anyone think of this?

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ataraxia
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anyone think of this?

Post by ataraxia » Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:28 am

okay first off I'm not the brightest. but what about using some keyboard speakers for refence monitors, obvious not as primary monitors, but i would think they would have a good balance of frequencies? I was just wondering if anyone has/does use this sort of thing. i was listening to my casios and they didn't seem too bad. haha

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Milkmansound
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Post by Milkmansound » Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:23 am

might as well go all the way - take the speaker out of an old dead TV. Nothing sounds worse than that - if you can make something sound good through that thing you are doin ok.
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pandatone
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Post by pandatone » Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:13 pm

i have a set of "computer speakers" i use for reference.. with the 2 small speakers, then an over sided sub.. i figure alot of people listen to stuff like this these days.. also ear buds.. [ala an ipod].. "computer speakers" tend to over hyper highs and sub bass of coarse!
honestly i don't think that many people listen to music on "boom box's" anymore.. headphones or computer speakers.. or home stereo/movie stereo systems..

also the build in speakers to computers can be good to check too.. like.. basicly mono and no bass.. horrible.

panda

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brianroth
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Post by brianroth » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:58 am

Once you think you've nailed a mix, listen through it via a variety of systems.

Eons ago, I found the crappiest 3.5" Rat Shack speaker with the smallest magnet in the store (I think it cost 99 cents back then) and I powered it from a tiny solid state amp that also summed the L and R monitor outs of the desk. This nasty thing was installed into the meterbridge of an MCI desk, and if the mix survived on what we called "the shitcan", then it was probably OK.

We also had Auratones on the meterbridge in addition to the huge UREI's in the soffit, and nearfields on pedestals in front of the desk.

Also once-upon-an-eon, some major LA studios installed low power FM radio transmission systems so that producers and/or engineers could listen to a mix in their car out in the parking lot.

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mertmo
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Post by mertmo » Sun Dec 18, 2005 8:45 am

I got to record at A&M studios back in 1993, and they had the FM transmitter setup. We made them fire it up so we could go listen to our mix in our band van. It was the one rock star demand we made during that session...! It took like an hour and half for all the gear to warm up to being useable, it had all been unused for so long.

RE: the computer speakers --

Apparently Bob Clearmountain (I hope I have this right) uses these old Apple computer monitors pretty regularly now to check his mixes on. I have two pair of old Apple powered monitors myself, but I'm not sure if they are the same ones. They sound boomy and too tubby to my ears...

ataraxia
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Post by ataraxia » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:24 am

haha the shitcan sounds like coolest thing ever.

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Post by drumsound » Sun Dec 18, 2005 11:24 pm

brianroth wrote: Eons ago, I found the crappiest 3.5" Rat Shack speaker with the smallest magnet in the store (I think it cost 99 cents back then)

Bri
I haave a pair of Rat Shack Minimus .3 Probably the same thing. I use them a lot!

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brianroth
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Post by brianroth » Mon Dec 19, 2005 2:15 am

The speaker used in "the shitcan" was sold as a replacement part intended for a really crappy TV set or perhaps clock radio. The "enclosure" was merely the sheet metal of the MCI's meterbridge!

The audio amp was this model (or a similar one):

http://www.opamplabs.com/34.htm

since I had one kicking around in my junkbox at the time.

When we sold the MCI 636 desk, I transplanted the shitcan stuff into the meterbridge of our new Otari desk....

Bri

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