The Great Studio Monitor Lie: The Truth Exposed

[YARE]

I've been getting this self-proclaimed "Pro Mastering Engineer" recommended all over lately, claiming to have wisdom that the Music Production Industry does a lot of foolishness.
He gives some interesting points but I believe there is a lack of knowledge coupled with an arrogance.

 

[kemmler3D]

Yes, a pretty weird take.

you want to have your speakers somehow proportional to one of the wavelength of the lowest frequency you want to produce with your speakers

Uh, that is literally never the case for low bass, unless you have a weird definition of "proportional".

What he thinks is more accurate about a transition line vs. a ported or sealed design is not clear.

Pointing out that various types of distortion exist and therefore small speakers are a scam is not worthwhile commentary. You can go here or to EAC and see the impacts and trade-offs that he's talking about and make your own decisions.

I'd go so far as to call this guy a clown, he's complaining about resonances and group delay from ports and then starts touting a DIY TL design. Seriously?

 

[Palmer]

Yes, a pretty weird take.

Uh, that is literally never the case for low bass, unless you have a weird definition of "proportional".

What he thinks is more accurate about a transition line vs. a ported or sealed design is not clear.

Pointing out that various types of distortion exist and therefore small speakers are a scam is not worthwhile commentary. You can go here or to EAC and see the impacts and trade-offs that he's talking about and make your own decisions.

I'd go so far as to call this guy a clown, he's complaining about resonances and group delay from ports and then starts touting a DIY TL design. Seriously?

I don't always expose "the Truth" on YouTube, but when I do - I make sure I have a circular saw within reach...

 

[Ropeburn]

 

[YARE]

It's funny how diploma doesn't translate to scientific rightfulness as he states that he has a diploma in Audio Engineering. AP Mastering does a lot of things on his channel that are really questionable. I simply don't know why he does things with that arrogance.

 

[Chr1]

A diploma is not exactly a high level qualification. Unless it's from a particularly reputable college.
In this crazy world we live in, it could even be bought online for a few bucks.

 

[Scgorg]

It's funny how diploma doesn't translate to scientific rightfulness as he states that he has a diploma in Audio Engineering. AP Mastering does a lot of things on his channel that are really questionable. I simply don't know why he does things with that arrogance.

Important to note that audio engineering is not acoustical engineering. Plenty of skilled audio engineers make highly questionable assertions about electroacoustics.

It's actually at the point where I am unsure if this video is supposed to be ragebait or not, because him calling out other people for being Dunning-Krugers for "not understanding the physics involved" is beyond parody. The fact that the video literally ends with "Why NS10s & Auratones are NOT crap despite being small" is just the cherry on top. If getting attention was his goal, he definitely succeeded.

 

[Mart68]

It's funny how diploma doesn't translate to scientific rightfulness as he states that he has a diploma in Audio Engineering. AP Mastering does a lot of things on his channel that are really questionable. I simply don't know why he does things with that arrogance.

He's a showman, main purpose is views and revenue. You don't get that being boring and reasonable, at least not on Youtube.

I actually agree with a lot of what he says in this video. The real problem with his approach, which he skims over, is a lot of people don't have the space for large speakers, and one he doesn't touch at all, which is the WAF (although I suppose for a home studio application that may not apply).

 

[czt]

He claims himself a mastering engineer(?) and he never heard of linear phase filters... holy...

 

[Chr1]

He probably is a mastering engineer.
Presumably theoretically anyone recording anything could claim this.
Whether he has the required qualifications, knowledge, experience and skills required to be a good, or even competent one, is a completely different matter.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

It's funny how diploma doesn't translate to scientific rightfulness as he states that he has a diploma in Audio Engineering

I have a degree in electronics. I know enough about acoustics, speaker design etc. to avoid expressing any opinion. But I've learned a great deal on ASR from people who know more than me.

 

[sergeauckland]

He's a showman, main purpose is views and revenue. You don't get that being boring and reasonable, at least not on Youtube.

Isn't that the whole point of YouTube? A money making scam. I never thought I would write this, but I almost! long for the days of print magazines where at least there was an editor to weed out the truly idiotic (unless it was paid-for advertising). Now, anyone can publish anything with no controls, no need to check their facts, no need to be truthful, no need to be honest.

S.

 

[Chr1]

This.

 

[Mart68]

Isn't that the whole point of YouTube? A money making scam. I never thought I would write this, but I almost! long for the days of print magazines where at least there was an editor to weed out the truly idiotic (unless it was paid-for advertising). Now, anyone can publish anything with no controls, no need to check their facts, no need to be truthful, no need to be honest.

