User Manual

7
A Brief Tutorial on Studio Monitors
This is also true for MTM monitors like the Eris E44 and
E66 when placed vertically. That is, they should form
a mirror image of each other, with the tweeters on the
outside.
Whether or not the manufacturer recommends horizontal
or vertical placement, you should always feel free to
experiment. You may find that you prefer the way a
dierent orientation sounds in your space, even if it’s not
the one the manufacturer recommends.
Your speakers should form an equilateral triangle with
your listening position.
Whenever people talk about listening to speaker systems,
they talk about the “sweet spot.” As mentioned earlier, this
is the middle position between the two sides of a stereo
system, where the speakers overlap, and it is where the
stereo image will be the best. Creating the sweet spot is
relatively easy. Simply angle, or “toe-in,” each speaker so
that the tweeters form an equilateral triangle with your
head—that is, the speakers are the same distance from
each other as they are from you.
60˚ 60˚
Proper listening position
The high-frequency driver should be the same height as
your ears.
High-frequency content is much more directional than
low frequency content. Because of this, you can more
accurately hear what is happening if the high frequencies
are directed at your ear. Once you have created the sweet
spot, sit down and make sure that your ears are level with
the center of tweeter.
Proper speaker height
In some cases, especially with large speakers, placing the
speakers vertically results in the tweeter being aimed too
far above your ears. One way to solve this is to simply invert
both monitor speakers so that the tweeters are on the
bottom. It may look unusual but it works.
Situate your mix position symmetrically.
The center of a wall provides a more balanced listening
position. Place your speakers so that they are the same
distance from the sides of the room. That is, if your left
speaker is six feet from the wall to the left and two feet
from the wall behind, your right speaker should be six feet
from the wall to the right and two feet from the wall behind.
By centering your mix position, your monitor system will
provide more reliable low-frequency intelligibility. In a
rectangular room, it is best to set up along one of the long
walls, especially in a smaller room. This will minimize
problems caused by side wall reflections.
Centered mix position
The speakers should be a dierent distance from the
back wall than from the walls on either side.
Just like it’s not a good idea to set up your mix position in a
corner, it’s not a good idea to create a corner with your mix
position. Make sure the distance from the speaker to the
wall behind it is dierent than the distance from the side
wall closest to it. For example, if your left speaker is six feet
from the wall to its left, it shouldn’t also be six feet from the
wall behind it.
2 feet
3 feet
3 feet
Dierent wall distances