Monitor Screen Placement and High Frequency Reflections

Monitor Screen Placement and High Frequency Reflections – When we think about room acoustics, the focus typically lands on speaker placement, acoustic treatment, and bass management. Conversations often revolve around monitoring setups, speaker positioning, and the proper use of acoustic panels to treat reflections from walls, ceilings, and corners. However, there’s a key factor that frequently gets overlooked: the monitor screen and the reflections it causes in nearfield listening environments.

In many home studios, the computer monitor is a central part of the workspace. It sits between the speakers, at the core of the triangular configuration, close to the listener. But this position can introduce a problematic form of comb filtering, where high frequencies from the speakers reflect off the screen and interfere with the direct sound. For many engineers, this subtle reflection can compromise the stereo image, disrupt the soundstage, and make the high end sound harsher or less defined.

BUY NOW! RECORD, MIX AND MASTER – A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO AUDIO PRODUCTION

The Problem: High-Frequency Reflections from the Monitor Screen

In a nearfield setup, where the listener sits close to the speakers (typically in an equilateral triangle of around 3-4 feet per side), any object placed between the speakers and the listener can become a reflective surface. The computer monitor, when placed upright between the speakers, is a large reflective object right in the path of the sound waves, particularly high-frequency content.

High frequencies, being shorter in wavelength, are more susceptible to reflections off surfaces like screens. When these reflections reach the listener’s ears slightly delayed compared to the direct sound, they cause comb filtering—an interference pattern that distorts the frequency response, particularly affecting the clarity and accuracy of the high end. This can lead to:

Smearing of high frequencies: The direct sound and reflected sound interfere, creating dips and peaks in the frequency response, which can make high frequencies sound unnatural or harsh.
Poor stereo imaging: Reflections can distort the stereo field, causing instruments or vocals to appear wider or more diffuse than they should be.
Reduced clarity: When the high end is compromised, mixes can lose their precision, leading to muddier, less defined audio.

A Solution Borrowed from Mixing Consoles: Angling the Monitor Screen

One effective way to minimize these reflections is to take a cue from the design of mixing consoles. In professional studios, large-format consoles like those from SSL are designed with a sloped surface, angling downward toward the engineer. This design serves two important purposes: it allows easy access to the controls and, crucially, it deflects sound waves downwards, preventing them from reflecting directly toward the listener’s ears.

By tilting your computer monitor at a similar angle, you can achieve a similar result: minimizing high-frequency reflections off the screen and preserving the clarity of your sound. This setup redirects the reflected sound downward, away from the listening position, which reduces comb filtering and improves overall sound quality.

Matching the Angle to Your SSL Six (or Other Gear)

For those using smaller consoles or control surfaces like the SSL Six, the same principle applies. The SSL Six is designed with a specific downward angle to avoid disrupting the sound path from the speakers to the listener. By angling your computer monitor to match the console’s slope—typically 30 to 45 degrees—you can significantly reduce high-frequency reflections and maintain better sound accuracy.

This also has an added ergonomic benefit: aligning the screen with the mixing console provides a seamless visual and workflow experience. It allows you to focus on both your DAW and your mixing gear without awkwardly shifting between viewing angles or positions.

Why This Isn’t a Common Topic in Room Acoustics Discussions

When discussing acoustic treatment and speaker placement, the emphasis is often on larger, more obvious aspects like managing bass frequencies, treating first reflections from walls, and dealing with flutter echoes from parallel surfaces. While these are undeniably important, screen reflections are often forgotten because they seem less impactful at first glance.

However, for engineers working in nearfield setups, the impact of screen reflections on the high-end is very real. Many home studios lack the space for a large console setup, relying on computer-based workflows where the monitor sits right in the path of the sound. This makes high-frequency reflections from the screen particularly problematic in small or untreated rooms, where every reflection can add up and interfere with the listening experience.

How to Implement This in Your Studio

If you’re experiencing similar issues with high-frequency clarity, adjusting the angle of your monitor screen can be an easy and highly effective fix. Here are a few steps to get started:

Evaluate Your Current Setup:
Are you sitting in a typical 3-4 foot equilateral triangle between your speakers? Is your screen directly between your speakers at ear level, and if so, have you noticed high-end harshness or inconsistency?
Experiment with Screen Angle:
Start by angling your screen down by 30 to 45 degrees. You can use a monitor arm or a simple wedge stand to achieve this angle. This will help deflect reflections away from your ears.
Check the Results:
Listen to a familiar track or a reference mix and pay attention to the clarity in the high-end, stereo imaging, and overall soundstage. The results should be noticeable, especially in the high frequencies and stereo width.
Consider Ergonomics:
Make sure the new angle doesn’t compromise your workflow. You want to find a balance where the screen is low enough to minimize reflections, but still easily visible and usable.
Combine with Acoustic Treatment:
If you haven’t already, add acoustic panels or bass traps to your room to further control reflections from the walls, ceiling, and corners. Together with the angled screen, this can create a more balanced and controlled listening environment.

Conclusion

While it’s easy to focus on speaker placement and acoustic panels, the monitor screen in your home studio can be a significant source of high-frequency reflections and comb filtering in nearfield setups. By borrowing design concepts from professional mixing consoles and angling your monitor to avoid direct reflections, you can vastly improve the clarity, stereo imaging, and accuracy of your sound. For engineers and producers who rely on critical listening, addressing this often-overlooked factor can make a world of difference in achieving professional-level mixes.

Take some time to assess your monitor positioning, and experiment with a more ergonomic and acoustically-friendly setup—your ears will thank you.