Event Opals

[thetalkinghead]

Event Opals for mastering? What y'all think?

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

Event Opals for mastering? What y'all think?

I think I wouldn't ever want to do it myself. ymmv!

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[thetalkinghead]

why not?

[thetalkinghead]

put it this way... what are the qualifications for mastering speakers?

Opals have a massive range, are quite flat, powerful, non-fatiguing, etc... so thats why i ask... would they not be great for mastering?

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

why not?

For myself they wouldn't be as accurate (i.e. flat), full range, or as detailed as I prefer. Again - ymmv.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[thetalkinghead]

fair enough. what do you use?

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

fair enough. what do you use?

B&W Nautilus 802's powered by a Pass Labs X250.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[thetalkinghead]

those are some nice speakers thumbsup

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

those are some nice speakers thumbsup

Main thing is to determine for yourself what gives you a truly accurate picture in your room - don't let internet forum chatter influence you too much because with speakers it is truly subjective and the room they are placed in does indeed effect things. Main thing with whatever monitor you choose to master with is whether you can get things dialed in using them to get a quick reference approval from your client - not whether people in forums go ooh and ahh!

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[thetalkinghead]

true. i have gotten some great results with these speakers in my room which is extensively treated

[jackthebear]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

true. i have gotten some great results with these speakers in my room which is extensively treated

And that's all that matters.....I have a buddy in town Danny Bonnici who uses the same speakers (with a sub from time to time) and he gets great results.......

You can do a hell of a lot worse than what you have......

If your clients are happy and they come back or refer you new business to you then the Opals get the big tick.....

[DominicWyeth]

I agree with mr bear. If it sounds good it is. For me personally the opals had a slight bass extension I didn't like. I still listen to them a lot and enjoy music on them though.

[thetalkinghead]

Very true. I guess I got the answer I was looking for.. thanks for the help!

And now a random question...

Do you guys list your gear in your signature or no? I tried it because i feel like it could be helpful. People can see it and ask questions if they're interested in something. Though at the same time I feel like a show off toolbox.

[Cellotron]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

Very true. I guess I got the answer I was looking for.. thanks for the help!

And now a random question...

Do you guys list your gear in your signature or no?

Nope - but I have a full list on my website -
TSM Mastering Equipment

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[Bubbagump]

I could use the Opals, but I wouldn't want to. They are a nice speaker, but they aren't at all in the same league as the speakers many folks are using for mastering. While I own them and am relatively happy with them as a mixing box, they have their problems which would keep me from using them in a mastering situation. Their low end bump is a bit of a detractor to me and really the more I use them the less I am liking the mids and low mids. But, for mixing rock... they work a peach. What was initially exciting and useful about the Opals is starting to fade on me as I am missing other things. I did a chamber quartet a few weeks back and it was glaringly obvious where the Opals fall short. Frankly, as soon as I have the cash I am jumping on a pair of the Animas that Lucey is selling as I totally missed the boat on those. Live and learn.

[thetalkinghead]

I use my Opals mostly for mixing electronic dance music and they work very well. Haven't tried them on mixing rock, but I am actually about to master a post-rock album through them. We will see what happens!

The Opals are my first really nice pair of monitors and I couldn't be happier with them. I am sure they are not perfect monitors, but they are pretty incredible. Plus.. nowadays people are getting incredible results with a pair of $500 KRKs.

[gregor z]

One of the best 2 way speakers I heard in recent years....

They have a great vibe for producing and mixing in my opinion....

And I am sure that you can make a decent master on them in a properly treated room....

I am thinking about buying a pair for my production room in the future....

G

[thetalkinghead]

Thanks Gregor.. that's what I'm talking about! Sick speakers. And yes... the key is having a properly treated room, of course. I'd rather have a pair of Mackies in a treated room than a pair of Nautilus 802's in a 750 sq ft shit box.

[Hardtoe]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

Do you guys list your gear in your signature or no? I tried it because i feel like it could be helpful. People can see it and ask questions if they're interested in something. Though at the same time I feel like a show off toolbox.

I think it's dorky (but I got a horse head in my avatar so who am I to say...)

[thetalkinghead]

It is pretty damn dorky. But then again, we are on gearslutz

[VasiliZaitsev]

i have tested a pair of new opals for 5 days...
Thats not what i call opened wide and detailed sound.
Now i have K&H o300d and i loooove them. Very natural and linear.
They are million miles away from the opal.
I`ve also done a A/B test with the Opals and the o300 from a friend of mine.
The Opals are loud speakers, but loud and boomy is not everything!
Especially for critical work like Mastering.
my 2cents

[jackthebear]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

Very true. I guess I got the answer I was looking for.. thanks for the help!

And now a random question...

Do you guys list your gear in your signature or no? I tried it because i feel like it could be helpful. People can see it and ask questions if they're interested in something. Though at the same time I feel like a show off toolbox.

For some people it's a consideration and others may not care.......the bottom line is results....as I said before if your clients are happy then you're OK.

And as far as being a "show off" is concerned........I wouldn't worry about that if I were you......if you've got it flaunt it.....so long as you can back it up.

[thetalkinghead]

the Klein + Hummel 0300's cost about one and a half times what the Opals cost. and what's funny is a few people on here sold their K+H 0300's once they tried the opals!

[thetalkinghead]

honestly.. if i could afford the 0300's i would get them in a heartbeat! :-) but some people really did sell their 0300's for Opals which is pretty impressive considering they cost substantially less. i think the bottom line is that we are fortunate to have either of these speakers. most people arent so lucky!

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

put it this way... what are the qualifications for mastering speakers?

Opals have a massive range, are quite flat, powerful, non-fatiguing, etc... so thats why i ask... would they not be great for mastering?

NO

Go to some of the great mastering facilities such as Sterling in NYC and see and hear the type of monitors that are used and then you will understand.
However,Event Opals are a decent speaker for average studio monitoring.

[thetalkinghead]

Originally Posted by phillysoulman

However,Event Opals are a decent speaker for average studio monitoring.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

decent???

[lucey]

Yikes. The Power of Marketing.

Mastering on the latest craze in mix tools at the $3k price point ... mmmmm. Opals are crappy, distorted, non-linear. Impossible for mastering. They sound like PA wedges. Good for loud tracking, sure. Vibey. Immediate low mids.

How many people who rave about them are pros with 10+ years experience? There are better options for $3000.

[thetalkinghead]

yeah, i know that the president of Event put a ballsy ad in all the music tech publications, but it seems like youre just hating on that. it does not mean that the 'power of marketing' makes everyone think theyre hearing something amazing out of shitty speakers. it does not make them just a 'craze'.

they've gotten incredible reviews from mix, soundonsound, proaudioreview, musictech, and futuremusic who went as far as saying they set a new standard in nearfield monitoring. do these not count?

famous UK producers Freemasons bought a pair and are in love with them, an experienced shared by many other successful artists/producers.

countless gearslutz members including the experienced Ty Ford seem to love them.

sure, there are better monitors out there.. but to call them crappy, distored, non-linear PA wedges? are you kidding?

how much time did you spend listening to them to come to such a harsh conclusion? how many songs?

[thetalkinghead]

i guess if youre used to listening to $10,000 speakers, they are not great in comparison. but come on...

[jackthebear]

Originally Posted by thetalkinghead

i guess if youre used to listening to $10,000 speakers, they are not great in comparison. but come on...

Don't worry about others' opinions.....theirs don't count in the context of the relationship you have with your clients.....just roll up your sleeves and get to work.