Near-Field Monitor

[Jethro]

?

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

I usually suggest that nobody needs 2 sets of monitors, just one really good set that they trust.

[Jethro]

Originally Posted by Bill@WelcomeHome

I usually suggest that nobody needs 2 sets of monitors, just one really good set that they trust.

but dont u think a studio should have a near-mid-far field monitors for the perfect mix ?

[ksandvik]

Get a really cheap PC speaker in case you want to do more productive A/B testing.

[KrisHayes]

Originally Posted by Bill@WelcomeHome

I usually suggest that nobody needs 2 sets of monitors, just one really good set that they trust.

Completely disagree.

I started mixing with 2 pairs of monitors a couple of years ago, wouldn't dream of going back.

Just to be able to get out of your headspace - to get a different perspective when you're mixing on the same set of monitors for a couple hours, has been invaluable to me.

Here's another way to think about it - if you can get your mix rockin on BOTH sets of monitors, that's even more insurance that it'll translate.

[Jethro]

Originally Posted by ksandvik

Get a really cheap PC speaker in case you want to do more productive A/B testing.

it might sound funny but it will be very useful and helpful for some purposes

[Jethro]

so what do u think about the KRK's ?

[Brenz]

My first question would be "Why are you thinking of getting another pair of speakers?" I'd rather have a well treated room and a good pair that sounds neutral and be done with it.

If you are going to buy, rather get something like a pair of Yamaha HS50m's. Cheap and not so bad. They say that, if you flip the MID frequency switch, they pretty much sound like the old NS10s.

[3rd Degree]

I had the KRK RP5's, not the Gen 2 though. They were my first set of monitors and I personally was very frustrated with them. They didn't translate all that well. What was more odd where they where hard to learn as well, sometimes things sounded pretty similar on these speakers but translated very differently on other systems. Since then I used Tannoy Reveals I picked up cheap and my Dynaudio BM5a's I use now. Both are better speakers but they didn't have the weird translation the KRK's did where sometimes things sounded great on the KRK's and other systems, sometimes things sounded great on the KRK's and had issues on other systems. Needless to say, I wasn't personally a fan.

I also agree that cheap computer speakers are a good investment. I have some non-powered ones that actually can be very telling, though lack in volume. I also have a generic 2.1 setup that works better functionally but are less telling, but still helpful.

I don't have any great advice but I am planning on adding Avantone Mixcubes or Yamaha NS 10's. In my mind, having a less flattering speaker makes more sense as a second reference but I will have to wait and see if that really works for me. My main goal is to actually upgrade from my Dynaudio's (long term) and keep them around as a second set.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Originally Posted by KrisHayes

Completely disagree.

Here's another way to think about it - if you can get your mix rockin on BOTH sets of monitors, that's even more insurance that it'll translate.

So what do you do, try to find a mix somewhere between the two, something that you cannot hear but you hope is right? Which one do you rely upon? Wasted money.

If you can trust your monitoring system, it will translate.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Originally Posted by Jethro

but dont u think a studio should have a near-mid-far field monitors for the perfect mix ?

No.

in the 'old days' engineers and producers worked in house, listening to the same big monitors every day, so they knew what they were hearing. Bands recorded where the label told them to record, usually in the labels facilities.

Then the business situation changed. Bands started to record in different studios, and started bringing in their own engineers or producers. Engineers and producers were working in rooms with which they were not familiar. So they started dragging around reference monitors with which they were familiar, so that they had a balance for what they were hearing in the in-house monitors. This is how both the legend of the NS10 started, and how people started buying multiple monitors for their studios... they saw pictures in Mix and thought that they needed to have multiple monitors, too. (And NS10s were so cheap that many studios bought them, eliminating the need for the visiting engineers and producers to have to bring their own.)

I can -almost- understand running out to the car to hear how a mix might sound on a car system. Almost. But trying to mix to multiple monitors is not really possible, and pretty much a waste of time and money. And think how good your system could sound if you spent the money building one great system instead of supporting two or more lesser systems. Either way, learn what you have, and get the best mix that you can on what you have.

[Alex_HS]

Get a pair of Avantones as second set for "right" control of mid frequencies.
KRK RP is generally wrong choice. Its in fact expensive multimedia speakers, not monitors.

[ironman187]

Originally Posted by Alex_HS

Get a pair of Avantones as second set for "right" control of mid frequencies.
KRK RP is generally wrong choice. Its in fact expensive multimedia speakers, not monitors.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Most fairly flat monitors will work, and your room WILL change what you hear, even with near fields (although to a lesser degree than mid and far fields). Buy the best you can afford, treat the room, then learn them both, after that, you will be able to produce good mixes. That being said, you don't need two sets of monitors. Use the ones you are used to, and get some cheap sound system setup (or two) to use to proof your mix.

[Temple of Light]

The only reasons to have two sets of monitors is to A-B your mixes, to have more volume on your mixdown/mastering and/or to switch between mixing and mastering.
I track, mix and master with multiple pairs of speakers in a well treated room.
I can translate any kind of sound for any type of music.