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  1. #1

    Default Monitor Geometry

    I'm starting yet another monitor thread to avoid cluttering the other topic.

    As I said my original speaker / desk layout did not work out. Consequently, I use headphone more than I prefer (and as being discussed on yet another thread gives you a somewhat skewed viewpoint). I am wondering if any of you have had experience mixing with speakers suspended above or behind you. Of course I can try many things - but I like to get input from those who might have been in environment where these things have been tried.

    At the moment I am leaning toward trying the living room method of moving them around to the spots that seems to sound the best - and not worry about stereo imaging - or leaving that to mess with that at the end with headphones.



    I have a little side question I have an older little Presonus HP4 headphone amp which sounds fine for my purposes. The one little issue is that when the mono button is engaged, the volume appears to double - is this typical of headphone amps?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Monitor Geometry

    Quote Originally Posted by jmh View Post
    I'm starting yet another monitor thread to avoid cluttering the other topic.

    As I said my original speaker / desk layout did not work out. Consequently, I use headphone more than I prefer (and as being discussed on yet another thread gives you a somewhat skewed viewpoint).
    There is a definite difference between headphones and speakers in how we hear things. This does not mean that you cannot make excellent mixes using headphones. Some people become very adept at using headphones as a primary mix monitor, and this is especially helpful if you have to go from one place to another and still do work of consistent sound and quality. Headphones completely remove room acoustics and speaker placement from the monitoring equation. Of course, not all headphones are equal in quality and usability, just as not all speakers are equal for those things.
    I am wondering if any of you have had experience mixing with speakers suspended above or behind you. Of course I can try many things - but I like to get input from those who might have been in environment where these things have been tried.
    The only time I have seen monitors used behind the engineer is as part of a surround system. There have been a lot of studios where the main monitors were high in the air, usually above the big glass windows into the performing room. Suspension from rhe ceiling on chains was not that unusual back in the day. I personally never liked having the mains way up in the air.
    At the moment I am leaning toward trying the living room method of moving them around to the spots that seems to sound the best - and not worry about stereo imaging - or leaving that to mess with that at the end with headphones.
    Unless you are mixing in mono, you want good stereo imaging from your primary monitor speakers. If you can't get it from there, change placement and/or fix the room. If the monitoring room acoustics are really bad and you can't fix them, use headphones as primary monitors.

    If you can't hear it, you can't fix it.



    I have a little side question I have an older little Presonus HP4 headphone amp which sounds fine for my purposes. The one little issue is that when the mono button is engaged, the volume appears to double - is this typical of headphone amps?
    Cary B. Cornett
    aka "Puzzler"
    www.chinesepuzzlerecording.com

  3. #3

    Default Re: Monitor Geometry

    I'm going to quote myself...
    >>>when the mono button is engaged, the volume appears to double

    The answer to the headphone amp side question is so elementary and obvious:

    Just use SStudios' 'mono' button (on the output track) instead - it is immune to this.

    My audio recording activities were on hiatus for a while so I have to relearn some things. The cool part about this is that you make new discoveries. I rarely used the channel strip gate as I have a relatively quiet place to record and generally strive to have a low noise floor. Anyway, I was playing with the gate with a real low threshold the other night and found that it could pretty quickly accomplish what I might have done with a bunch of automation for fading out tails...
    Last edited by jmh; 03-15-2019 at 12:24 PM.

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