Who Actually "Measures" For Speaker Placement? aka, Are You As OCD As I Am?

[savatage1973]

Silly question, I know, but just thinking about it for some unknown reason.

Do you actually measure and match the placement of your speakers, or do you just "eyeball" them up and/or tweak the alignment to create your own (possibly off-axis) "sweet spot"?

Why do I ask?--because I do. I am a contractor, so I have all the tools on-hand, and I am just that OCD that they have to be symmetrically placed in the room in all three planes. In my main dedicated listening space, I have three pair of speakers that get rotated in and out, and there is tape on the floor to insure proper placement of each pair when put into service.

Who else is guilty?

 

[SpruceMoose]

If I swapped speakers often I would probably mark the floor as you do. Since I generally keep the systems in place for several years at a time I get everything symmetrical by eye, then tweek the toe-in as needed. I do have one pair of speakers that I move away from the wall for better listening (Mirage OM-10) but I know where they go in relation to the furniture next to them.

 

[FONSguy]

I go so far s to make a placement template out of old cardboard boxes. Measure from the wall to the back of your speaker and mark the offset from 90 degrees. Flip it over to match the distance from the wall and offset on the other speaker. You can get 4 -8 pieces of cardboard from a middle sized UHaul box.

 

[SaturationPt]

I have measured the room acoustics and placed speakers in the perfect spot, used a velcro strip for a marker. Visual symmetry is important to me but because one side is a corner fireplace and the other has the equipment stand, offsets happen for optimum acoustics.

The problem in my setup is that I have several dipole-type speakers that sound best far from the back wall, and a wife who prefers that speakers reside near the wall when I'm not listening to them. The wife is more valueable to me than the speaker placement so this works.

I'm moving toward speakers that can be placed closer to the walls though, gets tiring to move speakers that are 8' tall or nearly 100#, compromises are made.

 

[911s55]

Sure, symmetry is critical for many reasons, aesthetics and function. Recently swapped out my speakers and to get an accurate A-B comparison I tape marked the floor for placement.

 

[goodolpg]

I do.
Mostly for same distance from front wall and toe in. I adjust toe in/out often.
Occasionally for speaker to seat or mid point between the speakers.

When I had stand mount speakers I used a laser light to check their up/down tilt (when needed depending on the stands and/or speakers) to make sure they were at the same angle at my listening position.

 

[savatage1973]

The problem in my setup is that I have several dipole-type speakers that sound best far from the back wall,

I'm moving toward speakers that can be placed closer to the walls though, gets tiring to move speakers that are 8' tall or nearly 100#

I know the drill--residing in my listening room are Magneplanar 3.6R's, Apogee Diva's, and Infinity Kappa 9's. But it is a dedicated space, used only for audio, so don't have to move them all the time--just to swap out which ones I want to use at the time.

 

[Beatnik]

I get the tape out with the 5.1 as exact as I can get it.

 

[JoeESP9]

I've been using measurements for speaker placement since 1976. Around the same time I started using an LP with test tones, a 12 band equalizer and a Rat Shack SLM for adjusting in room equalization. Currently I use a Umik 1 mic, REW, a DSP and a laptop to the same purpose.

 

[Grenadeslio]

Of course, and a level too, it just wouldn't do to have one firing over my head while the other was hitting me on the chin now would it lol.

 

[UncleBingo]

Both. I set them by ear and check measurements. I have placed them by ear (in a dark room) to within 1/8 inch from the side and back walls.

 

[toddalin]

I certainly do right down to the fraction of an inch.

 

[jazzmans]

measured within 1/8" on both sides of the speakers, to ensure toe-in is the same.

 

[musichal]

Used to measure. Now eyeball.

 

[quickmill]

I once had a room that I set up with serious ocd. Done the measurement mic in listening spot. Installed bass traps and all. I enjoyed the experience and learned a lot. There's something to be said for the approach and a lot to be gained by it. That being said, I didn't enjoy listening to that system as much as I do my comfortable, easy setups now.

 

[stoutblock]

I measure a lot during the discovery phase of developing a listening room. Mainly because I want to be able to return the speakers to a previous location if a change did not result in an improvement. Once I know where they sound the best I can pretty much eyeball their correct location.

 

[quiet]

That's not a silly question. No I don't tape measure anything. I just stick them were I can and line it by eye and ear.
If I were going to acoustic measure it I wound expect the speakers to end up in asymmetrical positions. Can't have a caddywampus room. So I don't do that either.

 

[Harvestor]

Silly question, I know, but just thinking about it for some unknown reason.

Do you actually measure and match the placement of your speakers, or do you just "eyeball" them up and/or tweak the alignment to create your own (possibly off-axis) "sweet spot"?

Why do I ask?--because I do. I am a contractor, so I have all the tools on-hand, and I am just that OCD that they have to be symmetrically placed in the room in all three planes. In my main dedicated listening space, I have three pair of speakers that get rotated in and out, and there is tape on the floor to insure proper placement of each pair when put into service.

Who else is guilty?

Always Use a Measuring tape.
Always did always will..
I try to get as precise as possible with the angle and everything. ..
Just makes sense if you're looking to sit down and get the most from the setup. .

Having a love and appreciation for sound reproduction like many of us here do ..
It only makes sense because it comes with the territory of this level of care in the first place.
The average Joe-schmo NON-Audiophile is clueless to the importance and they overlook the importance of positioning.
What they see as a triviality is a reflection of their inability to understand the depth of appreciation for accurate sound reproduction.
You either speak this language and understand it or you're oblivious and ignorant or indifferent to the audiophile mindset.

I find myself trying to share the excellence of sound reproduction that my vintage system with the ohm Acoustics speakers has to be appreciated and enjoy with my mother-in-law or father-in-law which are about the age of my oldest siblings that came out of the 60s and 70s.. and they while having appreciation for their music from that era, they are the type of people satisfied with low quality audio that would come from either Bluetooth technology or standard car audio..
The same goes for a new member of my family that is 28 years old and he is profoundly indifferent as to the way in which he will listen to music.. he can care less how it is reproduced..
Which to me is strange because I've always since I was 10 years old cared about quality sound reproduction and having powerful amplifiers driving speakers capable of bringing a full sense of being there experience at home..
People like this do not understand or even realize the amount of thought and preparation that has gone into the system ... Measurements of placement are just logical to people like us, but not at all to the casual listener.

 

[sKiZo]

Holographic system here, so placement is even more critical. Once I've got it just right, I lay out the base dimensions with painters tape, move the speakers, retape inside the original tape, remove that, then place the speakers so all the remaining green tape is covered.

Takes OCD to a new level, right? <G>

 

[Mark R]

I'm Just as OCD as you guys... Except I go One step further... I have an Old Crown BDP-2 RTA and a Good Audio Calibration Mike that I use with a Vintage "General Radio" Pink Noise Generator. The Listening Cal Mike is placed at my Head level between the ears position.

SInce I have 4 E/V Sentry III's 2 per side one on top of the other it does take some time to dial in the EQ's for flatness and "SPL".... So if that OCD....I'm Anal.