KRK 5 HF Knobs.

Vocals too high in the mix? Too low? Not even sure? Snare sounds wonky? And how do I make everything louder than everything else? Step in, step in, for your mix Viagra from people who know the secrets.
Post Reply
User avatar
WhiskeyJack
Site Admin
Posts: 11427
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:48 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

KRK 5 HF Knobs.

Post by WhiskeyJack »

On the back of the Rokkit KRK Monitors, there is a HF knob. Does anyone else adjust these? Ever since i have started hanging out with all of you and the odd time i put up tones / songs and all that there is a very common theme to any and all of my mixes:

"Sounds dark"

Maybe it is my ears perhaps that always lead me to a dark mix? Maybe to sensitive to higher freq's so i mix them out where maybe i just need to leave them? My gut is telling me to not mess with these knobs becasue it could go a whole different direction. I currently have them set to 0?? I got checking another ref mix in the car this morning and i can hear the darkness compared to my listening space so i dunno. I am thinking maybe i could adjust the dials a bit. Previously i have just A/B'd my mixes with a song mix from all you guys and see how it stacks up but it always seems to comes out dark.


Thoughts?
:happytrees:
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20678
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: KRK 5 HF Knobs.

Post by Greg_L »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 12:58 pm On the back of the Rokkit KRK Monitors, there is a HF knob. Does anyone else adjust these? Ever since i have started hanging out with all of you and the odd time i put up tones / songs and all that there is a very common theme to any and all of my mixes:

"Sounds dark"

Maybe it is my ears perhaps that always lead me to a dark mix? Maybe to sensitive to higher freq's so i mix them out where maybe i just need to leave them? My gut is telling me to not mess with these knobs becasue it could go a whole different direction. I currently have them set to 0?? I got checking another ref mix in the car this morning and i can hear the darkness compared to my listening space so i dunno. I am thinking maybe i could adjust the dials a bit. Previously i have just A/B'd my mixes with a song mix from all you guys and see how it stacks up but it always seems to comes out dark.


Thoughts?
Those adjustments are there so you can fine tune the monitors to the room. If dark mixes is the problem, then it couldn't hurt to turn down the highs on your monitors so they're intentionally a little darker. That way you're forced to mix with more top end. Then check it and see if it's stupid bright on other systems. My guess is that this could be a good workaround for you.
Rebel Yell
User avatar
Armistice
Posts: 10802
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Orstralia

Re: KRK 5 HF Knobs.

Post by Armistice »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 12:58 pm
"Sounds dark"
I got a lot of that early on. Still do sometimes.
User avatar
WhiskeyJack
Site Admin
Posts: 11427
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:48 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: KRK 5 HF Knobs.

Post by WhiskeyJack »

Armistice wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:14 pm I got a lot of that early on. Still do sometimes.
Early on in the life cycle of a song or like early on when you started out recording your own stuff?
Greg_L wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 1:24 pm Those adjustments are there so you can fine tune the monitors to the room. If dark mixes is the problem, then it couldn't hurt to turn down the highs on your monitors so they're intentionally a little darker. That way you're forced to mix with more top end. Then check it and see if it's stupid bright on other systems. My guess is that this could be a good workaround for you.
I may try it out i guess. I won't know if i don't try. I just worry it is going to be one of those things that i will set and forget and never think to turn up if a problem arises some other time down the road. I guess i can give it a shot.
:happytrees:
User avatar
Armistice
Posts: 10802
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Orstralia

Re: KRK 5 HF Knobs.

Post by Armistice »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 9:05 pm
Armistice wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:14 pm I got a lot of that early on. Still do sometimes.
Early on in the life cycle of a song or like early on when you started out recording your own stuff?
Greg_L wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 1:24 pm Those adjustments are there so you can fine tune the monitors to the room. If dark mixes is the problem, then it couldn't hurt to turn down the highs on your monitors so they're intentionally a little darker. That way you're forced to mix with more top end. Then check it and see if it's stupid bright on other systems. My guess is that this could be a good workaround for you.
I may try it out i guess. I won't know if i don't try. I just worry it is going to be one of those things that i will set and forget and never think to turn up if a problem arises some other time down the road. I guess i can give it a shot.
When I started recording my own stuff. People kept saying it was "dark" - I think, in my case, it was more getting a balance between the low frequencies and the high frequencies - too many lows.
Post Reply