Excellent Mix-Down Starts Using the Optimal Reference Monitor Set up
A great mix-down starts with the optimal speaker setup with your M-Audio AV 40 or any reference monitors.
Speaker placement.
Like a triangle, you need to place your screens at an equal distance between your head and each other. Aim the speakers inward towards your head to create stereo imaging and also to ensure the sound travels an equal length to every ear. Hearing audio at various intervals can create an undesirable latency effect that diminishes correct audio reference.
People usually location speakers on their aspect in between shelves to make best utilization of area. This produces two concerns. One argument supporting this placement is that not getting the tweeters over the motorists will attain your ears in the incorrect point instead of becoming vertical. Ideally you want the tweeters at eye level or simply above; the problem with shelves is that they are usually against the wall. This is the worst thing you are able to do because audio reflection is now including extra sound clutter and simulating a fuller sound that does not exist within the mix. The gap traveled in the speaker towards the wall & back to your ears with a slower arrival has an impact much like reverb or the short lived surround effect featured on boom boxes back in the 90’s. To make a delayed impact additional speakers were fanned out the side, though sometimes a neat sound this greatly diminishes mixing accuracy.
Speaker Vibration.
There are many types of special speaker foam that can be placed under the speaker to stop rattling & vibration. Plan to spend around $40 for the professional quality foam; you could choose to buy speaker stands with the foam already built in to achieve the same effect starting at around the $100 price range.
Do you really require a subwoofer?
Many individuals buy an 8 inch over a 6 inch driver in their studio monitors with the logic they can now get by without getting to purchase a subwoofer; unfortunately this will not achieve the desired outcome. You would like to create a separation within the mix with the low frequencies and this can only be achieved through a separate subwoofer. This may come as bad news if you’re looking to save money but on the bright side you can save a little and buy the 6 inch monitors instead and put the money in the direction of a sub. One thing you also need to take note is that the low frequencies handled by the sub is only around 5% of the total sound range, furthermore the sub is a mono channel. Therefore it is not necessary to buy an expensive subwoofer; any old sub will do just remember that you are looking to make a separation in the combine.
Preparation the final adjustment for optimum sound.
This is the final and important step that will make a big difference in your combine down together with your M-Audio AV forty speakers or any studio screens. Play your favorite well produced audio CD of a similar genre and tune your speakers & subwoofer towards the acoustics of the room towards the desired audio; this is an obvious and often overlooked step. All of this seems so easy but starting out your combine down with a flat EQ tone with an accurate speaker setup is critical because every room sounds different and can skew your precious audio.
Abe Schaefer is a 15 year recording engineer/songwriter who specializes in rock music production. You can check out his latest website at M-Audio Speakers where he provides information for recording artists looking for quality inexpensive gear such as the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 & the awesome Studiophile AV 30 speakers.
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