How are Far Monitors from yer Ears?

[Umlaaat]

My monitor are 3' 5" from my head and 3' 6" from each other. I'm mixing in my room (pretty small) 14' by 10' by 7' high. I know, but theres nothing i can do about the size...

I'm seeing on the studio pictures page that a lot of studios have their speakers pretty far from their heads and am wondering if this would effect my mixes at all..

The placement of speakers should be an eqilateral triangle?

thanks for input..

[Nathanael]

Your room is plenty big enough to move back a bit - I've never run monitors that close.

My Dunlavy's sound best at about 10-11ft away. If you are only 6-7, the imaging is not nearly as solid. But they are designed for that distance, and the manual tells you so. My ears confirm. I'm sure other speakers are different, but even the Mackie 824's I use for on-site monitoring, I like to be 6-8 ft away.

Equilateral is not the holy grail. You will need to listen. As you move them apart, you will eventually get a hole. That's too far.
Dunlavy recommends about 110 degrees for his speakers.

There's no substitute for listening.

- Nathanael

[Umlaaat]

I'ld like to be further, but that would mean further from the video monitor.

the way i have it set up now is the back of the monitor is almost at the wall and the speakers equilateral based on the distance my eyes are from the video monitor.

if equilateral is not the holy grail, is it the usual grail?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by Umlaaat
if equilateral is not the holy grail, is it the usual grail?

Early on this was the case, but now since alot of the newer monitors are designed with such a wide sweet spot (to accomodate the producer and musicians) this is no longer necessary.

I prefer these days tweeters shooting just behind my ears.

I tend to get the best imaging this way.

[doug_hti]

I've switched to a bit wider than a triangle as well.
Not only can other people in the room can hear what's going on closer to what you are hearing but I think it may contribute to mixes translating better image wise (increasing the sweet spot) helping me get a sound bigger and better in more than the sweet spot, especially and mainly the lead vocal...at least this has been my experience.

And I still have yet to find negatives of this, as thrill factor is probably right in regards to monitor design

[Nathanael]

Originally posted by Umlaaat
I'ld like to be further, but that would mean further from the video monitor.

Forgot about that... I'm spoiled in that regard because I use a Powerbook, so the screen moves with me - long cables to the audio interface (F/W) and I'm all set.

It is worth it to buy longer cables, get different stands, desks, etc. I don't know that they'll be a big conversation item here, but it is worth it to dial in your position.

Move screens, speakers, etc. till it is as good as it gets. I went through three iterations in my last room until I knew that it wasn't going to get any better without major construction that wasn't going to happen in a rental.

[Umlaaat]

ok.. i'm gonna try widening the monitors, but keeping the workdesk where it is, with the relation of the video monitor the same distance as it was..

what i'd really like to do is get the 23" flat (oh, man... how sweet is that thing?) and have that on my desk to move it back..

btw, how far is the wall from the back of your speakers?

mine is roughly 9-11"..