Using Both Monitors and Headphones

[thomni]

What's the deal with monitors and headphones?

Of course, most of us have both, but are we (maybe just I) using them correctly?

I tend to use my monitors (Yamaha HS series) to get a feel for the bass and stereo field, but like many others my room isn't treated well, so I rely on my headphones (AKG 712s) to get the EQ and reverb right.

Is there anything I can do to get more out of them for mix and songwriting purposes? I.E. what does one do the other not doesn't that I might be missing out on.

How do you use the headphones and monitor combo in your set up?

[Hermetech Mastering]

Monitors for absolutely everything, then quick headphone check right at the end to make sure things are translating well, and they sometimes catch little clicks or glitches that are harder to hear on the monitors.

[PALU]

For me it's a constant process of moving back and forth between monitors and headphones and trying to find a way to make the mix sound good in both of them.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

i am starting to think about putting most of my energy onto headphone mixing. unless you are composing for a certain scenario e.g club, movie soundtrack etc, then i really think that most music these days is listened to in-ear. if not via headphones, then out of crummy laptop speakers, or tiny iphone docks.

even the few who still listen to music via a good quality, 2-speaker, hi-fi set-up are not likely to be listening in a proper space. as such, all that attention to reverb depth and stereo placement is all getting lost into padded sofas or reflecting off of plant pots

i'd recommend doing most of the mixing in headphones, then check on speakers after. in fact, i have actually been thinking about deliberately making headphone-only mixes, to take advantage of more interesting sound placement via logic pro's extra panning functionality

[Tarekith]

I use monitors for everything, especially setting reverbs and delays. I find I use way too much if I do it in headphones, I need that sense of space the sound moving through air gives me to keep perspective.

I do like to listen a few times on the headphones when I think I'm almost done with a track though. Gives you another perspective on the low end, and I find it's also easier to spot digital errors with headphones. Pops, clicks, that sort of thing.

[thecontrolcentre]

I use headphones when recording vocals and acoustic instruments, monitors for everything else. I check mixes on hi-fi, smart phone and laptop speakers, but rely on my monitors when mixing.

[DJ Warmonger]

I don't have monitors yet, so now I use only headphones for production.
Just from time to time try to play tune on speakers for reality check.

[d-s-m]

I keep reading that using headphones all the time for producing can damage your hearing...

[Hermetech Mastering]

It depends entirely upon how long and how loudly you monitor your music. As getting accurate measurements of headphone SPL levels is extremely difficult, it's always best to err on the side of caution.

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/Permissibl ... reTime.htm

[PatchAdamz]

A wise man once said, "Its not what head phone or speakers you have, but how many..."

Being able to "test" your mixes on a variety of different system will allow for better insight into how that mix reproduces.

One studio used to have a radio transmitter so the band could listen to the mixes in their cars.

So its not really a matter of monitors and headphones but , how many monitors and headphones.

[Hermetech Mastering]

There's an argument against that too. By all means test on loads of monitors/cans/crappy systems after the mix/master is done, to check translation, but whilst actually working I find a variety of systems just confuses my ears. I much prefer to have one great pair of flat, full range monitors to do all the work on. Then check around later. I rarely need to make any adjustments

[transmetropolitan]

So its not really a matter of monitors and headphones but , how many monitors and headphones.

Agree and disagree.

Certainly checking mixes on a variety of setups is important in improving mix translation.

But in no way does more = better in all cases.

2 good quality pairs of speakers that you know and understand well is enough for all stereo mixing tasks IMO. Mixing is about understanding what your monitors are telling you and consequently what you need to do to a mix. It really can't be emphasised enough that you need to work with and get to know your monitors and your mixing environment.

I would personally advocate 1 more pair of speakers (in another room) and 1 good pair of headphones for checking mixes. Headphones are useful for taking the room out of the equation sometimes but I don't like them for mixing on for long periods.

But with that said I do also know people who do some great work mixing predominantly with headphones.

There are certainly subjective elements in this area - but for me, until you've done a bunch of mixes on a pair of speakers, lived with them and gotten to know them then they aren't necessarily telling you anything useful. So I wouldn't want 6 pairs of speakers that I was constantly shifting between.

I would argue that it's more important to, for example, vary the volume you're monitoring at than to switch between loads of speakers while you're actually mixing.