In a rectangular control room, what are the guidelines for monitor placement?

[Wiggum]

Hey all,

 

I use a 12'x15' bedroom as my home studio, and I have a quick question about monitor placement.

 

My monitors are currently against a 15' wall (thus the 12' walls serve as the sides of the room), and someone once told me this is backwards (ie, the monitors should face the longest part of the room).

 

What am I missing with my current layout? Why would you want the monitors facing the longer dimension? I have considered changing the orientation, but there would be other disadvantages.

 

If it matters at all, the monitors are on 42" metal, shot-filled stands.

 

Thanks again,

 

Wiggum

[Emile]

Originally posted by Wiggum:

and someone once told me this is backwards (ie, the monitors should face the longest part of the room).

 

That someone is right. I'm no acoustician but it's what I've always read everywhere when I was researching that kind of stuff. The main reason, as far as I understand it, is that you want the back wall to be far away enough that the sound reflections from the back walls arrive to your ears at a sufficiently delayed time compared to the direct sound from the speakers. When this happens the brain discards the redundant information that's coming late. It's called the Haas effect. That way you can make better EQ and reverb decisions.

 

I'd also recommend some absorbing material to the side walls where you'll have reflection from the speakers (creating phase cancellation at certain freq. thus screwing up your spectrum perception).

 

Making bass traps in your corners will also help with your rectangular room idiosyncracies.

 

There have been quite a few posts on these subjects. Make a search with a few key words. Also all major sound magazine have had back issues articles covering the basics of room design and related stuff. Check out EQ, MIX and Electronic Musician.

 

Emile