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<\/a>It doesn\u2019t matter how much you spend on microphones, preamps and outboard gear if you can\u2019t work with an honest, accurate translation of your mix.<\/p><\/div>\n
The Windows to Your World It\u2019s important to distinguish between studio monitors, which are used for making critical mix decisions, and hi-fi monitors, which are meant for pure musical enjoyment. While hi-fi monitors \u201cflatter\u201d sound and tend to exaggerate highs and lows (imagine a \u201csmile\u201d curve on a graphic EQ), studio monitors are designed to be as neutral as possible so you\u2019re able to make accurate decisions about what you\u2019re hearing.<\/p>\n Think of it as looking through stained-glass window versus a clear windowpane: Stained glass lets in light in beautiful colors and patterns, but sometimes you just need to see what\u2019s on the other side\u2014even if it isn\u2019t pretty.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I\u2019m looking for a studio monitor to work on, I\u2019m looking for the truth,\u201d says Chuck Ainlay, a Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning producer\/engineer who\u2019s mixed albums by Mark Knopfler, Taylor Swift, George Strait and Vince Gill. \u201cI don\u2019t need it to be hyped. When I play music through speakers, I want it to be a challenge. I want to have to work with it to make it sound really good.\u201d<\/p>\n Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning producer\/engineer Chuck Ainlay has mixed albums by Mark Knopfler, Taylor Swift, George Strait and Vince Gill.<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s easy to be fooled by the sound of your speakers. Imagine, for example, that you\u2019re monitoring on a very bright system: You might hear too much treble in your mix, so you back off the highs. But when you play that same mix on a more balanced system, it sounds muddy.<\/p>\n \u201cCertain speakers that I\u2019ve come across\u2014and I\u2019ve seen a lot of people using them\u2014when I have those speakers up and I bring a microphone up, it just automatically sounds good,\u201d says Ainlay. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing worse than working in the studio all day long and thinking that you\u2019ve recorded something fantastic, and you go home or you turn that music on in your car and you feel let down. That\u2019s the worst feeling in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I\u2019m listening to when I listen to new monitors is not so much that I hear them, but that I don\u2019t<\/em> hear them,\u201d says George Massenburg, a Grammy-winning producer, engineer and inventor with credits that include Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel and James Taylor, along with numerous patents for his groundbreaking audio equipment designs. \u201cTechnology that\u2019s transparent to an artist\u2019s vision is what we\u2019re looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n Grammy-winning producer\/engineer Frank Filipetti’s credits include James Taylor, Foreigner, KISS, Carly Simon and extensive work in theatre, film and studio design.<\/p><\/div>\n A Personal Decision \u201cPicking home or studio monitors or even earbuds is such a personal experience,\u201d says Grammy-winning producer\/engineer Frank Filipetti, whose credits include James Taylor, Luciano Pavarotti, Carly Simon, George Michael, Korn and extensive work in theatre, film and studio design. \u201cIt\u2019s very difficult to give anyone advice without knowing how they listen. I can only say that I\u2019m not listening for the sound, per se, but for the emotion and feeling that I experience. I pay attention to my body language.\u201d<\/p>\n Al Schmitt, who has recorded the likes of Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Barbra Streisand and Diana Krall and has earned 23 Grammys, 160 Gold and Platinum albums and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, says he seeks out a monitor that\u2019s comfortable to listen on. \u201cAnd, I make sure I\u2019m hearing an equal amount of everything and nothing is peaked out; I\u2019m not getting too much of a low end or too much of a top end. I look for something that\u2019s fairly flat.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to match your monitors to your studio size. As a general rule, the bigger your space, the bigger the monitor.<\/p>\n JBL 104-BT Reference Monitors with Bluetooth deliver the sound we\u2019re legendary for in our most compact footprint.<\/p><\/div>\n For desktop production or multi-use spaces, JBL 104-BT<\/a> Reference Monitors with Bluetooth deliver the sound we\u2019re legendary for in our most compact footprint. These powered monitors are based on a coaxial driver design combining a 4.5-inch LF driver and .75-inch soft-dome HF driver, housed in stylish oval cabinets that complement any living space. 104-BTs offer Bluetooth functionality for the flexibility to check mixes over more platforms and the ability to stream both wired and wireless sound anywhere.<\/p>\n For larger spaces, 5- or 8-inch drivers generally fit the bill. JBL 3 Series MkII<\/a> and 7 Series Master Reference<\/a> studio monitors are available in multiple driver sizes. 3 Series MkII powered two-way powered monitors come in 5-inch (305P MkII<\/a>), 6.5-inch (306P MkII<\/a>) and 8-inch (308P MkII<\/a>) versions. All models feature woven-composite 1″ neodymium tweeters for ultra-crisp highs, next-generation JBL transducers for optimized transient response and improved linearity, patented Slip Stream low-frequency ports and long-throw woofers for superior bass performance and JBL\u2019s patented Image Control Waveguide, which provides a wide soundstage and precise imaging.<\/p>\n JBL 7 Series monitors are available in 8-inch (708P) and 5-inch (705P) powered models as well as passive install versions.<\/p><\/div>\n Designed for professional music, post and broadcast production studios, JBL 7 Series<\/a> monitors, available in 5-inch (705P<\/a>) and 8-inch (708P<\/a>) powered models as well as passive install versions, offer an expansive soundstage and pinpoint accuracy, thanks in part to proprietary low-mass high-frequency compression drivers and JBL\u2019s Image Control Waveguide. 7 Series monitors also feature an integrated dual-amplification system with internal floating-point DSP and comprehensive room EQ and delay controls.