A studio monitor might include one or more drivers like the woofer, Tweeter, single driver subwoofers, and bass drum. There are many different types of studio monitors available in the market; they are the mid-field, near-field, and far-field. Familiarizing yourself with their features and uses will help you make choices quite easily and quickly on the right studio monitor for you and your production requirements.
The cabinet holds the electronic components of a monitor. The cabinet can be made using different substances such as wood, plastic, and metal. The Tweeter is usually placed vertically above.
They are typically shaped in the form of a dome or cone; they are made from a series of materials. They are known for producing high-frequency sounds, which usually start at about 2 kHz. The second speaker is usually vertically placed under the Tweeter; this is called a woofer. A third driver can be found in some monitors and also a mid-range speaker.
The Tweeter makes high frequencies, the mid-range speaker produces mid frequencies, and the woofer makes low frequencies, this is how this three-way system works. There is an electromagnet behind every Driver. The magnet goes on and off repeatedly, which makes the Driver go forward and backward really fast, which then produces a multiplex of audio signs. The vibration produced by the Driver vibrates the molecules in the air surrounding the Driver, which then creates sound waves to remake the sound audio.
Depending on your listening device, your monitor may have varying sounds. Due to this, most monitors are usually made to be used as near-field, mid-field, or far-field. They each have their advantages when used in a home studio setting.
In general, in most professional recording and music production studio setup, the types of studio monitors will be chosen based on the studio sizes, monitor placement, and the listening distance. When you are getting the equipment needed by your studio , it is vital to choose a monitor that fits your studio space.
The drivers in these monitors are usually small and are situated close to the listener at about two to three feet. Near fields have been known to increase the amount of direct sound and reduce the amount of reflected sound. Near-field monitors feature two speakers; these are the Tweeter and Woofer, also known as Driver. Due to the small size of the near-field monitors, they can be placed on a stand or table that is close to the listener. They are specially made to be used close to the listener, which increases the amount of direct sound heard by the listener rather than the reflected sounds which bounce off the ceilings and walls.
This allows for a more detailed result and reduced effect of room acoustics. It is easier to pinpoint little problems in your mashups, such as clicks and pop sounds. Near fields have this advantage because they give a smaller frequency output; this is the measurement of the frequency range the monitor produces.
These monitors have a larger cabinet to accommodate the bass extensions, they have an improved mid to high-frequency distribution at a farther distance. These monitors are made for a way bigger studio space. They have bigger and stronger drivers that allow them to take up a large studio room with high sound quality, which is better than near-field monitors.
They can be placed far away from the listener without any reduction in the quality of sound. Because of their far-reaching abilities, it has an improved bass extension and a much higher volume. They are likely to overstate the model of the room, which includes the increase of numerous bass frequencies and auditive cancellations; these are usually linked to the dimension of the room, which could lead to incorrect readings. These monitors are quite extensive, including the Driver, so they are fitted along the walls of the studio space, far away from the audience at about 10 feet away.
They are most times hooked to the wall or inside the wall at the back of a mixing table. These monitors usually have about 2 to 3 speakers, which are the Tweeter, mid-range driver, and the low-range Driver. Another nice feature is its FRONT bass ports, which allows for closer placement to the walls in smaller rooms.
The Genelec name is the one synonymous with high-end studio monitors. With their recent AW M series , Genelec has found a way to make themselves at least somewhat affordable to the average guy. The most popular model of the series is the Genelec The unique 3 way design of the Focal Twin6 Be is the primary feature that sets these monitors apart from the rest. While most 3 way designs use a larger driver for the bass, and a smaller one for the mids, this model instead uses identical 6. As anyone who used them before would tell you, the extra 3rd cone makes one hell of difference in sound.
