| Listening to mastered record in room where it was mixed-- [message #152598] |
Mon, 01 May 2006 12:26  |
 Paul Cavins
Messages: 565
Registered: October 2005 |
Gold Member |
|
|
Hello-
Just the other day I got back the mastered version of my band's record which was mixed in my living room on my iMac/Digi 002r setup. My living room is not acoustically treated, but is not too bad in that it is not completely rectangular. I monitor on nearfield monitors.
Anyhoo, the first place I listened to the CD was on my monitors here in my living room/control room. I was kind of pleased with what I heard, but the bass (the usual suspect in these cases) was a bit overpowering. When I listened through headphones, it sounded great, everything in it's place. It also sounded great at work on a boombox.
I'm coming to conclusions about listening to a mastered record where it was mixed. I'm guessing it is far worse when the mixing environment isn't ideal.
Can some of you experienced folks give me some thoughts?
Thanks-
PC
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Listening to mastered record in room where it was mixed-- [message #152610 is a reply to message #152598 ] |
Mon, 01 May 2006 13:17  |
|
Bob Ludwig always used to warn people not to listen back to mastered material in the mixing environment, because any room anomolies (which already would have affected your mixes in the first instance) would be now doubly magnified by the "re-playing" through the same system.
This advice would apply in spades to a non-professionally treated room.
I would trust firstly the Mastering Engineer, secondly the (hopefully good) headphones (up to a point), and lastly your room itself.
This mastered product is made to translate as best it can to ALL systems, not just one mixing spot.
Good luck.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Listening to mastered record in room where it was mixed-- [message #152639 is a reply to message #152610 ] |
Mon, 01 May 2006 14:36 |
 |
zmix
Messages: 2755
Registered: November 2004
Location: NY, NY |
Platinum Member |
|
|
| compasspnt wrote on Mon, 01 May 2006 14:17 |
Bob Ludwig always used to warn people not to listen back to mastered material in the mixing environment, because any room anomolies (which already would have affected your mixes in the first instance) would be now doubly magnified by the "re-playing" through the same system.
This advice would apply in spades to a non-professionally treated room.
I would trust firstly the Mastering Engineer, secondly the (hopefully good) headphones (up to a point), and lastly your room itself.
This mastered product is made to translate as best it can to ALL systems, not just one mixing spot.
Good luck.
|
Too true... On the other hand, listening to that mastered version in your mix room will give you a clear picture of what your room 'really' sounds like, and perhaps you can learn to understand and accept these anomalies, and improve future mixes by not trying to make them sound so 'flat'(to your ears) in that room, much in the same way that an inexperienced NS-10 listener might over hype the highs and lows and end up with a mastering nightmare, but later learns what a good mix actually sounds like on them.
- Chuck Zwicky
|
|
|
| Re: Listening to mastered record in room where it was mixed-- [message #152656 is a reply to message #152598 ] |
Mon, 01 May 2006 15:50 |
maxdimario
Messages: 3811
Registered: December 2004 |
Platinum Member |
|
|
either the room has bass resonances or the room has phase cancellation in the bass.
both are completely normal in small untreated rooms.
as you mix you confuse room sound with recorded sound and that's the problem.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Listening to mastered record in room where it was mixed-- [message #152660 is a reply to message #152598 ] |
Mon, 01 May 2006 16:14 |
maxdimario
Messages: 3811
Registered: December 2004 |
Platinum Member |
|
|
if you listen to your records in there and you play your record on the same setup, it should sound just as good...or at least competitive.
all it takes is a couple of db in the wrong place...
|
|
|
| Re: Listening to mastered record in room where it was mixed-- [message #152731 is a reply to message #152598 ] |
Mon, 01 May 2006 18:34 |
|
i find the mastered version of my mixes sounds better in my control room, but i also listen to a lot of cd's in my control room so i guess i listen in context. the best place to listen to masters is where you normally listen to music (assuming it's a reasonable listening environment). and the best time to listen to masters is when you've got some distance from the project.
as for your room, how does it sound when you move around to different places in the room?
glenn
sleep is not an option
jwhynot: "There's a difference between thinking or acting dogmatically and drawing from experience."
Glenn Santry
http://www.myspace.com/glennsantry
|
|
|
Members
Search
FAQ
Register
Login
Home
