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JBL LSR2328P. Take a flash drive of tunes youve mixed or tunes you know to guitar center and demo the monitors.

JBL are not better imo.
They're not up to std for studio monitors.

Whatever you get, it will be a huge improvement over mixing in headphones, so don't sweat it too much, just don't get anything too bassy for your small room, unless your gonna go to town on the treatment.

I was in a similar situation, been mixing in headphones for 2 years (senn 280 pros) but then realised you're too close to the sound to really feel the groove, plus all drums sound heavy when they are right next to your ear, but can sound weak when they are played loud on speakers (unless you are constantly referencing).

I ended up going with krk rp 6's, even though i found them surprisingly muddy on the bottom end when i referenced them. The reason was though i found the yamahas a bit 'brittle' sounding and bass light, even though they had greater clarity, and couldnt see myself being able to vibe on them while working, (plus the price was right).

I haven't been disappointed with my choice and i also have a small room, i'm sure you'll hear an instant improvement in the frequency balance of your tracks regardless of what you get, so go with what feels right when testing them.

double post

Praya wrote:Whatever you get, it will be a huge improvement over mixing in headphones.

I disagree.

Electric_Head wrote:

Praya wrote:Whatever you get, it will be a huge improvement over mixing in headphones.

I disagree.

Same here. I'd trust good cans over a monitor setup in an untreated room any day. Referencing between both is a good idea though.

Project EX wrote:

Electric_Head wrote:

Praya wrote:Whatever you get, it will be a huge improvement over mixing in headphones.

I disagree.

Same here. I'd trust good cans over a monitor setup in an untreated room any day. Referencing between both is a good idea though.

Fair enough, but i could never judge the punch and weight of my drums right on headphones without the constant ball ache of referencing, which can ruin your flow. I do use a lot of found sounds and ethnic percussion though, so maybe thats why i found it harder. Also i maintain that what sounds 'groovin' on headphones, can sound very off when you hear it in a room on speakers, though this is more of a writing problem than mixing.

Of course you must be aware of your rooms deficiencies and i'm adding a bit of treatment to my room every month and I still check my mixes on headphones, i.e bass and reverb levels, but for me the whole tune making process has become so much more relaxed due to monitors.

best sort your room acoustics first before investing in monitors. it doesn't have to cost the earth. see how your current set-up sounds after that. Afterall you are probably hearing alot of your room reflections. waste of money spending money on new monitors if your room is bouncing sound all over the place.

As for sub set-up, have the cross-over at it's lowest (so the sub outputs below 60hz, less is better), and have it very low in volume. As for volume of the sub, you don't want to be 'hearing' it, you should feel it, If you can tell which direction the sub is coming from, then it is most likely too loud.

Praya wrote:Fair enough, but i could never judge the punch and weight of my drums right on headphones without the constant ball ache of referencing, which can ruin your flow. I do use a lot of found sounds and ethnic percussion though, so maybe thats why i found it harder. Also i maintain that what sounds 'groovin' on headphones, can sound very off when you hear it in a room on speakers, though this is more of a writing problem than mixing.

Of course you must be aware of your rooms deficiencies and i'm adding a bit of treatment to my room every month and I still check my mixes on headphones, i.e bass and reverb levels, but for me the whole tune making process has become so much more relaxed due to monitors.

I use high end reference headphones.
I use ethnic, binaural, etc. listen to me tunes to see.
I only produce on headphones and very seldom reference my tunes anymore as I am comfortable with my phones to the point that I understand their sound very well.
No referencing ball ache.

I have referenced my tunes on big sub heavy systems, car speakers, club systems, etc.
I am fairly confident that my headphones are giving a good representation.
Not that I wouldn't love to be able to produce with monitors, my situation doesn't allow for it.

Tracks to Wax wrote: best sort your room acoustics first before investing in monitors. it doesn't have to cost the earth. see how your current set-up sounds after that. Afterall you are probably hearing alot of your room reflections. waste of money spending money on new monitors if your room is bouncing sound all over the place.

I thinks he's just mixing on headphones at the moment.

Electric_Head wrote: I use high end reference headphones.
I use ethnic, binaural, etc. listen to me tunes to see.
I only produce on headphones and very seldom reference my tunes anymore as I am comfortable with my phones to the point that I understand their sound very well.
No referencing ball ache.

I have referenced my tunes on big sub heavy systems, car speakers, club systems, etc.
I am fairly confident that my headphones are giving a good representation.
Not that I wouldn't love to be able to produce with monitors, my situation doesn't allow for it.

Was obviously just me not learning my headphones well enough then, as your tracks do prove contrary to what i said, good stuff.

Praya wrote:Whatever you get, it will be a huge improvement over mixing in headphones, so don't sweat it too much, just don't get anything too bassy for your small room, unless your gonna go to town on the treatment.

I was in a similar situation, been mixing in headphones for 2 years (senn 280 pros) but then realised you're too close to the sound to really feel the groove, plus all drums sound heavy when they are right next to your ear, but can sound weak when they are played loud on speakers (unless you are constantly referencing).

I ended up going with krk rp 6's, even though i found them surprisingly muddy on the bottom end when i referenced them. The reason was though i found the yamahas a bit 'brittle' sounding and bass light, even though they had greater clarity, and couldnt see myself being able to vibe on them while working, (plus the price was right).

I haven't been disappointed with my choice and i also have a small room, i'm sure you'll hear an instant improvement in the frequency balance of your tracks regardless of what you get, so go with what feels right when testing them.

Yeah, its those drums, and I just swear having big headphones on for those long production hours just tires me out, I'd rather just hear it on speakers, feel the bass too.

As for room acoustics, I know it's important,m but it's my room, I'm not gonna 'treat it' or anything, i wont be living here in a year. But i just know monitors is what I need to really feel out my music. And I will always have my monitor headphones on hand to reference back and forth if really needed.

mixing secrets for the small studio. READ IT

As for monitors..Rockets are always a solid choice man

Or you could always take your computer screen and pretend it's a good speaker.