Speaker Placement?

[john5220]

A question just popped up and I would like to get some feedback. I've always read that speaker distance apart from each other should be roughly the distance to your listening spot. If, out of necessity, the speaker distance from each other is greater than the distance to the listening spot should the normal "toe in" you use for the speakers be increased to compensate? I understand I should experiment, but would like some thoughts.

Feedback appreciated.

 

[kermit z]

It all depends on the room and set up. To be honest, experimentation is really your best plan. Many speakers can have their own quirks to get right. My Martin Logan Aerius speakers are set up as you describe. It's a small room, but the listening chair is in the sweet spot. Sounds great to my ears, but according to Martin Logan, experimenting with toe in was key. Martin Logans are known for a narrow sweet spot, but my Boston Acoustics A400s are wide and sound best up against the wall in the same smaller room.

 

[BmWr75]

You are correct about the triangle rule being a general guideline. Here are some more detailed guidelines.

Speaker Placement | Cardas Audio

The Cardas Speaker Placement Guide. Setting up speakers in a golden ratio, golden cuboid, golden trapagon room, etc.. Speaker placement calculators.

www.cardas.com

 

[Mr Boochie]

A question just popped up and I would like to get some feedback. I've always read that speaker distance apart from each other should be roughly the distance to your listening spot. If, out of necessity, the speaker distance from each other is greater than the distance to the listening spot should the normal "toe in" you use for the speakers be increased to compensate? I understand I should experiment, but would like some thoughts.

Feedback appreciated.

Trial and error. Don't forget room treatments for too "live" rooms (non-carpeted and bare walls).

 

[RVT1K]

I was under the impression that you simply "toed in" speakers to point at/near the listening position no matter the distance between them?

 

[Mike_S]

It's a process that will take a lot of time and effort! Sadly, speakers sounds best usually where they look the worst.
Toe-in is usually done last, after you find the sweet spot for the speakers.

Usually the father apart the speakers are, the bigger the sound stage, and imaging, but being away from back/side walls also does the same thing.
Toe will bring in/out the center image, when done right, what ever is in between the speakers will sound like it is a speaker. Phantom center channel affect.

 

[coonmanx]

I toe my speakers in but they are not directly pointing at my head. They are more pointing a foot or so to either side of my body. Sounds good to me. Excellent imaging. And of course it depends on how well the speakers can disperse sound in the horizontal as well. The dome tweeters on my speakers do that well.

 

[homebrew]

Guidelines for speaker placement are usually just starting points. Because room acoustics vary, the best placement for your speakers will be the result of some experimentation on your part. If you like more bottom end, move closer to the corners. More diffuse soundstage, position the speakers straight ahead with the tweeteers on the outside edge of the cabinet. More focused soundstage, tweeters on the inside edge and some degree of toe-in for the cabinets. Some positions are guaranteed to make your speakers sound their worse. Up against a wall, in the corner with bookshelf speakers on the floor comes to mind. Tweeters not at or near ear level rarely result in optimum results. Hard reflective surfaces like hardwood or tile floors without some sort of area rug to minimize reflections. Experiment, experiment, experiment.

 

[KiM3Ce]

I probably spent 40 hours (over several years) finding the perfect placement for my Magnepan MG-IIIa speakers but it was time well spent.

I would spread them apart until the "hole in the middle" appeared; that set a limit for distance apart. From there I would slowly inch them closer together for the widest effective soundstage.

If you can find a copy of the manual for Carver's Sonic Hologram generator, it has excellent guidelines. You don't need the device IMHO, but the advice is good!

 

[john5220]

Thanks for all the responses. I have 3 sets of speakers set up and one of them is positioned so that, if you close your eyes, the music seems to be coming from somewhere other than the speaker!

 

[gizzyman47]

Also, avoid having the speakers the same distance from the wall behind the speakers as they are from the side walls.

 

[valvenator]

Also, avoid having the speakers the same distance from the wall behind the speakers as they are from the side walls.

