+4dBu, 0, or -10dBv ; HF/LF Shelving, Desktop Notch and other monitor setup questions

kidkage

kidkage

Bored of Canada
Hi. It's me :p
Still hanging out here in the newbie section.

So earlier this year I was able to purchase a nice set of Focal CMS65 monitors.
Unfortunately life happened and I've powered them on a handful of times - opting to listen to my Rokit 6s instead until I was able to properly welcome my new monitors to the family and "learn" and "burn" them.

First things first - them sitting dormant for so long wouldn't have damaged anything right?

Second things second - there's all these switches on the back - and I'm hoping for tips on what to set those on. I'll include pics of the environment these are set up in at the end of this thread in case those will be of any help.

Input Level - +4dBu, 0, or -10dBv
I'm using a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 as my interface and it has balanced outs connecting to the Focals via 1/4" to XLR cables that the place I bought these from made for me. So I assume that I am indeed using the right cables?
What should I set this on?
I've experimented and +4 is quieter while -10 is louder. 0 is the middle.

LF Shelving -2, -4, 0, +2 under 450 Hz
The monitors are placed next to a wall in my bedroom and in the manual Focal suggests setting it at either -2, -4, or -6 (there is no -6...) when near a wall. Again, I've experimented and can't really notice a difference.
What would be a safe bet?
For me to go through the 30 hour burn in period and then check?
Or can someone recommend tips on what to set it as.

HF Shelving +2, 0, -2 or -4
+2 is recommended when the premises naturally soften this frequency range (4.5 kHz)
FLAT for a neutral environment and -2 or -4 when the premises naturally increase this range.
The problem I'm having here is trying to figure out whether or not I'm in a neutral, boosting, or softening environment for that 4.5 kHz range.

Desktop Notch
"The desktop notch switch permits to activate or not a correction of the sound level at a central frequency of 160Hz for a Q factor of 2. We advise you to set the switch at -2, -4, or -6 when the loudspeakers are positioned on a table, a console or any other support that creates reflections."
I'm on some onstage stands (see pic below) - do these create reflections?

IMG_3353.JPGIMG_3354.JPGIMG_3355.JPG

Also, please excuse my room looking like hell.
 
1. No.

2. Depends on the output level, but +4 sounds right if it's a balanced connection.

3. Leave the HF/LF EQ switches at 0 for now and get use to the monitors a bit. Then take notice how things are sounding to you overall and adjust as desired. If too much HF in your mixes on other systems, boost the highs at the monitor, if not enough, lower them...same thing for LF.

4. Same thing for the last switch. It's a wide cut at 160Hz...so, see how things are with a few mixes and take note of that frequency range and adjust accordingly.

Of course....you have no acoustic treatment in the room and a lot of hard/reflective walls....so you might consider that, and make some improvements with broadband trapping.

Fix your bed and clean up your room.
 
That is one messy room! (You can see some of us our at that age where we do notice those things :cursing: <- parents seeing the room)
 
With respect to the operating levels, have a look at this...
http://www.msr-inc.com/downloads/pdf_files/cal_your_system_daw.pdf

Much of that is overkill but the most important point is that you have a known reference SOUND level at which to monitor everything*. You do not want to work as guts guide you and play stuff at levels YOU think are correct for that particular genre.

Once you are calibrated you can look at the settings of the monitors. The level pots and the main control on the KA6. If these are at sensible settings, i.e. not very low or very high, the OP level is about right. If not switch to a level that makes it right.

*The received wisdom is to monitor at an average SPL of 83dBC but this is often too loud for bedroom jockeys due to others in the house etc. Therefore you can drop to a more conversational level of ~70dBC but have cal' marks so that you can make frequent, especially final, checks at the higher level. BTW 83dBish is about what that telly would put out when just starting to distort.

And! Re the telly! Have you considered a VGA lead to it from the laptop? Most flatsceens have VGA these days and I have my 32inch Sony so rigged to a PC in my living room. Cubase looks 'King marvelous!

Dave.
 
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