Mix Room Issue / Muddy Mixes

[Downwards]

Hello all,

So, I decided to set up my recording/mixing gear in a spare bedroom on the 2nd level of my house, because these days, I'm just doing my own stuff, and it's mostly digital, and I have a newborn, so I need to be somewhat close by.

I'm having an issue though with the how I mix on the monitors, and how it sounds on a consumer grade 2.1 speaker system in the same room, hooked up to the same interface. In short, what I think sounds good on the monitors sounds like poo on the 2.1 system. It's like night and day between the 2.

There's not a whole lot in this room, except for a twin size bed, small table, the mixing desk, monitors, some gear, and some acoustic 2'x3' acoustic panels to tame reflections, and some 4" square/2' long foam pieces that are supposed to be "bass traps", but obviously they're not real bass traps. I know without having some real bass traps, I could get a false representation of the low end in the mix, and it lacking in low end on consumer speakers from overcompensating, but it always sounds extremely muddy, somewhat boxey when played through the 2.1 system.

Also, I've played some commercial mixes on both the monitors and the 2.1 system, and they all sounded fine. Obviously bassier on the 2.1 system, but not nearly the amount of mud I was hearing from anything I mixed. And I've experimented mixing it so it sounds less muddy on the 2.1 system, but then the mix sounds pretty thin/tinny on the monitors.

So I'm not sure where to start fixing this, if/what I should change how this room is set up, etc. I don't remember having this issue in the open basement I mixed it prior... maybe I'm having trouble with the lows/low mids in the monitors, in this room..?

Anyway, I have included a scale diagram of the room, and how it's currently set up. If anyone has some thoughts on my issue, and/or suggestions on the room set up, or anything else for that matter, please let me know. It's driving me insane, and I honestly don't know what direction to go in.

Also, I'm using KRK Rokit 8 monitors.

Thanx in advance!

 

[The StabbinCabin]

 

[The StabbinCabin]

Use headphones and reference to mixes you like to get better low end. Use subtractive eq instead of boosting. Start at the source of each instrument. I'm a pretty firm believer that anyone can get pretty good mixes in bedrooms, you just have to be used to your room and know a good workaround.

 

[Downwards]

Use headphones and reference to mixes you like to get better low end. Use subtractive eq instead of boosting. Start at the source of each instrument. I'm a pretty firm believer that anyone can get pretty good mixes in bedrooms, you just have to be used to your room and know a good workaround.

So would you say it's generally better to use headphones in a bedroom-type environment? Suxx cuz i hate wearing headphones, and the monitors would be a waste, but if I can get a better mix, I'll use headphones.

Any idea why it would sound ok from the Rokits, but extremely muddy on the 2.1 system in the same room though? Does it sound like I'm just not hearing, ergo mixing the low/low mids well enough?

Oh, and thanx for the video. Love me some Primus.

 

[egan.]

Your foam is unfortunately not doing much. You need to build 4-6" thick bass traps out of OC703, mineralwool or similar semi-rigid panels.

 

[jeid]

If you could rearrange your room so that the desk was at the window, you'd likely have a better listening environment, or at least be on the way. You could get two corner traps in each corner and cover your first reflection points easier that way too.

 

[Terminus]

On the back of the Rokits there is that HF Level knob you can adjust if you feel like the room or the monitors are hyping the highs too much. I usually had mine set to null but if your room is hyping highs then other than changing the material on the diffusers that's something you can attenuate to your other listening references.

Of course look at the treatment and placement of the desk and monitors first, though. Desk should face down the longest length of the room and the monitors should be at ear level sat in an equilateral triangle relative to your head.

 

[Downwards]

If you could rearrange your room so that the desk was at the window, you'd likely have a better listening environment, or at least be on the way. You could get two corner traps in each corner and cover your first reflection points easier that way too.

jeid,

So you think rearranging so the desk is in front of the window would be better? What about reflections off the glass? How much room between the monitors and the wall/window?

 

[Downwards]

On the back of the Rokits there is that HF Level knob you can adjust if you feel like the room or the monitors are hyping the highs too much. I usually had mine set to null but if your room is hyping highs then other than changing the material on the diffusers that's something you can attenuate to your other listening references.

Of course look at the treatment and placement of the desk and monitors first, though. Desk should face down the longest length of the room and the monitors should be at ear level sat in an equilateral triangle relative to your head.

Terminus,

Yeah, I used to have mine at null, but since I had such tinnyness, I did turn the HF down -2db. It helped a little bit, but there's obviously some other issues going on in there.

So should the monitors be at ear level between the tweeter and woofer, or at the tweeter? I've seen both suggestions. I'm also thinking the monitors might be to far apart from each other, relative to my listening position..

 

[Terminus]

The cap of the woofers on mine were directly at ear level, but that was just the way I set it up, might not be the 'right' way for others.

Since it's a spare bedroom, you could probably do away with the bed altogether, maybe throw it into that closet until you need it (or use it as a bass trap), then you could go all out with the room and sit your desk 38 percent of the way out into the room and clear up some of those early reflections you're probably getting from the wall behind the speakers. I'm no expert though, hahah. Just spitballing here.

 

[jeid]

I have my tweeters around ear level.

Terminus is right about the early reflections and moving your desk more into the room. It will help with your mix environment for sure.

Plenty of great info on the John Sayers forum.

 

[Master Buss]

Sound absorption is the first step.
Use 1x2's and screw these into the studs.
Then screw the panels into the 1x2.

I have both home made and "pro" panels.

The next best thing I ever did was start mixing on a boombox
really hated it at first, now can't live without out.
My mixes translate to different mediums (ipod, car, stereo, etc) easily