Muddy Mix? This has been really Helpful.

Hello,
Being a poor struggling musician,  I don't have a set of Reference Speakers, so I have a new little system going that is really helping my mixes. I have obtained a 3 way mechanical A/V switch which normally sends things like. DVD Player, Game Console, Pay TV Box, to your TV screen. 
 
Well what I've done is connected my Soundcard output to the common point, as an input to the switch (which is normally an output to the TV screen), and then connected the 3 A/V input points, (see image below), as outputs to...

1. My HiFi.
2. My Logitech 2.1 speaker system.
3. My little portable Logitech s715 portable speakers.

(Note 1: item #3 is used via the Aux cable input).

(Note 2: Obviously, the Yellow Video Connector is not utilized).

So now when I'm mixing and evaluating, I hit the switches to quickly hear how it sounds across multiple devices. This is one of the frustrating things about mixing is when you take your wonderful mix to your car or other device and it sounds crap. One good thing about the little Bluetooth speaker is that it really makes the muddy mix obvious, and also highlights if I'm using too much reverb. As I back off the bass when listening through the Bluetooth speaker, I jump back to the other 2 to ensure I still a nice bass content going on.

All of my 3 devices are capable of playing back a commercial mix perfectly clear and tonally well balanced, so I know it is quite reasonable to use this method to help me arrive with a good mix.

Also a significant leap for me was the use of a free dynamic EQ plugin called NOVA, by Tokyo Dawn. It has a basic audio spectrum display, HP & LP controls, and 4 shaped node points of which the dynamic EQ mode can be optionally activated.

It was only recently that I came across a tutorial on what causes the muddy mix, and the NOVA plugin has been awesome in getting over this hurdle. Now my mixes are really nice too listen too as they sound clean and with great separation.

Remember, that these switches are usually labeled with Input & Output, but when you are using them in this manner, your In's & Out's will be back-to-front.

I hope this idea can help you.
 

 

That's all "translation" really is: averaging. Shooting for the statistical center.
 
The advantage of high-end speakers in a treated room is that you're starting out closer to that neutral center, with minimal effort. If you look at it that way, expensive speakers are a crutch for the lazy!