Yamaha NS-10

[In Technicolor]

Bienvenidos! I recently purchased 2 Yamaha NS-10s on Ebay along with iZotope Ozone for mastering a concept MC-202 based EP I recorded. I have primarily been working with a pair of vintage JBLs and KRK 10-3s which both have their positive attributes.

But if my life utterly depended on it at this point I couldn't create a mix that sounded good on the NS-10s. I really don't understand? My mix sounds great on the JBLs or KRKs... but pure amateur crap with the NS-10s. Is my mix really that bad? From what I've read the NS-10 has a pretty polarizing effect amongst the entire music community. Any NS-10 users on here that could tell me what is going on?

[GH]

While I don't, and haven't ever used NS10 monitors, I know that they were indistry standards for a long time. This had a lot to do with the fact that they don't flatter the sound one little bit, as some other monitors do, and this meant if you got your mix sounding right on these monitors, well then they mix will sound great on pretty much any listening environment.

If your having trouble, I'd take a look at your listening environment. Is there a lot of reverberation in the room from hard surfaces and lack of soft furnishings etc.? Try listening to some of your favourite albums through them.

Also, it's worth noting that you can have the best monitors in the world, but if you haven't spent enough time with them, to get to know their sound etc. well then they're not going to give the best results.

[Spambot5000]

Bienvenidos! I recently purchased 2 Yamaha NS-10s on Ebay along with iZotope Ozone for mastering a concept MC-202 based EP I recorded. I have primarily been working with a pair of vintage JBLs and KRK 10-3s which both have their positive attributes.

But if my life utterly depended on it at this point I couldn't create a mix that sounded good on the NS-10s. I really don't understand? My mix sounds great on the JBLs or KRKs... but pure amateur crap with the NS-10s. Is my mix really that bad? From what I've read the NS-10 has a pretty polarizing effect amongst the entire music community. Any NS-10 users on here that could tell me what is going on?

I've never owned NS-10's, but I know a little bit about them. They are rather controversial, mostly because they are so often misunderstood. I hear alot of mixing engineers say "they sound awful." Well yeah, that's kinda the point.

I'll say this right up front (and repeat it later): Reference monitors shouldn't flatter your mixes, they should expose their flaws, and perhaps even amplify them.

NS-10's require you to really "work the mids" for the mix to sound good on them. They are very finicky about midrange. If they're not perfect, the NS-10's will let you know.

The *downside* of this is that it takes some work and frustration and time and surgical focus. The *upside* is that when all is said and done your mixes will have very detailed, very beautiful mids.

In fact, this is why so many mixing engineers love NS-10 (and why some hate them, as well): if you can get your mixes to sound great on them, then they're gonna sound great anywhere.


Don't give up.

And most importantly, don't get rid of them!

I'll say it once again: reference monitors shouldn't flatter your mixes, they should expose their flaws, perhaps even amplify them. And, as you well know, the NS-10's do a wonderful job of that.

[Negamuse]

Wow. That's a great post with some great advice. Seriously, my brain's just done a 180.

[Spambot5000]

Wow. That's a great post with some great advice. Seriously, my brain's just done a 180.

Thanks a bunch.