John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Need some advice:

My room is 153" x 101". If I use the 38% Rule my sweetspot is at 58". If I try for 67.5" monitor separation, my monitors will will against the front wall. How much space should I leave between the front wall and back of monitor? Minimum distance between monitors?

Many thanks for your replies, any questions let me know.
Cheers,
Mark

Can you please read the forum rules and completely fill out your profile? Thanks!

How much space should I leave between the front wall and back of monitor?

4". This is where you will put 4" of OC703 insulation.

Minimum distance between monitors?

This all depends on the size of your room and the style in which you design your control room. For an RFZ style control room, the entire room has to work together.

Greg

I tested 4" of fibre between speaker and wall some years ago. The improvement was clear cut, widely viewed on a forum. However, I 'idealised' the test in order to highlight just that effect. e.g. I eliminated the floor by placing all elements on it, PZM style.
Subsequently I have tested fibre behind speakers in real life situ.
Unfortunately the results do not hold up. I think it safe enough to guess that a full wall treatment, particularly deep, will eliminate the SBIR null which the very depth creates. However just one small trap does not always. Easy to test. Close to the Front Wall, all but touching, is a great place to start testing, gradually moving outwards.
Sometimes a sweet spot appears, at any distance from the wall, against our rules and assumptions.
I guess always and ever Test Trumps Theory.

Subsequently I have tested fibre behind speakers in real life situ.
Unfortunately the results do not hold up.

I'm surprised you didn't get good results. I've seen a lot of people get great results after pushing their speakers against then wall and then put insulation in the gap. Anyway, it's worth a try for Mark.

Greg

I did and I didn't! My original test was a resounding success, but as I say, idealised and unrealistic.
Subsequent tests have not shown an improvement. In many cases there are many BIRs at play, so just that one can get lost in the scrum. So Test Test Test. It is simple and worthwhile, plus it encourages trying the speaker as close to the wall as possible.
There is a ubiquitous myth that is is a no-no, that it is somehow 'normal' to distance the speaker from the wall, which needs to be chipped away at IMO.