Mixing Monitors Placement

I've read that while using reference tracks that you want a song to take on an aspect of, and using a pair of flat response monitors, is there anything to consider regarding the placement of these monitors? My room is nowhere near acoustically dead, but I know I can't just throw them on my desk either. Do I want to move them around based on how the reference track sounds? Anything anyone can give would be of a big benefit, thanks!

Chris, how big are they? You're right, normally you'd want the room to be acoustically dampened, but that can be hard to do in a non-studio environment. I've used Yamaha's 5inch near-field monitors, and actually I did place them on my desk, just about head-high when I'm seated, with each speaker turned in towards me. Distance apart was probably around 4 feet. I made slight adjustments with the angle and position, until when I listened to a mix I would swear that any audio that was set to center seemed to be coming right out of the wall in front of me in between the speakers. You can really tell when you hit the sweet spot. In a final mixdown, I listen using the monitors, then with headphones, and finally, on the car stereo.

This topic may be a bit ahead ahead of itself as I don't not currently have a y monitors, but I will need a pair soon. I was looking at the Yamaha HS50M's as I seen those brought up and talked up here, and I did some research on them and they look pretty good for now, not a bad price either. Yeah, in the final mix, you'd wanna test the tracks of everything you can think of. I just wanted to get a little ahead in preparation to our demo completion. As my desk is right now, it's in the upper left corner of my living room/band room/studio whatever lol So I'd have to move the desk from the wall just a bit maybe and have the speakers on stands, there isn't a whole lot of space. But I could probably manage that, stands aren't an uncommon thing... I think I suppose it's just a lot of tuning, adjusting, fine tuning, and fine adjusting until, like you say, I "swear that any audio that was set to center seemed to be coming right out of the wall in front of me in between the speakers." Getting that sweet spot. I just wanted to fill in the little gaps. I like to have a solid plan ya know?
Thanks for the insight, much appreciated!

Originally Posted by: Chris RadkeI was looking at the Yamaha HS50M's as I seen those brought up and talked up here

You might know this from the other thread, but that's what I have, and they sound great. I'm sure one could shop around for the "ultimate" set of monitors, but I think these are going to satisfy your needs completely, and its really nice that they are powered. For what its worth, I have used other monitor speakers, ones that were high quality and supposed to sound "good". However, they didn't have a flat response, and I much prefer the HS50M's. Its great that you're planning ahead... even drawing out a simple plan on paper can help. You really won't have to put these speakers far apart to get a nice sound for mixing... I ended just making my own extended shelf to put them one, but stands work well too. One consideration is that they are quite heavy for their size, so whatever you use, you'll need it to be strong! I didn't do too much fine tuning... I think you'll be able to find that sweet spot fairly easily. Have fun!

You gotta make a triangle.

Measure the length between the speaker tweeters and then use that same length to measure from example the right speaker's tweeter to your right ear and the same with the left.

There is your sweet spot.

Blessings!
-T