mastering quagmire

Jonathan Binns · Post by **Jonathan Binns** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 1:39 am

This might be verging on being an incredibly dumb question but here goes nothin' --

I have been trying to master a demo for about two weeks now (using the T-Racks plug-in), and while it has been mostly successful, I finally realized that my ancient Sansui speakers are a bit shot.. and I don't really have the option of buying new monitors. As luck should have it, I don't really know anyone with a good set...

So....if you were a person of very limited means, which equally ridiculous monitoring option would you trust:

1. a pair of cheap Sennheiser HD 216 Pro headphones

2. your iPod

3. your mother's equally ancient Sansui speakers (don't ask, its in the genes. but they work better than mine.)

Yes, I am willing to hear monitoring suggestions (be it headphone or floor-standing) that don't involve spending more than $300, but I just want to get a demo cd out and I know it won't be a [insert favorite mastering pro here] production. I would prefer to choose from one of the three....

thanks,

j.

Winterpark · Post by **Winterpark** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 2:00 am

my advice is "trial and error" on all of the above....

burn a disk of a few different masters, and play it on as many speakers/crappy car radios as you can, and take notes....

along with your tracks, burn some reference music that you like the production of, and that is similar stylistically.

then go and re do this process untill you are happy.

good luck!
-am

Jonathan Binns · Post by **Jonathan Binns** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 3:34 am

thanks am for the encouragement.

my note-taking is already rather extreme, and I am beginning to lose track of what needs to be done to what....

I guess what I am looking for is some monitoring that will somehow be compatible with most of the Jones and Smith's speakers out there, and strangely enough, the iPod seems trustworthy...or then again.

j.

dpel · Post by **dpel** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 1:32 am

am wrote:my advice is "trial and error" on all of the above....

burn a disk of a few different masters, and play it on as many speakers/crappy car radios as you can, and take notes....

along with your tracks, burn some reference music that you like the production of, and that is similar stylistically.

then go and re do this process untill you are happy.

good luck!
-am

i second this greatly.
but if you feel the need to buyinexpensive headphones
that sound good and give you relatively accurate response-
sony 7506
seinheisers $200 range ish

i can work on the sony for hours and then turn on the Dynaudios,
things sound good.