I listen to mixes with these diffrent configurations:
1. My main studio monitors: Samson Resolve 65a with Resolve 120a Sub
2. Studio reference system: Keenwood stereo Hifi powering 2 Sonab 80WHifi Speakers
3. Apple iPod Nano with argon plugs
4. Technics Home Hifi with Kef Q15 biamped speakers.
5. Apple Ibook with Creative Soundworks SBS35
6. Studio HEadphones (AKG k271)
7. Home Headphones (Phillips something..)

I usually feel good about a mix if it sounds nice on all theese devices.

I pretty much listen in similar fashion as most of you...

Main mixing is on my M1 Active's
Then my University's
I have a set of Polk's in the livingroom
The Mrs' Saturn Sport Coup (Factory Stock)
...and my Ford Excessive (factory Stock)

I do the Headphones (Sony MDR-V500's) on the console, laptop (G4 powerbook), the Excessive (backseat), and the house stereo.

Usually, I like to give a copy of the "final" mix to two or three other folks and ask them to critique and write notes. A "blind taste test" if you will... a narrow independant focus group can help those closest to the project get a fresh perspective.

Most bands are willing to promisory an autographed copy of the final release as compensation for these folks time and energy.

On two occassions, the critiques came back indicating that the band's insistance that the guitars stick out front were poor decisions, and it took the edge off my insistance.

X

Bruce:

quote:

I always listen to my mixes on my main monitors, then a variety of boom boxes (complete with mega bass and every other button turned on) and then from another room. When the mix passes that test, I sometimes go to Price Club or BJs and listen to a CD of the mix on every stereo and boom box they are displaying. I keep going until I hear something WRONG.

Hmm, and I thought *I* went through a lot in monitoring my mixes!

quote:

Of course, the CD with the song I "test" at stereo stores also has songs I normally reference to when mixing...for perspective.
-B

That's a great idea I hadn't thought of.

What I've been doing so far:

Mixing with a Hafler TA 1100 amp powering a pair of Event 20/20 speakers, and checking with Sony 7506 cans, then burning a CD.

Then I listen to the CD on my bedroom stereo, in my computer which I have running through a 70's Kenwood reciever hooked up to similar vintage JBL bookshelf speakers and also powers a pair of AKG K 240 cans. I also listen to it in my car, a Discman through the cheap cans that came with it, then the Discman through the 7506 cans. My current lack of easily accessed monitoring options has me burning, listening, remixing, reburning so I'm looking to streamline the process.

A couple of things I'd like to try:

gonzo-x:

quote:

i'm going to get a a/b switch for my regular monitoring system, to bring those little suckers in for comparing mixes..

Another great idea. I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a speaker selector that would allow one to monitor through at least 2 sets of speakers as well as in mono, since ITB platforms don't seem to be typically set up to do that easily.

One more thing I thought of is to get an FM transmitter with a range of at least a couple hundred feet. You could playback through your car, stereo receivers, boom boxes, walkman, clock radio, etc without burning a CD first.

Does that idea have merit?

At McMix Recording our studios are right around the corner from a Best Buys. We make a reference CD of mixes and go over there and listen on as many high end and low end systems as we can. Relly gives a great perspective on how things will play in the real world.

There is value to listening from outside the room ya know...in Quad's Penthouse there was one spot in the hallway where I would listen and be able tell quite a bit about how the mix sounded. When I recently checked out what the new owners had done with the room (it is no longer part of Quad), I was surprised that my spot was no longer there.

To find your own spot, play some music that you KNOW at a normal level in your room, then leave the room and go sit around in different places. You may find a particularly informative spot. By informative I do not necessarily mean "nice sounding". After all you can learn a lot about how a mix sounds in a bass trap.