Hi guys, I would like to ask you what do you think about proper monitoring when mastering? What kind of equipment should be used to judge your decisions? Does knowledge of equipment is more important then quality? How does it pertain to so called industry standards?
And there are amps .... should colored, good sounding amp be used or is it a must to use clinical, "laboratory" sounding one?
I am very interested in your opinions, since I use some Jamo J-121 Studio Monitors connected to Fisher Ca 2310 amp, a classic from seventy seven... no loudness or tone is used.
For more full sounding monitoring I use bigger "far field" speakers that I have made myself and they are 4 way and sound pretty powerful.
Comments
I'd put room acoustics as…
I'd put room acoustics as top priority before monitors. IMHO most people can learn how to use speakers they are used to but you can't master well, let alone mix well on any speaker if your room acoustics suck.
Being said, some people can but its rare. Good room acoustics make everything easier.
Currently I am using Snell C…
Currently I am using Snell C/V speakers driven by a Bryston 4B amplifier in a "purpose designed" acoustically treated mastering room. I find that this combination translates well into other spaces and listeninge environments. As others have pointed out the acoustical space is the most important and the hardest and most costly to get right. FWIW
You monitor on equipment…
You monitor on equipment that lets you make considered mix and mastering decisions - based on what the consumers of your product need.
If you produce material for consumers to listen to on ipads, then your mix and mastering - which may often be the same process needs to consider this a prime factor. If you mix/master for a group of comsumers who have 5:1 surround as their 'norm' - then that's what you master for.
If you know your average/typical/normal listener probably downloads the music as mp3, but you have no idea if they monitor on full or band limited systems, you need to do best guess and make sure it's good for both, which will mean compromise.
If you like the 70s sound flat, that's perhaps unusual, but valid, remembering back then everyone listened with smiley face graphics or the loudness on to get bass where bass was mixed light?
Me personally, coloured maybe a mistake, but frankly, I have amps that just amplify. I'm not at all interested in things that come after the sound is created. I want truth in amps, hence why my current amp in one studio is a 4K PA amp, and in the other, a Technics amp from the 80s - it has the right socketry and is the right size - and is neutral. Speakers are simply ones I know well and can make decisions on that work. I know the audiophile community think very differently, but what they do with my products is up to them. I just accept speakers sound different, but amps just need to make things louder - nothing else, because I cannot guarantee listeners will have similar systems.I liken it to edit suites where grading takes place and they want the monitors to be precise in colouremetry. What people then do with it on their TVs, is their problem.