Kid listening to mix on cell phone speaker...!

[logic108]

I was just thinking about maybe it would be nice to get a summing mixer and go OTB - Apogee AD/DA and symphony etc - maybe into a Mixdream because I like SPL stuff. Then I was waiting at the train station and these kids were listening to music from their cell phone. I was WTF is that all about - but obviously it's what they are into. I know we should care about sound quality but if the people who are listening to it are using really really bad equipment then....I'm mostly making and producing Dubstep and DnB tunes at the moment and I really can't see that spending money on outboard gear is really going to get me any where. I don't think it would make my tunes sound better in a club either because clubs are not acoustically perfect places - just need to feel the bass - not analyze it.
But anyway the point I was thinking is that getting a 'high-end' separation in my mixes would make me pretty happy but I'd be the only one who really cared I think.
So thanks kids listening to expensive tacks made in million dollar studios with cellphone speakers - I know absolutely that a good mix will sound good on anything be it a speaker phone or computer monitors. But My feeling is that we should mix and master so that it sounds good on an iPod. Now please tell me this - if we are producing music for the ipod then can you really really say (especially in electronic music) with 100% accuracy that a mix done well OTB will sound even 10% better than a mix done well ITB?
Conclusion - learn to mix as best as you can - mix for low-end from a middle-end system. Improve mixing and producing skills before opening wallet. But most of all a Pro-tool ssystem or Logic system with Apogee converters and a good monitoring solution is 'middle-end' and I think that it's all that's needed for where my tracks are headed for the particular genre of music I'm involved in.

[duvalle]

Originally Posted by logic108

Then I was waiting at the train station and these kids were listening to music from their cell phone. I was WTF is that all about - but obviously it's what they are into.

lol - i saw that many times too ... crazy!
but that's the way it is right now.

dfegad

beside that i do see kids running around with REALLY big headphones too.
so there seems to be another trend as well ...

[logic108]

Yeah I've seen the big headphones - low impedance for brutal bass I think. Anyway I was looking over at Vintageaudio at the summing mixer examples. Downloaded the .mp3's including the original bounce. First impressions was that I liked the chandler the best on electronic music - but then I loaded the samples up into iTunes and went randomly through them and couldn't really tell the difference after a while. So I gave it a rest then went back to them and couldn't say that I preferred one over another. In fact i was listening to the chandler on and thinking that I could get that tone ITB with a UAD precison EQ. Probably couldn't hit it exactly but anyway we're talking a very small difference to the sound if mixed properly.
I could understand the OTB preference for rock music, jazz, blues etc - but for this particular music maker then I just can't justify it. Anyway I should be a gearslut right?

[Hypagen]

Originally Posted by logic108

Then I was waiting at the train station and these kids were listening to music from their cell phone. I was WTF is that all about - but obviously it's what they are into.

I see this every day, kids walking around with phone speakers at full volume!

[Reptil]

we used to have these:

I had one with a double tapedeck and 2x 30 watt amp and speakers.
It took 8 of those huge batteries to power it. and it was LOUD
You see evolution doesn't always take the right track.

edit: how odd. the link just disappeared. mmm let's try again..
edit edit: is someone deleting those picture links?

[Hypagen]

Originally Posted by Reptil

we used to have these:

I had one with a double tapedeck and 2x 30 watt amp and speakers.
It took 8 of those huge batteries to power it. and it was LOUD
You see evolution doesn't always take the right track.

You image isn't showing for me, but by your description I know exactly what you're describing!

I had a similar conversation recently about this subject, and got onto 'Ghettoblasters' my mate had a massive one which had a big seat belt type strap for carrying it! I don't think a speaker on a phone is going to come close to that sound, although the phone wins on portability.

[Reptil]

LOL I found a better picture.. more here: Pocket Calculator's Vintage Boombox and Ghetto Blaster Museum

portabillity? who needs portabillity?

[Hypagen]

I've got a Panasonic one in my kitchen!

[digital 1010]

nothing winds me up more than kids playing music loudly via their mobiles. They all do it where i live and try and look cool at the same time.

It grates through me. The worst is when they all meet up on their 50cc's by the shops then listen to music on mobiles and then go off up the road like rrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaawwwwwww there has to be some nasty f'''''n freq in a 50cc bike as it goes right through my ears and hurts

I hate kids now im not one anymore. and if 1 of mine does the mobile music trick ill ground them for 5 years!!

