tomixornot
Max Output Level: -58.5 dBFS
- Total Posts : 1674
- Joined: 2011/03/05 11:31:26
- Status: offline
Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
Is there any reason we should not place the monitor speakers directly to the side of our ears (such as wearing a pair of headphones) during mixing ..as is depicted in the pic.. ? I place my speakers at this position sometimes to make space. Got curious, sat in the middle to test the sound. The stereo field is quite nice. 
Albert i7 2600K @ 3.40GHz / MB Intel DP67BG / 16GB Ram- ADATA 250GB SSD (Boot)- Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB HDD (Samples)Audio interface : Motu 828 MK ii i7 6700K @ 4.00GHz / MB Asrock Z170 / 16GB Ram- Samsung EVO 850 120GB / 500 GB SSD
Audio interface : Roland Quad Capture Win 10 Pro / Sonar Platinum
|
Sycraft
Max Output Level: -73 dBFS
- Total Posts : 871
- Joined: 2012/05/04 21:06:10
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/27 15:27:21
(permalink)
☄ Helpfulby bluzdog 2014/10/27 19:15:37
The main issue I can see is it turns you in to a piggy bank.
:D
In general the issue would be that most people don't listen like that so your mix might sound odd. Also it is likely to leave a gap in the center of the stereo field because it is so wide.
However if you like it, it doesn't hurt anything.
|
SvenArne
Max Output Level: -48 dBFS
- Total Posts : 2719
- Joined: 2007/01/31 12:51:29
- Location: Trondheim, Norway
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/27 15:38:36
(permalink)
☄ Helpfulby tomixornot 2014/10/28 07:58:16
I think we've evolved to use our ears to best observe what's we're looking at in front of us. Headphones have got it wrong IMO.
Sven
|
Rbh
Max Output Level: -52 dBFS
- Total Posts : 2349
- Joined: 2007/09/05 22:33:44
- Location: Indiana
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/27 19:33:37
(permalink)
☄ Helpfulby tomixornot 2014/10/28 07:58:05
I would be concerned about phase issues related to reflections off the opposite cabinet face. I think they used to call that Texas headphones.
|
tomixornot
Max Output Level: -58.5 dBFS
- Total Posts : 1674
- Joined: 2011/03/05 11:31:26
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/27 21:18:47
(permalink)
Sycraft
The main issue I can see is it turns you in to a piggy bank.
:D
Lol ! The experiment came up since I've place my monitors on the movable side tables and change the angle depends how far away I sit (refer to profile pic). I would be concerned with phase issues too when the monitors are facing each other, but that is just for testing out. Normally I'll place them at about 45 degree and further apart.
Albert i7 2600K @ 3.40GHz / MB Intel DP67BG / 16GB Ram- ADATA 250GB SSD (Boot)- Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB HDD (Samples)Audio interface : Motu 828 MK ii i7 6700K @ 4.00GHz / MB Asrock Z170 / 16GB Ram- Samsung EVO 850 120GB / 500 GB SSD
Audio interface : Roland Quad Capture Win 10 Pro / Sonar Platinum
|
rumleymusic
Max Output Level: -60 dBFS
- Total Posts : 1533
- Joined: 2006/08/23 18:03:05
- Location: California
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/27 23:40:00
(permalink)
☄ Helpfulby tomixornot 2014/10/28 07:57:52
The standard from a production standpoint is 60 degrees, it is what mastering engineers use, it is what studios should use but frequently don't because they don't know any better, but best to stick with that. You may hear good separation with monitors placed like that, but you will not hear an accurate and repeatable stereo field from anyone else's standpoint.
|
johnnyV
Max Output Level: -48.5 dBFS
- Total Posts : 2677
- Joined: 2010/02/22 11:46:33
- Location: Here, in my chair
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/28 00:26:59
(permalink)
And you'll need a bigger Piggy Bank if you have any hardware GAS symptoms. I'm in a corner right now so my monitors are almost like that. I guess it's not great but I'm so used to it after 4 years it certainly works for me. I need to update my picture, that's my Tascam interface and only one monitor. 
Sonar X3e Studio - Waiting for Professional Scarlett 6i6Yamaha Gear= 01v - NSM 10 - DTX 400 - MG82cx Roland Gear= A 49- GR 50 - TR 505 - Boss pedalsTascam Gear= DR 40 - US1641 -Mackie Gear= Mix 8 - SRM 350's i5 Z97 3.2GHZ quad 16 Gig RAM W 8.1 home buildTaylor mini GS - G& L Tribute Tele - 72 Fender Princeton - TC BH 250 - Mooer and Outlaw Pedals Korg 05/RW
|
AT
Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
- Total Posts : 10654
- Joined: 2004/01/09 10:42:46
- Location: TeXaS
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/28 10:23:46
(permalink)
I would think you'd have one big center hole w/ that set up.
https://soundcloud.com/a-pleasure-dome
http://www.bnoir-film.com/ there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
|
johnnyV
Max Output Level: -48.5 dBFS
- Total Posts : 2677
- Joined: 2010/02/22 11:46:33
- Location: Here, in my chair
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/28 11:20:08
(permalink)
Are you referring to the OP's set up or mine? I think the OP's set up would be a little weird to work with, but my halfway there set up does seem to be OK for me. The stereo field is right on if I sit in the halfway spot. As I said, in theory it's wrong, But then you sort of get used to it and it works fine. I've certainly been cranking out mixes I'm happy with over and over for about 5 years this way now. In a way it has put the speakers closer to my ears than if they where in a traditional set up.
Sonar X3e Studio - Waiting for Professional Scarlett 6i6Yamaha Gear= 01v - NSM 10 - DTX 400 - MG82cx Roland Gear= A 49- GR 50 - TR 505 - Boss pedalsTascam Gear= DR 40 - US1641 -Mackie Gear= Mix 8 - SRM 350's i5 Z97 3.2GHZ quad 16 Gig RAM W 8.1 home buildTaylor mini GS - G& L Tribute Tele - 72 Fender Princeton - TC BH 250 - Mooer and Outlaw Pedals Korg 05/RW
|
bitflipper
01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
- Total Posts : 26036
- Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
- Location: Everett, WA USA
- Status: offline
Re: Placement of monitor speakers facing directly to the side of our ears ?
2014/10/28 14:21:14
(permalink)
SvenArne
I think we've evolved to use our ears to best observe what's we're looking at in front of us. Headphones have got it wrong IMO.
Sven
Agreed. Remember that the mixes we hear in headphones were originally mixed on speakers, not headphones. I suspect that setting speakers up that way would still be better than the traditional way if the "proper" setup meant sticking them right up against a wall. Getting as much air around the speakers as possible is more important than their angle.
 All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. My Stuff
|