Avantone Pro MixCube Monitor Review

[dasdoing]

ot this one https://www.soundonsound.com/people/bruce-swedien-recording-michael-jackson

"I love Auratones! You know what Quincy calls them? The Truth Speakers. There's no hype with an Auratone, and it's sad that you can't buy them any more. I knew the guy who made them out in San Diego, but he died a couple of years ago. If you see any Auratones on eBay, buy them! I have about three or four sets of them. Probably 80 percent of the mix is done on the Auratones, and then I'll have a final listen or two on the big speakers — I have Westlake speakers which I absolutely love, with special custom‑built power amps. I don't listen very loud on the Auratones; the SPL is maybe 85dB for the bulk of the mixing work. If I were to allow conversation to go on in the control room while I was mixing, it would be easy to do, but I hate distractions when I'm mixing, which is another reason why I usually ask everybody to leave.”

 

[mhardy6647]

posted this link on page 6, but it seams nobody noticed https://www.quietnormal.com/pathetic-speakers/

You're right, I didn't see it. Sorry.

 

[dasdoing]

Noone has Auratones here?
I strongly doubt they meassure as bad as these Avatones.

Fostex 6301 is another famous "mid-range zoomer". this one even has a modern version

 

[ernestcarl]

Noone has Auratones here?
I strongly doubt they meassure as bad as these Avatones.

Yeah, I was really surprised how bad these Avantones measured...

 

[mhardy6647]

Noone has Auratones here?
I strongly doubt they meassure as bad as these Avatones.

Fostex 6301 is another famous "mid-range zoomer". this one even has a modern version

Nope (i.e., not I).
Some somewhat similar 'fullrange' drivers in small boxes, but nothing quite that extreme.
I do have a couple of small extended range Auratone drivers from some PartsExpress buyout of years gone by, but not the same ones used in the cubes.

 

[dasdoing]

Comparison Review: Auratone 5C, Avantone MixCubes, Behringer C50A, Cube-Monitors - AMAZONA.de

The competitors within our comparison review broadband speaker: Auratone 5C, Avantone MixCubes oder Behringer C50A. The winner is?

www.amazona.de

 

[Blumlein 88]

ot this one https://www.soundonsound.com/people/bruce-swedien-recording-michael-jackson

I saw it, I read it. I still don't agree. How is a twisted view the the truth?

 

[SMJ]

Auratones and their like were not called 'grot boxes' without a reason - they have never been considered a Hi Fi product. What they are though is a useful auxiliary speaker than can be used in multiple ways in the daily jobs found in an average Music, TV & Film sound studio.

• The resonances are irrelevant, the speakers are likely to be screwed down to a movable mounting plate on top of the console anyway, not mounted on stands. The resonant frequencies will change amplitude as a consequence.
• The audio quality is almost irrelevant, if you are listening to your mix on them it's as a 'check' only. You can always try listening to your mix in the corridor outside too. Both techniques useful to get a 'feel' of the sound. Dubbing theatres have the requisite large panel TVs with the speakers wired up in common domestic arrangements too for 'check' purposes.
• They are useful for Production Gallery to Sound Talkback, Snoop Mics, Reverse Talkback, Sound Boom Talkback, V/O booth Talkback etc.
• It's cheaper to blow an Auratone cone than your ATC or whatever you have when checking mic rigs or chasing faults pre-fader. Who hasn't remembered not to turn the phantom on/off or try to clean a dirty cable connection with a fader up or PFL engaged to the speakers?
• Being a 'Professional' product they might be more expensive, but a replacement is more likely to be in stock and available if you do 'pop' one (well they were pre-covid!).

The list goes on. Did once come across a very large S*L console which had a model railway track across the top of the meter bridge. The desk was so wide the Near Field Yamahas and Auratones were automatically motored across the desk from side to side depending on the mixers seating position. The customer was very well known and confidential information.

The Focusrite Virtual Reference Monitoring Box has a very good modelling mode which emulates the Auratone 5C on headphones. Now discontinued, but often still seen for sale, I got mine for £25 six months ago.

 

[badspeakerdesigner]

• The resonances are irrelevant, the speakers are likely to be screwed down to a movable mounting plate on top of the console anyway, not mounted on stands. The resonant frequencies will change amplitude as a consequence.

Nope.

 

[heflys20]

Thriller came out 40 years ago. Are we using that to justify a monitor purchase in 2023? An age filled with DSP speakers that can change their sound signature? How many times has that album been remastered? Lol.

 

[dasdoing]

I saw it, I read it. I still don't agree. How is a twisted view the the truth?

what is probably meant is that it doesn't colour mixes with a strong bass or hyped treble.
If you listen to Billy Jean on very small speakers for example, the kick is still there and punchy

 

[dasdoing]

I play around with mixing sometimes (no pro in any ways). downloaded some multitracks, mixed and when I checked on my TV speakers the kick was gone lol.
I than actually "remixed" on my TV speakers and finished on my mains and now I can hear the kick on any device:

 

[Blumlein 88]

what is probably meant is that it doesn't colour mixes with a strong bass or hyped treble.
If you listen to Billy Jean on very small speakers for example, the kick is still there and punchy

Sorry, nope. Wrong premises lead to wrong results. Was it used because it was bad or because it was good in midrange centric sound? All you need is a filter on both ends for what you are describing. Truth tellers, no, not telling the truth is not the truth.

 

[dfuller]

Noone has Auratones here?
I strongly doubt they meassure as bad as these Avatones.

Oh no, I bet they measure worse. The Avantones probably use a slightly better driver.

 

[dasdoing]

All you need is a filter on both ends for what you are describing.

sure

 

[Blumlein 88]

sure

So what were the changes you made to make it keep the kick on TV speakers without upsetting the balance otherwise? And have you tried say a 2nd order roll-off starting at 200 hz and a 3rd order roll-off at 4 or 5 khz and see if you can do the same changes and then apply it to the TV for the same result? Maybe bump the 1-3 khz range about 6 db if you want to mimic the Avantones.

 

[dasdoing]

So what were the changes you made to make it keep the kick on TV speakers without upsetting the balance otherwise?

afair I reforced the first harmonic with a VST and probably saturation, too.
I just kept on on the TV speakers. the balance was allready 99% set. It was just handy as an example of what people on TVs would hear, than went back to my mains to finish. never used pliers or any other tool as a hammer, just because the hammer was not in range?
I always wanted to try the filters thing, not sure why I didn't...but I will

 

[RobL]

Oh no, I bet they measure worse. The Avantones probably use a slightly better driver.

Hard to say, I think the 5C measures better.

 

[badspeakerdesigner]

I play around with mixing sometimes (no pro in any ways). downloaded some multitracks, mixed and when I checked on my TV speakers the kick was gone lol.
I than actually "remixed" on my TV speakers and finished on my mains and now I can hear the kick on any device:

I gave this one a shot, maybe I'll share it later, but this is a tough tune to mix and it's problems really come down to poor sound choices. The song sounds way better if you take out the organ entirely for instance. It needs some real doubles on the vocals, but you only get one take so it's hard to get convincing doubles for certain parts. If I'd offer a criticism on your mix, the verb on the vox doesn't work, it sounds better dry IMO. I think it's funny that you panned the cowbell to the same side as I did lol.

 

[markanini]

I gave mix checking a on small crap speakers a try when I worked on a dance pop song years ago. It became immediately obvious that commercial songs fared much better than what I had worked on up to that point listening to Adam A5X's. There's definitely a use for speakers like this in a mixers arsenal. But that has nothing to do with reproduction for enjoyment.