Page 1
Monitor setup guide
2015
The right monitors.
The correct setup.
Proper sound.
Page 2
2
Table of contents
Genelec Key Technologies 3
What is a monitor? 4
What is a reference monitor? 4
Selecting the correct monitors 4
Identifying your listening area 5
Monitor and listening location placement in a room 8
Back wall cancellation 9
Calibration 13
Acoustic treatments 14
Room acoustics improvements 18
Listening distance recommendations 20
Product selection guide 21
Sound basics 22
Sound radiation 23
Radiation space 24
Cancellation because of a wall behind the monitor 25
Genelec G • Stencil tool 26
Test signals 27
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Monitor setup guide
Genelec Key Technologies
For over 35 years Genelec has been guided by a single idea – to make perfect
active monitors that deliver neutral and accurate sound in every kind of acoustical
environment. In our quest to improve all aspects of monitoring quality we
continuously develop innovative solutions in driver technologies, electronic
circuitry, signal processing, enclosure designs, and materials. Learn more about
our key technologies on our website at www.genelec.com.
Active Crossover
Dedicated Ampliers
Protection Circuitry
Room Response
DCW™
Directivity Control
Waveguide™
MDE™ Minimum
Diraction
Enclosure™
Iso-Pod™ Stand
Reex Port
LSE™ Laminar Spiral
Enclosure™
Versatile Mounting
Bass Management
ISS™ Intelligent Signal
Sensing™
MDC™ Minimum Diraction
Coaxial™
SAM™ Smart Active
Monitors™
LIP™ Laminar Integrated
Port™
NCE™ Natural Composite
Enclosure™
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4
What is a monitor?
A monitor, by denition, observes, checks, controls, warns or keeps continuous
record of something. An audio monitor is more than a good-sounding loudspeaker.
It is a device used in the process of recording, mixing or broadcasting audio in any
environment where accurate listening is needed. A monitor is a professional tool.
What is a reference monitor?
A reference monitor shall reveal the truth about the program being monitored. It
shall not add anything to nor remove or mask anything contained in the program.
Such a monitor should be set up in an optimal position in the room with minimized
inuences from its environment. What we hear is the combination of our listening
ability, the monitor’s performance and the room acoustic.
Selecting the correct monitors
Genelec recommends monitors based on typical listening distances and sound
pressure levels. A matching subwoofer exists for every monitor. Refer to our online
selection tools or ask your local dealer or distributor for detailed advice. Here are
some tips to dene your listening distance and identify your optimal listening ar
ea.
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Monitor setup guide
Identifying your listening area
Divide your room into three equal-sized areas; front, centre and rear.
For music productions place your listening setup in the front area. The angle
between the left and right monitors should be 60° degrees. Each monitor should
be aimed towards the listening position. For lm production, place your listening
setup in the rear area.
60°
L
R
110°
60°
+10°
-10°
RS
C
Screen
R
LS
L
Room resonances between room surfaces are called standing waves or room
modes. In the case of resonances, sound pressure maxima occur on the surface.
Place the listening position at least one metre from the walls to avoid the zone of
the pressure maximum.
60°
L
R
›1 m
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6
For typical two-way systems, the recommended height of the monitor acoustical
axis is at the ear level, usually between 1.2 and 1.4 metres from the oor. Placing
the monitors higher with a slight tilt will minimise oor reections. For standard
stereo and multichannel reproduction, do not lift the monitors so high that more
than 15 degrees of tilt is required. Monitors should always be aimed towards
the listening position. The higher the monitor is from the oor, the lower is the
reection induced frequency response irregularities. However, half room height
placement should be avoided, as at low frequencies the ceiling is typically also a
reective surface.
Find the left-right symmetry axis of your room. Place the listening setup
symmetrically in the left-right direction.
