How to choose and test the right monitor. The art of audio

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How to choose and test your monitor

The art of audio

In order to better hear what is happening, the studios use acoustic systems and monitor headphones called reference monitors. Their task is to reproduce the sound as honestly as possible, without adding or removing anything. Studios located in small spaces base their control system on nearfield and midfield monitors. In addition, the use of small monitors close to the listener reduces the effect of room acoustics, since the sound, for the most part, reaches the listener directly, without reflections.

Monitors are active (amplifier and crossover (bandpass filter), active or passive, located in the speaker cabinet) and passive. The amplifier and sometimes the crossover are external units.

We recommend using active monitors.

Active monitors

Active monitors have a number of advantages. By pairing loudspeakers with an amplifier, a manufacturer can match their parameters (impedance, output power, damping factor, etc.) very precisely for optimal performance. Easier use of an active crossover Passive loudspeaker systems can use an active crossover if they allow independent connection to different speakers. Since the amplifier and crossover are located in close proximity to the speakers, cable runs can be significantly reduced. Active monitors are preferred to avoid problems in matching amplifiers to loudspeakers. The price of active monitors may seem high, but if you take into account that, in addition to speakers, you also get a high-quality amplifier and crossover, then buying active monitors turns out to be cost-effective.

The ideal distance from the listener for close-range monitors is about 1 meter, for mid-range monitors 1,5-2 meters.

Based on my own experience, I want to warn a very common mistake. Wherever monitors are located both on the surface of the desktop and on the non-working surface of the mixer, and wherever they are not located. This always generates extraneous "overtones" and distorts the naturalness of the sound due to mechanical vibrations between the monitor case and the surface. Monitors must be installed on special stands (often included) or in special brackets (floor, wall, ceiling) that can be purchased with any monitor.

Monitor Headphones

The requirements for monitor headphones are similar to acoustic monitors - to display the picture as "honestly" as possible. With regard to control listening, it should be borne in mind that headphones can only serve as an additional means of control and in no way replace monitors. The advantage of headphones in comparison with acoustic systems is that they are able to provide a wide frequency range and develop high sound pressure without distortion for a much lower price. In addition, the sound in the headphones is not affected by room acoustics.

For control, it is better to use open headphones, since they provide a more correct sound picture than closed ones, which give a somewhat booming sound due to the inevitable resonance. The disadvantage of headphones compared to acoustic systems is the unnatural presentation of spatial information. When you listen to sound in acoustic systems, each of your ears hears sound not only from the monitor closest to it, but also from the farthest one.

It is on the basis of this information that the human brain is able to determine the location of the sound source. In headphones, each ear hears only its own, separate sound, which leads to unnatural sound and, as a result, increased fatigue.

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