Best desktop audio monitoring solution?

[Sean Vergara]

Originally Posted by Steve House

Whether audio or video, I think the craft is better served by mixing and mastering to the standards of those who care enough to actually have decent playback equipment and have it sound okay for those who don't really care versus casting pearls before swine by catering to those who really don't give a damn while ignoring the people who actually do care. Making it sound great on $20 Walmart specials will likely make it sound awful on anything better.

Well said!

While I have no insightful opinion to add to this conversation; I just wanted to say that this has been a very helpful thread. I happen to be on a similar quest as the OP.

Thanks to everyone here.

[Jay Knobbe]

Opinions of the Yamaha HS50m or HS80m monitors?

[Warren Kawamoto]

When I went to NAB, I was surprised to see how many Genelec monitors were being used!

[Claire Buckley]

"When I went to NAB, I was surprised to see how many Genelec monitors were being used!"

Go to the Audio Hall and visit a number of the UK audio console manufacturers and yes you'll probably see Genelec. In my day (12-14 years ago), they hired them out to the manufacturers for the show - saved the manufacturers freighting speakers out from the UK. At the time it was a useful synergy for Genelec and the audio console manuufacturers.

In answer to the OP question:

I originally used a pair of Genelec 610s. Although the last 6 months I've been using a pair of Roland MA 150s with a 100w rated Gale Subwoofer. I monitor fairly close (6ft - 2mtres in EU speak). The Rolands are low priced and give me a middle of the road sound - what I feel is close to quality consumer compatibility for clients playing back their DVDs on TVs and PCs etc. The subwoofer crosses at 200hz and makes up for the thin end of the Rolands. Works for me as I don't produce for broadcast anymore (thank goodness).

But my ears are old and worn out now - so what do I know ;)

:)

[Scott Wilkinson]

Great comments, and much appreciated!

I might have mentioned it earlier, but one of the challenges we face is the ubiquitous "cube" office environment. While we do have dedicated editing rooms (which need to be acoustically treated), most of our producers do most of their editing at their desks with headphones...

...which begs the obvious question, can you mix reasonably well with (for example) a pair of Sony MDR-7509's? I understand headphones present problems with accurate perception of panning...but can headphones (assuming the same pair of headphones are always used) provide a solid basis for getting the mix 80% there?

Scott

EDIT: Wanted to add that the open office, cube environment is (I suspect) far more common than any of us would like to admit. The reality is that there is a ton of video being produced (and audio mixed) outside of controlled studio environments---and it's for these situations that I intended this thread.

There is always someone who says "You can't create a good product without a controlled, professional studio environment." But my response to anyone who might make such an assertion is, "Wrong answer---many of us have no choice, so we're looking for the best possible solution---even if "best possible" means "least compromised."

One question along these lines, for example, might be: how do you position speakers for the best possible monitoring when you're in a cube in a vast open space? How far away from the cube "walls" should the speakers be? And does the cube wall being covered in fabric make a difference? And should you be facing a corner? Or facing a flat wall section? Or should you not use speakers in those situations at all and rely on a decent pair of headphones?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Scott Wilkinson

...
...which begs the obvious question, can you mix reasonably well with (for example) a pair of Sony MDR-7509's? I understand headphones present problems with accurate perception of panning...but can headphones (assuming the same pair of headphones are always used) provide a solid basis for getting the mix 80% there?
...

Not only panning but its almost impossible to get proper tonal balance on phones for playback on speakers. Another issue is phase problems that become audible when heard on a pair of speakers allowing the signal on each channel to interact in the air are completly masked in headphones.

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Scott Wilkinson

...I might have mentioned it earlier, but one of the challenges we face is the ubiquitous "cube" office environment. While we do have dedicated editing rooms (which need to be acoustically treated), most of our producers do most of their editing at their desks with headphones...

...which begs the obvious question, can you mix reasonably well with (for example) a pair of Sony MDR-7509's? ...a solid basis for getting the mix 80% there?

Originally Posted by Steve House

Not only panning but its almost impossible to get proper tonal balance on phones for playback on speakers...

Scott, you can do whatever you want, and call it good. If your producers have to mix on headphones in a cube farm, then they have to mix on headphones in a cube farm.

But, there's no way to rationalize that as a quality method no matter how many ways you ask the question.

Let them edit, let them mix, whatever. Like Steve says, track eq, compression, and final mix for speakers should not be done on phones, ever.

BTW, the MDR-7506 and 7509 are designed for dialog monitoring in the field, and have a significant mid-range bump that helps with that task. Doing eq and final mix on such a headphone will result in tracks that are not as intelligible as they should be - this is typical of headphone mixes, but a particular problem with these cans.

[Bruce Watson]

Originally Posted by Scott Wilkinson

...which begs the obvious question, can you mix reasonably well with (for example) a pair of Sony MDR-7509's?

No. Headphones for editing, OK if you have to. I do it. Sigh... But for the final mix? Nope. That way madness lies.

But you don't have to believe us. It's easy enough to prove it to yourself. Go for it.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Claire Buckley

"When I went to NAB, I was surprised to see how many Genelec monitors were being used!"

Go to the Audio Hall and visit a number of the UK audio console manufacturers and yes you'll probably see Genelec. In my day (12-14 years ago), they hired them out to the manufacturers for the show - saved the manufacturers freighting speakers out from the UK. At the time it was a useful synergy for Genelec and the audio console manufacturers.

More likely free loan nowadays as it's great advertising for the monitor manufacturer.

Andrew Goldberg, who worked for Genelec, at that time is now Product Manager for Neumann Studio Monitors - so you may see more Neumann KH120As around. ;-)

Personally I would use the Neumann over the Genelec - or maybe consider the small Geithain.