I'm sure this has been discussed before but I haven't seen it brought up since I joined
I really want to step out of the realm of software-only production and start buying some actual gear and develop my own studio. I've considered buying a keyboard synth, but I feel like I should probably invest in some decent monitors first.
I work with AKG K701 headphones, and my question is, what are the benefits to working with monitors and headphones vs just headphones? I don't necessarily produce music to be played live, I understand that monitors are crucial for that, but beyond that are there any pros to producing with monitors that can't be achieved with relatively upper-end headphones like the K701's? Or more specifically, do those benefits justify spending several hundred dollars on them?
I obviously plan on buying some when I can more readily afford them, the question right now is if it's worth buying instead of a hardware synth, because that's what I'm trying to decide between right now.
Oct-19-2009 17:20
DjStephenWiley
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Jun 2002
Location: Columbus, OH
Stereo field is the biggest. Headphones just are not good at creating a good stereo field (for obvious reasons) - You need to hear both speakers (monitors) in each.
Oct-19-2009 17:39
RichieV
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Aug 2003
Location:
i think the ipod revolution makes it essential to check your mix in headphones. LIke stephen mentioned, the stereo field will differ from monitors in that the stereo field will be much wider as each ear only hears the direct source.
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Oct-19-2009 21:08
jupiterone
housin' guide
Registered: Dec 2004
Location: los angeles
i don't have good monitors, most if not all my productions are started mono and completed in headphones
Oct-19-2009 21:21
DigiNut
You kids get off my lawn!
Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Toronto, Self-proclaimed Centre of the Universe
The benefits are (a) stereo field and (b) bass. It's certainly possible to produce with headphones just like it's possible to produce with pretty much any equipment, you just need to realize that people will hear a lot of things from stereo speakers that you won't hear out of your cans, no matter how good they are.
If you can test your mixes on anything else, even just some hi-fi speakers, you'll be better off for it.
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Oct-19-2009 23:38
Kysora
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Hampshire, IL
Sorry, I probably should have clarified more, I know the benefits to producing with monitors, I'm just wondering if those benefits are worth spending several hundred dollars on when I'm already producing with $300 headphones. If it's not I'd rather get a hardware synth.
Oct-20-2009 02:31
derail
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Feb 2007
Location: Canberra, Australia
In my experience, the benefit of being able to accurately judge your bass/ low end is worth paying good money for monitors.
I can have something which sounds great in the low end on my headphones, but I throw it out to the monitors and it doesn't hit me in the chest the way it should.
In my experience, headphones can't give me how the bass "feels" hitting my body, they only gives me how the bass sounds.
It may be possible for others to be able to judge this in headphones, but I can't currently.