60°
L
R
‹15° ‹15°
1.2-1.4 m
Monitor height (ITU-R BS.775-2 Recommendation)
Iso-Pod tilting
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Monitor setup guide
Placement suggestions for a 5.1 monitoring setup in two dierent basic room
layouts:
110°
60°
+10°
-10°
RS
LS
L
C
R
110°
60°
+10°
-10°
LS
L
C
R
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8
Monitor and listening location placement in
a room
Sound is reected by the walls, ceiling and oor. The sound level at the listener
increases when reected sound is in phase with the direct sound. The sound level
decreases when the reected sound is out of phase with the direct sound.
If the room surfaces have not been designed to diract the sound energy, most of
the reected sound energy leaves the reecting wall in the same angle as it arrived
to the wall. Avoid placing the monitors so that the immediate side wall, ceiling,
and oor reections travel towards the listening position.
Direction of sound
arriving at the wall
Angle
Angle
Direction
normal to
the wall
Direction of sound
leaving the wall, missing
the listening position
When room dimensions agree with the sound wavelength, sound energy
accumulates to form resonances. This resonance sound forms standing waves in
the room, with sound pressure maximums and minimums at certain locations in
the room depending on the resonance frequency.
Location of the monitor in the room aects how much the room mode resonances
collect energy and how audible they become. Moving the monitor locations may
help to reduce the levels of problematic room mode resonances.
The listening location may be unfavourably situated relative to the room mode
resonances. If the listening location is at the location of a null for some mode
resonances, the level of those resonances frequencies becomes very low and
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Monitor setup guide
these frequencies appear to be missing. Moving the listening location can solve
the problem. Typically the listening location is moved forward or backward.
The most accurate stereo imaging can be achieved when the reections are
similar for the left and the right monitor in a stereo pair. This can be achieved by
maintaining the same distance to the nearest side wall and the wall behind the
monitor, placing the left and right monitors to the same height in the room, and
placing the listening location symmetrically in the room in the left-right direction.
Back wall cancellation
Monitor placement
To avoid cancellation of audio because of the sound reecting back from the wall
behind the monitor, follow the placement guideline below. This reection happens
at relative low woofer frequencies only. Avoiding the cancellation is important
because the reected sound can reduce the woofer output causing the monitor
low frequency output to appear to be too low. To avoid the cancellation, push the
monitor close enough to the wall. Typically the distance of the monitor front to the
wall should be less than 0.6 meters. This ensures that the low frequency output
is not reduced. The monitor needs a minimum clearance of 0.05 m to the wall to
ensure full output from the rear bass reex port.
Avoid
> 60 cm
Min
5 cm
O
V
L
O
N
GENELEC
Max
60 cm
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10
Placement of monitors and subwoofer
At low frequencies, it is crucial that the most fundamental room modes are equally
excited. Using a single subwoofer, a placement along the front wall, slightly
o-centre from the room middle axis could be recommended. Using two or four
subwoofers around the room may be a good solution to even out room mode
excitations.
100 40020
40
(Hz)
80 200
Maximum
0.6 m
Distance > 0.6 m can reduce
the level of these frequencies
150
RS
R
LS
L
C
possible
subwoofer
placement
possible
subwoofer
placement
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Monitor setup guide
The cut-o frequency for the low frequency eect (LFE) channel can be selected
separately as 85 Hz or 120 Hz. In certain subwoofers, the LFE content above
85 Hz may be redirected to the centre monitor, allowing full range LFE channel
monitoring.
Typical recommended distances from the wall behind monitors and subwoofer are
shown in the picture overleaf.
Placing a subwoofer at a wall or in a corner produces the highest low frequency
output. At low frequencies, the attest response can be achieved when the room
mode resonances are equally excited. A single subwoofer is usually placed along
the front wall, slightly o-centre from the room’s middle axis. Two subwoofers
may be a good solution to produce and even atter response. Note that during
level calibration, the subwoofer output level is set at the same level than the main
monitor system.
Genelec active 7000 series subwoofers have a crossover lter set to 85 Hz. The
subwoofer reproduces the frequencies lower than 85 Hz. Higher frequencies are
reproduced by the monitors.
Genelec Smart Active Monitoring (SAM) subwoofers enable selection of the
crossover frequency between 50 and 100 Hz. Set the subwoofer crossover to a
frequency where both the monitors and the subwoofer output sound.
