it's really a weird thing. i'm so glad someone else out there has
had the same experience. they have almost too much range...
which, as you point out, is not a bad thing, once you begin to
really hear what's going on. all the subtleties... i mean when
you get down to basically 30hz and you can still hear definition
and clarity... try playing that back in your car. especially
working with reaktor synths that are capable of producing such a
huge range of frequencies and dynamics...
to be honest, i've listened to all the crazy electrostatic
speakers and other high end audiophile stuff out there that costs
heaps and heaps of money (as an australian friend of mine would
say...) and i think i'd have the mackies as my everyday listening
speakers, not just for mixing and writing... (if i could afford
it though, i'd get the sub as well...). they are so loud it's
fantastic, especially if you want to crank them and recreate a
live or club experience just for fun (although, as we all know,
mixing at loud volumes will unfavourably colour the mix). i say
this to all my friends who are looking at getting some ridiculous
B & W setup or whatever... monitors are actually a really cost
effective solution to audiophile listening, if that's your
desire... it has always struck me as strange that they're
relegated to this niche market...
i think it's important to rationalize speakers as an instrument
unto itself. especially in electronic music. the speaker cone is
the resonant chamber. it's the f-hole to strad. the bell of a
selmer mark IV saxophone. to use the analogy, one could buy a
fantastic guitar, be able to play guitar well, and still be
uncomfortable with the instrument itself, its idiosyncrasies and
its hidden potential... like a new friend, they take a while to
get used to. it's a discovery process. it's a musical process.
when i bought them i thought it would be a cure-all for my
mixes... after much trial and error, i began to realize one must
learn to play through the speakers, just as one might learn to
play through any musical device. the marketing of these devices
would have consumers believe otherwise. but that said, i don't
blame them... it's really too complex and voodoo to really get
into the nuances. you have to trust a company like mackie (or any
other high end manufacturer) has made their product as well as it
could be made and there is a certain commitment required on
behalf of the consumer to learn how to use their product, just as
you would any other musical instrument. unfortunately this is not
the kind of thing one has to discover and uncover on their own.
just like any other worthwhile pursuit in life, there is no short
cut.
g.
migraine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
terrific advice. i have the hr824's and theyre very tough to
get an ear for. had them for over a year and im finaly starting
to grasp what they deliver. theyre so accurate its almost
confusing. but lately my mixdowns are sounding better than they
ever have because of them.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Graham Miller"
<grahammiller@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "microsound" <microsound@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:34 PM
Subject: Re: [microsound] studio monitors
hyperreal.org
website: http://www.microsound.org
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