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Adjusting speaker positioning. What, if anything, to expect?


I am going to adjust my Magico A3’s positioning a little bit to try to optimize their performance and the listening experience. Due to the logistics of the room they’re in, there’s only a limited amount I can move them. I’ll describe the room and what I can do within those limitations. I’m wondering what improvement I might be able to achieve with adjusting positioning.

The room is approximately 14’ x 22’. There is a high vaulted ceiling. about 15’ at it’s peak centered in the room on its horizontal axis. Picture how kindergarten child draws a house. That’s the shape of a cross section of the room and vaulted ceiling.. The speakers are located about 8’ apart centered on the long wall. The front of the A3’s are only out 22" from the wall, the rear of the speakers only 9" from the wall. That can’t be helped. The prime listening position is on a couch about 10’ out from and facing the same wall, also centered. The components are on shelves centered and built into the same long wall the speakers are on. There are some other furnishings, and books above built-in cabinets, line most of the other three walls.

I can move the speakers about a foot farther apart or closer together, and I can change their toe-in. What changes, if any, might I be expecting or hope to achieve moving the speakers within these limited parameters? Could the sound-stage be affected? I’m not sure what the sound-stage should be like anyway. Should it extend to the left or right outside the speakers, or be mainly between the speakers? Right now depending on the recording the vocals and instruments are usually between or no further apart than the actual speakers. Could the treble, midrange, or bass response be augmented or diminished depending on positioning? Are there any other factors that may be affected by positioning alone? Thank you for any guidance and please feel free to ask any questions. Thanks,

Mike
skyscraper
pragmasi
212 posts
 

Interesting idea to use an out of phase track, I've never done that but it's worth a try. But you don't need to buy a special cd, you just swap the wires over on one of the speakers to invert the phase. When the speakers are perfectly out of phase it sounds like there's a gaping hole in the middle of the sound stage.

When you're looking for a good spot for bass response then you can put the speaker in your listening position and use your ears to find a spot with the most natural response, then you put the speaker driver (along with the speaker obviously) in the position where your ear was. This is mostly used for subwoofer positioning but there's no reason why it wouldn't work with a conventional speaker.

For me, toe in is most noticeable in the highest frequencies as they drop off quite sharply off axis. Also avoid having the bass driver/s in a position where it is equidistant from two surfaces (floor & wall, side wall & back wall etc.)

audition__audio
1,499 posts
 
Buy a laser measurement device. I think I paid $ 80.00 for mine and I use this for other projects as well.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
I also think it easier to LISTEN for the best image rather than LISTEN for the most diffuse sound. Most of us adjust our systems by "educated" trial and error. If you are unhappy with that get a good room control system such as the Anthem or Trinnov units which you can operate via computer programs and you can see exactly what your system is doing. No trial and error.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 

mijostyn
Geoffkait, you automatically adjust phase when you listen for the image. Adjusting phase is only important when you have separate drivers such as subwoofers. Think about that. You can move your head side to side and find the exact spot where two speakers are in phase. It is where the image snaps into focus. This of course is the listening position. Phasing subwoofers is certainly more complicated and the best way to do this is by measuring arrival times which requires a microphone and a computer set up for impulse testing.

>>>>I’m pretty sure we’re not on the same page. I don’t think we’re even looking at the same book. 😬 Oh, it’s a long way to Tipperary. 🤗
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,229 posts
 
Rather than asking for opinions before you take action, why not just move the loudspeakers around and see what you think is happening?  Try different locations, toe-in and tilt angles.  Take your time for this could take months of listening.  If it helps, take written notes.  Everybody has their opinions about what will happen, but only you are in your room with your loudspeakers listening with your ears.
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