Question about monitor setup

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kristian
Posts: 252
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 7:11 pm

Question about monitor setup

Post by kristian » Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:47 am

Spoiler: Really dumb question below.. sorry in advance
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I recently got my first pair of studio monitors. The power and volume are all controlled from a rotary dial; my question doesn't have to do with the actual brand of monitors (but if you gotta know, they are a pair of used Genelec 8010's) but rather on how you set them up. I always power the monitors down when I'm finished with a session; now to power them back up I've always just turned on the right one, find a pleasant volume, then turn on and try to match the volume on the left. I know this is bad because its hard finding the exact same balance on them is not always gauranteed. Sooo... today I tried to max the volume on them both (so they are at the same level), but then I have to turn down the "main" output of my soundcard (an ultralite mk3) to -60 dB for normal use (of course, my personal preference but I find the monitors way too loud)... my question has to do with how you guys normally work with monitors? Do you never switch them off? Do your monitors have some mark on them so you know that when you switch them to that position, they are the same volume? Or does everyone the world use something like Mackie Big Knob except for me? Or am I missing something? (oh and ignore placement, room treatment etc.... this is about something far more basic :)

UKRuss
Posts: 5044
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:32 am

Re: Question about monitor setup

Post by UKRuss » Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:55 am

Look up K-Metering system which should lead you to a guide on calibrating your monitors by measuring spl at the listening point when playing a certain tone at a certain level in your DAW.

twisted-space
Posts: 1253
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:50 pm
Location: UK Midlands

Re: Question about monitor setup

Post by twisted-space » Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:25 am

And then use a switched power strip, so you can power then on/off without touching the gain controls.

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