Isosceles Triangle monitor setup?

[MusicGuy1980]

I know the ideal way to setup a pair of monitors is an equilateral triangle. What about doing a setup in a Isosceles Triangle pattern? With my speakers setup at a 30 degree angle from the rear walls I have the cones 62" apart from each other and both of them facing my ears directly at 42-44" away. This makes and Isosceles Triangle with only 2 sides equal distance and one longer. (the distance between the two speakers) Is this acceptable? Can you produce good mixes with this type of spacing? Is it of uttermost importance to have an equilateral triangle or will my current setup be sufficient without causing major problems?

Yes, i am a noob.

[jhbrandt]

The proper answer is; It depends.

Ideally, your monitoring position should be symmetrical & with the speakers spread 60 degrees apart in front of you. At this angle, only an equilateral triangle will work. - The 60 degrees is a standard. One reason for this is for sound stage placement - @ 60 deg. panning works well and translates to most other systems. -- Example; If you are working with a 90 degree placement, more often than not, your mixes will end up being monophonic because it doesn't quite sound right panning instruments hard left or right.

Please post a drawing of your room with your position & the speaker positions. With measurements, please.

Cheers,
John

[juliomonroy]

I agree with John, he helped me to position my speakers and the change was incredible!

[MusicGuy1980]

Originally Posted by jhbrandt

The proper answer is; It depends.

Ideally, your monitoring position should be symmetrical & with the speakers spread 60 degrees apart in front of you. At this angle, only an equilateral triangle will work. - The 60 degrees is a standard. One reason for this is for sound stage placement - @ 60 deg. panning works well and translates to most other systems. -- Example; If you are working with a 90 degree placement, more often than not, your mixes will end up being monophonic because it doesn't quite sound right panning instruments hard left or right.

Please post a drawing of your room with your position & the speaker positions. With measurements, please.

Cheers,
John

Thanks for the info. I will figure out this Google Sketchup program and have something for you soon. Thanks for your time with me on this

[DanDan]

It's a matter of compromise. I would not regard symmetry or imaging as more important than the other players. A hearing test will often reveal vast asymmetry between a typical pair of ears. Furthermore the brain is very good at adjusting. They only time I have had trouble with panning is when a client constantly listened on headphones. He kept asking for narrower and narrower mixes. I don't have that issue mixing on cans myself, I recognise the issue and adjust.

LF response at the mix and other listening areas are very important IMHO.
I would place that one at high priority.

DD

[MusicGuy1980]

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/6006/studiopic2.jpg

Here is a rough idea of how room is setup. The GIK panels are not there yet in my room, but it's the way i plan on setting up my room when they come in. The lower right hand bass trap is in front of my door and will be lower than the rest because it will be on a panel stand for ease of movement when i need to enter/exit my room. another panel will be on a panel stand in front my dresser. The mega bass trap is above my bed. I have moved evertything out of my tiny room that i could except a dresser for clothes and my bed. The bed will have plenty of stuff underneath to fill space underneath my bed. now the thing remaining is speaker placement when my new Mackie HR824mkII's come in as well. I currently have MR8's on the stands.

MY room is 10x11x8'

pc 20" deep 23" tall 8" wide

main monitor 22 1/2" wide 19" tall

Bed 80" long 55" wide

Dresser 42" wide 20" deep 34" high

Keyboard stand 32" wide 45" tall 24" Deep

desk dimensions: 4ft wide 33" deep 28 1/2" tall

The thing is if I put my monitors on my desk I have no room to swivel them to the correct angle they need to be. I dont really want to shell out more money on a new desk because I love my vertical dual monitor setup that i custom fit to my desk. So i am really trying to stick with this setup. I cant move my desk any further away from the wall because my chair will hit my bed. So this is my dilemma. In a year or so i will get a place with a spare room just for my gear but until then i gotta make do with what i got. Any advice would be awesome!

I am doing the best I can to fill you guys in. I am new at this but I got all the persistence in the world for this.

[MusicGuy1980]

Originally Posted by DanDan

LF response at the mix and other listening areas are very important IMHO.
I would place that one at high priority.

DD

Please fill me in on the "and other listening areas are very important IMHO.
I would place that one at high priority."

[The Beatsmith]

i think he's saying the bass levels at the mix spot - and in other spots around the room (client sofa, chill area where you listen to your mixes, etc) - are more important than a few degrees change in your speakers

[DanDan]

Yes, tonal balance is a high priority, one of several.
Focus on any one of these rules of thumb at the expense of others will not lead to a balanced compromise.

The only rule of thumb which endures is-
'Don't take rules of thumb too literally'.....

There are studios successfully using other angles.
PMC speakers are not intended to be listened to on axis.
etc.

DD

[Brainchild]

For the sake of hilarity and other reasons, the angle at my mix position is 90 degrees (with the angles of the speaker corners being 45 degrees each); I find it very comfortable as an overall working experience to have them at this angle. In short, it's totally like whatever.

[DanDan]

Can't remember the exact detail but I do remember reading of a world famous studio, maybe The Power Station, with a 90 degree. My own White Room has quite a narrow angle, but I sit inside the triangle. Big Headphones, slightly off axis.
DD

[MusicGuy1980]

ok, so i guess will leave my speakers alone. So long as I am within the triangle I should be ok. I tried that hearing test and i got near perfect results. When i move out of this campy room i will find something a lil bigger and won't need to have my bed and dresser in it.