Engineers’ colored monitors embed personal EQ into the recording itself

Evidence

Long ago, respected audio engineer John Eargle (1973) recognized the consequences of mismatches between monitoring and home systems in what is done during the recording process. Børja (1977) noted “dramatic and easily audible” differences in recorded sound quality caused by recording engineers compensating for spectral defects in control room monitor loudspeakers. He found that the inverse of the frequency response of the monitor loudspeakers could be seen in the spectra of the recordings. If the monitor loudspeaker had a response peak, the recording exhibited a spectrum dip—the engineer simply did what was necessary to make it sound right in the control room. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 105 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Monitoring through a colored loudspeaker embeds its signature into the recording; Flawed studio monitors bake their own coloration into recordings — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 105; Some professional monitors have resonance and directivity flaws no equalization can fix (+2 more)

Related

• Flawed studio monitors bake their own coloration into recordings (similarity 0.94)
• A spectral flaw echoed across many speakers gets misattributed to the recording. (similarity 0.90)
• Professional monitor loudspeakers were not reliably neutral or accurate references of sound quality (similarity 0.89)
• Some professional monitors have resonance and directivity flaws no equalization can fix (similarity 0.86)
• Monitoring through a colored loudspeaker embeds its signature into the recording (similarity 0.86)
• Selecting flattering monitors perpetuates the flaws of earlier generations. (similarity 0.85)
• Even professional monitor loudspeakers showed measurable defects in early tests (similarity 0.82)
• Mastering engineers must undo sonic artifacts introduced by flawed mixing monitors. (similarity 0.82)
• Recording monitors with deliberate response errors perpetuate the circle of confusion (similarity 0.81)
• Recording engineers preferred direct-sound fields partly to mask poor monitor loudspeakers. (similarity 0.81)
• The UREI 811B, a popular studio monitor, scored lowest in double-blind listening tests (similarity 0.79)
• Unstandardized loudspeakers once meant recordings could not reliably reproduce their intended sound. (similarity 0.79)
• Stereo playback masks differences between loudspeakers with room reflections (similarity 0.79)
• Matching room curves via EQ does not equalize audible sound quality. (similarity 0.79)
• Equalizing only the low-Q resonance substantially improves subjective loudspeaker ratings. (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Professional monitor loudspeakers were not reliably neutral or accurate references of sound quality #expands (0.88)
• Flawed studio monitors bake their own coloration into recordings #corroborates (0.85) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 105
• Some professional monitors have resonance and directivity flaws no equalization can fix #corroborates (0.78)
• Even professional monitor loudspeakers showed measurable defects in early tests #corroborates (0.75) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 303