S.

I think it's mostly the point of 'professional' Youtubers.

The print magazines were responsible for creating all the nonsense to begin with.

Read the old issues of Stereophile, it starts creeping in at the start of the nineties with the Shun Mook rubbish, the editor did nothing regardless of reader complaints and by the end of that decade most of the reviewers are using ten grand's worth of magic cables and can state any old rubbish as fact.

At least in this video he's only talking about things that are real even if peoples' positions on them still differ.

 

[Chr1]

I am curious as to the validity of the pro audio magazines. "Sound on Sound" etc. Are they primarily factual, or are they full of daft audio woo like the hifi press? I doubt it somehow.

 

[EERecordist]

He masters techno. Techno should be mastered to be played in a club with a low frequency-capable sound system. Some clubs have a large interior volume, like Berghain. What's next, a video on how headphones don't produce low bass?

Fortunately AI saves us from monetizing a verbose YouTube!

"
The Great Studio Monitor Lie: The Truth Exposed

The video reveals the deceptive marketing strategies employed by studio monitor manufacturers, highlighting how smaller speakers can mislead consumers regarding their sound accuracy and low-frequency performance. It argues that the industry prioritizes profit margins over genuine sound quality, ultimately advocating for larger speakers as a more accurate alternative.

Key Points:

Small speakers are misleading
Many studio monitors marketed for their compact size actually underperform due to their design limitations. The video explains that while small speakers are easier to produce and ship, they fail to accurately reproduce lower frequencies, essential for quality audio monitoring.

Physics behind speaker size
The speaker's size greatly impacts its ability to reproduce lower frequencies. The speaker cabinet must be proportionate to the wavelength of the lowest frequency being output, meaning larger cabinets produce more accurate sound, particularly in the bass range.

Deceptive marketing tactics
Manufacturers often misuse design features like ports or passive radiators to enhance bass response artificially, leading consumers to believe these smaller speakers are more capable than they truly are. Such tactics create misleading frequency response charts that do not reflect real-world performance.

High excursion drivers are problematic
The video explains that while high excursion drivers can move more air, they introduce significant distortion that negatively impacts sound accuracy. For accurate replication, low excursion drivers are preferred in high-end audio systems.

DIY options for quality monitoring
For those seeking high-quality sound without the exorbitant price tag of master-level speakers, the video suggests considering DIY speaker building. By following provided guidelines and utilizing effective components, one can create superior monitoring solutions for a fraction of the price."

 

[sergeauckland]

The copies I've seen seem to have rather less Woo than the HiFi mags, albeit don't have too many measurements. The Pro magazine I did like was Studio Sound, especially in the David Kirk days when proper engineers like Angus McKenzie and Hugh Ford were writing for the mag.

S.

 

[Mart68]

The copies I've seen seem to have rather less Woo than the HiFi mags, albeit don't have too many measurements. The Pro magazine I did like was Studio Sound, especially in the David Kirk days when proper engineers like Angus McKenzie and Hugh Ford were writing for the mag.

S.

lol I remember Studio Sound but it was an expensive magazine, I could never afford it. Had to use the WH Smith 'reading room' for that one

Does it no longer exist then? That's a shame.

 

[Chr1]

I have read various Sound on Sound articles and reviews online. Not a whole lot of measurements but I got the impression that they were pretty much science based, and I would value the reviewers subjective opinions higher than the hifi press' for sure. Don't think that they are so biased due to advertising revenue either.

So much top end hifi is "jewellery" anyway. My 2c.

 

[sergeauckland]

lol I remember Studio Sound but it was an expensive magazine, I could never afford it. Had to use the WH Smith 'reading room' for that one

Does it no longer exist then? That's a shame.

Sadly long gone. Fortunately, I had a 'Trade' subscription so got mine for free for several years.

Of the HiFi mags, HiFi News in the John Crabbe and before days was a largely technical magazine with measurements as well as subjective reviews, which were largely based on visuals, ergonomics and internal construction, with very little about what the reviewers thought of the sound except for loudspeakers. In those days, loudspeakers were compared to the Quad Electrostatic as the arbiter of low coloration. The Gramophone was another magazine that published technical reviews, albeit only a couple a month. By the mid 1980s, it had all gone to rat-shit with Paul Messenger leading the subjective crap as measurements not mattering, only impressions.

S.