11. How Monitor Speakers Work In A Studio Environment

Consumer home speakers tend to add loudness and tone color to make the music sound better. The goal of good studio monitors, is producing a flat or transparent frequency response. For the most accurate representation of the recorded source audio possible. This enables the recording to sound even in all kinds of speakers. High quality home speakers or low end radio, in between bands at a live concert or on a ghetto blaster.

Good reference monitors can produce a transparent, uncolored frequency response with no unnatural emphasis or de-emphasis to specific frequencies. And they simply sound good to listen to. Both are essential when audio mixing and mastering.

Before deciding to purchase studio speakers, it is a good idea to listen to them, if possible. Use music you've heard a 'million' times. A C.D of familiar favorites. Listen for the various frequency ranges on all speaker choices in a price range, and take your time deciding.

Studio monitors are 'active' and include an internal amplifier, or bi-amplifier, for the frequency range. Active studio monitors connect right to the hardware mixer or audio interface. Consumer stereo speakers are 'passive' and require an external power amplifier.

'Near field monitoring' is the name specifically for listening to studio reference speaker sound directly, in close proximity and with less volume. This minimizes the room echo and helps portray the most accurate audio image possible.