Sweet Spot
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JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
Presuming you have your speakers set up optimally, the sweet spot is the one position where the sound is at it's optimum. That position will give you the best imaging and sound stage.
Imaging being a spread of musicians and instruments from left to right and sometimes beyond the outside edges of the speakers. Sound stage is the impression of depth a properly set up and "tweaked" system will exhibit. With good imaging and soundstage the front wall (behind the speakers) side walls and the speakers themselves will aurally disappear and be replaced by the impression of real musicians over there where your speakers and the rest of your room used to be.
This kind of sound is highly recording specific. Just about any two speaker set up and almost every recording will produce fairly decent imaging. A sound stage is something that many speakers and almost no studio recordings don't/can't produce. While imaging is audible almost everywhere in a room, a sound stage is usually only audible in or very close to the "sweet spot".
Imaging being a spread of musicians and instruments from left to right and sometimes beyond the outside edges of the speakers. Sound stage is the impression of depth a properly set up and "tweaked" system will exhibit. With good imaging and soundstage the front wall (behind the speakers) side walls and the speakers themselves will aurally disappear and be replaced by the impression of real musicians over there where your speakers and the rest of your room used to be.
This kind of sound is highly recording specific. Just about any two speaker set up and almost every recording will produce fairly decent imaging. A sound stage is something that many speakers and almost no studio recordings don't/can't produce. While imaging is audible almost everywhere in a room, a sound stage is usually only audible in or very close to the "sweet spot".
frommerstop
Super Member
:thmbsp:
noise gate
Super Member
My definition of a "Sweet Spot" is the one position where whatever you're listening to sounds it's best.
A system may sound better/ different in another room. In the same room a different system may sound different/ better.
We can't all build a new room, or buy a new system. But even a low budget set up in a less than perfect space will have an optimum listening position. That place is what I personally call the "Sweet Spot".
Just by moving things around that spot can often be made "Sweeter".
A system may sound better/ different in another room. In the same room a different system may sound different/ better.
We can't all build a new room, or buy a new system. But even a low budget set up in a less than perfect space will have an optimum listening position. That place is what I personally call the "Sweet Spot".
Just by moving things around that spot can often be made "Sweeter".
Joe's answer is very good. Another good one is that the sweet-spot is where you say "sweeet".
Remember, though, that the spot can move or become "sour" if you change equipment or play a disc that just "images" badly in your system.
My.Yamaha C-70 has a huge soundstage that works great withmy DCM set 12' apart. But don't play an Original Jazz Classics through this set-up. Roy Eldridge solos way over in the left corner instead of stepping to the center.
Pop my GAS Theobe in, and Roy is centered.
Remember, though, that the spot can move or become "sour" if you change equipment or play a disc that just "images" badly in your system.
My.Yamaha C-70 has a huge soundstage that works great withmy DCM set 12' apart. But don't play an Original Jazz Classics through this set-up. Roy Eldridge solos way over in the left corner instead of stepping to the center.
Pop my GAS Theobe in, and Roy is centered.
Joe's answer is very good. Another good one is that the sweet-spot is where you say "sweeet".
Remember, though, that the spot can move or become "sour" if you change equipment or play a disc that just "images" badly in your system.
My.Yamaha C-70 has a huge soundstage that works great withmy DCM set 12' apart. But don't play an Original Jazz Classics through this set-up. Roy Eldridge solos way over in the left corner instead of stepping to the center.
Pop my GAS Theobe in, and Roy is centered.
Remember, though, that the spot can move or become "sour" if you change equipment or play a disc that just "images" badly in your system.
My.Yamaha C-70 has a huge soundstage that works great withmy DCM set 12' apart. But don't play an Original Jazz Classics through this set-up. Roy Eldridge solos way over in the left corner instead of stepping to the center.
Pop my GAS Theobe in, and Roy is centered.
bobbyonions
AK Member
Yeah, and you are not the first.
musichal
poet emeritus
The most important aspect of the sweet spot, for me, is that a recliner sits squarely in the midst of it. Feet elevated appropriately, eyes either half-closed or fully so, microadjustments to volume via remote control, and it's off to musical nirvana for me. If I should succumb to a nap, that's okay too. Sweet.
The place where you get the best view of that Fisher receiver in your avatar! But, if not that, the place where, after a lot of speaker placement experiments, you can hear the "air" of many of your well recorded albums/cds. By "air" I mean what JOE said, your room disappears and the recording venue takes it's place. You will hear the hall, club, studio or wherever it was recorded like you are almost there. Imaging for sure, but also soundstage (depth). You will be able to hear the sound decay in the original venue like you are there. This isn't always possible based on what you have in the room and where you are allowed to place the speakers (not all of our partners value best sound over room decor), but if you ever hear it you can't forget it. But, if you can't find the sweet spot, just make sure the receiver is in view!
sebrof
Super Member
I agree with your buddy if it is a mono recording it will sound like the music is coming from centered between the 2 speakers. If the recording is in stereo then the sound will be across the front, not off to one side or the other. But it won't sound like it's coming from the speakers.
I suspect that's what he meant when he said what he said.
frommerstop
Super Member
No, not quite. A really good system, will be able to create an impression of depth, referred to as "sound-stage", as well as side to side spread of sound, known as "imaging". Headphones, by their very nature, are particularly strong in imaging, but weak in sound-stage.
Unfortunately, it's not too hard to experience good, even phenomenal imaging, but perceptible, let alone excellent, sound-staging is not so easy, or common.
interalian
Super Member
I find that any chair with a back higher than my shoulders messes up the soundstage as it introduces a reflection point. I was thinking a Recarro style chair with narrow headrest would be better: http://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/images/uploads/thumbs/thumb_Recaro Style.jpg
Buttercup
Well-Known Member
I use the mono button and the balance control to "center" the stereo sound when my seat isn't exactly centered between the speakers, after balancing I return to stereo mode.
when I'm alone the sweet spot is found by moving my seat either closer or further from the speakers until the soundstage fully develops.
when I'm alone the sweet spot is found by moving my seat either closer or further from the speakers until the soundstage fully develops.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
No, not at all. It's just very difficult to have a soundstage with any multi-tracked recording. Generally the recordings that have the best sound stage are those that were recorded with the least amount of microphones, no overdubbing and little or no studio "sweetening". All the Direct to Disc LP's I own or have heard, most Jazz (not smooth jazz) and most classical recordings have a good sound stage.
One of the major reasons all the Living Presence recordings are universally acknowledged as being some of the finest ever recorded is that they were all done with a minimal amount of microphones and little to no studio post processing.
Groove Note recordings which are available on CD and LP all have a great sound stage. They are all recorded live directly to a two track master with no studio "sweetening" whatsoever. They are all excellent examples of the kind of sound stage a CD can present. I highly recommend Jacintha, Here's To Ben, Groove Note GRV1001-2 for those who are curious. I mention Groove Note because they are current recordings available new.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
Hardly! There is more to it than the kind of clarity and imaging headphones provide. When headphones produce a soundstage and give the impression of performers "over there" singing and playing in a space that doesn't audibly resemble your room, yes.
If you've ever heard a good soundstage you'll never suggest that headphones can produce one. With the exception of binaural recordings headphones are incapable of doing this.
