Ear help... How does this reflect in you Subs?

[mojobone]

It won't take me quite 55 seconds to tell you that you're better off with two subs, in the first place.

[mojobone]

Hey Les!
Here is why I'm sweating it...
I use a lot of panning, and as a tune gets closer to the finished product I'm still tweaking EQ's
So that means that for the last year any instrument on the right was Eq'ed in heavier LowZs because I wasn't hearing the Sub supporting those sounds
It would sound correct in the studio, but I've been hearing this common thread of muddiness in other devices (phone/earbuds) with this years mixes
I only realized this was happening when I started an EDM cue (now called SubTest ) using two kicks, one panned left and one right.
I started with the exact same kick on both tracks and noticed that they didn't sound alike at all
The left was nice and beefy and the right was weak (I do love those LOWs )
That's when I freaked out and got really bummed out that I had somehow not noticed the problem
Worried about the amount of tunes that this affected...
My workaround for the moment is the two subs running
Thank you for letting me rant Les!
Greatly appreciated!

If it helps any, most folks will hear it on earbuds and never notice; refer to Bob Katz' Mastering Audio, 3rd edition, for why your subs should be mirrored. HINT: you woulda noticed your current problem, a long time ago.

[LOCK88]

Hey Cass, sorry if I'm a bit late here. I haven't read the thread, so please ignore if you have already handled your issue. But as I run it through my system, I feel like I am really missing your low end punch. It's not hitting my sub like I think it should be. I feel like everything below 80hz feels lite. That's where my crossover is from my NS10's to the subs, and I'm not feeling it there.

[cassmcentee]

Thanks for the heads up Mojo!
Will read that sectioon... (for now I have the subs unplugged)
Not noticing it till now is what threw me into a tailspin (got very depressed there for a bit)
I'm doing the best I can, and with just enough ego to think I'm pretty good at it, and then THIS! Hah...
Remixing "Built To Swagger" (w/Bill Hewett) now and will post the comparison.

Thanks Robb!
I'm hearing exactly what you are hearing with the subs turned off... dangit!
Working on the corrections now
Wanting cleaner/crispier mixes has been a nagging thought in the back of my head
Haven't been sure why I haven't gotten there yet (especially when A/B'ing with Ref tunes)
This sub imbalance and it's coloration affecting the mixes has obviously been a huge factor
Working on it...
Hopefully getting better!

[Len911]

here is a link to a Bob Katz discussion about using 2 subwoofers
http://repforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php?topic=8723.0
it seems to confirm my earlier post.
Also i noticed this on the Bx plugin." You can also use the bx_control V2’s unique Mono Maker tool to set a threshold frequency below which the stereo signal of your track or mix becomes mono with no loss of power or fidelity — great for managing the low end of your mixes." that seems to infer phase correction with no loss of power or fidelity when summing the left and right to mono or mid. along with "As a monitoring tool, the bx_control V2 offers solo monitoring to M (mono sum), phase-corrected S (stereo difference signal), and L or R (left or right) mono channels on both speakers, or " soloed in place" using the four dedicated solo buttons — another Brainworx invention. You can also easily swap channels with the L/R flip button."

I'm thinking using 2 subwoofers when mixing would more replicate club speakers and what's going on especially with Edm. maybe there should be 2 different mixes, the other mix sending anything below 80hz to the mid for 2.1 and 5.1 single woofer sytems and smaller stereo systems. club speakers in a small mixing room might not be very practical.

[cassmcentee]

Great thread Len, Thank you!
I love the idea of running stereo subs below 50hz(if not lower), the "Full Range Monitoring" makes so much sense
Sometimes homework can be fun

EDM - Hah - That's how this problem unmasked itself!
My initial idea was to play two different kicks against each other L/R, and then alternate them when I go to 16ths/stutter
But before I could pick the opposing drum I heard the monitoring problem...

[Len911]

Wanting cleaner/crispier mixes has been a nagging thought in the back of my head
Haven't been sure why I haven't gotten there yet (especially when A/B'ing with Ref tunes)

that's where that Brainworx plugin comes in handy, you can audition what's actually on each channel in your reference tunes. that's how i discovered on my ref cd, that the dry voice was on the left side and most of the reverb was on the right channel. what that does is allow you to use a lot of reverb without the vocal "swimming" in reverb, which in turn makes for a cleaner mix.