KVR Audio

enCiphered · Post by **enCiphered** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:53 pm

I´m really curious to hear how many of you guys are making music using only headphones.
I could never work with studio monitors exclusively because my headphones are still revealing some details that even expensive speakers often miss, so I´m using both.
What about you?

enroe · Post by **enroe** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:11 pm

I am surprised that here are some voters who use headphones only. Everyone
can do what he likes - of course. But if you use headphones only your songs
would sound "good" only on headphones. If that is your intention ...

Googly Smythe · Post by **Googly Smythe** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:18 pm

Out of 5 (so far) respondents I'm the only one not using headphones. I'm feeling lonely. And a little weird.

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:25 pm

I mainly just use headphones when I'm recording guitars, drums and vocals. Otherwise I may check a mix with them, but mainly I mix and master on my monitors.

@googly I always thought you were weird (in a good way)

enCiphered · Post by **enCiphered** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:49 pm

enroe wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:11 pm I am surprised that here are some voters who use headphones only. Everyone
can do what he likes - of course. But if you use headphones only your songs
would sound "good" only on headphones. It that is your intention ...

When I started making music I didn´t have the money to buy good studio monitors, it was really frustrating and I had to use a cheap pair of computer speakers, I think it was one from sound blaster..
But even if I had the money to buy studio speakers, it would have been too loud to work with them in my flat

So no choice for me back then, pc speakers or headphones.

JJ_Jettflow · Post by **JJ_Jettflow** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 1:42 am

I have 3 pairs of monitors and 2 sets of headphones I use regularly. The more sound sources you mix on, the better.

jethrobull · Post by **jethrobull** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:28 am

60% headphones 30% Monitors 10% Eyes. If I could mix solely on my Monitors I would, as I prefer the space between. Unfortunately I live in a small upstairs flat, in an acoustically untreated room. The mice also get pissy about the noise

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:53 am

I'm used to headphones for long working sessions, only use monitors for reality check at later stage.

Also, using visual feedback tools, such as Izotope Tonal Balance Control, not only yields better results, but is many times faster than doing same things by ear.

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:34 am

enCiphered wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:49 pm But even if I had the money to buy studio speakers, it would have been too loud to work with them in my flat
So no choice for me back then, pc speakers or headphones.

Actually, when working at lower volumes you get a better product.

A mix made at low volume usually translates quite well to playing loud, where as a mix made at high volume rarely sounds balanced when played at a sensible level.

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:43 am

Even though I work with headphones only, I still need to check the song balance with 2.1 pc speakers, monitors and home stereo to be sure that it sounds good everywhere.

perfumer · Post by **perfumer** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:50 am

Headphones only - and it's on purpose. And my music listening is on headphones only. I have the money to buy monitors but won't. That's my choice.

Keep your feet warm!

telecode · Post by **telecode** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:34 am

I mix and master on monitors, then flip back and forth between them and decent head phones. I then test on everything right down to a set of cheap computer desktop speakers I own.

Jafo · Post by **Jafo** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:39 am

How can you know what your mix sounds like on different systems if you don't test it on different systems?

Googly Smythe · Post by **Googly Smythe** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:14 pm

thecontrolcentre wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:25 pm ...
@googly I always thought you were weird (in a good way)

That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all week!

el-bo (formerly ebow) · Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:20 pm

Jafo wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:39 am How can you know what your mix sounds like on different systems if you don't test it on different systems?

Testing on different systems can help, but it's impossible to cover the diverse range of devices that people use, all of which will have a different way of representing your mix. Checking how well it sounds in mono, in headphones, and on speakers will help, but using visual mixing cues and reference tracks will help bridge the gaps in between.

KVR Audio

Poll: producing, mixing and mastering with headphones only?

Are you making music using only headphones, studio monitors or both?