NS-10 Mixing Tricks

[Mr. Man]

I tried searching for NS-10 mixing tricks in the search section, but either I'm entering all the wrong keywords or the threads have been deleted.

I started work at a studio that uses NS-10s as the primary monitors and I've never "mixed" through them.

I know there are lots of mixing tricks to getting the low and high frequencies just right. Does anyone know where the NS-10 threads have gone or have any tricks to share?

[drmmrboy]

"Primary monitors"..?? What other monitors do they have there?
Anything worth using as a ref that bottom?

[babydaddymusic]

I am an engineer newbie but a long-time recording artist and have trained with pros who use them. Chris Lord-Alge mixed four of my songs on my album and I think he is a pretty good representation of what NS-10 guys do.
They listen at low volumes. I mean low, like you can hear the fan of the computer low.
Expect everything to sound thwappy and unimpressive.
You will have to milk a lot to get good bass sounds, but I feel that is a good thing because the bass needs to translate on little speakers and ipod headphones.
Take breaks frequently to let your ears rest.
You will need to replace the usual comfort zone of mixing while having a "this is pleasing to the ear" feeling with a "I am getting the competing instruments to sit in a good place and these monitors are giving me a shortcut to that."
You will not impress musicians with these.
You will feel cold an alone the first time you tackle electric guitar sounds through this gooo

[Mr. Man]

Volume levels are not too much of a problem for me. I mix at conversation-level volume. And occasionally take the volume really low so I can hear what instruments are poking out of the mix too much.

The other monitors they have are some big Dynaudio mid-fields but they are the exact opposite of the NS-10s. A very smiley-face EQ sound – no midrange at all. Too much room acoustics interaction. And they are going to be sold soon, so I won't be able to rely on them for long. So I might as well as use the Yamaha's and get used to them, but I've only ever checked my mixes on NS-10s, never mixed through them. Any ideas?

[okydoky]

hi,

here's a trick. while the others are gone, throw the ns-10s out the window. when they come back, say that a giant came and stole them. it is possible that no more ns-10s will be available, and they will be replaced with good monitors.

or just add a subwoofer.

right.

[Mr. Man]

bump

[NiKaMusic]

Hi! Don't listen to those other guys who think NS-10 are shit. They are the most used monitors in every studio in the world. So why would that be if they sound shit?

I have two pairs myself (1 in my controlroom and 1 upstairs in my livingroom). They're fine! Listening at lowlevels will realy help. You can hear if anything sticks out. It might help to have a secondairy pair of monitors for the low-end. (I use some big oldschool JBL's myself)

Great monitors! Will never trade them!

gr,

NiKa

[TanTan]

the real trick is to use 2-3 pairs of REALLY different sounding monitors and know them good enough to know what to listen to in each pair, no one pair of speakers will cover it all.. i work with Genelec 1031, NS-10's and Auratone which is a very good combination for me. i use the NS-10's for general balance, finding out nasty mid frequencies, adjusting effect levels when in mono, and hearing the note of the bass in the mix while the Genelecs are giving me a better low end reference of the bass..so the trick is to get to know your monitors, knowing when to switch between them and approach them as a monitoring system. another crucial things about NS-10's are the amps and cables.

[James Meeker]

There's no trick to NS-10's really. Just get used to how they sound, and how commercial mixes sound through them.

[Musiclab]

while they are far from my favorite speaker tons of records have been made on them.
Try to find cd's that are in the same sonic ballpark and do plenty of a/b'ing. Which is what you should do anytime your in a new room or new monitoring environment

[FLUKE]

Originally Posted by oky****

hi,

here's a trick. while the others are gone, throw the ns-10s out the window. when they come back, say that a giant came and stole them. it is possible that no more ns-10s will be available, and they will be replaced with good monitors.

or just add a subwoofer.

right.

Okay, so all the hitmixers are wrong then! thumbsup
You may not like them but I think they never lie.
The amps are indeed a critical point. I find the Quad 405's the best.
Hope that helps.

Peace,

F.

[Bob Amirian]

Originally Posted by oky****

hi,

here's a trick. while the others are gone, throw the ns-10s out the window. when they come back, say that a giant came and stole them. it is possible that no more ns-10s will be available, and they will be replaced with good monitors.

or just add a subwoofer.

right.

Yeah, right.
No offense, but your post is worth a bucket of hamster vomit.
NS-10 are a standard monitors around the world for a certain reason: they don't bullshit.
I have a large PMC set and always track and mix on NS-10.
Clients always use them too.
You can't go wrong with them.
Just use other speakers after the mix: in your car, at home, your friend's studio or your computer set - you'll see why NS-10 are that valuable and their performance so reliable
All the best

[jchadstopherhuez]

my only trick is that i have listened to, tracked, and mixed thousands of things on my ns10s. i just know what things NEED to sound like on them.

i am mostly on my proac100's these days..but still have the ns10s up...i generally mix very low on the ns10s. REALLY, REALLY quiet.

i am one of those crazy people who actually like what ns10s and a nice amp can sound like.

i have a pair running on an old dynaco 70 tube amp, fed by an accurus preamp and dual turntable. love it.

cheers,

jchristopherhughes

[memphisindie]

I've had mine for 20 years, all mixes translate, Crown amp, new digital switching kind, works perfect.

[KungFuLio]

Like a lot of folks here, I've worked on 'em for over 20 years. I know WTF they're supposed to sound like. I also work on focal solo6. I mix pretty quiet and I turn up very loud on occasion.

