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This probably sounds weird, but I have been using a bose wave radio as a monitor on projects I record for my band. It worked pretty good, but I wonder if it is not a good idea as stuff tends to sound fuller through these speakers then most other speakers. So I'll mix a song down to CD, put it in the CD player in my truck and then be like "were did the fullness go?"
My guess is people are going to say I sould buy some monitors. Just wondering what people think.

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Opus2000 Fri, 09/03/2004 - 19:14

Well, to be honest you should be able to mix on any monitor and be able to come up with decent results.

Here's why....

Say you learn to mix on these speakers...you learn that ok, I should be turning off any EQ's the speaker may have...leave it flat or off! At that point you need to understand what the speakers produce more of...low end, low mids, no mids at all, all mids(No Highs, No Lows....That's Bose! as the old saying goes!) you adjust your mixes to compensate for the speakers...Now obviously this is not what you really want to end up doing but it's the nature of the beast.

Now, say you went out and got new speakers..they'll sound better but you will also need to do some compensating for those speakers and your ears from what you are use to! Depending also on the monitors you get you might not need to.

Now, are you looking to get new monitors? I'd say so..

What's your price range and what is your setup in which you feed the monitors as well.

Opus

J-MADD Sun, 09/05/2004 - 19:41

I would be interested in getting monitors. From the reading that I have done here at RO, you get what you pay for. Right now I would like to look at getting a powered set of monitors. The Event TR8-N powered monitors are in the ballpark of what I want to pay at this point (about $499).
If for example a pair of monitors like the Events wouldn't be that great of an improvement over the Bose, I will just hold off until I can afford some better ones.

zemlin Mon, 09/06/2004 - 04:25

I think the consequenses of monitoring with a WAVE RADIO are apparent in the sample you posted. The wave radio is playing tricks to make stuff sound bigger. The result is that you're mix comes out sounding small.

I never understood all the noise made about monitors until I plugged mine in. I have the Event 20/20bas. I had been using some old, decent quality stereo speakers and was having a devil of a time getting mixes to translate. When I got the monitors my mix times went down significantly and the quality of my mixes went up. I was not trying to compensate for the characteristics of the speakers I was using.

At the time I bought my monitors, having a recording side "business" that would would make money or even break even was just a fantasy. It was very tough to spend that much money (I picked up a few other core pieces at the time too). It was, without a doubt, the right thing to do.

The acoustics of the room you mix in are important too. Don't take that one lightly either, or the money you spent on monitors won't pay back as it should.

The Events are not perfect, but I'm able to get the job done. Someday, when I run out of other stuff to buy, I'll get something better.

anonymous Mon, 09/06/2004 - 18:18

J-MADD wrote: Thanks again guys. With regard to the room that I will be mixing in, would it be a good idea to treat the room by putting blankets on the walls to absorb sound? The room is about 14 x 14 and has carpet on the floor and a single desk in it. Other than that, its an empty room.

uh oh, a square room. You might want to post in the acoustics forum, but I don't think you're going to to like their answers ($$$$$$$$$). Lots of nodes and bass problems in a square room.

Guido Thu, 11/23/2017 - 00:28

I was also very impressed by a Mix I did on this small boxy Radio at my parents place where I just wanted to not use my headphones any longer . It is VERY clear for every EQ decision. Mistakes in low mids, mids and highs where even more obvious to me than in my treated room with my kh 310 + Sonarworks Calibration.. Couldn't believe it..