It looks like a speaker, but don't be deceived: a studio monitor is meant to give a completely unbiased perspective of your music in a recording or television studio.
What is a Studio Monitor?
In sizes for home to commercial facilities, studio monitors intentionally avoid distorting or coloring the sound. Rather, for whatever music was just recorded, they deliver a flat phase and frequency, with a straightforward audio signal.
Studio monitors prove to be essential for listening to unmastered tracks, at the point when everything is raw and still needs to be mixed. At this stage, you're still listening to how everything fits together in its most unadulterated form, and don't want outside elements.
As well, rough recordings tend to be uneven, in terms of volume, bursts of sound and aspects picked up during the recording process. The studio monitor's even, fully natural presentation indicates the presence of these factors and what will need to be smoothed out during the mixing stage.
Types of Studio Monitors
Studio monitors come in active and passive types.
- Active studio monitors include an amplifier. This means you don't need to add any extra amplification to the device.
- Passive studio monitors don't have this feature. Instead, should you go this route, you'll need to include an amplifier within your setup.
Generally, larger, commercial-size monitors are passive, while at-home models can be active or passive.
Using a Studio Monitor
If you haven't done so already, invest in a studio monitor - or at least add one to your home or studio setup - to hear a completely color-free, original reproduction of the sound. Standard speakers offer less accuracy, which can then muddle the editing process.
Understand that oftentimes a studio monitor may need to be supported by other devices, especially if you're using a smaller, at-home size. Instead, the bass end of the spectrum tends to be light and limited, and especially for electronic and popular music, adding a subwoofer fully rounds out the sound.
Find Studio Monitors at Alamo Music Center
Alamo Music Center's selection of studio monitors anticipates the needs of both at-home and commercial setups. Browse today for a device suiting your recording and mixing expectations, and take advantage of multiple financing and layaway options, including 12- to 48-month no-interest options at times.