Focal Shape 65

Common mistakes to avoid

Where buyers of near field monitors go wrong.

• Mistake

  Buying these for an untreated bedroom

  5–8 inch near-field monitors will reveal every flaw of an untreated room - bass nulls, comb filtering, slap echo. Either treat the room first (corner traps + first-reflection panels) or step down to a desktop pair until you do.

• Mistake

  Sitting wrong relative to the speakers

  Equilateral triangle: speakers and your head form three points equal distance apart. Tweeters at ear height. Most bedroom mixers sit too close, off-axis, or with the speakers sideways. Geometry first, gear second.

• Mistake

  Adding a sub before the room is treated

  A sub in an untreated room makes the bottom end worse, not better. Treat corners first. The sub pays off only after the room is even.

• Mistake

  Mixing for hours at high volume

  Ear fatigue ruins your decisions. Monitor at moderate volume (75–80 dB on a meter), step out every 45 minutes, and check the mix on cheap headphones to catch what your ears stop hearing.