Monitor placement for surround mixing?

I've been having trouble for a while now, wondering where best to place my x2 22" monitors when mixing in surround. I currently have them in between the front row of speakers (L-monitor1 -C- monitor2 -R) but my eye sight is terrible (not correctable either) so I have to get very close to the screen to see what I'm doing, which is uncomfortable, annoying, and more importantly, bad mixing practice, as I have to make adjustments way outside the measured mix position. Any ideas? I don't mind buying new hardware to sort this out.

Hi James You say you want to do surround mixing and the moment you mention mix you are really in the realms of setting up speakers correctly. Check out something like this:

http://www.genelec-ht.com...udspeaker-positioning/

Not only that but you need to go through a calibration process and get into something like the Bob Katz 5.1 calibration setup. All this is covered in Bob's book 'Mastering Audio' here:

http://www.digido.com/ You will go around in circles if you do not calibrate your setup.

spacey's idea of the two monitors is interesting. But I would be quite wary of positioning the centre speaker on such a different height so much. Yes we do not detect height variations well but they do not recommend it.  All speakers should be on the same plane. Speakers setups should take priority in any studio and computer monitors need to work in with them! In a normal stereo setup, the screen should be behind the main speakers while mixing (reticulation arm is the answer here)

But after saying that, it also depends on how accurate you want you 5.1 mix to be. You might get away with it. It depends whether you can fit the two screens in between the centre speaker and the left and right front speakers. If you move the front L and R speakers out to let them fit in then you will have to alter the rear speakers accordingly.

Another approach might be to have the two screens close together but lower down facing up at you (closer, and that avoids the eye issues) and the front three speakers all on the same plane but behind the twin screen setup just above the screens but still close. That way you can get the front three speaker spacings right. Go for a tighter setup so the room does not become too involved.

My long time goal is too end up with 2 screen monitors mounted the way spacey has suggested.

You're welcome James and hope you find what works for ya.


Michael