With professional studios disappearing only slightly slower than the rainforest, professional recordings are usually done today in an existing room with a pair of studio monitor speakers. By applying a few principals, you will be able to hear a good stereo image and produce reasonably accurate mixes.

In order to achieve the optimal listening position and hear consistent sound, the basic rule is to align your speakers in an equilateral triangle from the listening position. The speakers should be facing you with the tweeter at the same level with your ear lobes.

Most rooms normally require some kind of acoustic treatment. This can be achieved just by carefully placing furniture and other items in the room. The objective of the treatment is sound absorption to reduce frequency reflections and smooth out the reverberation. The purpose of sound absorption is not to soundproof a room, but to neutralize reflections of sound. Curtains, fiberglass structures and acoustical foam will absorb mid to high frequencies. Just limit as much as possible nearby surfaces that could reflect sound back to the listening position.

Sometimes, bass frequencies can be a major problem when it is uneven. Materials that absorb high frequencies are often not effective for bass absorption. To handle low frequencies, bass traps are required. A large portion of unwanted bass frequencies can be absorbed by placing bass traps in corners and room boundaries. Bass traps of the required size can be made by putting together layers of carpet or wrapping a bookcase with carpet.