vile_ator
09-28-2005, 09:21 PM
I get mixes form bands from all over the world. Different kinds of music but mostly metal. Metal of all types though. And there is one thing that is universal. And that is the obvious fact that mix engineers do not know what is going on in the bottom end.
Its true that many mix engineers have a subwoofer integrated into their system. But so often this sub is a low cost one or not crossed over properly.
Also adding to the problem is the commonality of people using mixing rooms that were not designed to be mixing rooms.
My point of view on everything is why do it if you cant do it right. I have designed several simple rooms in the past that work well and are cheap to build. If you can make yourself a room that is the best you can make it, properly integrate a subwoofer and optimize your monitoring and listening enviornment, you will take drastic leaps forward in the sound of your mixes.
With the quailty of recording sorfware and the low cost of good AD DA converters and many other things, I'd say that you can go further by optimizing your monitoring than by any other thing you may do for your studio.
Ok, let me start with room design. There are a lot of incedible rooms that are odd shapes. But for making a room on a budget, the only way to go is with a rectangle. There are a few practical room ratios that should be used. Stepping away from these few ratios, pretty much leaves you with a guessing game when it comes to determining how your room will sound.
One common room ratio is 1 x 1.4 x 1.9 Or in other words, a room with 10 foot celings would have a 19 foot length and a 14 foot width. If you increase one demention, you have to increase the others by an equal amount so that you stay within this ratio. You can plug in room ratios into an online acoustic calculator to determine where you have buildups of room modes if you like, but often this is not necessary if you start with a good ratio.
Also attention has to be given to deadening the room in the proper way. Fully padding out your room will result in a room that has no reverb in the high frequencies but is bass heavy. Common sound foam does not absorb under 200 hz.
There are 2 books you need to have. Both by author F. Alton Everest. One is 'The Master Handbook of Acoustics' and the other is called "Building a budget recording studio". Between these two your can build you own room, properly treat it, get wiring firgured out, room ratios, everything. These are mandatory for anyone that wants to go into this direction on their own.
There must be a compromise between foam to absorb the highs and bass traps to absorb the lows. One cheap and effective way to go is with a company called Auralex. They sell effective foam bass traps for the corners and if all corners are filled wih these and some other foam placed in key areas around the studio, you can have a pretty decent situation.
Ok with regards to subs, they are always a compromise. Full range speakers that go down to 20 hz are the best but obviously this is not going to happen 99 percent of the time. I have some Dunlavy Aletha's that go dwon to 19 hz but they cost 6 grand for a pair. I will not talk about near field monitors here because you can learn to work on any of them. Obviously the more money you spend you generally get a better product but thats for another story.
Buy a sub that is intended for audiophile hi fi use. Not a home theatre sub meant for sonic booms with movies, but real hi fi sub thats made to have an accurate response. The cost is generally 1500 dollars to start and goes well upwards. Far more money than most people's nearfields. But many engineers will spend 2 grand on mics or preamps over and over again and still never get their monitoring figured out.
Visit Bob Katz's website at www.digido.com for lots of info including stuff on hand tuning your sub and properly integrating it.
Once you get your room sounding good with acoustic treatments and your sub properly placed and crossed over, now you are in a situation where there is nothing stopping you from making great mixes but your own experience and talent.
Good Luck!
Colin Davis
www.imperialmastering.com
Its true that many mix engineers have a subwoofer integrated into their system. But so often this sub is a low cost one or not crossed over properly.
Also adding to the problem is the commonality of people using mixing rooms that were not designed to be mixing rooms.
My point of view on everything is why do it if you cant do it right. I have designed several simple rooms in the past that work well and are cheap to build. If you can make yourself a room that is the best you can make it, properly integrate a subwoofer and optimize your monitoring and listening enviornment, you will take drastic leaps forward in the sound of your mixes.
With the quailty of recording sorfware and the low cost of good AD DA converters and many other things, I'd say that you can go further by optimizing your monitoring than by any other thing you may do for your studio.
Ok, let me start with room design. There are a lot of incedible rooms that are odd shapes. But for making a room on a budget, the only way to go is with a rectangle. There are a few practical room ratios that should be used. Stepping away from these few ratios, pretty much leaves you with a guessing game when it comes to determining how your room will sound.
One common room ratio is 1 x 1.4 x 1.9 Or in other words, a room with 10 foot celings would have a 19 foot length and a 14 foot width. If you increase one demention, you have to increase the others by an equal amount so that you stay within this ratio. You can plug in room ratios into an online acoustic calculator to determine where you have buildups of room modes if you like, but often this is not necessary if you start with a good ratio.
Also attention has to be given to deadening the room in the proper way. Fully padding out your room will result in a room that has no reverb in the high frequencies but is bass heavy. Common sound foam does not absorb under 200 hz.
There are 2 books you need to have. Both by author F. Alton Everest. One is 'The Master Handbook of Acoustics' and the other is called "Building a budget recording studio". Between these two your can build you own room, properly treat it, get wiring firgured out, room ratios, everything. These are mandatory for anyone that wants to go into this direction on their own.
There must be a compromise between foam to absorb the highs and bass traps to absorb the lows. One cheap and effective way to go is with a company called Auralex. They sell effective foam bass traps for the corners and if all corners are filled wih these and some other foam placed in key areas around the studio, you can have a pretty decent situation.
Ok with regards to subs, they are always a compromise. Full range speakers that go down to 20 hz are the best but obviously this is not going to happen 99 percent of the time. I have some Dunlavy Aletha's that go dwon to 19 hz but they cost 6 grand for a pair. I will not talk about near field monitors here because you can learn to work on any of them. Obviously the more money you spend you generally get a better product but thats for another story.
Buy a sub that is intended for audiophile hi fi use. Not a home theatre sub meant for sonic booms with movies, but real hi fi sub thats made to have an accurate response. The cost is generally 1500 dollars to start and goes well upwards. Far more money than most people's nearfields. But many engineers will spend 2 grand on mics or preamps over and over again and still never get their monitoring figured out.
Visit Bob Katz's website at www.digido.com for lots of info including stuff on hand tuning your sub and properly integrating it.
Once you get your room sounding good with acoustic treatments and your sub properly placed and crossed over, now you are in a situation where there is nothing stopping you from making great mixes but your own experience and talent.
Good Luck!
Colin Davis
www.imperialmastering.com