John

brconflict


Probably a better thread for the Hardware section, but here's my 2 cents. I have two sets of monitors (used to have three): Mackie HR824, Yamaha NS-10 STUDIOs, and Alesis (something model). I've gone the route of using them to A/B/C audio mixdowns, and I've come to the conclusion that it's better to really get to know one set than it is to check multiple sets during mixing.

Even though one might attempt to be as objective as possible, and adjust critically to each monitor, it actually will confuse your brain. Sure, you'll hear different things from each one, but there's no point in trying to get a mix to sound terrific on both sets. If you learn the one pair really well, and begin getting some consistency with translating a mix to your car, a set of earbuds, and a big stereo system, you're going to find you get even more consistent with the one pair. 

I sold my Alesis monitors years ago, and have the Yamahas in storage. I only use the Mackies. I'll do a full mixdown on those, and then I'll crank up my modified Polk 2.3TLs powered by a PASS X-350 to check in a leisure listening situation. If those check out ok, I'll burn a disc and go audition in my car and van. The car gives me the best verification regarding the kick drum, and the van will tell me if the kick is too punchy. 

The bottom line is, I wouldn't buy another set just to compare with. Sure, you'll hear different things, but this won't always help you translate your mix to the world better. I would take that $400 and invest it into the room acoustics. Hunt down a local, but long-standing mixing engineer to your studio and have him/her give you some advice in your room. That alone is worth more money than you have budgeted, and all you'd need to do is offer a snack and maybe a drink. Pay for an hour or two of their time, if they need it.

With that said, many studios do have multiple sets, but the main reason is some engineers prefer one type/brand/model over another to mix with. Some even bring their own to work with. If you're going to shop for a set, I would save more money and look at upgrading to a set of ADAM's for example. There's some really good ones out there, but I wouldn't go buy another budget set. You won't gain much there.

Anyway, that's my take. Best of luck!!

Excellent advice!

I have to agree here too.  Stick with one decent set of monitors and learn how to "listen" to them.  Use your $400 for a decent mic or something else you've been needing in your studio.

Someone else once posted (I wish I could recall the user for giving him credit for this), that one thing that's useful while mixing, or even Mastering is to get up out of your chair and walk around the room, even out into the hallway while the song is playing.

I agree with that. Sometimes, just changing your position might reveal something nasty that needs repair, or something beautiful you should capitalize on by embellishing it in the mix. I've discovered many things wrong or right about a mix, when looking for that "vibe" that gets me moving. If a song causes me to play air-drums, it's doing something right! 

OP - You'll probably notice a trend in this thread. Essentially there are two opinions:

1. Stick with and learn your existing monitor really well.
2. If you're going to add monitors add some grot boxes (am I the only one that still uses that term?) like Auratones/Avantones.

I'd like to point out that these suggestions aren't mutually exclusive. It's a good idea to learn your current monitors before getting something else that does more-or-less the same thing. It's also a good idea to check mixes on Auratones...people have been doing it for years and years (and I love mine). 

Good luck
Dean

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I think my main issue is this. I use ARC2, room correction and my mixes are actually translating reasonably well. However when I am mixing, I am having trouble hearing the definition of the bass and the guitar tones while mixed.  I have actually been using my ear buds ($20) to check before I render. The quality sucks, but it does tell me if my levels are ok and if the "blend" is close. Doesn't help me with clarity. I get great def when soloing a track, but as you know, i need to be able to adjust tone will mixing all channel to find the right spot. As many opinions as there are options.

here are my songs I have been working on if interested. I know this isn't the song forum, but may give you an idea what I am struggling with. specifically "Under Rated". http://soundcloud.com/blakkmire
 
I have really been working on the one song and I feel like I just can't hear the guitar/bass well enough, so that is why I am thinking of another set of monitor or headphones.  Make sense.  So now I am more unsure about what to do...LOL!

Although listening in ear buds is a good sanity check, that can be scary.  Every pair I have sounds different, and moving any of them a fraction of an inch in my ear completely changes the sound.  Confusing to say the least.

Still, 95% of the world listens in ear buds so they have to be part of the process.

I would really prefer not to use them, just do cuz its easy for now.

I use headphones often as a second reference. I wouldn't want it as my only reference, of course, but if it sounds good in the cans AND on the main speakers then that gives me a high level of confidence. 

Plus headphones often highlight problems that aren't obvious on speakers. For one thing, I can listen to my mixes somewhere else where I won't be distracted by the track visuals scrolling across the screen. That alone makes headphones a worthwhile second reference.

Beware of the notion that adding some crappy speakers will do wonders for your mixes. They won't represent crappy speakers in general - other crappy speakers will be crappy in very different ways. Most significantly, you're still hearing them in your room, with your room's distinctive imprint on them just as with your main speakers. Hi-fi speakers in the living room would be a better second-reference. 

I routinely check my mixes in my vehicles. One is a Chevy Astro van, which has the stock system. The other is an Acura TL, with a system co-designed by Elliott Schiener, the engineer for a LOT of major recordings, such as Steely Dan's stuff. I'm used to listening to CD's in those two vehicles, and I wish I could actually sit with a mix and mix directly in the Acura. It's an incredibly good system. 

I don't have a way to simply plug a PC into the car, so I have to burn lots of CD-Rs to play. This is part of my process, incidentally, but it works for me. I use the van for veto on the punchiness and low-end. Since it has its own protection from hard transients and overloading bass, I know when my mix is too puncy or bassy.

There's lots of successful ways to get the translation you want, but I have many times been victim of having too many speakers to listen to. I know now, that's not a good thing when mixing. Only for playback referencing. 

I purchased some beyerdynamic 770 DT770 PRO headphones today. As an expeirment, I mixed a song I was having trouble with (using only the headphones), and then listened on my krk's to hear the differrence and there was a huge differrence in the mix. So not sure which one is more accurate.  I am taking a break for the night.  Tomorrow going to print it and listen in the car, and other systems and compare mixes to see which one is more accurate.  Will let you know.

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments!

Best of luck to you! If it helps, believe me, the ONLY way to get good at it is experience and listening to other people's work. Research, research, research. Then trial and error some mixes. Experiment. Even after you've finished a mix, if you're not on a deadline, play with the mix for fun. EQ some 250Hz under your snare drum and just see/feel what it does for you. Push an electric guitar through the S-Type console emulation with lots of drive. See how it works with the Tube Drive way up. Just see what happens. On a vocal, if you can get your hands on the Waves CLA-76 Blue or Black-face 76-Type compressor, hit the ALL button and see how this affects your lead guitar or lead vocal. 

Just have fun with it. For fun, I'll tweak the "bump" of a kick drum last. There's a certain way I want to "feel" it in my masters, and I want it to be punchy, but not so much it draws attention to itself. Get good at that.  

When you've made lots of changes and lots of tweaks, win or lose, your ears will better get to know your monitors. You'll begin to expect how others will sound. When you get there, you're well on your way of translation success in the real world. That's my experience all the way!