How do you fine folks hook up monitors?

D

dkijc

Experienced
Hey folks,

I have a question about how you use your monitors, if you do use them.

1. Plug straight into the axe without a computer (just like you would a FRFR)
2. Same as 1 but have the axe as the audio interface to a computer
3. Have a separate audio interface that hooks up to the monitors and simply use the axe as the input device

I'm asking because I am using a krk rokit 5 (g1) straight into the axe with an XLR cable and it's very boomy. I get no clear mid to highs unless I eq the axe (like put the bass to zero and bump up the other 2 frequencies). Is that how it's going to be mixed in the daw?. If I have to eq do I eq the amp block or actual output eq or use an eq block?

But I don't think I have to eq this much to get a decent sound out of the monitors (supposedly close to flat), hence questioning how people are hooking up their monitors and if what I'm hearing is normal?

I have my qsc k12's at my church and I don't want to bring them home everytime and everytime I jam on the monitors I get WAY different sounds so i'm trying to see how others are handling this kind of situation

THank you!
 
I hook up either:

1. Fractal -> patch bay -> monitor controller -> three sets of monitors A/B/C (this is my mix room setup).
2. Fractal -> powered monitors (live setup).

Where did you get the Fractal preset that you are using with your KRK's?
 
I'm doing #2. KRK Rokits are boomy. I prefer to use hifi speakers (Energy RC-10) because I use them for regular music listening with the computer and have a solid understanding of how things sound through them. But I'm no producer.
 
A common theme is that monitors are frequently at fault (whether it be headphones or such.) I had some Rockit's as well, and found them lacking. Picked up some Yamaha Hs80's, and they are much better, but nothing comes close to the honesty the CLR's have.

FYI I route straight USB. I use the Axe also to route music on my MacBook Pro to the CLR's. Before I used Axe - Macbook - Duet - Monitors...a bit boomy.

Suggestion: Bring a QSC home once, place an GEQ at the end of your chain and A/B tweak it until the Rockit's sound *close* to what you hear through the QSC. Then you can enable it at your house and come close to what you'll get when you're at Church.
 
@barhrecords: Presets I make or downloaded from the site. I usually play it through my qsc (or if I have to, I bypass the cab and put it through my fender deluxe's effects loop) I never really used a monitor controller before and I want it to be as simple as possible. He he
@promit and electronpirate: Ok. I am not the only one who feels the boominess. Whew. So I was thinking of getting the Yamaha Hs7s ($500 pair) and thought it might help me out. What do you guys think? Are the CLR's that much better? I actually never heard of RC-10.

Thanks, guys!
 
I connect my AXE to the audio interface via SPDIF, then the monitors are plugged into the Audio Interface which is connected by Firewire to the PC. The AXE is also USB connected to the PC however I do not use it for audio, only for AXE Edit. I select Audio Interface ASIO drivers in the DAW. With preset volumes set to highest optimal setting, I control room volume with the DAW track and master or Audio Interface GUI mixer if I don't want to run the DAW.

Hope that all makes sense.
 
dkijc said:
1. Plug straight into the axe without a computer (just like you would a FRFR)
2. Same as 1 but have the axe as the audio interface to a computer
3. Have a separate audio interface that hooks up to the monitors and simply use the axe as the input device
Click to expand...

I'm option 3.

I have a rack mounted USB audio interface to my PC. This is the 'hub'... My monitors (2x Mackie HD1221 and Bryston 2-channel amp into DAW/desk speakers) are both connected to the interface. The Axe is an input into the interface via digital connection. In this way, I can use either monitor set (or both, for that matter) for the Axe or any other audio source (eg. v-drums, keyboard, backing track, etc) without messing with cables.
 
the low-level KRKs are absolute bollocks in my experience. Good for hyping up techno mixes, that's about it. I use the Mackie MR series (as far as low-level goes), currently two MR8 mk3s in stereo, and they're great - MUCH flatter and more transparent than the KRKs, although of course nothing on the Adams. But for the price, I haven't found a "truer" monitor.
 
my rockets lacked in everything. i went to m audios an they were pretty good but then got the mackies hr624 and haven't changed. they also have adjustments to tighten up any boomines
 
out of the Axe XLR outs into Audio interface (Echolayla3G or Roland Audio capture) out of audio interface into Mackie Mixer. All monitored on my PC-Mackie HR624 MKII's are main outs for he mixer. Works great for me.
 
Thanks all for great responses. So, it seems I am not in the wrong to go directly hooking up the axe to the monitors. Though, I see many more folks hooking up to a separate audio interface. I think I made up my mind and will go for the HS7s. I haven't heard the Mackies, Adams nor the CLR as I didn't have them in my vicinity to try out... But from what I heard HS7s do sound much better than the krks and someone is willing to let it go for less than $500 a pair so I think it's a good route to go.

unless you guys convince me that those three mentioned above KILLS the HS7s... ;)
 
The CLR's are not studio monitors.

While I liked the (and still do) The Mackie HR MKII series better than the adam7's I did not care for the HS8's from Yamaha. But they were OK and for the price they work.

If they work for you that's what matters. I bought my mackies for more for mixing music with my daw than for the ax fx. Just a bonus to me that they sound so good with the axeFX.

That said, just for creating patches for the axe I am sure the hs7's would be fine. Just MHO
 
I have HS7's and the Yamaha sub, sounds great at low and medium volume levels. However the CLR's will crush them at medium to high levels, no comparison.
 
The form factor of the CLR's can be issue depending on the space you have.

But the performance of the CLR for the $$ is hard to beat. I can't think of any speaker system as neutral for the money and even upping the money, it's hard to find speakers as neutral let alone more neutral.

I'm old school and my main mixing system is vintage NS10's. Needless to say the CLR's are a much better reference monitor than my NS10's.
 
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