What's up with my mixes?

[AAsa]

I mix for an hour or so on my Quested 2108s..then when I flip to the POS boombox some things are so obviously out of wack...bass usually. When I flip to to Rad Shak Minimus 7 (mono) it becomes so much easier to balance the vocals and lead instruments and snare too.

I generally approach mixing the same way each time. So whatever I'm doing it's just what I do. I always get it right eventually. I'm just often suprised how "off" some things are when I flip to small speakers.

Tell me about this....These speakers we all use can really handle all kinds of signals. Thumping kick and slamming bass...but if you (I) do a mix w/ satisfying low end, it's more often than not, too much. I guess it feels like I instinctively push for more low end..snare up, vox up,.the questeds never complain. Feels good even. Then the little guys slay me.

I know my room isn't perfect. I know that "satisfying" is subjective.
I tend to mix a bit loud, and there's usually the client in the room with me throwing in 2 or even 3 cents. It's sometimes hard to mix methodically.

I have other monitors to use. NS-10s, Tannoy 12's, ProAcs. At the moment the 2108s are in position and the room measures pretty flat at the mix position.

I'd love some insight.

Thanks.
A

[Curve Dominant]

when I flip to the POS boombox some things are so obviously out of wack...bass usually.

Try listening on rent-a-car systems too. THAT's the true "acid-test."

Use a pop hit CD to A/B your mix with. Chances are you've got too much bass pressure in your mix.

Bass energy squeezes EVERYTHING else out.

Here's a sure-fire pop hit to A/B your mixes against: Pink's "Get The Party Started." Play that song on your system, and marvel at how LITTLE bass energy is in that mix. But it sounds killer in a club or a party, right? What does that tell you?

It tells you that most consumer systems are hyped in the bass octave. So, keep your mixes "tight" and "clean" in the bass octave. NOT "non-existent," mind you. But tight, and clean.

Happy hunting...

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by AAsa
II tend to mix a bit loud, I'd love some insight.

Thanks.
A

This is your problem right here.

Also how your room is balanced freq wise is an issue.

That the speakers are different is normal. Just learn the strengths of each. Some push more of the midrange, some others don't.

This is where the battle is for a great bass responsive mix(the midrange).

[e-cue]

Originally posted by AAsa
I know my room isn't perfect. I know that "satisfying" is subjective.
I tend to mix a bit loud, and there's usually the client in the room with me throwing in 2 or even 3 cents. It's sometimes hard to mix methodically...


I'd love some insight.

Thanks.
A

When you say your room isn't perfect, are you A/Bing to reference cd's that you know really well? If I'm in a room that's new to me, sometimes I'll stuggle with my low end, then but in a reference cd and hear that the bass problems are the same on a CD that I know has stellar low end.

As far as mixing loud... Be careful with this one. I know it kinda takes the fun out of mixing when you start thinking like a professor, but you should familarize yourself with some basic principles of audio, like the Flethcer-Munson curve, etc. For example, if a mix should harsh at high SPL's, a common method is to dip out in the 2K to 6K range. Mixing loud can also increase your ear fatigue.

When I mix I check my kick and bass on auratones. If I can't hear them on there, I'm not doing something right. I strive to get my mixes sounding good on whatever speakers are pushing them out.

[davemc]

So what do you find is out of whack with the mixes.
I have a pair of 2108's I find they translate really well, apart from if you run them loud they love the bass(do not boom out). So you can easily over do it. I have a boombox there to check I have not gone over board.

I found the same with my old crap room and my new ones.. Thinking about flicking the bass hype switch on at the back, or just mixing lower

[Ethan Winer]

Asa,

> some things are so obviously out of wack...bass usually. <

This is very common, and your room is probably the biggest problem.

> I have other monitors to use. NS-10s, Tannoy 12's, ProAcs. <

I see this all the time in project studio photos in the magazines. Someone will have five pairs of speakers all stacked up on the console bridge, but no acoustic treatment. All you need is one really good set of speakers in a room that's treated properly.

> the room measures pretty flat at the mix position. <

If you measured with 1/3 octave pink noise, as is common, that gives nowhere near enough detail. Even measuring at 1/12th octave is too coarse to see the true response at low frequencies.

--Ethan

[AAsa]

Ethan,

How accurate is that Audio Toolbox device?

We used that to find all kinds of dips in the low end. After removing my ceiling (to expose concrete) we put up 3 Mini Traps over the speakers.

That smoothed out the dips but revealed a bump at 50 hz....according to the Audio Toolbox, it measured +12 db.

So if I can trust that reading, I know I have to deal with. Of course when I move around the room the bass response changes.

I'm embarassed to say I'm using a .14 oct notch EQ to pull that bump down. again according to the Toolbox..that "fixes" the problem at the mix position.

Is there a better solution?
More Mini Traps?

Thanks
A

[kevinc]

I tell you AAsa I got the same problem.
Now I do use bad speakers for starters. (KRK V8)
But I definately think the room I`m using has to be at least 75% of the problem. I have a lot of DIY wideband absorbers on the walls but I still get poor bass translation on other sysems.
The fact that the room is very small doesn`t help much.The funny thing is all the other frequencie ranges usually come out fine.
I`m thinking about getting an acoustics/studio designer guy to come check it out but I don`t really have the money right now.



Kevin

[faeflora]

50 hz is pretty damn low. It wouldn't have anything to do with removing the ceiling tile especially if you're reading +12db. You must have a room mode buildup around that frequency. You could try building a hemholtz port type resonator tuned for 50,100,150,300,600 or whatever the room mode calculator tells you that you have buildups at. Mini traps won't suck up 50hz.

[faeflora]

Also, when mixing, try only upping the volume when you want to check the feel or vibe or flow or physical impact of the mix.

[drundall]

The volume tip is good advice, especially in a bad room. You might even want to try working on the little speakers, and checkint your work on the big ones. Works sometimes.