monitor soffit questions?

Hi! About monitor soffits. I have been reading up on your forums but I still have some questions & concerns. What type of material should be used for the front baffle? Is plywood ok? How thick? Also if you can tell from my drawings, should the speaker be placed in the center of the baffle or is it ok to have it near the side wall? My thought is to try & spread the speakers farther apart. If I understand it correctly the idea is to extend the front face of the speaker. I plan on mounting Event 20/20's. What sugestions would you make to my plans? Any & all help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Jeff

I’m no expert on room design at all, that’s why I’m here.. hehe. But I have owned designed and set up a lot of HI-FI systems. They never recommend speakers placed too close to a wall as this will give gain to frequencies and make the speaker non linear.

I'd go for the center of the baffle design. Sure - it's not as wide but it will sound better IMO. Yes - plywood 5/8" for the front baffle. cheers john

Jeff, Are those slot resonators on the left and right side walls of the control room? Jeff

Yes those are slot resonators Fieryjack. Look back for the "oh what to do?" post its shows some side elevation drawings... I think??? John, hey thanks for your speedy response yet again! So for one last time before I get ready to start in your humble opinion is there anything that you think I should do differently? Thanks! Jeff

before I get ready to start in your humble opinion is there anything that you think I should do differently?

Are you leaning the speakers forward?? (your drawing looks like you are) It's extra geometry that gets hard but the advantage is a more direct sound source. cheers john

Are you leaning the speakers forward?? (your drawing looks like you are) It's extra geometry that gets hard but the advantage is a more direct sound source. cheers john

Sorry to intrude here, but I had to ask: John, I'm laying out my soffit mounts, and I have them set up so that the tweeter would be about 6'-3" high. I have a 12 degree angle set in the soffit to angle them downward (funny how that angle keeps popping up!). I ran a string-line from that position of each soffit, with that down angle, and the lines intersected approximately 14" behind my head, at ear level, when seated at the mix position! That should be a good thing, yes?

Is no-one going to mention the increased bass response and therefore need to re-e.q. monitor boxes that are soffit mounted....? No...? I'll get me coat.

Oliver Sheen wrote:

Is no-one going to mention the increased bass response and therefore need to re-e.q. monitor boxes that are soffit mounted....? No...? I'll get me coat.

Well, there's a hanging bass trap below the soffit, the bottom part of the soffit is fitted for mid to low frequency absorbtion, and the very bottom of the soffit is a fabric covered opening allowing for additional low frequency attenuation. The top of the soffit is loosely packed with insulation. The monitors themselves are not rear ported. All of this making for a fairly non-resonate cabinet. Given that, where exactly is this increased bass response you speak of comming from? (Just curious, not trying to be a smart-ass.) :)

Yes John, I will be angling them down towards my head. So..., all else looks good then??? Re: the increase in bass. Yes I am aware of this, yet I somewhat agree with Michael in that much of that bass will be absorbed. Anyway I do seem to enjoy a lot of bass! I'll have to learn my room & speakers any way may as well enjoy the sound coming out! Thanks Everyone! Jeff

jc71 - thanks for letting me step on your thread. :wink: I'm using Event 20/20BAS's as well in my setup.

No problem Michael, stomp it into wine for all I care! Actually I like any & all input! Can I take that as a recomendation for the 20/20s? Do you have yours soffit mounted? Thanks Jeff

jc71 wrote:

No problem Michael, stomp it into wine for all I care! Actually I like any & all input! Can I take that as a recomendation for the 20/20s? Do you have yours soffit mounted? Thanks Jeff

I am building the soffit mounts for them as we speak.

For me the low end lift you mention is a good thing. Take Bruce's room - he gets a much improved bass response from soffiting his speakers plus it's truer and more acurate. Those Events will sound great soffit mounted - I know cos I've already heard them soffit mounted :) cheers john

It's just that I was advised soffit mounting my BM15a's on the speaker forum. I was told that cos they are ported cabs and designed to be used non-soffit mounted, soffit mounting them will give a false amount of extra bass and require re-eqing, which I didn't fancy. As you can tell I'm not an expert on this subject so probably wouldn't recogise if anyone was being smart-assed. So, then. Is the jury still out on soffit mounting BM15a's or not? CHeers

So, then. Is the jury still out on soffit mounting BM15a's or not?

I think it's a case of suck it and see Oliver - officially for similar reasons Bruce Blue Bear shouldn't have soffit mounted his speakers but you try and stop him now :):) cheers john

So, what you're saying is the science of studio design isn't, well, and exact science!! Kinda makes me wish I'd done it myself... I've gone and made some speaker stands now. Oh, poo (roll on Barefoots mini mains!)

I wouldn't go back to the V8's on top of the console.... the sound in my CR is great!!! Clear imaging -- smooth and more importantly, well-defined, low-end -- balanced tone... I couldn't have anticipated it better!