<\/p>\n Adding a subwoofer can extend the low-end range of your system, which can be very revealing if you have smaller monitors or are mixing genres such as hip hop with extended low-frequency range. The JBL LSR310S 10-inch powered subwoofer features JBL\u2019s patented SlipStream port design, which works in concert with the LRS310S\u2019s low-frequency driver to deliver deep, dynamic bass at any playback level. Its XLF setting activates tuning that emulates bass-rich club scenarios.<\/p>\n Think about the space outside<\/em> your walls: Is your studio in a freestanding space, like a garage? Or does your studio share walls with other people? Low end in particular travels right through bedroom walls\u2014a consideration if you\u2019re trying to keep the neighbors happy.<\/p>\n Choose a monitor size that complements the genre of music you make. Into acoustic folk? You\u2019re probably going to be fine with 5-inch speakers. Producing music that will end up on club P.A. systems? You\u2019ll need a reference system that delivers deep low end.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find quality monitors in every size and price range, and incremental increases can sometimes translate to dramatic improvements.<\/p><\/div>\n Narrowing Your Choices Consider monitor functionality. By design, speakers don\u2019t offer a laundry list of features, though you will be presented with options such as I\/O choices and equalizers that help speakers compensate for acoustic issues in your space.<\/p>\n Review specs such as frequency response, power rating and total harmonic distortion, but take them with a grain of salt. These are all good indicators of a speaker\u2019s ability to consistently and accurately reproduce clean, balanced audio across its range, at different volumes and over time, but specs should always be considered in the context of real-world listening.<\/p>\n When you audition monitors, reference familiar recordings that offer wide dynamic range and a variety of sonic material. Make sure that you\u2019re listening to every model at the same volume level, and audition a few models outside your price range if you can. (We recognize that this can be a challenging process while social distancing.) \u201cGo around and listen to all kinds of things,\u201d advises Schmitt. \u201cGo blindfolded if you can.\u201d<\/p>\n As you audition monitors, pay attention to clarity in low-end material, detail in transients and accuracy in stereo imaging. Note balance across the frequency spectrum, and listen for consistency at different volume levels, especially during sharp dynamic peaks.<\/p>\n JBL 104-BT Bluetooth monitors are acoustically optimized for desktop placement.<\/p><\/div>\n Integrating Speakers Into Your Space Some monitors are engineered to sound great without measuring or making room adjustments;\u00a0JBL 104-BT<\/a>\u00a0Bluetooth monitors, for example, are acoustically optimized for desktop placement.<\/p>\n JBL 3 Series MkII monitors feature a Boundary EQ Mode that takes the guesswork out of compensating for acoustic anomalies introduced by the environment.<\/p><\/div>\n Other monitors feature built-in signal processing designed to minimize the influence of your space and can even self-adjust to compensate for room problems.\u00a0JBL 3 Series MkII<\/a>\u00a0monitors feature a Boundary EQ Mode that takes the guesswork out of compensating for acoustic anomalies introduced by the environment. Adjust the High-Frequency Trim to tailor high-frequency response to compensate for overly reflective or absorptive listening environments; flip the Boundary EQ switch to compensate for low-frequency issues that can occur when loudspeakers are in close proximity to walls.<\/p>\n Taking room correction even further, JBL 7 Series speakers integrate with the Intonato 24<\/a> Monitor Management Tuning System, which simplifies setup while offering precise automated calibration and complete control of monitors in stereo, surround and immersive-audio-production rooms. Intonato includes a calibration microphone and features an Automated Speaker Calibration process that \u201ctunes\u201d each speaker to compensate for speaker placement and room acoustics, delivering a neutral response even in less-than-ideal spaces.<\/p>\n You can also apply EQ manually to smooth out your room response if you\u2019re well versed in acoustics.<\/p>\n Keeping Things in Perspective \u201cWhat I look for when I walk into a studio is forgetting everything about the technology,\u201d adds Massenburg. \u201cAnd simply responding to the moment with sensitivity and artistry.\u201d<\/p>\n And isn\u2019t art really what it\u2019s all about?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\n<\/strong>Your monitors are the most important tools in your rig. It doesn\u2019t matter how much you spend on microphones, preamps and outboard gear if you can\u2019t work with an honest, accurate translation of your mix.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>
\n<\/strong>It\u2019s difficult to quantify what makes a \u201cgood\u201d monitor, especially when you are considering its most defining characteristic: sound.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>
\n<\/strong>When choosing monitors, it\u2019s important to set a budget\u2014but be flexible if you can. You\u2019ll find quality monitors in every size and price range, and incremental increases can sometimes translate to dramatic improvements.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Once you\u2019ve chosen the perfect pair of monitors, make the effort to set them up correctly. Studios, especially home studios, can be acoustically imperfect spaces; it\u2019s important to take steps to minimize your space\u2019s impact on your monitors\u2019 response and dial in a solid, accurate sweet spot. (Click here <\/a>to learn more tips for setting up your studio monitors.)<\/p>\n<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Ultimately, your monitors, like everything in your studio, are tools that serve your musical vision. \u201cIf I hear a record I\u2019m familiar with, coming at me with a powerful and majestic sound, I also want to know that it\u2019s conveying the emotion that the artist is trying to express,\u201d says Filipetti. \u201cAnd not just the artist, but the arranger, the producer, anybody involved with the making of that recording. That\u2019s what led me to my JBL M2s<\/a>. It wasn\u2019t just majesty, it was euphoria.\u201d<\/p>\n