Cheap Monitors or Headphones?

[AdamG94]

I know, I know never mix with headphones. But right now I simply can't justify spending £300 on a pair of monitors, but I need something to mix on.

I have about £100 to spend and I was thinking about buying something like the Tascam VL-M3's or the M-Audio AV30/40. But the thought also crossed my mind that it might be worth buying a pair of headphones instead as I might get better bang for my buck. I am looking at AKG K 271 MK II's and the Sennheiser HD 280 PRO's.

So, which purchase will improve my mixes the most?

Thanks,

Adam.

 

[Strachan of D]

take a look at senheisser hd25-cII

 

[KillFrenzy]

Between "monitors" and headphones around £100, phones for sure. I'd recomend the Audio Technica's ATH-M50

 

[P-E]

Never mix with headphones. You're better off mixing mostly with okay computer 2.1 speakers and regularly check your mix with ATH-M50 headphones to make sure it's nicely balanced than mix with them in the first place, in my experience.

 

[dale_a_smith]

headphones all the way.. but don't think you can just put em on and mix on them. like any reference point, you need to know what your listening to.

Its possible to mix almost entirely on headphones, but you need to learn the difference between mixing on phones and monitors.

Headphones eliminate poorly treated rooms. I'd take phones over any monitors on the market, if the room they're pace in isn't treated..

 

[DanLights]

depends on your room, but I would normally go as P-E says, and use the headphones as an extra reference but mix on monitors even if it's a decent-ish 2.1 system

 

[AdamG94]

Thanks,

I'll get some Audio Technica's ATH-M50's and continue to use my computer speakers.

 

[chrisjmp]

I mixed on headphones for years and found it's hard to get the balances right between transient stuff and more sustainy instruments. Also I found myself caught up in minor details that wouldn't even matter when you hear it on normal speakers. Ambience levels are tough too, the right amount of reverb usually seems like way too much in the headphones.

 

[XnaySaturo]

I mixed on headphones for years and found it's hard to get the balances right between transient stuff and more sustainy instruments. Also I found myself caught up in minor details that wouldn't even matter when you hear it on normal speakers. Ambience levels are tough too, the right amount of reverb usually seems like way too much in the headphones.

That's weird, I always find that ambience sticks out more with cheap computer speakers. I tend to mix with too much reverb when mixing through headphones.