Why new monitors can ruin your mixes.

Most of my friends are mix engineers. Whenever one of them decides to upgrade their studio monitors, their mixes usually sound worse for a few months. “Wait! How is that possible? Better monitors = better mixes, right?” Nope. When you upgrade monitors, it takes time to learn how your mixes will translate to everyone else’s speakers. Remember: Great mixes sound good everywhere, bad mixes only sound good in your studio.

How to upgrade your monitors without downgrading your mixes.

Don’t sell your old monitors! First and foremost, you need your old ones to get to know the new ones. When you upgrade, you should spend the first few months checking mixes back and forth between your old and new monitors.
Don’t move your old monitors. At first, keep your old monitors in exactly the same spot and add the new ones to the sides. You need a “control group” to test your new monitors, and that “control group” is the setup that you use to mix with right now. If you move your old monitors, they’ll interact with your room and ears differently.
Don’t change anything else in your studio. When you get new monitors, it should be the only “variable” you change in your studio. Don’t add any new acoustic treatment, or get a new interface, or cut your hair…etc. Ok, maybe the haircut is fine, but seriously, try to keep everything else exactly the same.
Get a monitor switcher. A monitor switcher is just about the most important piece of gear a mix engineer (or mastering engineer) can own. This allows you to make sure mixes sound great on each set of monitors by quickly switching between them. Personally, I use the CraneSong Avocet, but there are many considerably cheaper options. I’d recommend considering the PreSonus Monitor Station V2 if you’re looking to buy your “first” monitor switcher.
Get smaller monitors. If you’re looking to get your first “second” set of monitors, I’d recommend checking out the Avatone Mixcubes. They’re relatively cheap, extremely popular, and will help you hear your mixes differently. They’re also tiny, so they’re easy to fit into your setup without moving your old monitors.
Take time to listen. Spend plenty of time listening to your new monitors before you do any mixing with them. For some great tips on how to train your ears to use your new monitors, checkout my newsletter on ear training.