Adjust the subwoofer phase at the crossover. Reduction of sound level may occur
at the crossover frequency if the phase is not aligned. The phase alignment is
described in the subwoofer operating manual.
SPL
frequency
subwoofer
monitor
85 Hz
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12
Post-production facility applications
In certain applications, such as large
post-production studios, subwoofer
placement along the front wall is
not recommended as this places
the subwoofer very far from the
listening position, and the subwoofer
frequency response will not be at.
In these cases, we recommended
locating the subwoofer close to the
main monitor setup along the side
walls. Using two subwoofers, one
along each side wall, may provide an
improved low frequency atness.
1.1 m>
Max
60 cm
Avoid
Avoid
Min 5 cm
110°
60°
+10°
-10°
RS
C
Screen
R
LS
L
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Monitor setup guide
All Genelec active monitoring systems have room response adjustments to
compensate for room inuences and retrieve a at frequency response at the
listening position. Analogue systems feature DIP switch tone controls while
Smart Active Monitor (SAM) systems with digital signal processing can calibrate
automatically with Genelec AutoCal.
Calibration
The acoustic environment has a major inuence on the sound quality. Walls,
ceiling, and oor as well as large objects like mixing consoles, tables, equipment
racks, and furniture cause reections. Acoustic calibration minimizes room
inuences and retrieves at and neutral frequency response.
Example of compromised listening condition: excessive bass level in the
monitoring room may result in a lack of bass in the nal mix.
dB
Hz
0
Monitoring excessive basswith level
Results lack of bass in thein amix
dB
Hz
0
OFF
ON
1 234
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First set the measurement microphone at the ear height in the listening position
(typical height: 1.2 to 1.4 m). Ensure that monitors are at correct distances and
heights. Take a frequency response measurement. Analyse the measurement
results and adjust tone control DIP switches to retrieve a at and balanced
frequency response for each monitor.
For level calibration, rst set the rotary input sensitivity control on all monitors fully
clockwise. Then, adjust each level control so that all monitors produce the same
sound level at the listening position.
dBu
+12+6-6
+3
-3
-4
0
SENSITIVITY FOR
100 dB SPL @ 1 m
dB
-5
-6
BASS TILT
0dB
-2dB
-4dB
-6dB
-8dB
@~ 300 Hz
BASS ROLL-OFF
0dB
@~ 100 Hz
-2dB
-4dB
-6dB
-8dB
@~ 8 kHz
TREBLE TILT
0 dB
+2 dB
-2 dB
-4 dB
-6 dB
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
LEVEL CONTROLS
BASS MID TREBLERANGE
Hz
dB
BASS SPECTRUM MIDRANGE SPECTRUM TREBLE SPECTRUM
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Monitor setup guide
To achieve optimal sound reproduction we recommend to place two-way monitors
vertically. When a two-way monitor is placed horizontally, dierence in the
tweeter and woofer distances will cause reduction of sound level at the crossover
frequency when the listener moves sideways from the acoustical axis.
In the example below, the bass tilt control has been used to compensate for a low
frequency boost caused by a monitor close to a large wall.
8030 Bass Tilt -6 dB
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
50 100 300 600 1k
off axis-
Horizontal
positioning
0° on axis- 0° on axis-
notch
off axis-
Vertical
positioning
off axis-0°
off axis-0°
Large table or mixing console in front of the
monitors may cause a boost around 160200 Hz. Some Genelec monitors have a
desktop control DIP switch compensating
for this boost. SAM systems’ AutoCal will
compensate for this eect automatically.
dB
4 dB @ 160 Hz/ 200
frequency
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16
Acoustic treatments
Monitor calibration alone helps but may not be sucient to resolve room acoustic
problems.
Audio production rooms are designed for monitoring and should receive
adequate acoustic treatments to allow quality monitoring. Several room acoustic
improvements are suggested here. However, using services of a professional
consultant is highly recommended.
Wall surfaces, ceilings and oors can be reective, diusive or absorptive.
