Tilting my head down sounds better?

[recordinghopkins]

When I am mixing and stop for a second to listen critically, I often find myself tilting my head down about 45˚. When I do this, the high frequencies suddenly become much more clear and defined. With my head up straight, it still sounds great to me, but when I nod forward the highs sparkle.
What's going on here? Reflections from the desk causing comb filtering?

[surflounge]

yes, a certain angle receives signals from Remulak

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by recordinghopkins

When I am mixing and stop for a second to listen critically, I often find myself tilting my head down about 45˚. When I do this, the high frequencies suddenly become much more clear and defined. With my head up straight, it still sounds great to me, but when I nod forward the highs sparkle.
What's going on here? Reflections from the desk causing comb filtering?

It could very well be a reflection. Try putting a blanket over your desk and see if it makes a difference. Are the early reflections treated in your room?

[recordinghopkins]

A sheet of 2" egg crate foam across the desk solved my problem, so I raised the monitor stands about 6", now the effect is not as noticeable. Thanks for the suggestion!

I have since been able to also eliminate the Remulak RF noise in my monitors.

[recordinghopkins]

while experimenting with speaker placement, I also decided to sweep a sine wave and listen from the mix position. Incidentally, I found a null right at 99Hz from where the crossover point overlaps between the sub and full range speakers. A quick polarity switch on the sub fixed that.


Early reflections are treated in my room, I have 4 2'x4'x3" absorbers. Directly in front and above the mix position in landscape orientation, and to the left and right in portrait orientation. The room is an awful 12'x12', but the ceiling is sloped toward the mix position and about two feet from the wall it levels off. I have a 2'x2'x3' bass trap in the front right (from mix position) and the sub is between it and the desk, about 2' away from the wall.

[Nordenstam]

Originally Posted by recordinghopkins

When I am mixing and stop for a second to listen critically, I often find myself tilting my head down about 45˚. When I do this, the high frequencies suddenly become much more clear and defined. With my head up straight, it still sounds great to me, but when I nod forward the highs sparkle.
What's going on here?

It's natural! We're all like that.

Shape of the ear and its surroundings physically filters the sound. Particularly pronounced when wavelength is small enough to be effected by the outer ear, above 6kHz. It gets clearer/more high frequent up to 45' angle IIRC. It's one of the localization cues and probably the primary reason we associate treble with up and bass with down.

The reflection off the desk is a separate issue. Egg crates filters a rather narrow band around 8kHz or so. If you want broadband absorption, get some foam or better absorbent. Edit: to tired to notice that you wrote egg crate foam, not egg crates! Oops.

[avare]

Originally Posted by Lupo

Shape of the ear and its surroundings physically filters the sound. Particularly pronounced when wavelength is small enough to be effected by the outer ear, above 6kHz. It gets clearer/more high frequent up to 45' angle IIRC. It's one of the localization cues and probably the primary reason we associate treble with up and bass with down.

+1. You wrote that beautifully!

Andre

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by recordinghopkins

while experimenting with speaker placement, I also decided to sweep a sine wave and listen from the mix position. Incidentally, I found a null right at 99Hz from where the crossover point overlaps between the sub and full range speakers. A quick polarity switch on the sub fixed that.


Early reflections are treated in my room, I have 4 2'x4'x3" absorbers. Directly in front and above the mix position in landscape orientation, and to the left and right in portrait orientation. The room is an awful 12'x12', but the ceiling is sloped toward the mix position and about two feet from the wall it levels off. I have a 2'x2'x3' bass trap in the front right (from mix position) and the sub is between it and the desk, about 2' away from the wall.

Sounds like to me you just need to straddle more panels. Also I always recommend thick absorption for the back wall. See the following for layout of acoustics.
http://www.gikacoustics.com/room_setup.php