Which speakers should I use for playback?

If your monitors are properly placed, and your room properly treated, typical mix level for the speakers is 85dB SPL. So, pretty loud. Mixing at low volume levels will also give you an inaccurate reference.

Not sure about the HS50M, but at that budget, the Yamaha's are bound to be better than anything from Alesis or M-Audio. Check your mixes against your system by playing them back on other systems: living room entertainment system, in the car, wherever. You'll start to hear where the inconsistencies are, and learn how to compensate for them.
 
Excellent... here's my LAST question (I hope!): I need an interface to hook up my speakers to my computer. I'm somewhat lost about what to choose, but was looking at these two:

M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...900_65145_12_Fast_Track_Pro_USB.html/mode/edu and

Avid Mbox Mini - USB Digital Audio Interface
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/761405-REG/Avid_9900_65135_00_Mbox_Mini_USB.html/mode/edu

.... thoughts? I'll likely need to do some ADR work in the future. Thanks again for your expertise and generousity!
 
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Mbox. Don't waste your time with something that comes with ProTools SE. Get Pro Tools 10 if you can, as it has lots of the features you'll need for audio post for video. Previous versions of ProTools (LE) needed an expansion pack called the DV ToolKit to unlock things like SMPTE time code, OMF import, and Vocalign (ADR tool). PT 10 had OMF/AAF import/export and all the other bells and whistles built in.
 
Great! I've already ordered Pro Tools 10.... the wallet will hurt initially from all this stuff... but it's a long term investment!
 
Something else to consider: ProTools 10 is also not hardware-dependent, like previous LE versions were. It can work with third-party interfaces. So you aren't limited to AVID boxes. Look around, as you might be able to find something in the same general price range that has a few more i/o offerings. That MBox is pretty limiting, in my opinion.
 
Hmmm... interesting... okay, I'll try to scout around and find a comparison of interfaces. In general, what sorts of things should I be looking for?
 
More than one simultaneous input may or may not be a high priority for you, but even if you think you'll only ever need one, it's nice to have the extras available. Two or four inputs should be fine. The ability to take line-level input also gives you the forward capability to add a really nice, external pre-amp in the future (the pre-amps in these little interfaces are hit-and-miss, so read reviews, but adding the external takes the built-in out of the equation).

Some sort of metering on the box is also very helpful for signal calibration and for troubleshooting if something gets out of whack. Two- and three-segment meters aren't great, so if you can find something that has a higher-resolution meter, you'll be in a good spot.

Flexible output and signal routing is also nice, for being able to customize your monitor mix during recording and mixing, which includes individual control over headphone and monitor speaker levels. You'll use headphones when you record VO and ADR, and then bring the speakers back up for the mix. More than two outputs will allow you to do things like create a custom monitor mix in ProTools and send it out... very handy for recording musicians and other complicated projects where you'll want to hear something different through the main mix than you would in the monitor mix.

There are a few decent offerings in the <$300 range from AVID, PreSonus, Focusrite, and AKAI. There are also some small-format consoles from Allen & Heath (ZED series) that have USB i/o and work as recording interfaces. I think the Lexicon Omega is also worth an honorable mention for price:performance. It's pre-amps aren't the best, though keeping the input gain under 75% helps immensely, but it has a pretty flexible i/o.
 
Great... I'm having a little trouble narrowing on a particular model (and finding something sub-$300). So far, I've found

**The AKAI EIE Pro**: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Akai-Profes...ltDomain_0&hash=item1c23001f2b#ht_1018wt_1165

**Presonus Firestudio Mobile** http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...UDIOMOBILE_FireStudio_Mobile_10.html/mode/edu

I also am a student so I can get an educational discount on the **Avid Mbox (non-mini)** for $350 as oppossed to the normal $450: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/797800-REG/Avid_9900_65133_13_Mbox_USB_Digital.html/mode/edu ...doesn't seem to have much in the way of on-board metering...

...and of course the **$150 Lexicon Omega**....

apart from the weaker pres on the Lexicon, I'm kind of unsure about why some cost more than others, etc.... Recommendations? Remember, I'm just starting out and am not a musician (although I may at some point be recording very low-key performances by musicians). I'll almost certainly do some adr, VO in the future, and am willing to pay some dough for an interface (no more than the m-box) that will last me a few years.... Thanks again for all your help! I'm hoping my noobi-ness and your responses will also be useful to others here!
 
