Mixing in a small room has challenges. In the world of DIY home recording, we are often dealing with less than optimal conditions. Here are a few simple items that will help the beginner get up and running:
First: You don’t have to spend a tonne of money to get started. You can upgrade over time. That said, its good to avoid rock bottom prices and the lowest quality of gear.
Room size and acoustic treatment
Sound waves need time to dissipate. If you are mixing in a small untreated room, you are likely fighting an uphill battle with your mixes. Sound waves can build up and bounce around your room making it difficult to hear the sounds coming from the monitors. If you have no choice but to use a room that is smaller than optimal, you are not alone. Many producers work with what they have available to them. More solutions below.
Use balanced cables
On a recent move, I tested this out. I had new speakers but did not have balanced cables. Being impatient, I attached the monitors to my system with basic unbalanced instrument cables. I noticed the result right away. There was added distortion coming from the speakers. While I noticed the distortion, I did not isolate the problem yet, because I did not know the speakers or the room yet. I did not yet know if the room was the cause or if the speakers themselves were not as clear as I expected. Once I replaced the instrument cables with good balanced trs cables, there was a noticeable difference in the clarity of my monitors.
Measure your room frequencies
A measurement microphone and measurement software will show you the frequency response of your room. It shows you which frequencies are being cancelled or amplified by the physical barriers in your room. Each wall, floor, ceiling and piece of furniture can absorb or reflect soundwaves.
Acoustic Treatment to balance out room frequencies
Treating the walls and corners are the best option to make a small room sound better. Bass traps in the corners of the walls and ceiling will help absorb low frequencies that are bouncing around and muffling the output from your speakers. Foam or industrial grade sound panels on the sides and above in a cloud will also help absorb higher frequencies that cause flutter and interfere with hearing more delicate sounds that reflect off of the walls, thus confusing your ears.
Quick option: Purchase quality bass traps
Low budget option: Build bass traps using wood frames and sound absorbing insulation.