Very interesting. If it's good enough for Andrew Scheps, it's good enough for me. And it's all "in the box." So there you have it.
I never understood the so-called "mix using cans or speakers debate". Headphones have always been my default approach and they are far less than $1,000.00
I think what's key in his interview is "you are at the mercy of the room" if you mix using speakers.
In my case because of my studio/office setup, both of my studio monitors are to my physical left when I'm standing at my desktop computer when working in my DAW.
I'm no audiophile, but headphones work for me.
Just my 3 cents.
Near field Monitors are designed to help with the room problem, but as mentioned in the video, they assume you can be in the right position/distance in front of the speakers when working.
I have no problem working in headphones, but I also always check the mix in multiple environments before calling it done. Environments I am familiar with and know, which was another important part mentioned in the video.
If you know how stuff *should sound in a given setting, start there .. headphones, living room, car, studio, man cave .. trust your ears in known environments and you're on your way
What I think is most compelling for those of us here, is that he completely contradicts all of those people who are telling you, well, if you want to have a great sounding album you simply can't do it in a home studio you have to go to a studio in Nashville and spend $10,000 a day blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
He's clearly saying that is not true.
He's clearly saying that he mixes on his laptop.
He's clearly saying that he does everything in the box using the same software that most of us have.
And he's clearly saying that he mixes on cheap Sony headphones.
And he won a Grammy for mixing Adele. And the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
His extended discography is mind boggling.
When I look around at the stuff we have at our disposal, including Band in a Box, Real Band, free Cakewalk by Bandlab, and all of the vsts and plugins and stuff that we have there's just simply no excuse for not creating great music.
It's like a magical wonderland.
Yes, yes it is ..
Its not like we have to mix on a two track tape machine, though hats off to those that did, but we all have the tools now to do so much more
Nice video, thanks for posting. I'm no Andrew Scheps, but my first mix is always done on ATH-50X (ie, cheap) headphones. I'll then listen on my studio monitors, smartphone earbuds, and car. Sometimes I'll listen on my Amazon Fire or phone speakers, just for fun. Reverb mud is the thing I perceive and adjust the most. Cutting reverb, adjusting levels and/or boosting presence are the most common corrections. So I agree with Andrew completely.
That being said, he has GREAT ears and MUCH better pro experience than 99% of us. He's awesome...
I saw this video some time back...probably a few years now, and I decided to get those Sony MDR cans. My old ones where getting a bit thread bare and it seemed a reasonable purchase. I actually tend to use them the vast majority of the time when I'm mixing and even when I'm in the polishing up stage.
I've posted the mixes here without telling anyone that it was mixed in cans and no one said anything about the mix. In fact, some of them we the ones I submitted to the local radio station for airplay on the local NC talent program. And yeah, they thought it was broadcast ready and played it. I'd been mixing in cans prior to getting the Sony's and on the cakewalk forums, if you admitted to mixing in cans it was like a metal rock guitarist admitting he liked listening to Brittany Spears. You just shouldn't do that. Listen to B Spears I mean. THAT is just wrong.
I love mixing in those Sony MDR cans because it lets the dogs sleep peacefully while I work. And they sound really good too.
If they are sleeping, how on earth do the dogs sound good? <grin>
Nice, short video:
Fab: Hi everyone. Welcome to Punkerpad UK with Andrew Scheps.
Andrew: Hello.
Fab: It is his Punkerpad. And today we're going to talk about mixing in headphones.
I have a question for you, Andrew. Do you mix in headphones?
Andrew: I do.
Fab: Oh, all right.
Andrew: Thanks for coming.
I'm a longtime fan of the MDR-7506 since they were introduced in 1991. Although I have mixed on them in a pinch, I would never use 'em for my final.
I don't have an issue with the 'phones wearing out except the ear pads and those do disintegrate in a year or two. All of mine have these now.
Auray Genuine Sheepskin Leather Earpads (Pair) The
Steven Slate Audio VSX Headphone Mixing System, OTOH, works quite well for me. I can trust these.
Most of my work is done on a pair of very nice Equator monitors with a sub. When I have a mix sounding great on those and the VSX, they will translate to anything.