Monitor Lizard

[massplanck]

Ok. Just got a set of Alesis M1 MK2s (I know tis all i could afford for the time being) and true to nature they are as boomy as **** and I dont think I like them (yet). At least now I have two sets of speakers (old one being nice wharfdale hifi speakers & a pioneer amp) to monitor on.
The room is an ok size. I'm just wondering where to place them in relation to the wall. I have no stands right now (well I do but the are only big enough for my old speakers) so they are gonna have to go on the table with the rest of my kit. I have heard its a good idea to raise them up a bit and have a bit of air beneath them . So i'm gonna jam a few Java & Python mega programming manuals under them to let them breath. Good idea or not?
What i want to know is.. should i pull the table a good bit out from the wall or ram it right up against and leave zero space between the monitors and the wall? I have heard the later can be good choice when you dont know what the **** you are doing (ie me).

Also I tried creating a continous sweep from 40hz up to 16khz in wavelab so that i can figure out if I'm missing any frequencies where I am sitting but for some reason wavelab refuses to make the sweep last longer than 10 secs no matter what settings I give it. Its pretty annoying. Does anyone know where I might get a wav of a sinewave that sweeps up for about 30-40secs?

[SlimboyPhatt]

easy, just thought I'd try and give a few suggestions.

Definatly get them away from the wall. The further the better.

If you can squeeze another £35 out of your budget, get some mopads to go under the speakers. Makes a huge difference by isolating them from the desk / room

http://www.dv247.com/invt/9501/

Stands will also help (still need the mopads)

I have also heard of putting socks in the ports of the alesis speakers to tone down the bass a little but youd possibly make things worse.

The best filter sweep I have found is the test tone built into live. As you can sweep it yourself, checking each frequencey for dips or peaks.

Hope this was some help.

[RDR]

I'd put your speakers AWAY from the wall not jammed up against it.

Unless you plan to encase the speakers in a false wall that is...

try this link for some tone gen software

http://www.download32.com/test-tone-generator-d3190.html

[rhythmtech]

very important with m1's in a small room..

stuff the sub-ports loosely with a rolled up sock in each. it gets the bass a lot more under control and will help with your mixes (which are going to be very thin until you get used to the m1's)

[Jay Pace]

Squash balls in the ports work well as well, if you have some.
Otherwise socks will do. Just make sure you plug both ports, otherwise you just end up with a big boomy mess.

Speakers as far away from the wall as practical, mopads woudl be good, failing that you can work wonders with foam or even inflatables as a low budget quick fix.

[massplanck]

Stoopid question. Why the **** are they so boomy? Why do people have to go to the bother of stuffing their smelly socks in them to compensate? :( Seems so stupid.

[rhythmtech]

Stoopid question. Why the **** are they so boomy? Why do people have to go to the bother of stuffing their smelly socks in them to compensate? :( Seems so stupid.

cause it makes em sound nice so people will buy em!!

they're actually really nice to listen on.. very little ear fatigue - but they take time to get used to for mixing.

[BloodStar]

cause it makes em sound nice so people will buy em!!
they're actually really nice to listen on.. very little ear fatigue - but they take time to get used to for mixing.

little fatigue with MK1s?? haha. you probably had some special pair, because on the ones I had, I couldnt work more than 2 or 3 hours in a row.

[massplanck]

Thanks guys. I'll get some socks stuffed into it tonight and i'll move the table two\three foot away from the wall. I'm going to invest in a couple of mopads too and create a bass trap with lots of crap on the back wall. Thats should do me for now.

That said. I might measure up the room first to see what im dealing with. Its pretty square.

[rhythmtech]

if you can get your hands on some disapating pads, then hang them from the ceiling about 1 foot out from the wall and slant them back to attach them to the wall.. this'll help sort out some ugly sounding parallels

[RDR]

if you can get your hands on some disapating pads, then hang them from the ceiling about 1 foot out from the wall and slant them back to attach them to the wall.. this'll help sort out some ugly sounding parallels

Thats called a "Cloud"

i shit you not.

[massplanck]

Get my hands on a cloud?

[RDR]

Get my hands on a cloud?

yeah, then you have to herd some cats :lol:

[massplanck]

Anyway I stuck smelly socks into it last night. Havent tried them yet though. Shall do this evening

That Audio Anaysis program you gave me Chris is exactly what I need. You can even loop the sine sweep. Thanks a million.