Installing Your Monitors
The close-field monitor, by definition, reduces room interaction. This can be com-
pared to the conventional stereo configuration or the large monitor arrangement in
a recording studio where sounds emanating from the monitor or reflecting off ceil-
ings, walls, and floors greatly affect the sound quality. By shortening the path to the
ear, the close-field monitor offers a tremendous amount of flexibility, allowing the
sound to become less susceptible to differing room conditions. The ability to adjust
the high and low frequency characteristics is equally important to help compensate
for room irregularities and achieve the highest sound accuracy.
(See HF Adjustments
and LF Adjustments sections on page 2. Note- These adjustments are only available on the V8
Series II.)
A room that is heavily dampened would typically require a high frequency boost.
Likewise, reducing the high frequencies can alter a reverberant room. The low fre-
quency can be adjusted to compensate for the first reflection (bounce) off the
woofer, whether it comes from the floor, as in the typical stereo setup, or from the
surface of the mixing board (when the monitor is placed atop the meter bridge).
Placing the monitor close to a rear wall, sidewall, or a corner will reinforce the low
frequencies. Generally speaking, if you move them two to three feet away from
walls and corners, you'll hear less low frequency interaction (excluding any interac-
tion with the mixing console). But when ideal positioning isn't practical, low frequen-
cy control is the solution. Lets say you have two different studios in your facility; in
one room the monitors are close to the wall, in the other they're further away from
the wall. Simply adjust the low frequency on each monitor and you'll have the same
sound in each room. This comes in handy if you're tracking in room A and mixing
down in room B.
Positioning Your Monitors
Positioning your monitors correctly in the studio is critical to their performance.
Typically, they should be placed so that that the listening position is fully "covered"
with all monitors resting on the same horizontal plane. A great way to test a monitor
for its imaging capability is to play back a CD or DVD recorded acoustically in
stereo (or one recorded in surround sound if you have a surround sound set-up).
We recommend acoustic music because it represents the spectrum of sound.) You
can adjust the angle of each monitor by listening for dead spots. Keep in mind,
changing the angle or position of a monitor will change the sound.
2-CHANNEL SET-UP
Close-Field Configuration - In a control room situa-
tion, the monitors are often times placed on the
meter bridge or in a close-field listening position.
Initial placement starts by measuring out a simple
equilateral triangle (all three sides equal in length)
with the apex at the center of the listening position
(as shown in Figure 1) as an "overlay" for the stereo
installation. In this configuration, the Left and Right
monitors are each placed at a 60º angle equidistant
from the listening position.
Mid-Field Configuration
– This configuration is basically the same as the Close-
Field set-up. (see Figure 2) It is normally used with larger monitors or when the
monitors are too large or heavy for the meter bridge. This set-up has the potential
for a larger sweet spot and better spatial imaging. Make sure that the height of the
woofer is above height of the console.
SUBWOOFER SET-UP
Begin by determining the best location for your subwoofer. If possible, the optimum
set-up would look like the set-up in Figure 3. This set-up may not be practical or
possible in your room. Once you have set up your monitors. Listen to some pro-
gram material that you know has low frequency information recorded on it.
Different locations may create a phase misalignment. Most Subwoofers have a
phase switch on them. Flip the phase switch. The bass response volume will
either increase or decrease in volume. Whichever setting gives you the loudest
response from your seating position is in phase. After you have the proper phase
setting you will need to adjust the output level of the Subwoofer to a level that pro-
vides a smooth blend of the bass volume with that of your monitors.
Figure 3
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Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
