Improving sound via MOnitors and/or Room treatment

[davetron5000]

My mixes tend to be lacking in low-end due to my monitors and/or room exaggerating it. I suspect my cheap monitors, because they have exhibited these symptoms in other rooms, but I want to know how much the room I'm in can be dealt with (instead of upgrading my monitors or how much of an improvement better monitors would make).

My room is a 19x19 with 8 foot ceilings. There's a soffit on the ceiling behind the mixing desk, a large couch behind the mixing desk, doors in two corners, a large chair in one, and a shelf with a bunch of stuff on it in the other. The room is basically furnished like a den. I've done the "test tone then walk around the room" and haven't noticed any major issues, though my ears are not super refined in this.

The monitors are Fostex low-end powered monitors. What I don't want to do is spend money on better monitors when slight alterations to my room might help. Any ideas on where to start?

[tINY]

A square room is bad.....

You might do well to get a good pair of headphones as another reference.




-tINY

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by davetron5000

My mixes tend to be lacking in low-end due to my monitors and/or room exaggerating it. I suspect my cheap monitors, because they have exhibited these symptoms in other rooms, but I want to know how much the room I'm in can be dealt with (instead of upgrading my monitors or how much of an improvement better monitors would make).

My room is a 19x19 with 8 foot ceilings. There's a soffit on the ceiling behind the mixing desk, a large couch behind the mixing desk, doors in two corners, a large chair in one, and a shelf with a bunch of stuff on it in the other. The room is basically furnished like a den. I've done the "test tone then walk around the room" and haven't noticed any major issues, though my ears are not super refined in this.

The monitors are Fostex low-end powered monitors. What I don't want to do is spend money on better monitors when slight alterations to my room might help. Any ideas on where to start?

First things first, get your room treated. If you get enough bass trapping in the room and treat the reflections you should be able to work in that room. Because it is squ you will play hell getting it perfect, but you can make it workable.
I have not worked with those monitors, but it makes no sense to get better monitors if the room can not handle it. So like I said first, things first.
One other thing you should look at is make sure you are set up right. You want to sit 38% of the room length. For set up take a read at our FAQ (link on sig).

Hope that helps get you started.

Glenn

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by davetron5000

My room is a 19x19 with 8 foot ceilings ... Any ideas on where to start?

A square room is not good, but at least your room is large enough to avoid the worst of those problems. Your first priority should be bass trapping. The more you have, the flatter and tighter the low end will be. It's that simple.

--Ethan