About this episode
David Mellor explores the legacy and continued relevance of the Yamaha NS-10M studio monitors in audio engineering.
David Mellor explores how the Yamaha NS-10M monitors became a studio staple and why, decades after being discontinued, engineers are still seeking out second-hand pairs. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:15 - Why NS-10Ms Became a Studio Staple 02:11 - Making Better Mixing Decisions 03:49 - A Second Pair of NS-10Ms 05:23 - Mixing With Missing Frequencies 09:11 - Reflex vs Closed Box Monitors 11:35 - Why Pleasant Isn’t Always Better 13:29 - Mixes That Translate 15:40 - Making Rapid Mixing Decisions 18:52 - The Case for Closed-Box Monitors The Phil Ward Article - https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/yamaha-ns10-story David Mellor Biog David Mellor got his start in pro audio through the Tonmeister course at Surrey University studying music, piano performance, acoustics, electronics, electro-acoustics and recording. He went on to work at London's Royal Opera House, with responsibilities including sound design, front-of-house operation, stage monitoring and electronic design satisfying the likes of Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Karlheinz Stockhausen. David has also had over 600 works published in the field of production music. Notable uses of his music…
People in this episode
Host: David Mellor
Topics covered
- studio monitors
- mixing decisions
- audio engineering
- Yamaha NS-10M
- monitoring techniques
- sound design
Keywords
- Yamaha NS-10M
- studio monitors
- mixing
- audio engineering
- sound design
- monitoring
- music production
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Sound On Sound
Products: Yamaha NS-10M
Books & works: BBC's Horizon, Fahrenheit 911, Oprah Winfrey Show
More episodes of Recording & Mixing
- Advanced EQ Tips · May 19, 2026 · 26 min
- Hardware in a Modern Hybrid Studio · March 17, 2026 · 46 min
- Advanced DAW Automation · February 12, 2026 · 21 min
- AI and Music Tech in 2026 - Sonarworks Survey · January 22, 2026 · 45 min
- Gear Of The Year 2025 · November 21, 2025 · 24 min
- Tips For Home Studio Users · October 10, 2025 · 24 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Recording & Mixing podcast page.