Why do my mixes sound different on studio monitors vs headphones?

Headphones eliminate room acoustics but present an unrealistic stereo image — sound appears inside your head rather than in front of you. Monitors interact with your room — reflections, standing waves, and room modes affect what you hear. The ideal approach is to mix primarily on monitors and check on headphones. Monitor mixing builds accurate spatial awareness. Headphone checking reveals details (noise, clicks, artifacts) that monitors in an untreated room might mask. Use both, trust neither exclusively.

Can I use regular speakers for home recording mixing?

You can, but your mixes will not translate well. Consumer speakers boost bass and treble (the 'smiley curve') to make music sound more exciting. Mixing on these speakers means you compensate by reducing bass and treble — then your mix sounds thin and dull on flat systems. Studio monitors with flat frequency response ensure that mixing decisions are based on actual audio content, not speaker coloring. Even budget studio monitors ($100) provide more accurate mixing guidance than expensive consumer speakers.

Best Home Recording Studio Monitors 2026