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Topic: Mackie HR824 or B&W 683 for listening and mixing (Read 3369 times) previous topic - next topic
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Mackie HR824 or B&W 683 for listening and mixing

I bought a pair of Mackie HR824's for the primary purpose of listening to music, with a secondary purpose of working on audio recordings.  The Mackie monitors sound great, though I'm finding that I need to boost the lower frequencies to be happy with the sound.  (foobar2000 EQ settings are 55 Hz: +4 dB, 77 Hz: +4 dB, 110 Hz: +3 dB, 156 Hz: +1 dB).  This sounds good to me when going between Sennheiser HD 600 headphones without EQ and the monitors with these EQ settings.

I have the monitors in a large room, about 1 foot from the back wall, with their settings on "normal."  So there's no attenuation of the lower frequencies with the settings.  The low end response doesn't seem to improve with different speaker placement or listening positions.

The B&W 683 speakers had a great sound when I tried them out, and I am considering returning the Mackie monitors for this pair of B&W's.  I'm posting this, because I would like to know if people have had good results mixing on B&W's or other speakers marketed as "Hi-Fi" speakers.  If I were to keep the Mackie monitors instead, is it likely to be problematic to mix with EQ (to stay consistent between my music listening and recording projects)?

If I were to avoid mixing with the EQ, is it likely to be problematic going from the music listening EQ curve to no EQ in a mixing session?  I suppose if I were to switch off the EQ for mixing, I could listen to some familiar music for a few minutes to get used to the sound before a session.

Mackie HR824 or B&W 683 for listening and mixing

Reply #1
I'd temporarily set up the monitors up in another part of the room or a different room altogether to make sure it's not the room/placement.

Mackie HR824 or B&W 683 for listening and mixing

Reply #2
I bought a pair of Mackie HR824's for the primary purpose of listening to music, with a secondary purpose of working on audio recordings.  The Mackie monitors sound great, though I'm finding that I need to boost the lower frequencies to be happy with the sound.  (foobar2000 EQ settings are 55 Hz: +4 dB, 77 Hz: +4 dB, 110 Hz: +3 dB, 156 Hz: +1 dB).  This sounds good to me when going between Sennheiser HD 600 headphones without EQ and the monitors with these EQ settings.

I have the monitors in a large room, about 1 foot from the back wall, with their settings on "normal."  So there's no attenuation of the lower frequencies with the settings.  The low end response doesn't seem to improve with different speaker placement or listening positions.

The B&W 683 speakers had a great sound when I tried them out, and I am considering returning the Mackie monitors for this pair of B&W's.  I'm posting this, because I would like to know if people have had good results mixing on B&W's or other speakers marketed as "Hi-Fi" speakers.  If I were to keep the Mackie monitors instead, is it likely to be problematic to mix with EQ (to stay consistent between my music listening and recording projects)?

If I were to avoid mixing with the EQ, is it likely to be problematic going from the music listening EQ curve to no EQ in a mixing session?  I suppose if I were to switch off the EQ for mixing, I could listen to some familiar music for a few minutes to get used to the sound before a session.


I see no problem with mixing with eq as long as the speaker eq package was modest and stable.  Anything less than 6 dB is not worth worrying about, IMO.

Mackie HR824 or B&W 683 for listening and mixing

Reply #3
I'd temporarily set up the monitors up in another part of the room or a different room altogether to make sure it's not the room/placement.

I tried moving one monitor to a different part of the room and switched back and forth, while playing a mono track.  They sounded about the same.  I also moved both monitors to another room, and they're not any better there.  I can't rule out a problem with acoustics, but I may be close enough.

I see no problem with mixing with eq as long as the speaker eq package was modest and stable.  Anything less than 6 dB is not worth worrying about, IMO.

I may end up going that route and leaving EQ on all the time.