Why so good on headphones but a mess on monitors?

Hahaha, why a MIX sounds so good to my ears on headphones, but then when I listen to it through my monitors the next day it sounds like a fracking mess on my monitors the next morning? I hate that! LOL. I know there is no phantom image on headphones, and that there are plugins for that, but come on, give me a break. Sound is magic I guess and I still need to descipher the trick... Cheers!

I use the Shure SRH840's to check my mix - I find they give a really, really good representation of what I hear in the monitors. I also have (and compose on at night because they are more comfortable) my older Beyerdynamic DT990's, but they are not closed. I would recommend checking out the Shure's, but like was said before, you really have to mix on monitors.

I love you guys, and thank you. Great tips, although would you kill me if I said it was more of a "philosophical" question? :P (like the thread "why music?") I've tried the isone plugin several times, but I am not comfortable with it. Yes, I use some headphones that I love to hear music with, not some studio ones (I used to use a pair, but even then, it's still deceiving). Still, not a biggie, I guess I should just stick to mix through monitors, that's the best way, right? Thanks again.

Sometimes I read the Reader's Tapes reviews in Recording Magazine. More than once the editors/reviewers have said, "You mixed with headphones and we can tell." My (2nd-hand) advice is: - Mix (and master) with monitors, preferably good monitors. - Calibrate your ears periodically by listening to a good commercial recording in the same genre/style. (This helps remind you what your recording should sound like and it helps you compensate for less-than-perfect monitors & acoustics.) - Double check your mix on headphones, ear buds, in your car, on your hi-fi system, your boom box, and anything else you can get your hands on. Headphones are fine tools to have in the studio, but when it comes to mixing, mastering, applying effects... Wherever you need to know what it "really sounds like", it's best to monitor with monitors.

Yeah, mono can be great aid. I've also found that overdub recording is much easier when I listen backing tracks in mono (in headphones, naturally).

It's like anything else, you can "learn" to mix on headphones, but it's tougher than mixing on real monitors due to many technical issues that are completely outside of my abilities to understand fully... Anyways, here's a handy little freeware crosstalk dealie that will help you out if you need to mix with the phones: Personally, I'd *rather* mix on monitors and listen with headphones, but depending on the situation, that's not always possible. It is also good to check mixes done with monitors with 2 pairs of headphones: a good pair and a cheap pair, just to make sure the mix translates to headphones well too. I actually check all my mixes and make some pretty important mix decisions using my cellphone MP3 player, a 320Kbps MP3 version of the tune, and a $20.00 set of earbuds. Heresy? Not so much as you'd think. How will most people be listening to the music in today's modern world? Probably mp3 or streaming audio from the internets....

Most monitors are either crap or the room they are in and their set up is crap. Headphones don't have to deal with the room. Run a sweep or tones and look at the FFT of your listening spot. You will probably see big problems below 300hz. (A slow roll off from the mid through highs is normal). You can take some the room out by listening close. I actually do my final adjustments on my good stereo in a room that is treated with first order point absorption (all surfaces) and a little DSP to handle some under 300hz bumps.

my monitors (A7X) have EQ trimmers behind so I got myself a measurement mic and tweaked it a bit 8 measurements taken around listening spot averaged: and mind you, this room has zero acoustic treatment, so if that`s taken into account I think results are pretty good (I had biiiiiig spike around 100 hz...after this correction procedure everything I`ve done till now sounded like crap :D). I am thinking about buying the ARC system since I can`t treat my room atm if you have the means you could try what I did

You're mixing on cans... That's the problem. The "world" (i.e. venue, car, etc.) doesn't listen in TRUE stereo. Fact is, by the time the waves hit your head, they've meshed quite a bit depending on distance etc. You're getting EXTREMELY unnatural stereo separation on cans, and you're also not hearing how the sounds sound in the 'room'. There's also bottom end that you won't hear as well from cans (bass waves are *feet* long from peak to peak). The testament of a good mix is it's seamless transition from room-to-room. You'll never get a *perfect* mix in ALL rooms. There's always a compromise.

Monkey wrench time......... Flat, perfectly placed, room treated and volume wise is indeed the order of the day. Some of us are ready, willing and able to do this and I applaud you. But some of us don't have (or even want) that. We're can-crazy....out of our minds! I used to read all those magazines way back when and I can swear that I heard many an engineer/producer say that some cans are perfectly acceptable for mixing. I can remember a couple in particular saying that the senn line (580, 600, 650) can be used as an alternative without shame. Want to hear your thoughts! Some of us just are not in a position to have the perfect monitor setup...