headphones I think they are you should be good, as long as you are fine mixing on headphones.

Those speakers are VERY cool.

The 590s are the previous iteration of these: Amazon.com: Sennheiser HD595 Dynamic High Grade Performance Premiere Headphones: Electronics

 

[Drew]

In general, recognizing the frequency response of your monitors is infinitely more important than which monitors you get.

PROVIDED that they're capable of producing a full-range reproduction of your mix, yes.

It's when you have speakers that can't do much below, say, 100hz, or are very uneven in the low end response that you start to run into problems with consistency from system to system in playback. As long as you can get the full picture from the speakers, though, you can mix on them.

 

[GentleHands McCoy]

PROVIDED that they're capable of producing a full-range reproduction of your mix, yes.

It's when you have speakers that can't do much below, say, 100hz, or are very uneven in the low end response that you start to run into problems with consistency from system to system in playback. As long as you can get the full picture from the speakers, though, you can mix on them.

Yep, agreed.

@soop If you want to do mixing on headphones those are good. Anything sennheiser is decent - great, alot of audio schools even use 202s for labs. Off the top of my head grado. AKG, and beyerdynamic make cool headphones for mixing as well. Some people like some of the higher end sonys too, but I don't have personal experience with them.

If you want monitor reccomendations, I'm sure others here no more than me.

Also, if you are working with a loud amp and a 4x12 consider Shooting Range muffs + in ears for tracking. My amp is about ten feet behind the desk in that picture, so even EX-29s (~29 db isolation) didn't give me enough isolation/attenuation. Gun muffs (~29) + in ears (even consumer in ear headphones can attenuate upwards of 10) is way better IMO for playing to a click or scratch tracks.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

Actually, I think you've got it backwards. :lol: Use your headphones for tracking (to minimize bleed), and mix on monitors. :lol:

I agree.

Personally, Ryan, I like to mix on both. I have real good headphones, decent monitors, and a subwoofer I can blend in and out. I get the best of both worlds this way.

Decent monitors are really necessary for that near-field, 3D sound experience so helpful in mixing (and mastering). I'd say DO.

 

[1]

You know, honestly, 'phones are useful for dialing in tones, but I'll always do a quick double-tracked test before I start tracking in earnest. My top concern while tracking with phones is making sure nothing's bleeding into the mic, and with a Rectifier I can pretty much track monitoring through my monitors and not hear a thing bleeding when I play back. :lol:

(I generally mic up anyway)

He has an AFX. Who the fuck wants to record with headphones every time? :lol: Monitors are great for getting a basic idea of what your tone is and recording without having to wear headphones. :yesway:

You're right about the mixing, though (imo) if you mix 100% on headphones, your mixes will sound like shit everywhere BUT headphones.

 

[Drew]

Oh, right, I forgot he was one of YOU people. :lol:

In that case, right on - it's way more fun rocking out if you don't have a set of phones on.

 

[zepp]

Holy shit, if those JBLs are as good as that article makes them sound, then I fucking want them. Now.