So I was talking to someone else that used BX5a's about a couple of issues I started noticing more and more lately with my BX8a's. The issues are:
• Low headroom
• Levels are not accurate
I have been noticing more and more that I am pushing guitars way louder in the monitors than I think they should be, only to find out when listening on other systems (car, etc.) the guitars are just right actually. Really irks me because when monitoring they are way too loud in the mix. The person I was talking to about his BX5a's said he has to mix guitars louder than he thinks and drums lower, for the same exact reasons I am explaining. The BX8a's have a volume knob on the back like many other monitors. I have mine both set to about 75% (not sure what M-Audio recommends), when I have the volume on my 2626 at 50%, the monitors are super loud, which is awesome I guess, but everything sounds slammed and really gelled and overall you can tell the speakers are compressing. The problem with this is that when you listen to that same mix on another system, everything is actually more separated than the BX8a's would have you believe. For example, on the monitors the mix sounds really just slammed to shit, snare is barely making it through sometimes, guitars are really loud (as mentioned above), vocals sound quieter - BUT - go listen in the car and all of a sudden the drums have way more space, the vocals sit just right and the guitars likewise. WHAT THE FUCK.
Other than these couple of issues, the BX8a's so far have been really accurate translating to other systems, frequency-wise. I have never gotten something to sound one way on them and it sound way different in a car, etc. Guitar tones, drum tones, etc. always sound the same. It's just the levels thing with these monitors that bugs the shit out of me and even though I know the issue and know where things need to be - I shouldn't have to do this. I think if the monitors had more headroom to them then a lot of this would be fixed. Really I think that's the only issue as my friend with the 5a's runs his at 100% volume on the back and has the same problems.
I'm wondering if anyone else using BX8a's or 5a's is having the same issues.
SO. I may need to invest in a new set of monitors. How about Yamaha's HS80m's? Or maybe some Events? I will keep the BX8a's because, as I said, they are accurate frequency-wise so that's great to have laying around. I just need something more accurate for the levels as my main reference. I prefer the 8" monitors usually, but if I'm keeping the BX8a's I can use those for tracking/client impressing as long as my mains are accurate they can be 6-6.5" or something. Just something that works!
• Low headroom
• Levels are not accurate
I have been noticing more and more that I am pushing guitars way louder in the monitors than I think they should be, only to find out when listening on other systems (car, etc.) the guitars are just right actually. Really irks me because when monitoring they are way too loud in the mix. The person I was talking to about his BX5a's said he has to mix guitars louder than he thinks and drums lower, for the same exact reasons I am explaining. The BX8a's have a volume knob on the back like many other monitors. I have mine both set to about 75% (not sure what M-Audio recommends), when I have the volume on my 2626 at 50%, the monitors are super loud, which is awesome I guess, but everything sounds slammed and really gelled and overall you can tell the speakers are compressing. The problem with this is that when you listen to that same mix on another system, everything is actually more separated than the BX8a's would have you believe. For example, on the monitors the mix sounds really just slammed to shit, snare is barely making it through sometimes, guitars are really loud (as mentioned above), vocals sound quieter - BUT - go listen in the car and all of a sudden the drums have way more space, the vocals sit just right and the guitars likewise. WHAT THE FUCK.
Other than these couple of issues, the BX8a's so far have been really accurate translating to other systems, frequency-wise. I have never gotten something to sound one way on them and it sound way different in a car, etc. Guitar tones, drum tones, etc. always sound the same. It's just the levels thing with these monitors that bugs the shit out of me and even though I know the issue and know where things need to be - I shouldn't have to do this. I think if the monitors had more headroom to them then a lot of this would be fixed. Really I think that's the only issue as my friend with the 5a's runs his at 100% volume on the back and has the same problems.
I'm wondering if anyone else using BX8a's or 5a's is having the same issues.
SO. I may need to invest in a new set of monitors. How about Yamaha's HS80m's? Or maybe some Events? I will keep the BX8a's because, as I said, they are accurate frequency-wise so that's great to have laying around. I just need something more accurate for the levels as my main reference. I prefer the 8" monitors usually, but if I'm keeping the BX8a's I can use those for tracking/client impressing as long as my mains are accurate they can be 6-6.5" or something. Just something that works!