[jsrockit]

I could care less how someone listens to music...do what makes you happy. That doesn't mean we have to cater to them though... just make your music the best you can and people will enjoy it in the way they want (which could be by putting a subwoofer up their bum for all I care).

[Mantik]

by the way the album-covers of today need to be designed to get an recognizing effect on micro-sized jpgs for websites, handy etc. forget about 10x10 cm or even bigger covers - not to mention vinyl. and yes - vinyl was often called dead, but i realy thing this next generation will murder it finally.

[DGTom]

Bear in mind that all these kids have 2.1+ systems at home (with the sub set @ maximum volume) & older brothers with cars which are basically just subs on wheels. The phone/ipod headphones aren't the only way they are listening to music.

I know I'm in the minority but I much prefer seeing kids hanging out playing the mp3s thru their phones, talking to one another & having a laugh, even on the bus! Much better than all the ipod zombies cut off from each other staring blankly into space! When I was a kid I couldn't afford no 'boombox' I had a walkman (that took 4 AAs!!!) & these shitty lil speakers maybe about 100mm top to bottom! Horrible! But we loved music & music isn't always about pure hi-fi sound, its a communal act, playing tunes, muckin about & having a laugh!

It used to be NS-10s to check your mixes would work on any car system, now we need to check out mixes on ipod earphones, same thing. But, we also need to ensure the mixes translate well to 'mega-bass' multimedia sysytems, club systems & pure hi-fi systems. Remember these kids who love music will grow up & good quality sound is far more wide spread & affordable these days.

I agree with jsrockit. Make your mixes sound great so that the music will survive being 'inserted' where-ever people end up 'inserting' it

[The Architecture]

All of this gave me an idea.

Why dont they make a boombox, that uses an Ipod? Im sure they would sell like hotcakes. I know I would buy one, but I have a Creative Zen Vision M(they have better audio quality).

Im not talking those lame home standalone units, im talking about an actual fullsize boombox, that plays them.

Heck, if someone makes one 80's style, id buy it like now!

[timbreman]

That cellphone story reminded me of something funny. I have a friend that has a lot of trax on his cellphone...then he runs the audio out from his cellphone into a kaoss pad and calls himself a DJ/Musician. My god people are so lazy and half ass these days. Just makes me laugh...but the sad reality is that it is the reality we live in today. I mean half the so called Dj's out there arent even remotely close to musician material. How hard is it to download a track from Beatport and play it thru speakers and act like you are the one performing?? WTF is wrong with ppl???

[DGTom]

Originally Posted by The Architecture

All of this gave me an idea.

Why dont they make a boombox, that uses an Ipod? Im sure they would sell like hotcakes. I know I would buy one, but I have a Creative Zen Vision M(they have better audio quality).

Im not talking those lame home standalone units, im talking about an actual fullsize boombox, that plays them.

Heck, if someone makes one 80's style, id buy it like now!

I had this same idea the other day chatting to some friends! Would be awesome if the 'dock' was the 'cassette bay' so you couldn't see the ipod! (in reality that would more than likely overheat & catch on fire... but I can dream)

You're right they would sell BIGTIME!

[nofi]

@ OP and thread title:

you know, you'll also probably find they're not even listening to a mix.

if you went and asked them what they're listening to, they'll be listening to music, or maybe even a song.

sometimes being a music producer and getting so far into the technicalities, it's easy to forget that. I have a few times....

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by The Architecture

All of this gave me an idea.

Why dont they make a boombox, that uses an Ipod? Im sure they would sell like hotcakes. I know I would buy one, but I have a Creative Zen Vision M(they have better audio quality).

Im not talking those lame home standalone units, im talking about an actual fullsize boombox, that plays them.

Heck, if someone makes one 80's style, id buy it like now!

yeh, to top it off.. add a modern rechargable battery pack and some solar cells. add a universal ipod/iphone/zen bay, with adapters (charger) for the different brands and types.. and make it a really GOOD sounding boombox
GREAT IDEA whoohee

[hatzalam]

Call me a hipster, but I couldn't help but point out that this product has been available for a while now through Urban Outfitters....

UrbanOutfitters.com > iPod Boombox

[ARIEL]

HAving Hi Fidelity only matters to the client to whom you are producing - The artist wants it to sound amazing - so that is who we are trying to please - and myself too !! You also have to remeber all the fellows that have crazy car audio systems that will reveal if you have a crappy mix .