Combinations of these are often used.
Hard surfaces such as glass, concrete,
dry wall or MDF reect sound.
Soft materials such as rock/mineral wool,
sofas, heavy curtains or thick carpets
absorb sound energy. Thick layer of
porous materials are needed to absorb
lower frequencies.
Irregular surfaces scatter sound waves.
Spreading angle depends on the diusor
design. Diusion is usually not eective at
low frequencies.
A combination of diusive and absorptive
surfaces can be very eective in reducing
the audibility of reections.
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Monitor setup guide
Reection-free zone around the
listening area
First order reections can have high level while subsequent reections become
smaller. Control room design minimizes the rst order reection level reaching
the listening area. Reections arriving very soon after the direct sound from the
monitor are called early reections. One aim of control room design is to reduce
or eliminate early reections, having mainly the direct sound from the monitors
reaching the listening area.
Flutter echo
60
0
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18
Room acoustics improvements
Several acoustic improvements can be made in a typical rectangular room where
an audio monitoring setup is installed. Here are a few suggestions.
E
A
B
C
D
A
B
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19
Monitor setup guide
A
Cut the room front corners at 30 degree angle using high-mass materials
(concrete, bricks, multi layered gypsum board, etc). In case building materials
have medium mass, be sure to ll the empty space behind these walls with
mineral wool.
B
Use a combination of absorption and diusion on the side wall surfaces. Note that
thin layers of porous absorbers only reduce HF reections.
C
If the room is large enough, use diusive and absorbing element(s) on the back
wall.
D
Control low frequency room resonances using a large amount of absorption
material for example in the back of the room and in the ceiling. Carefully designed
and located panel resonator absorbers can also be used.
E
Use a combination of absorption and diusion above the listening area to reduce
acoustic reections from the ceiling.
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20
Listening distance recommendations
1238CF
1382
1234
1236
0.5 1 1.5 2510 15
(s
)meter
1.6 3.2 5
6.5
16.5 32 50 (feet)
8320
8030
8040 / 8240
8050 / 8250
1032
8260
1237
8351
95 92 90 85
84
98 94 92 88 87
97
94 90
89
98 96 92 91
100
98 94 93
103
99 97 93 91
104 100
98 94 92
107
101 100
102 97 95 94
111
105 103
102
115 109 107 106
121
115
113
112
96 93 91 86
85
92
89 87
82
81
8020
8010
8330
97 93 91 87 86
100
102
109
104
99
Recommended.
The long-term sound pressure levels (SPL) displayed take into consideration
an average room reverberation time (RT60) of 0.3 sec.
Note: at extremely long distances the SPL
may become too low for the application.
Not recommended.
When too close to the monitor, the drivers - tweeter or midrange/tweeter - are
not summing together properly at the crossover point, which affects the
perceived frequency response balance
95
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21
Monitor setup guide
Product selection guide
Monitors -6 dB LF
Extension
Maximum
SPL at 1 m *
Room volume
up to
Subwoofers
for 2 channels
Subwoofers
for 5 channels
8010
67 Hz 96 dB 55 m
3
7040 7040
8020 / 8320
59 / 55 Hz 95 / 100 dB 65 m
3
7050 / 7350 7050 / 7350
8030 / 8330
50 / 45 Hz 100 / 104 dB 75 m
3
7050 / 7350 7060 / 7350
8040 / 8240
41 Hz 105 dB 85 m
3
7060 / 7260 7070 / 7270
8050 / 8250 /
8351
32 Hz 110 dB 95 m
3
7070 / 7270 7071 / 7271
1032
36 Hz 113 dB 100 m
3
7071 7071
8260
23 Hz 113 dB 115 m
3
7271 7271
1037 / 1237
32 Hz 116 / 118 dB 125 m
3
7071 / 7271 7071 / 7271
1038CF /
1238CF
50 Hz 118 dB 125 m
3
7071 / 7271 7071 / 7271
1038 / 1238
30 Hz 120 / 121 dB 170 m
3
7071 / 7271 7071 / 7271
1034 / 1234
29 Hz 123 dB 200 m
3
7073 2 x 7073
1036 / 1236
17 Hz 131 dB 400 m
3
2 x 7073 3 x 7073
*) Maximum short term sine wave acoustic output on axis in half space, averaged
from 100 Hz to 3 kHz at 1 m distance.
