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Heck yeah @JLEW – laptop speakers would be perfect to use as your “smalls”!
Regarding the distance from mix position factor … there does seem to be some extra insight gained from listening from across the room, even if just a few feet, and preferably not right in front of you. I don’t want to be seduced by top-end or bottom-end or stereo image while working on my smalls; I only want to be concerned with levels and balance, the general “power” and shape of the record. Placing those speakers away from me (off to the side or behind me perhaps) keeps me better focused on my small-speakers mission: Can I hear every fundamental note the bass is playing? Are my favorite melodic moments within the rhythm section still audible and conveying the same emotion as they do on the big speakers? Stuff like that.
If I had to break it down tho, I’d say simply having a set of small speakers to work with is 80-90% of the “smalls” equation for me. Getting them situated in mono and away from the listening position adds another 10-20% helpful information mojo magic. 🪄💫