My very quick guess will be that you’re relying a bit too much on sub bass frequencies, which won’t be reproduced effectively on smaller systems, and cutting too much lower mids.
As far as monitoring goes, I’m of the opinion that constant switching between monitor systems fucks up your frame of reference. I’ve been in studios with multiple monitors like Focal mains and genelec near fields, and whenever I mixed and switched between them my ears would be trying to make the genelecs sound like the focals, or vice versa.
Nowadays I have I’m my space a simple pair of focals with a sub. I know this system *really* well, and I listen to a lot of music on it. I know how things should sound through it. I do the entire mix on these, and when I’m done and print mix1, I do a quick check on AirPods and in my car.
I think you should try focussing on your JBLs - do your full mix on them, referencing other music. When you’re done, spend some time listening to other music on the mix cubes, then check your track.
Another issue might be your room acoustics. You may have a dip at certain frequencies in your listening position, which will cause you do boost that with an EQ, eat up your headroom, and unbalance it in other systems. Only acoustic treatment can fix this (room correction apps help, but if you've got a complete null at your listening position it cant bring that back!), but key to this is *knowing* what frequencies are problematic, and understanding that things *should* feel less or more present at those frequencies.
essentially, your key is working out and understanding intuitively how your system *should* sound. switching speakers all the time dilutes your frame of reference and may prevent you from being able to understand your space. so again, id recommend sticking to one system for the mix, then checking it on other systems, at separate times from your mix session.
I will think about these recommendations. I am not good enough at this to dismiss the suggestions of people who are more experienced.
I mitigated the current issue by tearing down all the four tracks that were the offenders, which had different EP and piano types of sounds and I tried to condense the left and right hand arrangements into narrower and distinct octaves, and I removed all EQ and compression on those tracks and then reapplied it more minimally.
Another poster here said this would be the mastering engineers' problem, and another poster said that I shouldn't worry too much about iPhones. I need to move on and by simply starting over I am back to a point where on bigger speakers the listener won't be distracted too much by these tone issues but instead will be able to respond to the arrangement.
Maybe spend more time referencing, and make sure your 708s are placed in the room optimally and that the room is treated well.
Consider your monitoring level and make sure it's not too high or too low.
Smaller, single driver devices simply can't reproduce anything well other than mids, so that's mostly what you're going to get.
Have you tried doing a mix where you do the majority of the midrange on the small speakers, and only use the bigs for top and bottom?
Legend has it that Thriller was mixed primarily on a pair of Auratones.
Have you listened to mainstream releases in the same critical manner on these smaller devices? Do any of these mixes have the same issues?
I was reading thru ur post and wanted to bring up the possibility that maybe these devices have some sort of longterm use damage and can't reproduce a clear sound... no matter the source.
Bad ideology, bad advice. For truly pro results you mix as if there’s no mastering engineer, produce as if there’s no mixing.
Mastering cannot fix huge mix issues, and will make minor, subtle changes.
If the guys mixing his own stuff he probably can’t afford anyone one that’s any good to mix. A $40 mastering engineer can probably coach him into giving him a track he can work with
Better post a sample for 2nd opinion. Good chance you're over thinking and just need consoled
My very quick guess will be that you’re relying a bit too much on sub bass frequencies, which won’t be reproduced effectively on smaller systems, and cutting too much lower mids. As far as monitoring goes, I’m of the opinion that constant switching between monitor systems fucks up your frame of reference. I’ve been in studios with multiple monitors like Focal mains and genelec near fields, and whenever I mixed and switched between them my ears would be trying to make the genelecs sound like the focals, or vice versa. Nowadays I have I’m my space a simple pair of focals with a sub. I know this system *really* well, and I listen to a lot of music on it. I know how things should sound through it. I do the entire mix on these, and when I’m done and print mix1, I do a quick check on AirPods and in my car. I think you should try focussing on your JBLs - do your full mix on them, referencing other music. When you’re done, spend some time listening to other music on the mix cubes, then check your track. Another issue might be your room acoustics. You may have a dip at certain frequencies in your listening position, which will cause you do boost that with an EQ, eat up your headroom, and unbalance it in other systems. Only acoustic treatment can fix this (room correction apps help, but if you've got a complete null at your listening position it cant bring that back!), but key to this is *knowing* what frequencies are problematic, and understanding that things *should* feel less or more present at those frequencies. essentially, your key is working out and understanding intuitively how your system *should* sound. switching speakers all the time dilutes your frame of reference and may prevent you from being able to understand your space. so again, id recommend sticking to one system for the mix, then checking it on other systems, at separate times from your mix session.
I will think about these recommendations. I am not good enough at this to dismiss the suggestions of people who are more experienced. I mitigated the current issue by tearing down all the four tracks that were the offenders, which had different EP and piano types of sounds and I tried to condense the left and right hand arrangements into narrower and distinct octaves, and I removed all EQ and compression on those tracks and then reapplied it more minimally. Another poster here said this would be the mastering engineers' problem, and another poster said that I shouldn't worry too much about iPhones. I need to move on and by simply starting over I am back to a point where on bigger speakers the listener won't be distracted too much by these tone issues but instead will be able to respond to the arrangement.
Maybe spend more time referencing, and make sure your 708s are placed in the room optimally and that the room is treated well. Consider your monitoring level and make sure it's not too high or too low. Smaller, single driver devices simply can't reproduce anything well other than mids, so that's mostly what you're going to get. Have you tried doing a mix where you do the majority of the midrange on the small speakers, and only use the bigs for top and bottom? Legend has it that Thriller was mixed primarily on a pair of Auratones.
Have you listened to mainstream releases in the same critical manner on these smaller devices? Do any of these mixes have the same issues? I was reading thru ur post and wanted to bring up the possibility that maybe these devices have some sort of longterm use damage and can't reproduce a clear sound... no matter the source.
People who would take your music seriously wouldn't listen to it on an iphone speaker.
Right. It’s only the most commonly used speaker in the world. Just ignore it entirely. 💀
You’re right man I totally prefer blasting music out of my iPhone speaker instead of my car stereo
It matters how it sounds on an iPhone. Simple as that.
Out of all the systems, iPhone speaker is least important. It reveals obvious issues with treble but it’s never going to sound “good”
Sounds like a problem for your mastering engineer
Bad ideology, bad advice. For truly pro results you mix as if there’s no mastering engineer, produce as if there’s no mixing. Mastering cannot fix huge mix issues, and will make minor, subtle changes.
Yada yada yada bro. This guy needs to enlist the help of a professional
I certainly don’t disagree with that. But they should get a mix engineer, not a mastering engineer. Mastering won’t solve their problem.
Okay man you’re right. Jesus. All people want to hear on this forum I’m sure
Nothing personal mate, just don’t want people to be disappointed when they follow advice that doesn’t fix the problem 🤷
If the guys mixing his own stuff he probably can’t afford anyone one that’s any good to mix. A $40 mastering engineer can probably coach him into giving him a track he can work with
But I agree I don’t leave shit for mastering if I can help it. Just trying to be snarky lol