T am noticing how much it varies in sound quality simply depending on what I listen to it through (headphones, computer speakers, cell phone, etc.). It sounds brutal on my iPhone 8s, but through my laptop it sounds fine.
Pro engineers typically mix using multiple speakers to make sure the mix works on all. Typically one "flat" set that reveals all the detail. Then more colored speakers that the average listener might have.
I'm just a hobbyist, I use the following:
1. M-Audio Bx5 powered monitors
Basic "near field" (no more than 3 feet away) monitor. It's at the low end of the price scale but does the job, very crisp and the bass is tight. I do NOT use a sub, that's a recipe for totally screwing up the low end. I use these for 80% of the mixing, I come back to them if something sounds off in different speakers.
2. Kenwood 8" bookshelf speakers
Left over from a mid-70s stereo rig. These are closer to the average joe's speaker setup. By comparison with the Bx5s, more powerful but less detailed bass, less high end.
3. Sony cassette recorder
Again a 70s leftover. It's a deck built for portable recording so it has a small (4"?) monitor speaker...mono! I use this to represent a typical craptastic speaker like in a $50 boombox. This one is hard to make sound right, especially in the low end.
4. Phones
I have more headphones than I can use...long story there...but I listen over a couple different sets and also earbuds.
5. Car
Burn a CD, use a thumb drive., Bluetooth, etc. and listen in your car. If you have more than one, try them all.
6. When I'm done I listen on my stereo, strictly mid-fi hardware except for some very nice sounding Tetra speakers. Since I'm familiar with listening on that system, it's easy to tell if my mix holds up against released recordings.
Optional: Not that I need it, because I'm not releasing recordings, but today I'd probably add a small Bluetooth speaker to the list.
Listen at multiple volume levels with each set of speakers. I have a switch that lets me A-B the Bx5s, Kenwoods and Sony
at the same volume. Otherwise, whatever is loudest tends to sound best. Spend a lot of time listening at low levels to make sure everything is audible and properly balanced. It's easy to make a mix sound good at deafening levels, same phenomenon as your bass amp sounding better when it's cranked than at bedroom level.
Tip: as far as distortion, asothers noted in digital you want to keep levels down to about -12 on the meters when recording each part. For bass, you then want to add compression and EQ to fine tune it. Use what's in your recording software, not pedals.
