Subject:Are Monitors Necessary

Posted by: Midas

Date:9/20/2002 8:04:30 AM

I just upgraded my setup to include Acid 4.0 so I decided to get a decent soundcard and purchased the MAudio Audiophile 2496. What I now see is that my Altec Lansing
ATP3 speakers don't plug into the new MAudio soundcard because the soundcard only has RCA jacks for attatching speakers and the speakers I have use the standard mini-plug most computer speakers have. Is there a way I can use my Altec Lansing speakers with the MAudio soundcard by getting the music I make in Acid to route from the soundcard to the speakers? Am I just not routing things right onscreen in my windows or MAudio settings screen? Or is there an adapter which will essentially make my Altec Lansing speakers RCA compatible and plug into the MAudio soundcard?
Thanks
Midas

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: MyST

Date:9/20/2002 8:20:45 AM

There are adapters available for mini to RCA. Check Radio Shack and other places like that.

HTH

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:9/20/2002 12:05:08 PM

Do your Altec's have amplifiers built in? It's possible that your old sound card setup was using an amplifier on the souncard itself to power the speakers. It's unlikely that the RCA jacks on the new card are an amplified output. If your speakers have their own amplifiers you'll be all set once you get the adapter from RadioShack or the like. If not, then you'll need some sort of amplifier to boost the output signal to speaker level.

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: TeeCee

Date:9/20/2002 12:29:19 PM

Right, there are adapters. But I wouldn't call any speakers with an 1/8" mini phono plug "monitors". I mean I only monitor on some Ininitys and custom subs, not true monitors, but PC speakers? You might want to consider upgrading.

TeeCee

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:9/22/2002 4:16:59 PM

the main reason for using real monitors is to accurately represent your audio frequencies. with pc speakers or house speakers, your ears will be deceived and the finished product will only sound proper on your setup. monitors help you to mix for every listener's speakers.

i use two pairs of event 20/20 and a 20/20/12 for 5.1 monitoring. i also use a pair of alesis monitor ones for generic stereo and mono reference. once the mix sounds great in both i burn it to cd and load it into my little boom box to be sure the mix sounds great even in a cheap portable. from there i may load it into my brother's loud ass car stereo to be sure the bassheads will be satisfied.

after a while you'll have a good mental reference of what sounds good in all speakers and you won't have to take all the steps i've listed. but if you have a paying client, take those steps always. there's nothing worse than selling an audio product that only sounds good on your system.

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: TeeCee

Date:9/23/2002 1:04:30 PM

"the main reason for using real monitors is to accurately represent your audio frequencies. with pc speakers or house speakers, your ears will be deceived and the finished product will only sound proper on your setup. monitors help you to mix for every listener's speakers."

I agree partially. Monitors will not tell you what music will sound like on my home speakers. Or in my truck. Or on my boombox. If that were the case, there would be no need to have so many different brands and series of monitors. I mean, only one monitor sound would be proper. They are all after flat response, but how many actually continue flat down below the 60 to 80z range? I will probably upgrade to monitors eventually, but I don't have the $$$ to shell out to buy a monitoring system good enough to tell me what my bass is doing. I hear bass in my truck that I sometimes doubt the original producer heard (not more of it, the aluminum cone sub just seems to reproduce extremely low bass). The JBL, Peavey, and EAW 18"s at clubs tend to outprform most powered 12" and 15" subs in low frequency reproduction, even if accuracy suffers. That low frequency rumble you don't hear is guaraneed to show up in a club.

My current theory on whatever you use to monitor: it should be able to represent your music well enough for you to know what's going on. A pair of Events, Tannoys (sp?), Mackies, KRKs, whatever without a sub just is not going to do it for me. I listen to all sorts of music on my system to hear what songs I like sound like and I listen to my stuff on all sorts of systems to hear what it sounds like. If you don't do the same with your monitors, I don't care what brand you use, your finished product will not be right.

TeeCee

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:9/23/2002 2:46:55 PM

Like MyST said, check out Radio Shack and the like. They should have what you need. For the simplest setup, you're probably looking for something like this.

As an alternative, you could hook up the Audiophile to your home stereo (if it's within reach).

I would always advise users that, when upgrading to something such as the Audiophile, to do your research. Cards like the Audiophile and the Echo Mia have more pro-quality connections. Stereo minijack (1/8", or 3.5 mm) just won't cut it.

HTH,
Iacobus

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: spesimen

Date:9/23/2002 5:57:02 PM

"I listen to all sorts of music on my system to hear what songs I like sound like and I listen to my stuff on all sorts of systems to hear what it sounds like. If you don't do the same with your monitors, I don't care what brand you use, your finished product will not be right."


well said. the fact that there isn't necessarily an 'ideal' monitor doesn't mean they aren't useful though. having good accuracy while mixing makes it much easier to correct the errors and imbalances that show up while testing on other systems..

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:9/23/2002 6:25:06 PM

i said: "monitors help you to mix for every listener's speakers" "after a while you'll have a good mental reference of what sounds good in all speakers..."

no matter what you use, insert a factory cd of the type of music you make. listen closely to how your speakers or monitors sound when playing that cd. then try to match that sound when mastering your own music.

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: SPP

Date:9/23/2002 7:26:19 PM

Well, this may be crap and it may be truth. The truth is I don't really know, but it sure sounded believable. I've heard that a good way to make your "final" mix work on a variety of systems is to run it through car stereo speakers. Sounds interesting to me, so I'm going to try it myself. The theory is that if it sounds good there, it should sound good on most stereo systems, and also that a huge amount of people listen to music in their cars. Of course you'll need an amp, but you'd need an amp for any passive speaker. I guess having them mounted in some sort of box would help with the bass frequencies. Food for thought.

Steve

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:9/23/2002 7:38:15 PM

you and whoever told you that just go right ahead and mix for car stereos. and while your mixes will sound like crap elsewhere, i'll be reaping the benefits of my professional experience sounding great everywhere.

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: SPP

Date:9/23/2002 7:51:26 PM

Wow, I didn't mean to step on your dick. Sorry about that.

Subject:RE: Are Monitors Necessary

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:9/23/2002 8:05:56 PM

lol!