Subwoofers Frequency range +/-3 dB
Main / LFE channel
SPL short term RMS
at 1 m distance
7040
33 – 85 Hz / N/A 100 dB
7050
25 – 85 / 25 - 120 Hz 100 dB
7060
19 – 85 / 19 - 120 Hz 108 dB
7070
19 – 85 / 19 - 120 Hz 112 dB
7071
19 – 85 / 19 - 120 Hz 118 dB
7073
19 - 85 / 19 - 120 Hz 124 dB
7350
25 – 85 / 25 - 150 Hz 104 dB
7260
19 – 100* / 19 - 120 Hz 108 dB
7270
19 – 100* / 19 - 120 Hz 112 dB
7271
19 - 100* / 19 - 120 Hz 118 dB
*Variable subwoofer/main monitor crossover frequency, default 85 Hz
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Sound basics
Sound travels approximately 344 m/s (1130 ft/s). It takes 3 ms for sound to travel
1 meter (3,3 ft).
In free-eld conditions (no walls, oor, or ceiling) the sound volume drops 6 dB
when the distance doubles.
1 m 100 dB 0 dB
2 m 94 dB -6 dB
4 m 88 dB -12 dB
Sound level increases by 3 dB when the amplier power doubles.
100 W 85 dB 0 dB
200 W 88 dB +3 dB
400 W 91 dB +6 dB
The industry standard reference sound pressure level (SPL) for cinema and TV
sound production work is between 82 and 85 dB at the listening position.
Frequency spectrum
The audible frequency spectrum covers 10 octaves (up to 40 Hz, 80, 160, 320,
640, 1’280, 2’560, 5’120, 10’240, 20’480 Hz) which can conveniently divide the
spectrum as follows.
Subsonic bass frequencies below 16 Hz Not audible for humans.
Very low frequencies 16 Hz – 40 Hz
40 Hz – 80 Hz
Lowest audible octave for humans.
Music low frequencies, kick drums, bass
instruments
Low frequencies 80 Hz – 160 Hz
160 Hz – 320 Hz
Low register of a grand piano.
Middle C of a piano.
Midrange frequencies 320 Hz – 1’280 Hz Music midrange frequencies
Upper midrange frequencies 1’280 Hz – 2’560 Hz
2’560 Hz – 5’120 Hz
Low-order harmonics of most instruments.
The ear is the most sensitive in this range.
High frequencies 5’120 Hz – 10’240 Hz Brightness and harmonics
Extremely high frequencies 10’240 Hz – 20’480 Hz Highest harmonics. Inaudible to humans
above 20 kHz
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Monitor setup guide
Sound radiation
At low frequencies, typically below 200 Hz, monitors radiate omnidirectionally.
This means that the same sound pressure is created in any direction around
the monitor. At higher frequencies, the radiation becomes directional: midrange
frequencies radiate in a hemispherical pattern and very high frequencies can
radiate in a beam- or ray-like pattern. Genelec designs monitors with controlled
directivity and this minimizes the changes in the directivity across frequencies.
Soundwave propagation in various frequency ranges
Soundwave spread patterns for various frequency ranges
Freq ≈ 20 – 400 Hz
Spread ≈ 360°
Freq ≈ 10 – 20 kHz
Spread ≈ 10°
Freq ≈ 2,5 – 10 kHz
Spread ≈ 40°
Freq ≈ 400 Hz – 2,5 kHz
Spread ≈ 120°
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Radiation space
The radiation space is the volume into which a monitor is radiating sound. The
sound level increases when the sound radiation is limited by walls. Every halving
of the radiation space by a wall close to the monitor doubles the sound pressure
level.
A monitor with a at frequency response in free space produces up to 6 dB higher
sound level against a solid wall. In a corner (two walls) this gain can be 12 dB.
