consoles and reflections

[kyle barton]

i'm thinking about reconfiguring my limited outboard to a more console-oriented layout. purpose will be to improve my workflow. i've currently got everything in racks to the right of the mix position, and am thinking about getting the gear and some faders in front of me. think sterling modular plan A and B as an example.

so whenever a slut mentions that they are contemplating adding a console, another slut will say something like "beware the phasey reflections coming off the new surface of the console". so what do you do about this? do console-oriented rooms just live with this or is there any corrective actions you can take to improve the situation.

i want to improve the workflow, but not at the expense of worsening my monitoring.

[peat]

well you really cant beat the classic old putting a doona over the console
(i think you call it a duvee in america?, anyway a big feather/soft stuff filled blanket

also it makes clients think you are sort of cool/wierd/know what you are doing

[kyle barton]

i'm wondering if the guy with the blanket over his console is saying "i wish i had all this gear in racks to the right of my mix position, so my monitoring would be better."

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by kyle barton

i'm wondering if the guy with the blanket over his console is saying "i wish i had all this gear in racks to the right of my mix position, so my monitoring would be better."

He probably reflects on that, and it's probably a great consolation.

Here's a goofy idea that would solve that, place your monitors directly on the left and right walls, ear level. The "sweet spot" might be a very slender mid-point between the two...

[Chris]

There was a thread about this recently.

Here here:

If Monitor Stands are Sooo Great,

[firby]

Here's an idea. Get a console, put the speakers on the meter bridge to the left and right. Mix. Adjust a little bit and be happy.

This setup has produced all but one of your favorite records.

Sorry I AM being a bit of an ass but you get the point.

If you put the right console in that spot you will never, ever, ever again question that decision. Also, great used consoles are cheaper than they have ever been.

Oh, and the other record .... not so much.

[kyle barton]

Originally Posted by nicpope

Do you get reflections off of the desk when you put nearfields on top of a meter bridge? Yes. Is putting a monitor designed to be upright on its side less than ideal? Yes. If you own a large format analog console will you do both of these things? Almost certainly.

i don't have a meter bridge, but my nearfields are going to be close to the same position, unless i move the monitors.

[tINY]

"Nearfields" - That's the issue.

Get some mid-field or main monitors and move them 5-10 feet behind the console. This doesn't eliminate the problem entirely, but makes it a lot less of a problem.




-tINY

[amishsixstringe]

Build it like I did! use monitor stands! I just visited the new control room at Ohio University a couple weeks ago. A big beautiful Portico desk was installed as well as a pair of HUGE Genelic mains in the sofits. The only problem is that the mains are mounted in the walls where they'd just peak over the old Amek desk they had. The neve is about a foot higher and while sitting in the mix position the desk is in direct eye line of the speakers. Sounds ok if you stand up, but sitting in the chair is kind of a bummer. If you look at my picture I have my monitors set up to (mostly) avoid the desk.

Neil

[SRS]

amishsixstringe... Thread hi-jack. Sorry. Did you make that desk yourself? Nice, clean, small and to the point. I like it.

[amishsixstringe]

Yeah I did. I did a lot of research as well as making it adapted to my specific needs. I'm building a small angled floor rack to put behind me soon that will hold the monitor power amps and some of the stuff I don't use that often to make room for api, pacifica, and 1176

Neil

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by tINY

Get some mid-field or main monitors and move them 5-10 feet behind the console. This doesn't eliminate the problem entirely, but makes it a lot less of a problem.

One foot behind on stands works fine for redirecting first reflections off the console. Put some absorption on the ceiling above an just behind the mix position and it's like the consoles almost not causing a problem.

[mikymike]

Originally Posted by amishsixstringe

Build it like I did! use monitor stands! I just visited the new control room at Ohio University a couple weeks ago. A big beautiful Portico desk was installed as well as a pair of HUGE Genelic mains in the sofits. The only problem is that the mains are mounted in the walls where they'd just peak over the old Amek desk they had. The neve is about a foot higher and while sitting in the mix position the desk is in direct eye line of the speakers. Sounds ok if you stand up, but sitting in the chair is kind of a bummer. If you look at my picture I have my monitors set up to (mostly) avoid the desk.

Neil

I built the desk the Neve sits in!!!

[kyle barton]

Originally Posted by amishsixstringe

Build it like I did! use monitor stands!

i think Nathan and tIny have cleared the air for me. i've already got good broadband absorption above and behind my mix position, so hopefully i'm not going to notice a big problem after moving my monitors back a foot or two. i've got a blanket just in case

Thanks for the picture Amish. I'm contemplating something very similar to what you fabbed up, but a flatter angle and three bays wide. another weekend project. i'm going to start another thread called "the most important piece of gear in the studio... the table saw". i've gotten more mileage out of the $350 i invested at Sears than everything else put together.