At some point the mantle of most used monitor will be passed on to something else. It went from Auratones to NS-10s very quickly. I suspect something will come along soon as the issue of getting woofers for the NS-10s becomes more of a problem. 'til then I'm perfectly happy (usually) ixing away on the combo of speakers I have.

Just get to know some system and then make cases for them and make sure you take your monitors everywhere you work. It's really the best solution.

[six_wax]

Between

"say a giant stole them"

and

"your post is worth a bucket of hamster vomit"

this thread should surely make tonight's highlight reel...

[jhaset]

Listen to all your favorite albums through them. Train your ears to their sound. As with any speaker, a great amp makes a big difference in dynamic clarity and imaging. Referencing other albums through NS-10's will account for the highest probability of hearing those mixes on the speaker they were originally mixed on. I have them on my home tv, in my home studio, and the studio I work in. Having a second/alt. speaker pair to reference is important too.
I know people who hate them, but I also know more people who mix and record using them most of the time. Both categories make records you have personally or have heard. I think the bottom line is work with what makes sense to you. If you don't like them. Bring in your own pair that you do like. Best regards.

[dangoudie]

It has been said that the transient response is very good on them.

Anyone tried the new versions? SN10's I think.

[Musiclab]

Originally Posted by Bob Amirian

Yeah, right.
No offense, but your post is worth a bucket of hamster vomit.
NS-10 are a standard monitors around the world for a certain reason: they don't bullshit.
I have a large PMC set and always track and mix on NS-10.
Clients always use them too.
You can't go wrong with them.
Just use other speakers after the mix: in your car, at home, your friend's studio or your computer set - you'll see why NS-10 are that valuable and their performance so reliable
All the best

I would disagree NS10's do lie, but for a lot of us, we're used to what they tell us.
Ands when they first started being used, often studios would only have the big monitors
so NS 10's provided a picture that was different and helpful for balancing. The state of monitoring has improved much since then, but they still are useful.

[Rednose]

Originally Posted by babydaddymusic

I am an engineer newbie but a long-time recording artist and have trained with pros who use them. Chris Lord-Alge mixed four of my songs of my album and I think he is a pretty good representation of what NS-10 guys do.
The listen at low volumes. I mean low, like you can hear the fan of the computer low.
Expect everything to sound thwappy and unimpressive.
You will have to milk a lot to get good bass sounds, but I feel that is a good thing because the bass needs to translate on little speakers and ipod headphones.
Take breaks frequently to let your ears rest.
You will need to replace the usual comfort zone of mixing while having a "this is pleasing to the ear" feeling with a "I am getting the competing instruments to sit in a good place and these monitors are giving me a shortcut to that."
You will not impress musicians with these.
You will feel cold an alone the first time you tackle electric guitar sounds through this gooo

Hey great tips man!
Have to disagree with not impressing clients.
My young clients (19-24) think the NS-10s are some mysterious high end speakers and they think they sound AWESOME!
Can't tell you how many times they've asked "what kind of speakers are you using, they sound great!"

[Waltz Mastering]

NS 10's can get very fatiguing on the high end. That's why the put the tp on them.

If your mix doesn't cut through with some bight on the high's almost to the point of hurting it's could probably use some more. Nice punch though.

TW

[doulos]

Anyone tried the new versions? SN10's I think.

thats the new behringer version soon to be released

[stevetothink]

My 2 cents...when I mixed with NS10s, the only way I could get the low end to translate to other systems was to use a sub woofer. I simply don't use them any more.

I'm not fan of the Dynaudio stuff either. For a lack of better terms...they always sound artificial to me.

[drpenguen]

Originally Posted by stevetothink

My 2 cents...when I mixed with NS10s, the only way I could get the low end to translate to other systems was to use a sub woofer. I simply don't use them any more.

I'm not fan of the Dynaudio stuff either. For a lack of better terms...they always sound artificial to me.

you must be the only one with ns10+sub in the history

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by stevetothink

when I mixed with NS10s, the only way I could get the low end to translate to other systems was to use a sub woofer.

Used to do the same thing.

TW

[Omega Arts]

NS10's plus cheap Yamaha Sub and 2100 MacNntosh.
Also 1031's and Auratones.

[James Meeker]

Originally Posted by drpenguen

you must be the only one with ns10+sub in the history

I've seen more than one studio set up that way, although you could turn the sub off.

[ryanojohn]

Originally Posted by James Meeker

There's no trick to NS-10's really. Just get used to how they sound, and how commercial mixes sound through them.

Could you not say that about any set of speakers?


That said, I do find the NS10s particularly useful... far from pleasant, but the really forward midrange forces you to deal with it, which lends to mixes that translate better IMO

[drpenguen]

Originally Posted by James Meeker

I've seen more than one studio set up that way, although you could turn the sub off.

you do realize you get huge dip between ns10s and subs response frequencies....

[Led]

Originally Posted by drpenguen

you must be the only one with ns10+sub in the history

Chris Lord Alge uses an infinity (read consumer) sub with the ns10's.
Like mentioned the best thing is to listen to everything on them, everywhere you can. A great engineer friend I grew up with even mounted a pair on the parcel shelf of his car.
Toilet paper over the tweeter has been mentioned, tames the hf a little.
You can also get a feel for the bottom end by putting your hand gently on the cone of the woofer while the track is playing. Make sure you wash you hands first though.