Question to those with pro-level monitors

[Morgan C]

I was watching some movie a few weeks ago, and a trailer for Date Night, I think, came on. Anyway, there was a song off the latest Nickelback album playing in the trailer. Generally on any other system I've listened to it's sounded kinda flat. Not a BAD mix but kinda flat, lifeless, dull..

Hooooooooly shit on the cinema's speakers the bass response was just incredible. SO deep and so powerful, as soon as the kick came in I was blown away.
That kind of bass response is always there live, but I always thought it was because of the acoustics, the whole 'messiness' of live, and the racks and racks of speakers they have (plus I could never compare mixes).
But hearing a mix on my monitoring setup vs. the cinema's was eye-opening (as to how much I'm missing, esp in the low-end, on my set-up). And I've never heard a 'small' setup get that kind of bass response, its always a TON of speakers positioned around a huge room. Even in my uni's $10k surround sound setup, the bass response is still nothing like it.

My question is - are the pro-level monitors comparable to those kind of speakers at live/cinema venues, esp in the low-end [assuming room is well-treated, etc.]?

 

[Ermz]

Depends how many watts you're pushing and how large the subs are. But you'd need at least a 3-way system to get that sort of range, ideally mid or far-field. Some nearfield monitors can get deep but they won't have the SPL to make your nuts rattle like the cinema.

 

[demirichris]

I designed and operate the theater here in my cities art museum. I would say that large scale theater systems have an almost exaggerated amount of bass. I honestly wouldn't like to listen to music on the system here and it's a very high-end installation. The subs are about as tall as I am...

Having that much bass response might almost be distracting for me when trying to mix. Not to say that I wouldn't like better response than what my vxt 8s provide, but room acoustics are more to blame in my situation.

 

[Morgan C]

I designed and operate the theater here in my cities art museum. I would say that large scale theater systems have an almost exaggerated amount of bass. I honestly wouldn't like to listen to music on the system here and it's a very high-end installation. The subs are about as tall as I am...

Having that much bass response might almost be distracting for me when trying to mix. Not to say that I wouldn't like better response than what my vxt 8s provide, but room acoustics are more to blame in my situation.

I agree that the bass is a bit exaggerated.. but if I boost 5db on the lowend, its nowhere near the same effect. Just sounds boomy/warmer/thicker. The cinema/live speakers sound deeper.

 

[demirichris]

I think it all kinda rolls back to what the vast majority of people are going to listen to your music on. If that nickleback record sounds kinda flat unless you are listening to it on a cinema system that's as expensive as a house, then maybe it just sounds flat to begin with.

My close friend who I was in a band with always says "I don't give a shit how it sounds in the studio, I just want it to sound good in my car." I always think about that when I am mixing.

 

[abt]

I would say that these systems are no where near flat. The very fact that you liked the sound of Nickleback supports this. Mixing on flat studio monitors and playing back on cinema speakers should get similar results. Mixing on cinema speakers and playing back on just about anything else on the other hand is probably not going to sound good.