Ok, I'm sort of a newb to all this sound-card, monitors, interfacing, audio, whatever... so I feel the need to ask this question. I use Boston BA745 computer speakers; they came with the computer, and cost about $30.00. So-called "Monitors" seem to cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars...
As far as I can tell, the sound I'm getting out of these is fine. Perfect. But... is that really possible? Are my ears just untrained? It seems to sound good... so why would I bother with several hundred dollar Monitors? What is it, exactly, that I'm missing? Excuse my uneducatedness =(
Computer Speakers as Monitors?
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- KVRian
- 1256 posts since 22 Aug, 2003
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- KVRAF
- 7540 posts since 7 Aug, 2003 from San Francisco Bay Area
A long time ago, I got so fed up with my original Alesis Monitor Ones that I decided to just use my computer speakers- some Altec Lansings with a subwoofer. Well, needless to say, my mixes continued to suck for a long time. After finally doing some extensive testing, I discovered that these speakers had a number of small ranges where frequencies were poorly reproduced, or in some cases, virtually nonexistant. These were small pockets of frequencies within the supposedly flat frequency response curve depicted on their technical diagrams. I bought a pair of Mackie HR824s, and I've been happy ever since. Even though my mixes still suck. 
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1256 posts since 22 Aug, 2003
Interesting. I've got to say, though, I haven't gotten any bad feedback in terms of the mixing department (well, at least since I've actually known how to mix correctly), so maybe my monitors are not impaired in that way? Either way, I'd like to try out some real monitors... know of any place that would let you try them out? Unfortunately, it might be hard to hear the difference, because I can't try them both out simultaneously =( and it might be an involved process to change the speakers.
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- KVRAF
- 4180 posts since 10 Oct, 2002 from Nashville, TN USA
Oddly, I still use an old set of Alesis Monitor Ones and many people seem to think my mixes turn out better than average. I know these old speakers fairly well, though, and I do take the time to listen in my car and a few other places. And my little studio has some baffling and whatnot to help control the room itself. I suppose you could get by for a while without spending the cash on good monitors. But you will need something a bit more flat than computer speakers at some point.deastman wrote:A long time ago, I got so fed up with my original Alesis Monitor Ones that I decided to just use my computer speakers- some Altec Lansings with a subwoofer. Well, needless to say, my mixes continued to suck for a long time. After finally doing some extensive testing, I discovered that these speakers had a number of small ranges where frequencies were poorly reproduced, or in some cases, virtually nonexistant. These were small pockets of frequencies within the supposedly flat frequency response curve depicted on their technical diagrams. I bought a pair of Mackie HR824s, and I've been happy ever since. Even though my mixes still suck.
A good set of headphones goes a long way, too, when it comes to stereo positioning and trying to pinpoint little details and musical problems (rather than frequency problems).
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- KVRian
- 1353 posts since 26 Sep, 2002 from Montreal, CANADA
Well i am using a set of ALtec Lansing 321.
They are extremely rugged, very powerful (ouch !) and offer pretty good sound.
Some reviews qualified them as having flat response, which is good.
I also have a nice set of hifi speakers but they rarely get any attention besides DVD's and stuff...
They are extremely rugged, very powerful (ouch !) and offer pretty good sound.
Some reviews qualified them as having flat response, which is good.
I also have a nice set of hifi speakers but they rarely get any attention besides DVD's and stuff...
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- KVRAF
- 7540 posts since 7 Aug, 2003 from San Francisco Bay Area
The problem I had with the Monitor Ones was the lack of bass. I tended to compensate and my mixes turned out extremely bassy. Now I have HR824s with their exaggerated bass response, but I've cut down the bass to accomodate for the room. That said, my new studio space is in a very small, square room with a very high ceiling, and I'm still working on soundproofing and learning the sound of the space. Contemplating stealing a few hundred Sonex tiles from my office
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.
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- KVRAF
- 4180 posts since 10 Oct, 2002 from Nashville, TN USA
If you have closets in your studio area, it's cool to take the doors off and then replace them with a sliding curtain. My ex thought that one up. We simply put a shower rod across the doorframe and strung up a nice curtain with plenty of folds to diffuse sound. Seems to help.deastman wrote:The problem I had with the Monitor Ones was the lack of bass. I tended to compensate and my mixes turned out extremely bassy. Now I have HR824s with their exaggerated bass response, but I've cut down the bass to accomodate for the room. That said, my new studio space is in a very small, square room with a very high ceiling, and I'm still working on soundproofing and learning the sound of the space. Contemplating stealing a few hundred Sonex tiles from my office
And I have some Auralex stuff on the wall behind the monitors, positioned where the axis of the speakers hit the back wall.