What size monitors to use in a small isolation booth?

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Embenny
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What size monitors to use in a small isolation booth?

Post by Embenny » Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:52 am

So, a year ago, I finally took the plunge on ordering an isolation booth for my basement home studio. It's 1.5x2.1m (4.9x6.5 feet), with a treated interior including absorbers, bass traps, and some variable reflection/absorption panels (Vicoustic Vari-Panels).

While I initially intended to just use it for tracking, there's enough space for me to fit a shallow desk and some monitors and control surfaces, so I'm thinking about mixing in there as well. My two options are the very small treated booth, or a much less-treated, irregularly-shaped room. If I can get the acoustics of the small space under control well enough, I'm thinking it might be the preferable option between the two.

However, the 8" Yamaha HS8's I was going to use as my monitors might be a bit oversized/overwhelming for such a small room. What are your thoughts regarding monitor size in such a small space? 5" with a sub? 7"? 8"?

I've never used such a small space before, but have heard warnings from others about monitors that are oversized for the room. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated!
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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fuzzjunkie
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Re: What size monitors to use in a small isolation booth?

Post by fuzzjunkie » Mon Dec 04, 2017 10:07 pm

The 8" are really big for such a small space and I'm not sure that the isolation benefit would offset that (no pun intended) There is some math involved to figure out speaker size to room size ratios, but I think the 5" might still be on the big size and then the bass...I don't think trying to mix in that space is worth the isolation.

Also saw your post about all the problems associated with the build out in another thread. Hope that works out!

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Embenny
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Re: What size monitors to use in a small isolation booth?

Post by Embenny » Mon Dec 04, 2017 11:08 pm

fuzzjunkie wrote:
Mon Dec 04, 2017 10:07 pm
The 8" are really big for such a small space and I'm not sure that the isolation benefit would offset that (no pun intended) There is some math involved to figure out speaker size to room size ratios, but I think the 5" might still be on the big size and then the bass...I don't think trying to mix in that space is worth the isolation.

Also saw your post about all the problems associated with the build out in another thread. Hope that works out!
Thanks for your input. I totally agree - I'm not really convinced that a space that small could be turned into a useful mixing environment.

As for the struggles with the build itself, my case worked its way up to the company's CEO and I was finally offered a full refund. I'm waiting to see if that actually materializes!
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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