He set the UDM-3 on an iso-pad and sat in front of his desk, imagining himself in the engineer's chair. The manual recommended an initial flat EQ and a 1-meter listening position. The instruction was simple: listen, then tweak. It felt more like etiquette than a rulebook. The manual unpacked the back panel life of the monitor in uncluttered diagrams: input gain, HF trim, LF trim, and a hidden "room compensation" switch. A small note beside the room switch read: "Small rooms need less bass — try -2 dB first." Jake smiled; manuals rarely included suggestions in such human phrases.