Doing it wrong--monitoring along the long wall

[JES]

Hi Everyone,

Short question:

I want to know if anyone has practical tips of setting up and monitoring along the long wall. I've got an 18x12 room, and am considering setting up my monitors along the middle of the long wall. One other irregularity -- on my left there would be a normal wall, on my right there's a half-wall into a hallway. I would be right in the middle.

I've got six of the bigger real traps bass traps at various places, and a high frequency one over my head, mostly they're cutting out corners so they probably won't need to move.

Long version:

This is for home mixing of music. I do a serious mix down of work 2-4 times a year only where critical listening etc is crucial. Mostly I'm tracking, recording, writing, messing around.

Right now I've got it set up properly, with my desk in the middle of the short wall. The problem is that this is a combined studio/shared home office and my wife would really like to be where I am for her work so she can look out the window. I don't care about that and would gladly trade--we only set it up this way for acoustic reasons. And she is otherwise a VERY accommodating spouse (latest is overcoming her general distaste for lots of cables everywhere to appreciate my new small modular synth setup--as long as I use cool colours for the cables). So I'd really like to do this for her. The bonus is that my work area with the computer would then be next to my music gear, and I wouldn't have to constantly move my laptop around.

Thanks for reading.

--JES

[vvv]

Not an expert, or even nearly possibly ever having a chance of being close to becoming one, but I recall reading where, as long as the back wall is not too close, monitoring along the long wall is good, particularly when using "near-fields".

As I recall, it's because there are less reflections from the sides ...

Thanx for writing.

[rhythm ranch]

Ditto to what vvv shared.

Also, as an alternative, (I can't quite picture your room) but could you just flip your set up to the other (short) end?

[JES]

Thanks for the replies. I can't be on the short end because there's only half a wall there.

The question is whether 11/12 feet is "too close" or not for near fields.

Best,
--J

[rhythm ranch]

I can't be on the short end because there's only half a wall there.

Hmmm... Again, not knowing your set up, is that really a constraint? It's generally better for monitors to not be right up against a wall. Being set up along the half wall might provide some space between your monitors and the wall behind them.

Photos?

[Gregg Juke]

We did a lot of research; it seemed like there were equal articles in both camps (long and short walls). In our last two locations, for a variety of reasons, we've had to go long-wall. Just treat the space as best as you can, and do what you have to do...

GJ

[JWL]

To the OP: Since you have some of our traps, you should contact me privately (call or email) and I can help you with some one-on-one service.

I can say in general the rear wall should be as far behind you as possible. There are generally 2 problems that arise as the rear wall gets closer to the listening position: the high frequency reflections are louder and sooner in time, and tend to cause more issues. Plus there are usually bass issues associated with the rear wall that gets worse the closer the rear wall is to you.

You can say the same about reflection points on the side walls, but those are easy to treat with absorption to create a RFZ. Assuming a minimum of treatment it is generally better to have the rear wall be further back.

But, this isn't always possible. I'd add some thick absorption to the rear wall to help with both highs and bass. Maybe use 2 of your existing bass traps there, or get some more?

Details here: http://realtraps.com/art_rear_wall.htm

[JES]

thanks everyone for the replies. I think we will make the switch later this summer and then I will see how it sounds and what's possible. It's an imperfect situation, though since I do serious mix downs only a few times a year, I think I'll just borrow back my wife's desk on those days and move the monitors back.

--JES