?No, I'm not reviewing any studio monitors in this home recording blog. I'm bitching about studio monitor reviews that I've found elsewhere. I was just visiting my home library (right next to the bathtub) and I picked up an issue of EQ Magazine (which I generally like these days). The first page I opened to was comparing 3 different sets of studio monitors. Oh cool! Something different. Besides, I'm not exactly in love with my Mackie HR824s. (Most of that is just me wanting to try something different. I may find that the Mackie HR824s are better than I think now).

Anyway, this guy was reviewing the monitors. Not one time did he comment on how his mixes translated to the outside world on each system. Not once!!! For me, this is the ONLY reason to buy a studio monitor. This guy went on about the imaging on this speaker and the “gloss” of that speaker (whatever “gloss” means). He said that he hated a very expensive set of monitors because there was a high end and low end roll off. Okay, maybe that's not a great feature in a studio monitor....or is it? That speaker may seam weird when popping in the latest Green Day speaker, but it may result in your mixes turning out fabulously.

I kind of look at studio monitors like I look at microphones. I don't think there is a bad microphone out there. I can find a use for just about anything depending on the source I'm recording. I think studio monitors have to fit a certain personality type. What some strong evidence? Listen to a pair of Yamaha NS-10s. They are completely worthless to me. Why? Because the results seam to come out sounding dull to my ears. (In other words, the upper mids on these guys will gash right through your skull and brain). I realize that probably 1/3 of my favorite records were mixed on NS-10s, but for me they are not the right studio monitor.

So anyway, back on topic here. If you are going to read a studio monitor review, please don't put any stock in article that talks about what the studio monitor sounds like. This doesn't help anyone! Instead, listen to see how this guy's mixes translated onto other systems using a given studio monitor. If he doesn't tell what he likes and expects to hear out of a studio monitor, the article is still useless.

I guess I'm just gonna have to really try out my next set of studio monitors because studio monitor reviews suck!

Brandon