tempo difference between headphones and speakers General DJ Chat Discuss tempo difference between headphones and speakers in the DJ Forum forums; HI, I'm doing some research on perception of tempo when listening music by speakers and headphones. I got some dj friends claimed that they perceive different tempos when listening ...

[chinglnc]

HI,

I'm doing some research on perception of tempo when listening music by speakers and headphones.

I got some dj friends claimed that they perceive different tempos when listening by headphone and speakers, and it does cause some "inconvenience" when they djing.

just wondering any of you hv similar experience??

Thanks.

[tOM]

as far as i know this should only happen when using sub standard equipment and cables and you get a timelag between whats coming out of the mixer and it coming out of the speakers - i don't think i've ever had any problems

[chinglnc]

Originally Posted by tOM

as far as i know this should only happen when using sub standard equipment and cables and you get a timelag between whats coming out of the mixer and it coming out of the speakers - i don't think i've ever had any problems

Mmm...i dun think it's about some technical problems.
It's not really about "drastic tempo change", it's more about the "perception of tempo" is changed, but it just happened for a few seconds when you take off ur headphones and listening to the speakers...

perhaps u could try to listen the "perception of tempo" when you are djing next time..let me know if it's different outcome.....

[tOM]

i've got to the stage when i'm mixing now where i probably spend 60-70% of the time with my headphones off and to be honest i've never noticed a tempo change

are they listening to what is coming out of monitor speakers or front of house??

If it's front of house it's bound to sound funny

[chinglnc]

Originally Posted by tOM

i've got to the stage when i'm mixing now where i probably spend 60-70% of the time with my headphones off and to be honest i've never noticed a tempo change

are they listening to what is coming out of monitor speakers or front of house??

If it's front of house it's bound to sound funny

i'm pretty sure there is "perception of tempo change" ...i'd tried in the studio......not sure about the venue that you are talking....did u mean that front of house is always sound "different" with the headphone?

[tOM]

yeh because the front of house speakers are usually facing away from you and cause sometimes there is a tiny timelag it always sounds different from what is in the headphones - hence the use of monitors

how do your friends mix??

if they mix completely in their headphones then there me be some perception of tempo change

i mix with one ear listening to the cue in one ear and one ear listening to the main output from a speaker - maybe cause i listen to the speaker and the headphone at the same time i never percieve a tempo change

[DJ_Nik_Gnashers]

I have mixed with monitors for most of my working (as a DJ) life.
Roughly 4 years ago I had a DJ from holland join my online station and I was really inpressed with his mixing accuracey, and when asked he explained he mixed completely in headphones 100% of the time.
The advantages are ZERO time-lag between the beats playing and your ears hearing them, you can play in any venue and it sounds the same (so no trying to get used to dodgey old monitors flapping away), and you can listen at a lower level yet hear the music clearer (doing less damage to your hearing).
I adopted this technique immediately and have never mixed with monitors since. If I play a club, I turn the monitors down.
Just my opinion

[dusten williams]

By the sound of it, in this case...there aren't any booth monitors in the club you're in. You'll find this sometimes in smaller clubs....

In those cases i've had only one choice...and that is to mix entirely in my headphones. If you have an advanced mixer that counts beats, it can sometimes be an aid, but never rely entirely on tools like that.

Your ear is the best judge. Because believe it or not...people in the club WILL notice slips caused by delay.

[DJ_Nik_Gnashers]

Never rely on BPM counters !
Even on top spec mixers like pioneer, the BPM counters are about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.
The only way to get it bang on is by using your ears.

[Reece Duncan]

I disagree, i think that the bpm counters on the cdj 1000's are spot on, i never use them cus i prefer to mix by my ears, but i have noticed that they are always bang on

[tOM]

Originally Posted by Reece Duncan

I disagree, i think that the bpm counters on the cdj 1000's are spot on, i never use them cus i prefer to mix by my ears, but i have noticed that they are always bang on

I completly agree - the thing about them is that a difference of 1 bpm is a certain pecentage movement of the slider and you have to get it bang in the middle to get perfect pitch for that bpm

[DJ_Nik_Gnashers]

Originally Posted by Reece Duncan

I disagree, i think that the bpm counters on the cdj 1000's are spot on, i never use them cus i prefer to mix by my ears, but i have noticed that they are always bang on

Hi Reece,
In my thread I actually said 'top spec mixers like pioneer'.
I am a vinyl DJ so I cannot comment on CD players, I was actually referring to the Pioneer DJM mixers.
If you are playing something with a very basic 4/4 house type beat (like modern electro music for example), then yes even the BPM counters on my behringer will remain fairly stable and accurate for the major sections of a track, but even with basic house beats as soon as the kick drum drops out and some percussion flam or sound effect / synth pattern comes into the track, the BPM counter will not be able to read the beat.
Try mixing with none-house type beats and the problem is much worse, a lot of breaks and DnB patterns will completely confuse most BPM counters.
If the CDJ CD players are more accurate then thats great, but like I said, I only mix vinyl so I can only comment on the BPM counters found in mixers.

[Si106GTi]

Going back to the original question, i sometimes think that the sound from the headphones is going to slow and needs speeding up a little only then to realise it was in-time all along.

im not a club dj only bedroom so my speakers aren't that far away.