With three boundaries (corner close to ceiling) the gain can be +18 dB. This can
be particularly seen at low frequencies.
SPL
frequency
SPL
+6 dB
frequency
+12 dB
frequency
SPL
+18 dB
frequency
SPL
Page 25
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Monitor setup guide
Cancellation because of a wall behind the
monitor
When there is some distance between the monitor and the wall, at the frequency
where this distance is equal to one quarter of the sound wavelength, the wall
reection is out of phase with the monitor, and the reected audio cancels the audio
from the monitor. At this frequency, the sound level is reduced. How much reduction
occurs depends on the distance and on how much sound the wall reects.
Sound
Source
Direct
sound
Reflected
sound
1/4
wavelength
1
wavelength
Listening
Position
Wall
Sum=0
Wall reections generate a set of cancellations at dierent frequencies (this is also
called comb ltering). The rst cancellation notch can be between 6 dB and 20
dB deep. Equalization of the monitor output level does not help, as the same level
change applies also to the reected sound.
0
+6
dB
Frequency (Hz)
Cancellation dips
f1 f2
f3
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26
A rst solution is to ush mount the monitors in a hard wall (creating a very large
bae) eliminating the rear wall reections and therefore cancellations.
Another possibility is to place the monitor very close to the wall. This raises the
lowest cancellation frequency so high that the monitor has become forwarddirecting, and the cancellation no longer occurs. Remember that the low
frequency boost should be compensated for when the monitor is mounted close
to the wall (up to +6 dB gain).
Alternatively, one could move the monitor considerably far away from the wall:
the cancellation frequency moves below the low frequency cut-o of the monitor.
When the monitor moves away from the walls, it also moves close to the listener.
This increases the direct sound level and reduces the reected sound level, and
this also improves sound quality.
A dierent solution is to modify the wall and make it very absorptive so that the
amplitude of the reected energy is small and does not cancel the direct sound.
When a subwoofer is used to reproduce low frequencies the monitors can be
placed more freely. The subwoofer should be placed close to the wall(s). The
monitors may be placed at distances where low frequency notches do not occur
in their pass-band.
Genelec G • Stencil tool
How to draw correct monitor angles with the G • Stencil?
Use an architectural plan of your room. Place the centre of the G • Stencil on
the plan in the selected listening position on an even surface. Attach a pin to
the centre of the stencil to hold it. Draw the reference centreline along the room
symmetry axis. Then draw all other lines at the appropriate angles corresponding
to your monitoring setup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDGhPvpfmoY
The G • Stencil is available at the Genelec Webshop. Order code MAI-0132.
Page 27
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Monitor setup guide
Test signals
Various useful test signals can be downloaded from the Genelec website.
How to use:
• Place G•stencil on the plot of your room
• Pin down exact center of G-stencil to
exact center of your listening spot
• Point 0° towards front wall on the
symmetry axis line
• Use grooves to draw listening angles
of desired monitor system
• Place pen in hole of
desired distance, spin
to draw a circle
10°
10°
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
170°
160°
150°
140°
130°
135°
120°
110°
100°
90°
80°
70°
60°
50°
30°
20°
20°
30°
40°
45°
50°
60°
70°
80°
90°
100°
110°
120°
130°
140°
150°
160°
170°
40°
45°
135°
1 12 2 334 45 56 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
0°
G•Stencil
ITU-R BS 775-1
ITU-R BS 1116-1
Pin down to listening position
Place pen here and spin to draw a circle
RL
rightleft
0
1 2 3 5
Inches
Metric cm/mm
Order code MAI-0132
Color coding:
Stereo
+ 5.1 Surround
+ 6.1 Surround
+ 7.1 Surround
180°
C
Page 28
Genelec Oy
Olvitie 5
FI–74100 Iisalmi
Finland
genelec@genelec.com
www.genelec.com
T +358 17 83 881
F +358 17 81 2267
Genelec Document BBAGE126b. Copyright Genelec Oy 2. 2015. All data subject to change without prior notice
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