A common problem when working on high-end monitors is…. To solve this problem, the Auratone company invented a small set of monitors in , known as the Auratone 5C Super Sound Cube …. Which simulated the less-than-ideal performance conditions of typical consumer speakers. As discussed above, the setup of your studio monitors is key to maximising your potential, as a well-planned setup will allow you to enjoy more accurate reproductions of your audio.
There are a number of things to consider, but it is particularly important to bear in mind room size you need a monitor which suits the size of your room , room ambience you should look to minimise the number of things which sound can bounce off, as this can subtly alter the sound — you should take particular care to remove anything which comes between your ears and the monitor and monitor placement keep them away from walls if possible, ideally on a speaker stand which raises them a couple of feet above the ground.
Once your monitors are in position, you should ensure your listening position is an appropriate distance from the monitors; most home studio monitors will be near-field, and should be listened to from a distance of approximately m.
Put simply, the difference between a passive and an active speaker is whether or not the speaker has a built-in amp for producing sounds at loud volumes. However, it is worth bearing in mind that as everything is built-in, active monitors can be heavier and more bulky; and if one element of the monitor fails, you have to send the whole set off for repair!
Subwoofers are designed to reproduce low-end sounds accurately, and are important for anyone creating bass-heavy audio; dance, rock and hip-hop in particular tend to have strong bass notes, and can require a subwoofer for best results; bass notes can very easily become distorted on average speaker sets, so a dedicated audio engineer should consider a subwoofer an essential part of their setup.
However, if you are thinking of buying a separate subwoofer, you will need to take into account the size and layout of your home studio — placing a subwoofer against a wall will make the bass notes in your audio sound louder than they actually are, which may lead you to lower them in your mix, therefore leaving them under-powered in the final product.
Ensuring that your room is equipped to handle the effects of a subwoofer is key before making a purchase. Buying Guides. Additionally, far field monitors are much more dependant on the acoustics of the room, so you would likely have to invest some money into treating a room with these monitors.
Because of these factors, near field monitors are a safe option. Professionals have used them for years e. Near fields will allow you to take advantage of a smaller room and will be less affected by a non-treated room. These are called ports. Monitors with these holes are called ported monitors, while those without are called unported. When a driver is vibrating, the backward movement will create internal air pressure within the cabinet. The ports redirect this pressure outside the cabinet.
This resonance helps to extend the frequency response of the monitor, allowing for more low frequencies to be played than a similar closed monitor. And cheap ported units may have too much resonance at the port.
The decision is yours to make. The choice between ported and unported speakers depends mostly on the shape of the room. The drop in accuracy for ported speakers can be more noticeable when the ports are located on the back of the cabinet. This is compounded when the monitors are placed close to a wall, as signal exiting the port will reflect off the wall and introduce new resonances. There are a few solutions for this dilemma.
First, acoustic paneling should be placed behind the monitors—this can help reduce some of the resonances. Alternatively, there are ported speakers that have front-facing ports, which will prevent reflection from the walls. And lastly, you can simply go with a pair of unported monitors for higher accuracy. How your monitors are positioned has a huge impact on the accuracy of your listening experience. The monitors, first and foremost, should be at ear-height when working.
Most monitor stands have adjustable height, so this should be relatively easy to set up. Your monitors should also be as far away from each other as they are from the listening position. Your head and the two monitors should make an equilateral triangle, with each monitor facing directly toward your head.
Monitors should also be lined up with the wall behind your studio desk, rather than placed in a corner. Sound will reflect off of surfaces, so this provides the most uniform setup to minimize additional resonances. The listening position should be centered in the room, often approximately one third the length of the long wall. If the monitors are too close to a boundary wall or corner, there will be an increase in bass response.
For more considerations involving room acoustics and monitor placement specifically in a mastering mindset, but applicable to all home studio environments , check out this video.
For a home studio, your best bet is likely a pair of active, near field monitors. These can be ported or unported. Below are several options in this group. Naturally, more expensive monitors tend to have a better frequency response, are more sonically accurate, sound more defined, etc.
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