To be honest, I've had my eye on the AKAI. I currently run a DIGI002 Rack (discontinued FireWire ProTools interface) with a Presonus DigiMax D8, but that's overkill for what I do in-studio and I really need to free up my FW port. Plus, it's a real PITA to pull that system out every time I have location recording where I actually need 16 simultaneous inputs. It looks like a pretty good deal on a basic, but capable, USB interface. I'm still looking at reviews and trying to figure out if it sounds as good as it looks, though I do run outboard pre-amps.

That Presonus looks interesting, though the meters on it are all but useless. The AKAI has four ins where the Presonus has 8, but the AKAI has four oututs where the Presonus has only two. Plus, the AKAI has four inserts (useful for outboard processing on each channel, and flexible signal routing).

Regarding the Lexicon... well, I had a Lambda a while back for a mobile "sketch pad" interface. It was okay with passable pre-amps (as I mentioned earlier). The Omega has much more flexible i/o, but both are limited to 24-bit/48kHz. The Presonus and the AKAI are both capable of 24-bit/96kHz. You probably won't find yourself using that high a resolution in your audio, but it's nice to have it.

Like anything in this world, you largely get what you pay for, even though there are some very useful gems in this price range. With higher cost usually will come things like better/more pre-amps, more input and output options, more durable construction, better metering.

The Mbox is certainly worth a look. AVID's pre-amps are pretty good. That unit, though, has only two analog ins. The S/PDIF in is a plus if you have a pre-amp with S/PDIF out or some other outboard digital device, but with only two analog ins and two analog outs, it's pretty limiting.

Again, the benefit to more than two output channels is the ability to create a monitor mix in ProTools using a second master output channel. This is handy if you work with musicians, since you can send that foldback mix to a headphone distribution amp while you monitor the main mix.

It's great that your starting out, and that you're putting this much thought into it! Think forward a little bit... not just what you need right now, but what you think you might need as you expand over the next couple of years.
 
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As for speakers, I just want to say that we just picked up a set of KRK Rokit 5s for doing the initial mix of our film and they are really exceptional for the money. We're using a Focusrite Saffire Audio Interface.
 
What would be wrong with feeding the monitors with something like the ASUS Essence Xonar ST instead of an external box? Did the OP need the inputs?
 
I acquired some Yamaha hm80s and the AKAI EIE Pro (w/ pro tools 10)... I've still got to hook everything up! I might have sacrificed quality on the 1/4" TRS to XLR cables I got (as Alex properly warned me about!): I got the $9 6' monoprice cables from amazon... the reviews seem good from searching some audio boards, but... I probably got what I paid for. I was off-put by cables at $20 or even $40+ a pop, but... it's probably worth it since I've invested money in all this other stuff: no need to be cheap now!
 
Yeah, be careful with those overpriced cables, most of them are pretty much scams in my book. The things you just want to watch for:

1. Decent amount of copper in the conductors (for the application), an active monitor is not going to need anything more than a mic cable. Now if you are going passive (Amp + speakers), then higher gauged wire is appropriate.

2. Decent connectors (Neutrik and Switchcraft come to mind). Try to have a single cable between each monitor and and the interface. Don't clip together a couple cables to make the distance.

3. Make sure both leads are the same size/length. Make sure the cables are shielded.

4. Watch out for ground hum. Usually in very short runs with proper grounding, it won't be an issue. Just use the same e-circuit your gear is plugged into, and you should be fine.

There have been studies and tests of cables that claim "improved high grade sound due to conductor material", and it was proven to be a rip-off. I laugh when I see ads for "oxygen-free copper" and such.

The only saving grace Monster has for the price is the 100% no question asked replacement policy. But I would only see that useful for guitar cables.
 
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Richard Crowley said:
That cable looks just fine. I would probably not have spent even that much. ANYTHING more is overkill and a complete waste of $$$.
Click to expand...

In some ways, yes. Monster Cable, for instance, is nothing but overpriced. However, I stay away from cables that have hard-molded connectors (no way to repair, only replace) and will buy cables with Neutrik (or Switchcraft) XLR connectors whenever possible. That's what I was talking about via PM with qwerty123 when I warned against cheap/off-brand cables.

Of course, it's almost always less expensive to buy the materials and make your own... if you are handy with a soldering iron and a multimeter.
 
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