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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
tablejockey
3,958 posts
 
Great speakers in a compromised situation. Looks like nice speakers in a living space, like many?

Try everything suggested, trusting your ears. No one here, has the answer.
Read,and hear other systems.

Your speakers deserve a dedicated space with room to breath. 5-6 feet from the back wall, 3-4 off the sides, firing down the length of room, with room treatment.

Anything short of that, accept reality- those speakers won't perform as intended.
You will get to an acceptable level, but not without trial and error.

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,204 posts
 
My speakers location is heavily constraint by my desk and the wall configuration... It takes me months of room treatment, and acoustical space controls , to compensate and gained a marvellous immersive imaging...

(Room treatment with absorbant or reflective materials and acoustical space modification with Schumann modified generators and controls with Helmholtz resonators or different resonators and reflectors are not the same thing)

Laws exists that explain why... But I cannot pay an acoustician, and at this times I did not own a room and speakers controls software...


The method I use was a step at a time, always increasing my positive impression using my ears... The results was more than just good at the end...
rego
378 posts
 
@needfreestuff,
as stated; "The front of the A3’s are only out 22" from the wall" indicates that the placement (current) is approximately at a ’recommended’ distance.
1"-5" in both directions (from 20") could make a difference.
Measurement is to the Baffle and on centerlines (OC).
Would you please share your reference for "recomended" ...
rego
378 posts
 
@onhwy61, I think that I have already suggested this much (with exception of tilt angle).
"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."

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Pragmas, it is quite true that a speaker's high frequency performance changes as you move off axis. This varies depending on the type of drivers used. Toe-in is important to stabilize the image as much as possible. Point your speakers straight ahead. Now as you move from one side to the other the speaker you move towards gets brighter and the one you move away from gets duller destabilizing the image. If the speakers are pointed directly at you as you move from one side to the other the frequency response of both speakers changes in the same manner resulting in a more stable image. Irregardless the best image is always going to be when you are in perfect phase between the speakers which is usually dead center between the two. 
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