synkrotron
Yeah, I have to admit that SPAN is one of the first plugins I insert now as I know I am going to be relying on SPAN more than my ears. I then rely on my chums here on the Songs forum to tell me how my mix is, for which I am eternally grateful 
 
Sorry I can't help with your questions though Amine... I really wish I could.

No worries synkrotron, you're always pretty darn helpful anyway.

bitflipper
Big +1 to that advice! Get in the habit of listening to your favorite commercial recordings through your own reference monitors. Over time, you ears will actually train themselves (there has been scientific research that shows this to be the case) and they'll set a subconscious expectation of what a good mix sounds like. Your brain will even compensate for weaknesses in the speakers and in your room, and it'll do this all on its own without any formalized training or effort.
 

I should have specified that my ears have been trying to adjust to mixing in cans over the summer. I might invest in some cheap monitors for referencing/mixing simply because it will help me recalibrate. Referencing does do wonders.

Amine the biggest problem you have got is the headphones. If you are really seriois about mixing and mastering phones are out. Even when you spend $500 to $1000 they still can have issues.  You are not in a great position to make any real assesments of things and mix well.  (Phones are good for microscopic editing of tracks, better than speakers even)
 
Your cans probably have poor uneven response from 2K to 10K and hence you are pushing everything to make things sound normal. Hence the brittle mixes.  If you are going to use headphones at least find some that sound as good as a decent speaker.  Still not ideal but closer.
 
I understand the very large genre difference between say Steely Dan and to something like the reference track you pointed to eg Amon Tobin. But here is the thing, that track (like Steely Dan) sounds great here at my end. It is very well balanced and not brittle at all. Slightly toppy but nothing to worry about even. I like it top end wise actually. 
 
With electronic music I find listening to late Tangerine Dream albums really helpful.  (Mala Kunia) They are beautifully produced and make a fine reference even for different genres of electronic music.  They know how to make synthesisers sound great.  (46 years of experience!)

In regards to reference material - although I agree it is important to reference music from your genre, it's also important to reference "great sounding" music from the genre, not just something that is popular. There are several albums/CD's I cherish (and were very popular) that sound like crap on a set of studio monitors. Those are not good for reference material. Find the material that is recorded the best in your genre (whether you like it or not) and reference that.
 
Like Jeff Evans... Steely Dan is a go to for me. It doesn't matter if you like the music, the style, the songs or can even put up with Fagan's voice - the tonal quality of those CD's are second to none! "Two Against Nature" and "Everything Must Go" are always ready for a reference in my studio.
 
That doesn't mean that I reference a country song, or a rock song to those CD's.... I just train my ear on what a great production sounds like with them.

Jeff Evans
Amine the biggest problem you have got is the headphones. If you are really seriois about mixing and mastering phones are out. Even when you spend $500 to $1000 they still can have issues.  You are not in a great position to make any real assesments of things and mix well.  (Phones are good for microscopic editing of tracks, better than speakers even)
 
Your cans probably have poor uneven response from 2K to 10K and hence you are pushing everything to make things sound normal. Hence the brittle mixes.  If you are going to use headphones at least find some that sound as good as a decent speaker.  Still not ideal but closer.

I do realize that, but unfortunately I traveled for the summer and my set-up is back home (so much for mobile studio). I am just trying to adapt as best as possible. I am bouncing my mixes and listening to them in the car, on different speakers and earphones and comparing them to the reference. Even though it's not ideal, it does help me out quite a bit, especially in trying to accommodate for the headphones. I am listening to the references throughout the mix. It's all getting me closer to adapting to this less than ideal situation.
 
I appreciate the feedback, it's definitely giving me some insight. I might eventually post the mix that I'm working on in the Songs forum and maybe that'll help give me a bit more perspective.

codamedia
Like Jeff Evans... Steely Dan is a go to for me. It doesn't matter if you like the music, the style, the songs or can even put up with Fagan's voice - the tonal quality of those CD's are second to none! "Two Against Nature" and "Everything Must Go" are always ready for a reference in my studio.
 
That doesn't mean that I reference a country song, or a rock song to those CD's.... I just train my ear on what a great production sounds like with them.

I spent some time listening to 'Gaucho' from a production perspective. 'Babylon Sisters' was on repeat and it drove me nuts. That Purdie-like shuffle definitely helped get me through those repeated listens. Everything is noted concerning referencing great music. I think that's what might get me through this summer away from my monitors.

Sometimes a reference can work when it has nothing to do with the genre you are working with. For instance I mix live gigis too and I might be mixing a heavy metal band. I still use Steely Dan as the reference for setting up the FOH sound. (because I know it so well and it really helps me get the FOH speakers sounding real nice in the room) Then after that the metal band sounds killer. Most PA's have the subs way too loud. Steely Dan puts all that back into perspective.
 
Some of the best metal live mixers I have read do this too eg one guy uses KD Lang as the set up reference but mixes heavy metal after.
 
The last two Steely Dan CD's sound better than all the rest so don't get caught using older albums. They are nice of course but the last two are all digital and have that beautiful snap that lacks in previous albums (On vinyl especially)
 
Having said that Tangerine Dream also sounds pretty nice for electronic music too.
 
Amon Tobin sounds good here as well. Well balanced and pretty nice.
 
Be careful with your car too. No matter how good you think your car stereo might be it is nowhere in the class of a nice set of speakers in a half decent room. Cars hype the response all over the place. It can be very bad. I use the car to check very low end during a mastering session though. If the bass rattles my teeth I know something is wrong down there. What the car does tell me is that really well mastered CD's sound tight down the bottom end, still nice lows but no teeth rattling!