Yes, I would include the floor as well. Reflections are unavoidable in a closed environment so you want to keep them as varied as possible to avoid a cumulative affect.

 

[Bob in WI]

Sadly, speakers sounds best usually where they look the worst.

Please explain.

 

[Mr Boochie]

The best placement for 6X9 speakers.

 

[Mike_S]

Please explain.

Speakers usually sound best out in the room, like far away from anything else. Like I said, if they look bad, it's usually where they will sound the best. Most of the placement documentation tells you to split the room into 3rds, placing the speakers 1/3rd of the way into the room, then 1/3rd on each side. This placement puts the speakers very far out away from anything else. Most of us, can not keep our speakers there, so we compromise sound for placement..

 

[GlamrLama]

You are correct about the triangle rule being a general guideline. Here are some more detailed guidelines.

Speaker Placement | Cardas Audio

The Cardas Speaker Placement Guide. Setting up speakers in a golden ratio, golden cuboid, golden trapagon room, etc.. Speaker placement calculators.

www.cardas.com

Note that the linked document at the Cardas site needs updating. It is incorrect as it mislabels the Golden Cuboid as the Golden Trapagon and does not actually show the Golden Trapagon. I have pointed this out to Cardas previously but they have not corrected it. Attached is a PDF of the previously available complete and correct version.

 

[Bob in WI]

Speakers usually sound best out in the room, like far away from anything else. Like I said, if they look bad, it's usually where they will sound the best. Most of the placement documentation tells you to split the room into 3rds, placing the speakers 1/3rd of the way into the room, then 1/3rd on each side. This placement puts the speakers very far out away from anything else. Most of us, can not keep our speakers there, so we compromise sound for placement..

OK. I guess it depends on the room. My speakers look great out in the room, but its a dedicated music room & except for chairs, there is little else in the room.

 

[Mike_S]

OK. I guess it depends on the room. My speakers look great out in the room, but its a dedicated music room & except for chairs, there is little else in the room.

Yeah, it all depends on the room, was trying to convey that. You are very lucky to be able to do that. Also have a dedicated room. But my other half wants things to look good, I want them to sound good. My speakers are a few feet off the back walls, want them to be out more, she does not. They are going to stay where they are now.

 

[NH-MAN]

Lots of speakers were designed to be up against or close to walls so consult manuals for more info on any particular speaker. Blanket statements do no one any good and contribute to all the fallacies in the audio realm.

 

[frankmarsi]

When I first set-up my system in my new residence, I wanted to experiment a bit.
Although I knew and have always placed my speakers against the front wall as AR indicated this was in their design to mount against the front wall. It was temping as I already established in my plans where they would be against the wall but, had to try a single set of speakers 1/3 away from the wall.
Long story short, my speakers never sounded this bad. In fact they sounded very bad. All bass was absent and other frequencies were startlingly muted.

My dream speakers since, they were introduced in1972 and are of a very different design so my findings may not apply to everyone. However, I must inform any other owners of these speakers that there is only one location they should be mounted in, period. I've seen many videos of unknowing owners who mount them mid-room. Well, they haven’t an inkling of how much bass-response they’re losing, not to mention loss of full radiation of mostly all frequencies.

I am such a strong believer of having these speakers only in one position, I refuse to debate with any one who does differently.
Presently, they’re about 2” away and I’d like to move them even closer to the wall. I left these two inches away for wiggle-room in case I have to move them to replace the fuses.

Deal is, my back is not doing well lately and they weigh about 90 lbs. each. So, moving four will take some planning and moving anything in their path out of the way.
I fervently will agree that any rectangular box speaker will benefit from experimentation for the best position. No speakers on floors(unless designed for floor placement), but on suitable stands at ear height while seated. Certainly the decision must be made whether or not it's a listening room or a couch or sofa showroom. To be fair, perhaps some significant-other concessions might have to be made but, who wears the pants?
FM
My system below: Four AR-LST speakers driven by two Phase Linear Series II PL-700 power amps.






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