Monitoring and frequency response in the studio vs. sound stage - Social Sound Design

Monitoring and frequency response in the studio vs. sound stage

2010-10-21T08:20:37Z

Dear all

As you know, the sound stages have a precise and standardized reference level and frequency response (x-curve, physical dimension, delay, type of speakers, etc).

In your editing studio, besides obviously setting the proper reference level, do you have any eq settings or something else that help you to have a better idea how your project will sound in a dubbing stage, or (as I do) use only your memory and experience?

Answer by John Kahuna for Monitoring and frequency response in the studio vs. sound stage

2011-01-25T15:57:26Z

I use my ear. I wouldn't use plugins to compensate for missing frequencies or different speaker "colour". My monitors at home- HS 50's http://www.uniquesquared.com/eBayImgs/yamaha_hs50m_pair_thumb.jpg are quite flat: http://www.moozek.com/postsfiles/hs50m/hs50m-vs-ns10.jpg When I go to a dubbing studio, I notice the speakers there have much stronger low-frequency response, so I've adjusted this by simply using a sub-woofer at home to compensate for the missing frequencies of the HS50s. Other than that, there's not much more I can do, since my room is completely different than the studios I work in and even the nearfield monitors are very different. In the end, I simply play the mix through different sets of speakers at home to get a sense of what it's sounding like. Dubbing studios are great for mixing, but they are quite unique, and if a mix is good at home and your friends studio, played with different speakers, you can't be far off!

Answer by tim prebble for Monitoring and frequency response in the studio vs. sound stage

2011-01-25T22:45:07Z

I rely on experience - once you have taken material from your own studio to a dub stage a few times you soon can feel comfortable if its translating well (or if not do something about it). I use JBL LSR 5.1 speakers and they have always translated well. Of course there is a difference, there is a lot of air in a room the size of a dub stage/theatre.... so I don't work in near field, more mid field - my head is 4m or so from the front speakers & sub.

But there is a big difference mixing/balancing in a small room vs a dub stage. Pans for a start are just approximate in a small room eg if you panning an object from L->C->R in a small room that pan is physically say 4m whereas on a dub stage that pan is more like 25m so your perception of position is much higher resolution....