New monitors or room treatment?

[Cmpsr]

Hi,

I have a pair of Alesis M1 Active Mk2 monitors. Unfortunately, the bass is uncontrollable in my 11' x 10' room. To make matters worse I have to place them in a corner where my studio desk is located. I've been thinking about replacing them with some higher end speakers that contain bass roll-off switches for acoustic space control. Three questions:

1. Do these work?
2. Would I most likely have to roll-off too much bass with the corner placement?
3. Would it be better to buy some small bass traps to tone down the M1s?

Thanks...

 

[Jeyan]

Buy 4 bass traps to put them on the roof corners and also stick atleast 3 sheets of 2" some egg crate foam in the roof and side walls (esp in the roof), so you wont get direct reflexions mixing with the source sound wave.
http://www.foambymail.com/Eggcrate.html

 

[Ethan Winer]

Cmp,

> Do these work?

Roll-off switches compensate for the slight bass increase that occurs when speakers are placed near a wall. They do not even begin to solve the far more serious low frequency problems that exist in all rooms.

> Would it be better to buy some small bass traps to tone down the M1s? <

You have two things against you: mediocre loudspeakers and a room that's nearly square shaped. If I had to pick one thing to fix first, I'd fix the room with bass traps. Real bass traps, not foam corners. If all you can afford are foam corners, save up for a month or two and then buy real bass traps. Otherwise you're just throwing your money away.

--Ethan

 

[Cmpsr]

Thanks Ethan and Jeyan...

I wouldn't consider foam as a option either. My budget isn't that limited, however, my room space is and there's not a lot of room to put anything up. I have two ceiling corners available, a glass window in front between the M1s, and closet doors to the left of my studio desk (damn these old houses!... is it any wonder why I mainly mix using my Senn 580s!)

I'm thinking some bass-shy Yorkvilles, coupled with two of Ethan's "Microtraps" (didn't think I knew did ya?), would at least get me into the realm of using speakers again.