Headphones vs Speakers

Anything that doesn't fit into other topics goes here!
wenildexis5 wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 8:08 am
So, I'm making something and it sounds completely different on my headphones vs on speakers- but editing for it to sound comparable on the speakers worsens the quality when using headphones, distorts it. What's occurring here, how to avoid or fix?
:) It goes deeper that that.
Remember that when you produce a track, and is satisfied with the result when you listen to the song, then it is your hardware that creates the output.
You have absolutely NO idea how that will sound on someone else hardware..
And you have no chance to know
So a fix?
No..........
It's why I go for studio monitors.

Then at least I know I have a kind of neutral sound, unlike with normal speakers.

It does not change anything about what musikbear said though.

There is no real fix.
Yeah, true.
I'm moving to LMMS from Reaper. At the Reaper forum some users were saying that even if you have great studio monitors, you also have to "treat" your room. I think this goes beyond egg cartons.

I decided to get some very reasonably priced polkaudio bookshelves on sale along with some very cheap BestBuy Dynex (house brand) bookshelves with paper cones. The two different speaker sets seem to complement one another and I use all 4 at once, spaced apart in my bedroom. After a mix and render I stand in the center of my room where the bass isn't overly magnified (usually magnified near a wall or corner).

This setup is really unusual but my bedroom mixes come out pretty good. I also listen downstairs later on through 1980s Paradigm speakers with two more Dynex bookshelves, subwoofers (one I picked up from the curb/trash, the other the Thrift Store), sometimes in the car, on an old (gifted) iPad, and thru computer speakers too. Both my upstairs and downstairs amps are HK. One HK is very old and the other I got for free on Kijiji. Your amp really colors the sound too. I used to use an old NAD amp but it's too soft.

I sorta take the average of all these systems. And if my mix sounds okay on all of them, I figure it's not too far off the mark. I don't use headphones anymore because I've had hearing loss since childhood in the upper frequencies of one ear, so that sends everything off.

No treated room. No studio monitors. I think a lot of that is hype. There are creative and cheap ways to get good non-professional, reasonably balanced sound, I think.

I guess you could say I'm the *real* supertramp! :D
I was told, if you spend more then 500 euro on Studio monitors you need to sound thread the room.
Otherwise your wasting money.

I also think we should not worry too much about this.

It's always a good idea to listen to your music on different speakers. (if you have them)

What is or should be the only difference between what we call speakers and what we call studio monitors?

Studio monitors should not color the sound, like most speakers you buy do.
The bass sound is often boosted for example. This sounds great but is not good for mixing.
Gps wrote:
Wed Jun 09, 2021 8:58 pm
What is or should be the only difference between what we call speakers and what we call studio monitors?

Studio monitors should not color the sound, like most speakers you buy do.
The bass sound is often boosted for example. This sounds great but is not good for mixing.
I just make sure my stereo bass and treble are flat and volume quite low. When I look at big box store ads for studio monitors I get the distinct impression that sellers are just trying to cash in on people's naivety and desire to "make it," be "like a pro" etc.

Same thing with controllers. I use a cheap Casio with a pitch wheel. (Mozart composed most of his stuff on about the same number of keys = less than 88). You can draw in mod and other automation curves later. Of course, if you need to perform live, then yes, you would need a mod wheel too! But you would prob need a lot of other gear too.
I think we agree.

When I started diving into studio monitors, I got confused. My first reaction was, but those are just speakers.
Why are they not just called speakers ?

Then talked to somebody who had a pirate radio station, and he used studio monitors too.
Gps wrote:
Thu Jun 10, 2021 12:26 pm
I think we agree.

When I started diving into studio monitors, I got confused. My first reaction was, but those are just speakers.
Why are they not just called speakers ?

Then talked to somebody who had a pirate radio station, and he used studio monitors too.
Yeah, of course, I never did buy those speakers branded as "studio monitors" so what I'm saying is tentative. I'd love an Avicii -style room (RIP) with a huge screen, slide-out keyboard and solid acoustics. But I'm nowhere near even thinking about that kind of investment. I wonder when people 'know' that it's time to make the jump to another level?
I believe it's not a 'jump' as much as gradually needing more and more specific details about your work and activity until you realise you either already have one of those rooms, or might as well get one.
Maybe when they start to sell records ?


My motivation to go for studio monitors is about the feedback I get on my tracks.
When somebody says there is not enough base, I have no way of knowing if he is right or not.

I only have a Sennheiser gaming headset right now, which very likely does boost the low end. :)

Which for mixing is not good, but great any were else.