So I often see studios with like 2-6 different pairs of monitors around the sound board.
Can anyone shed some light on why?

I would think one decent set of speakers would do it....

???

Randy,

It's because we all have different speakers that we listen to stuff on, and they can all make whatever we're working on sound differently.

Here's an article that recommends a 4-step approach to listening to your tracks:
http://therecordingrevolution.com/2013/ ... -your-mix/
Step 1 – The Low Level Listen
Step 2 – The Cheap Speaker Listen
Step 3 – The Tiny Headphone Listen
Step 4 – The Open Door Listen

And randomly from Reddit.com, this is a very common problem, which is why some major studios have an AM feed and an FM feed, so that you can listen to your mix in your car out in the parking lot--where you know what sounds good and doesn't.



Also, some studios may be like mine: "Hey, those speakers are on sale" and adds them to the existing lineup, rather than swap them out entirely.

Your Mileage Will Vary, of course.

Sometimes it is smoke and mirrors.
Sometimes it is for the comfort of a producer/client or engineer so that they have a familiar reference speaker to listen on.

My personal experience has lead me to only work on one set of speakers and a subwoofer that can be turned on and off.
In a big well built studio, I will use the 'big' monitors if I am tracking a player in the control room with me (after I get the sounds set up) or as a loud 'client impresser'.

What I found is that if I was constantly switching between 2 or 3 sets of monitors, I lost my point of reference rather than enhancing it.
So now I Just use near fields and a sub

Many points of view on this but I basically agree with these guys. I spent about 10 years around studios before I had to go and get a "proper " job again.
Engineers and producers get used to monitors and rooms , but often are of course concerned about how these mixes " translate to the real world, few people hear music in a finely tuned control on an expensive set of reference monitors.
The ubiquitous Yamaha NS 10's served this purpose well for decades, the old adage being " if its rocking on the NS 10's " its probably OK everywhere else.
The single little Auratone Cube appeared among much bigger and more expensive monitors as a simple mono reference at times.
More than once I ran mixes down to cassette ( ! ) way back them and took them out to the car for the " Car test " A lot of this was about balance within the mix and dynamics of course but its a big subject.
Later I also did the Hallway Test outside the control, often surprised about where the vocal was sitting .
Understanding the monitors and the room is key I guess in the end, its all part of the art that is the craft of the mix engineer, which is why the new crop of all in one Mastering software packages kind of amuse me. Allegedly you put something in & out it come shiny and fabulous!
Having said all that a friend masters music a lot , most recently Deep Purple Reissues, he has only two sets of monitors, quite old now, but he understands them like lifelong friend in his workspace, thats the human element at work.
On the other hand , lots of monitors might look cool??
B

??? + ?

Just wanted to hear replys and couldn't figure out how to delete a post.

ahh, got it.

some pretty good ones too - I assumed it was to hear how something sounds under different types of monitors, but wasn't really sure.
I doubted people were recording in 5.1!

Many excellent responses but I thought several of your comments here John were excellent nuggets. Allow me to agree and slightly paraphrase several good points: Many cooks in the kitchen sometimes and they all have their favorite pots (speakers). I also liked the "client impresser" remark: sometimes you have to lift the hair off the back of someone's arms and you're not looking for clarity in the mix, just membranes to push some air and lift up that armhair (thump!). And then one set of speakers and a sub: that's where I've settled also. But then a sale comes around and now I have two sets of speakers again. But only one at a time--not both together, Sigh...I had the best intentions!

And I thought Brett's comment was a deep comment about the state of the industry today and it's obsession with gear over chops. Or a typo. Either one!

Gear over chops indeed! Plugins, plugins more plugins and then some plugins. All run by a dude with a lead ear more often than not...
I guess inspiring gear lust is one way to keep the music economy going, eh? Great tools in the right hands can do amazing things, though...

I have a couple of sets of reference monitors in my 'dungeon', but it's more about practicality for me than anything else;
1 set is for getting fussy with my music and trying to do a good mix (I'm not a mix guy, I just try to get it to a point where a mix guy can hear what I'm going for...)
The other set is kind of like a mini PA, which is handy for practicing and rehearsals; I can plug in and get pretty loud if I have to, which is great for me
since my 'studio' space revolves around practice...