closer to the wall is better!?

[trifidmaster]

In many nearfiled monitor's user manual is stated: do not place the monitors close to the wall(s).
In my project studio (9m x 4.5 m) the Tapco S8 (on stands) are placed along the longer wall (no other possibility). I had them (the front of the speaker) about 80 cm from the front wall. I had no stereo field, and the in general the sound was not good.

So I placed them about 110 cm from the font wall, and it was much better - but I had to move closer to them the have a stereo field. Very strange?!

And just for fun, I put them closer to the front wall, about 65 cm (their front), vouw! So much better!

Any comment is very much welcome.

My listening levels are moderate: 75-80db SPL. But I prefer even lower values.

trif

Note: Currently I am planning/manufactoring/purchasing/adding bass and broadband traps (thanks to Ethan and others) to that room.

 

[bleyrad]

In general the two main problems are bass (esp. if the speakers are rear-ported) and early reflections from a hard front wall (makes the speakers brighter, smears the imaging).

If the speakers sound significantly better close to the wall then that may just be what is right in your room. On the other hand, it sounds like your room may not be really well treated, in which case you should address that first, and then check again.
Also keep in mind "better-sounding" is not always "better-for-mixing." If they sound more impressive when closer to the wall because, for example, there is more bass and the upper-mids become more present (early reflections), I would say that is a bad thing.

Control room acoustic treatments are one of the best ways to improve your mixes. One simple check for some high-frequency problems is to close your eyes and listen to the vocals. If they sound like they are coming from anywhere other than the very tip of your nose, then you have problems. Really, if the space is well-treated, they should come out of thin air right into your face like that. The detail improves dramatically.
Bass trapping is also really important, though I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's slightly LESS important than overall broadband absorbtion, because it's easier to work around bass problems by a) moving your listening position into a more ideal place where the bass is well-balanced (there's almost always somewhere in the room where the bass is quite balanced, regardless of trapping), and b) learning the response.
You can't learn to compensate for lack of detail caused by smeary mid and high reflections, though.

 

[trifidmaster]

Thanks a lot, I am going to place all the panels on their place and see what comes out. Work, work, work.

BTW:
In the "closer" position the mix is closer to the headphone mix.
However, in the "further" position the place definition instruments in the mix is better.

trif.

 

[trifidmaster]

In the text below I speak about these traps: 100 cm x 50 cm x 10 cm, 70kg/m3 mineral wool panels with batting and covered with muslin. They are also absorbing mid/high frequencies.

I have read (I do not remember where) that putting bass traps behind the speakers on the front wall, does not help much - however I can be mistaken. I need some input on this issue. See below.

In fact my project studio is in a living room (9 m x 4m (left side)-5m (right side), it is not a rectangular room). Now, there is NO possibility to put any bass trap in the wall-wall corners (windows, cabinets, glass door). Also the wall-ceiling corners are very limited (again lots of windows-I like the light).
What is free the floor-wall corner behind my setup, the front wall (behind the speakers) and a few wall areas on the back wall.

Now, I have been thinking to put 3 bass traps behind my speakers (with spacers) and 1+1 on the side a bit angled from the front wall,
like this:


.._ _ _
/....... \

or shall I go for this arrangement:

.._ _ _
-....... -

Any comment?

3 other bass traps are going on front wall-floor (total length 3 m), just behind the speakers.

2-3 Bass traps above me.

4 bass traps on the back wall - on the empty places.

Something extra: I have just realized, now that my speakers are closer to the front wall, I fulfill the 38% rule - ahh what an accident?!

The vocal (I do not use vocal in my music compositions) is not sharp enough - I think. Listening the work of Bob Katz, I am more happy with this speaker position.

However, the traps will come, and I will place them - and I like to have a bit comment on my aboce desribed proposal.

Well, since the setup is in the living room, I do not want to turn our living room into a studio.

trif.

 

[trifidmaster]

I have just realized, that my topic should be in the: "Studio Building and Display", is it possible to move it there?
trif.

 

[trifidmaster]

Meantime the acoustic treatment of the room progressed. My room is very difficult to treat but:
1: good seating
2: monitor placement
already did a big improvement.

3: Without any treatment the swing in the 20Hz to 300 Hz range was appr. 30dB. With limited initial treatment this swing is bit better than 20dB. Sure, far from ideal.

With current situation:
I start to have enough synth pads in the tunes - I am still not satisifed,
I start to hear/feel placement of instruments within +-5 minutes panning or so,
the percussions are still or too loud or...they just do not want to sit in the mix
I start to have some spacines in the tunes - but still too rough

After some initial treatment I have discovered that my previous mixes were not acceptable at all.

Next step: MORE treatment/BASS treatment will have to come.

trif.