Well no you dont need studio monitors to produce a track, but its better that you do because regular speakers can't handle the frequencies like a monitor does.

IF the track is mix/mastered good It should sound good, but you will be able to tell whats good and whats shitty on a good set of monitors.
The monitors should be placed an equal distance from each other and the listener. like a triangle, usually towed in a lil pointing at your ears.

They should be at a desired listening volume, not to low and not maxed.



btw:
I use Alesis m1 actives with E-mu 1820m soundcard

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IMO, you would also want a good pair of studio headphones as well as studio monitors...

While monitors capture the overall sound more, headphones are more like a magnifying glass to your mix capturing all the little details...

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Originally posted by kewlness IMO, you would also want a good pair of studio headphones as well as studio monitors... While monitors capture the overall sound more, headphones are more like a magnifying glass to your mix capturing all the little details...

thats very true, in headphones you can hear everything thats going on, so its a good idea to have a good pair of headphones as well as a good pair of speakers / monitors

Are Bose Triports adequate?

the best volume to produce at is between 80 and 83 db above that your ear can get "tired" and below that your ear starts to filter out highs and lows.

do you need a new pair? well if your not interesed spending a lot of money on quality speakers the rest of your life then, no. after listening to a good pair of monitors for a long time you adjust and everythign else starts to sound like shit. consider this, if you listen to all your (profesional) mp3's and dvd's and whatever else on your curent speakers, your ears will be adjusted to "counter act" all the things wrong in your current speakers frequency responce(way to much bass will sound just right to you, for instance). so if your productions sound EXACTLY like pro mp3's on the same system, chances are they will sound very similar on anyother system. however, your speakers (and your ears most likly) will still have things that you miss when you produce a song... like way to much bass or way to little... if you have accurate monitors, you will be able to trust them to deliver a accurate mix rather then your own ears.

as for your mp3's and dvd's and games and all that? they will sound exactly like their creators intended them to sound.

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Originally posted by EnerJen Do I really need a pair of studio monitors? (I was thinking of Alesis Monitor One if I was ever going to get one)

no, not really. a friend of mine (owns his own studio for 10 years now) monitors on some standard technics 3-way speakers. and he does both mixing and mastering. so, you do not need monitors really, but it would be better if you had. alesis is a pretty good choice - nothing special, but pretty good for the money.

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How does a studio monitor sound like for things other than music production, like listening to mp3's?

this is one pretty dumb question. it is like asking how does your car go if you drive your girlfriend or your grandma.
in general, monitors sound flat and without colorations (extended bass response, softer highs, etc.) that most of the hi-fi speakers have one way or another.

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How loud should I turn my speakers or monitors for optimal performance during production, and how loud do most people set their speakers at?

i just read a book which contains interviews with a lot of proffesionals, and their basic principle is to monitor their mix a bit louder than ordinary speech level (maximum at 90 dB). when they make the mix they listen to it in the hallway outside studio, make additional changes, and then, but not always, get the mix to some big hi-fi speakers to check it out louder.
you should monitor the final mix louder (not during the mixing stage), since trance is mostly made for clubs, but that won't help too much since every setup sounds differently.
basically, the lower the volume, the longer it takes you to grow tired of it. and be nice to your ears, you have only one pair and that pair has to last for a lifetime.

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Originally posted by EliPsE Well no you dont need studio monitors to produce a track, but its better that you do because regular speakers can't handle the frequencies like a monitor does.

that is not really true. jmlab electra 905 speakers can definitely go both lower and higher than your monitors. the difference is in sound coloration (harmonics and uneven frequency response).

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btw: I use Alesis m1 actives with E-mu 1820m soundcard

wow. nice one mate.

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Originally posted by EnerJen Are Bose Triports adequate?

do not ever buy Bose. it is definitely overpriced, and the sound is not nearly as good as it should - Bose is known for having an 'attractive' sound (boosted highs and lows) which you DO NOT want. for monitors look at manufacturers like tannoy, alesis, event, genelec, krk, mackie, fostex, yamaha, behringer, edirol (roland), jbl, etc. as for hi-fi speakers, some are better, some are worse. check the net.

I used to think studio monitors weren't that important until I bought my pair of Mackie HR824s a couple of months back. Things have never been the same. They really do make a big difference.

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Originally posted by X-Multiply They really do make a big difference.

=) How so may I ask?

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Originally posted by X-Multiply I used to think studio monitors weren't that important until I bought my pair of Mackie HR824s a couple of months back. Things have never been the same. They really do make a big difference.

it depends what you used before.