If your looking to start you own home recording studio for Mac or PC nothing beats having a good pair of studio reference monitors. These high quality speakers are designed to bring out the subtle qualities of any music and are ideal for focusing on minute details while mixing. Unlike common speakers, reference monitors deliver clear audio across the entire frequency spectrum. Good studio monitors will provide this clear audio quality at any volume, or place in the room.
There are essentially two variants of studio monitors, power and unpowered speakers. Basically powered monitor are the same as unpowered, except with an amp built in. Unpowered speaker sometime function passively (without amplification) but usually one is required to provide an amplifier for such speakers. Honestly, active monitors have a couple of advantages over passive speakers. Namely, powered monitors have built in power amps designed to work with the drivers, and generally are made to provide the most optimal audio performance. Unpowered speakers sometimes do not deliver such audio quality. Bi-amplification further refines the concept by dedicating separate power amps to the highs and lows. Combined with a finely tuned crossover, this design insures that both the high- and low-frequency drivers are asked to deliver only the frequencies they are most efficient at reproducing. Most high performance monitors will come with bi-amplification (possibly more though).
Reference monitors are designed to deliver true audio quality (not adding or detracting from studio recordings). This means crystal clear sound for focusing on the minutest of textures (sometimes a good or bad thing). Due to the high resolution performance of studio reference monitors they are the ideal multi-channel mixing in any studio environment. These type speakers are intended for critical listening applications, other bookshelf home stereos and even the best desktop speakers simply don't cut it when it comes to mastering applications. The dynamic ranges and bass response of studio quality speakers or studio-headphones simply deliver much realistic sounding audio. While they come at a significantly more substantial price, the added precision in mastering will more than compensate. Audio engineers and producers all choose either studio quality headphones or reference monitors in order to get the desired audio fidelity.
Most reference monitors will have at least two speakers. Well, in reality it has one high resolution tweeter and a specially designed woofer. A good pair will be design to provide a broad listening zone, and not focus the stereo on one spot. This means multiple listeners can achieve and ideal perspective of the stereo image throughout the listening room. A set of great reference monitors will avoid causing significant ear fatigue after hour of use, granting hours of listening without providing annoying treble or invasive bass. Some monitors feature magnetic shielding to eliminate buzz and interference that can exist with other electronics. Shielding reduces the effects monitors have on computer monitors and reduces buzz.
As stated, if you have interests in creating your own music recording studio, a good pair of studio reference monitors is a necessity. Whether its your collection of recording equipment for Mac or PC you would wish to add to, monitors will deliver the high quality performance for true professional quality mastering.
Thanks for the insightful post!
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