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A question to the Sound Engineers out there

I really enjoy the way in which, some sound engineers have the ability to create tracks that sounds like the recording took place in a much larger physical venue outside of a studio

But based on the pictures I have seen of some studios, i.e. with the large mixing desk in front of a large pane of glass - it hardly looks to be an ideal listening environment.

So I was wondering...

- do Sound engineers listen to the finished master on a TOTL hi-fi system having a more "normal configuration" i.e. like many of us have in our houses, to ensure their end product will sound  just as they want it?

- or is the studio a near field listening environment, which is actually better for the purpose of creating a grander sounding master?

- or are the speakers not really for mixing purposes because the sound engineer relies solely on headphones to create the final product mix?

Just curious - Cheers - Steve



williewonka
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,543 posts
 
"...- do Sound engineers listen to the finished master on a TOTL hi-fi system having a more "normal configuration" i.e. like many of us have in our houses, to ensure their end product will sound just as they want it?..."

Short answer: Some do but very few. Some studios will have a pair of home audio speakers in the mixing room.  
rsf507
2,355 posts
 
Here's an interview with a sound engineer yes it's basically from a Bricasti marketing site but does give an idea of what a studio looks like and what is used.
https://www.bricasti.com/en/consumer/interviews.php
erik_squires
16,414 posts
 
I think this depends a great deal on the target audience. Dance music won't be listened to or mixed on the same systems Jazz/Classical.

AFAIK, most recording engineers us a mix of headphones, near field and far field monitors.

And let's not forget the cinema engineers and composers either. Take a look on line for Hans Zimmer's system.

It was really interesting to me that he gave up on his massive theater monitors and switched to smaller near field.
raysmtb1's avatar
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raysmtb1
802 posts
 
I had an old friend who since has passed. He had a studio in Cleveland that was in an 200 year old church. That was half his business was people who wanted that church sound. This was 25 years ago, I’m sure it can be done digitally now. 
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
The usual problem of asking a question about how its done assuming its all done the same. No one can say what "sound engineers" do because they do all kinds of different things. Not only from one engineer to the next but even the same one from recording to recording over time. 

Also the recording engineer pretty much does what the producer and performing artists want, which in turnhas a lot to do with the intended audience/market. 

If you want to know technically how ambience is created in a studio there's multiple options few if any having anything to do with being able to hear in the studio what you're hearing at home. 
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