Absorbers behind monitors - effective?

[EmbraceRandom]

Hello

I'd like to work out if it's possible to improve monitoring accuracy in my living room, given the following circumstances.

This is my living room, where I'm set up (photos taken at different times...open in new tab to view):



It's 2.6m from floor to ceiling. I share the flat with two others and we are renting. The south wall (where my desk is set up) is a stud wall, whereas all the others are solid walls, presumably brick.

I have Tannoy Reveal 402 monitors and a Fostex 6301B for mono listening, all sat on Auralex foam. The back corners of my Tannoys are currently about 27cm from the wall.

If I were to build acoustic absorber panels, I'm working on the assumption that they'd be constructed of Rockwool Sound Insulation slabs, softwood-framed and wrapped in hessian.

If I built panels that were 10cm thick and hanged them (with perhaps a 3cm air gap) along the south wall, starting from the left edge of my desk and finishing at the right edge of my shelving unit (in other words, covering almost all of the wall behind my monitors), would that make any discernible difference to my monitoring accuracy?

If not, what could I do to discernibly improve my monitoring accuracy?
I'd prefer not to fix anything to the ceiling, nor cover all of the walls in acoustic absorbers/diffusers. Obviously I'm aware a 'perfect' mixing environment isn't going to happen here ha! I'm just looking for a noticeable improvement that is attainable given the constraints.

Thank you
ER.

[Mike Stranks]

There's a problem with your pics in that they won't zoom-out to a larger size when clicked.

That makes it difficult to get a good perception of your room and set-up.

Ideally you'd start with the mirror-points, but absorbers behind the speakers should definitely help!

[EmbraceRandom]

I’ll fix that later tonight (sorry!) but in the meantime, does right-click and Open in New Tab work? Seems to for me. Not ideal but just as a quick fix!

[Drew Stephenson]

I’ll fix that later tonight (sorry!) but in the meantime, does right-click and Open in New Tab work?

Indeed it does

[Mike Stranks]

Thanks! Yup I can see photos now....

I'd also be thinking about putting some sort of absorption on that buttress to the right... something like this??

https://www.studiospares.com/Studio-Gear/Acoustic-Panels/Acoustic-Panel-1200-x-300mm-Grey_465380.htm

(Other colours are available)

I use those in my room... set 2.5cm off the wall using battens - except where space is very tight... then fastened directly to the wall.

[EmbraceRandom]

Yeah that side wall is just about a mirror point I think. I could make another 10cm thick absorber panel and hang it there?

[EmbraceRandom]

Has anyone else got any insight on this? It would be much appreciated!

[Drew Stephenson]

Another panel on the right wall should help, as will anything you can get across corners - including the wall-ceiling corner above the desk - if you can figure out how to get it up there without mounting in the ceiling.

[EmbraceRandom]

Thank you

I've done a bit more reading. My current plan will be to do something like this:

I.e.

• Make four 120cm x 60cm x 10cm panels of Rockwool RW3 (from Studiospares).
• Hang two of them on the 'front wall' behind my monitors, with 1-2 inches air gap behind them.
• Hang the third panel on the buttress to the right to cover that mirror point, albeit with no air gap - not enough space!
• Hang the fourth panel on the back of the door to my left to cover that mirror point, no air gap.
• Hang a framed poster to left of the 'front wall' panels, and hang three framed photos between those front wall panels and the buttress panel!

The door where I'd hang the fourth panel. I'd be hanging the framed poster above those amps :

Finally, I'd like to bass trap that corner behind the door, from the top of the guitar case to the top of the doorframe (100cm).
However the distance from the door frame to the front wall is only 18cm, and all [affordable] bass traps seem to be 30cm across that dimension...

How do I get around this? Cut the bass trap down to fit? Or would that render bass trapping that corner practically ineffective?

Does the rest of the plan seem like a step in the right direction?

Thanks!
ER.

Edit: I'm really struggling with the handling of images... what am I doing wrong?!