How to Place Studio Monitors for Stereo Mixing

There are some rules of thumb when it comes to placing monitors. For example, it’s best not to place the speakers tight against a wall as this results in a low end build up of 3dB. Symmetry is also important — especially if you’re working in stereo (which most of us are). Ideally, you want each speaker to be the same distance from the nearest wall, so if your right speaker is three feet from the right wall, your left speaker will be three feet from the left wall. This way, the interaction of the speakers with the side boundaries should be the same, and the stereo field will be consistent. An asymmetrical setup can cause problems when you’re working on a stereo mix, since the two speakers will respond and sound different.