No Low End on Low End Theory Speakers

EngineEars · 12th February 2006

If one more moth@f^(%er has me recall a mix so that they can hear bass in their iBook speakers I'm gonna break out a weapon. I can't hear the bass on about 700 songs in my iTunes library and the ones that I can are really buzzy synths. I love using crappy speakers to reference mixes with, but who came up with using fingernail sized speakers for bass level check. Someone kill me now. Anyone else dealt with such nonsense?

MaxBouvrie · 5th January 2011

AMEN!

Xander · 5th January 2011

Boost around 900 Hz. Usually works to get some attack out of the bass. Go another octave up for more pick, and another octave for more string noise.

Chrisc_o · 5th January 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xander

Boost around 900 Hz. Usually works to get some attack out of the bass. Go another octave up for more pick, and another octave for more string noise.

You're apparently talking about a bass guitar. I think the OP is referring to low frequencies in general, and he's right about not using laptop speakers to decide if there is a lack of bass frequencies in a mix.

audioboffin · 5th January 2011

... and keep going till the bass is a triangle?

biggator6 · 5th January 2011

Laptop speakers and earbuds... the death of fidelity.

theblue1 · 5th January 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioboffin

... and keep going till the bass is a triangle?

What are these clients listening to when they're creating their music? You'd think if they were composing/recording over iBook speakers they'd already be ahead of the (admittedly dumbass) game they're playing by crafting bass sounds that could be heard on such speakers.

FWIW, while I was pleasantly surprised by the built-in speakers in my old Dell laptop -- I can't imagine trying to record or mix using them as monitors.

Do these guys have headphones?

Corollary question: do they have half a clue?

dkelley · 6th January 2011

holy cow - you guys answer an OP that went unnoticed for FOUR YEARS!!

but yes, I agree, it's bloody annoying.

funny thread :-)

biggator6 · 6th January 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkelley

holy cow - you guys answer an OP that went unnoticed for FOUR YEARS!!

but yes, I agree, it's bloody annoying.

funny thread :-)

HA! I hadn't even noticed the OP date.

joeq · 6th January 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkelley

holy cow - you guys answer an OP that went unnoticed for FOUR YEARS!!

but yes, I agree, it's bloody annoying.

funny thread :-)

And we can't even tell him that modern laptop speakers have better bass than they did four years ago!

FWIW, I have done lots of recalls, but I never had a client complain about the laptop bass sound as a reference. Maybe I am just lucky to have clients that have half a clue, I dunno.

12th February 2006	#1
EngineEars Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: LA Posts: 460 Thread Starter	No Low End on Low End Theory Speakers If one more moth@f^(%er has me recall a mix so that they can hear bass in their iBook speakers I'm gonna break out a weapon. I can't hear the bass on about 700 songs in my iTunes library and the ones that I can are really buzzy synths. I love using crappy speakers to reference mixes with, but who came up with using fingernail sized speakers for bass level check. Someone kill me now. Anyone else dealt with such nonsense? __________________ "To be a good engineer you NEED to HEAR to make sure you gettin whatcha want THE WAY ya want it." Ray Charles

6th January 2011	#8
dkelley Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Maple Ridge, BC, Canada (by Vancouver) Posts: 3,438	holy cow - you guys answer an OP that went unnoticed for FOUR YEARS!! but yes, I agree, it's bloody annoying. funny thread :-) __________________ ~~~~~~ "yo mama don't know Shannon Nyquist" Brad McGowan ~~~~~~ Don Kelley Remote online (and in person) session musician. Session musician (violin/viola/bass guitar/mandolin/electric+acoustic guitar/synthesizer/drums/anything you are willing to pay me for) B.Mus, A.R.C.T. (Major:violin performance, Minor: jazz electric bass) Double Take Recording Studio Maple Ridge, BC, Canada

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5th January 2011	#2
MaxBouvrie Gear Head Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 70	AMEN!

5th January 2011	#3
Xander Gear addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 301	Boost around 900 Hz. Usually works to get some attack out of the bass. Go another octave up for more pick, and another octave for more string noise.

5th January 2011	#5
audioboffin Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 338	... and keep going till the bass is a triangle?

5th January 2011	#6
biggator6 Lives for gear Join Date: May 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 2,787	Laptop speakers and earbuds... the death of fidelity.