I’m using Cubase 15 pro to produce my songs. The output is very different when played back on CDs than from the wave files I export and I’m worried my set-up is wired wrong and I’m not hearing a true output sound as I edit, or I’m doing something else in the wrong way. I don’t have studio monitor speakers but use Sony MDR-1 Professional series headphones as I work. I use my Yamaha EWR-425 keyboard for MIDI input and output and my headphones are plugged into that. Is that OK?
I’m now 90% confident Wavelab is not the cause of the problem after I’ve tested a plethora of possible causes there.
The CDs I make sound very different from the wave files they are generated from. Percussion is excessively muted and vocals are amplified on all the different makes of player I’ve tried. The songs I’ve uploaded to my website do sound as I originally intended them to be, according to what I’m hearing as I work. Here’s a link if you want to hear them:
Personally I would never mix using the Sony MDR-1’s, I always found them awful and use AKG-240-DF Studio monitors or other brands like Audio-Technica ATH-M40 fs
That’s the only thing I can think of if you are not using Studio monitor speakers.
If it’s something else then I can’t help you, sorry.
Personally I would never mix using the Sony MDR-1’s, I always found them awful and use AKG-240-DF Studio monitors or other brands like Audio-Technica ATH-M40 fs
Thanks for replying Paul. I do have a feeling it’s something to do with the headphones so I’ve ordered a pair of AKG-240-DFs from G4M, they are coming on Wednesday and I’ll let you know if they help. Much appreciated,
first of all: Interesting, I like it! Unusual, though.
The balance between vocs, percussion and all other instruments seems just fine to me. Are you referring to the overall loudness?
Oh, I didn’t have the chance to read your latest post while I was answering. TBH, if you are looking for decent reference headphones I would take it a notch up. However, headphones are a rabbit hole. If you know your headphones in and out then this is worth a lot. However, a lot has happened in the meantime and there are other options, too. No disrespect, @Paul_Bryce !
Well I took a quick listen on a pair of Sony MDR-7506 ( I don’t have the exact model of Sony you have ) and a pair of AKG-240-DF.
Immediately noticed a big increase in volume and brightnes when going through the Sony’s compared to the AKG’s. ( sounds overhyped on the Sony which is one reason I dislike the Sony’s )
Guess we’ll have to wait and see what you think when you get the AKG’s
If you are looking for good headphones that have a very flat response curve and a wide sound stage, I highly recommend Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pros, they are well priced, easy to maintain and repair and have 3 differing impedence models depending on what you are using to drive them. I actually know a producer with over 100,000 plays a month on Spotify who mixes and masters exclusively using them but then he has amazing ears and vast experience, so YMMV of course.
That bodes well Paul, fingers crossed we may have nailed this. It looks like I may have been with mixing all this time with a less than accurate output going into my brain. Yikes!
What I am trying to say, which is my trying to unpack the issue, do you do the following?
a)Exporting your masters on Wave files
b)Playing them back on your system thought your headphones
c)burn files on a CD and
d)Playback the CD on your computer through the same headphones.
or 2:
Same process but:
d)Playback the CD on another sound on speakers, sound system/car?
Hi Reco. It is a little hard to explain but I’ll have a go. My mixes sound fine when I export them as a wave file - like the one you listened to. When I take the exact same file and listen to it on a CD through a home HiFi system the sound is way off with elevated vocals and muted percussion. I think I may have been mixing whilst listening to a poor output sound through my Sony MDR-1 headphones, so the mix is a bit off. Hopefully the AKG 240s that Paul has recommended will help.
On a side note, thanks for saying you like my song. I was so happy to read that you think it is interesting and unusual. I like unusual, there is too much of the same around.
I export my masters as wave files. Upload them to my website where they sound fine. Then I take the exact same wave file and burn it on a CD. Through HiFi speakers the songs sound awful, with elevated vocals and muted percussion. With headphones plugged into the HiFi things are much better, but it is still a bit hollow and airy.
What I’m reading is that your songs sound different played through your hifi speakers than they do played through your headphones. That is not surprising to me.
For some peace of mind, try plugging your computer directly to your hifi receiver to rule out the CD hypothesis.
Is the CD played on the same computer you use to create your music, or is it played on a completely separate stereo system?
Edit: hung on, you said, when you plug in the headphones to your HiFi system, which means you have a seperate system.
So, it’s one of the following IMO: Something is up with your system (HiFi) or, your headphones you are using to mix are giving you the wrong monitoring information.
Try playing the mix everywhere. Small boombox, phone, PC, laptop, Car, absolutely everywhere and see how you feel about the mix then. I think one point of reference, beyond the PC, might be too little to get a clear picture of the issue.
Honestly, I haven’t checked my mixes on speakers in ages. The HiFi thing is dead anyway.
If it sounds good on my laptop and phone through my headphones, it’s super OK to me. I had no complaints from clients, including band and solo artists, for over 15 years…