[logic108]

Yeah I can see that but my own view is that the hi-fidelity needed is in the monitoring phase. Good converters and monitors and so on - just because I've noticed myself that this is really important. As far as mixing OTB for my genre of music - I just don't really think it would improve things. Anyway with dubstep there is definitely an analogue vibe that is coming in - but mostly it is to do with layering of bass and kick parts and using filters as effects. We'll see.

[Phaidon]

Originally Posted by digital 1010

The worst is when they all meet up on their 50cc's by the shops then listen to music on mobiles and then go off up the road like rrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaawwwwwww there has to be some nasty f'''''n freq in a 50cc bike as it goes right through my ears and hurts

Yeah, darn 2-stroke engines! Thank god E.U. legislation is stopping them.

[digital 1010]

Originally Posted by Phaidon

Yeah, darn 2-stroke engines! Thank god E.U. legislation is stopping them.

Love it!! First legislation i might actually agree with or am i getting old

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by xaipemw

Call me a hipster, but I couldn't help but point out that this product has been available for a while now through Urban Outfitters....

UrbanOutfitters.com > iPod Boombox

I might get an ipod specifically for that!

I used to drive 4 stroke bikes (with 70cc heads, special camshaft and valve springs, mini supermotard exhaust pipes etc.. ) gave it up after being arrested for doing constant wheelies (was difficult to keep the thing on the road power/weight ratio was awesome) went over to motorcycles and never looked back. (better brakes too)
something like this (not mine just to get the general idea)

Recently the hiphop guys here are into motorcycles as well. Sadly during the recording of a videoclip, in august one of them crashed his bike in a full frontal, and died. These are dangerous toys. He learned the hard way.
I see myself in these guys, and don't mind a bikes or loud music, or partying. I do mind agressive behaviour. That's another issue though.

[digital 1010]

Originally Posted by Reptil

I might get an ipod specifically for that!

I used to drive 4 stroke bikes (with 70cc heads, special camshaft and valve springs, mini supermotard exhaust pipes etc.. ) gave it up after being arrested for doing constant wheelies (was difficult to keep the thing on the road power/weight ratio was awesome) went over to motorcycles and never looked back. (better brakes too)
something like this (not mine just to get the general idea)

Recently the hiphop guys here are into motorcycles as well. Sadly during the recording of a videoclip, in august one of them crashed his bike in a full frontal, and died. These are dangerous toys. He learned the hard way.
I see myself in these guys, and don't mind a bikes or loud music, or partying. I do mind agressive behaviour. That's another issue though.

The sound of a proper bike or car is a wicked sound. a 50 cc with loud exhaust is not a nice sound at all and is nothing than a 25mph loud irritating thing.

[FlatBeat]

i recently made a song and my mate said it sounded great on phones

[synthoid]

I was working on a mix once (in a studio), and my girlfriend, who's a singer, called me from overseas. We were both on cell phones. She listens to the mix in the background and says something like, "the bass part needs to come up by a few dB and that arpeggiating synthesizer thing needs to come down a few dB." I was like, right, you're gonna correct my mix over this shitty international cell phone connection.

But she was right. I just couldn't get over it. I hated making those corrections to the mix because it meant admitting that she could hear the mix well enough to make those corrections.

-synthoid

[firby]

I think that you are thinking about it the wrong way entirely. You should understand that people are listening to music with whatever technology they can get their hands on.

To me that is a beautiful thing that music conquers all technology. Yeah yeah, punks will always be punks and we were never like that....

[sleepwalker]

I made one. Took a 15lb old akai(or was it aiwa?) unit, and hollowed out a section in the tape deck for my iphone. There's RCA ins, so I just wired a cable directly to those. It's awesome.

Originally Posted by The Architecture

All of this gave me an idea.

Why dont they make a boombox, that uses an Ipod? Im sure they would sell like hotcakes. I know I would buy one, but I have a Creative Zen Vision M(they have better audio quality).

Im not talking those lame home standalone units, im talking about an actual fullsize boombox, that plays them.

Heck, if someone makes one 80's style, id buy it like now!

[FeatheredSerpent]

I just want to kick them all in the head to be honest.

[jude]

Originally Posted by logic108

Yeah I've seen the big headphones - low impedance for brutal bass I think.

not to mention it give you a look of "piss of, im listening to music and do not want whatever it is you are trying to hand me" when walking thru malls