Near-field monitor
A compact speaker designed to be listened to from about a metre away, used for judging a mix in an untreated room.
Because it sits close to the listener, a near-field monitor delivers mostly direct sound and relatively little of the room, which makes a mix translate better to other systems even in an imperfect space. Near-fields are the standard choice in small studios precisely because almost nobody has a properly designed control room. Their weaknesses are usually limited low-frequency extension and a narrow sweet spot.
Example: A pair of small two-way speakers sitting either side of a computer screen at arm's length are near-field monitors.
See also
Related
- PageMonitor
- PageMix
- PageReference track
- PageAmp mic placement
- PageAudio interface
- PageAux send
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley