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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
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. 
sgordon1
439 posts
 
I think this has been missing, so far, IF you are insisting on trusting your ears (alone):

Pick a piece of music that you are very familiar with,
and enjoy listening to.  Pay attention to parts (sections) of the piece
you like best.  Focus on the sound, and how the sound changes,
from a single voice or instrument, as the song is playing.

Take some breaks so fatigue is not a factor.  Keep your listening position the same (no cheating), as this is a whole other variable.

OK to take notes, recording starting point and your listening impressions.
Writing down the change in positioning, how did this impact the sound?

It's just like getting an eyeglass prescription, when the examiner is
flipping the lenses and asking for your responses, right?
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
There are no set rules on speaker placement. There are too many uncontrollable variables involved. The permutations are endless.
Most people just stick the speakers where they fit into the room aesthetically without regard to the sound quality.  While it is true that dynamic speakers usually image better away from the walls I have heard installations where the speakers were right up against the wall and with appropriate use of acoustic treatments sounded quite good. There are certain speakers that you certainly can not do this with such as dipoles and speakers with rear firing drivers. Subwoofers are always better off against a wall or in a corner. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
There are a lot of variables. You can say that again, Boo Boo! That’s why people need to use the out-of-phase track method. Because that method ELIMINATES most of the variables and is guaranteed to ALWAYS find the ABSOLUTE BEST speaker positions. Hel-loo! That means it IS a set rule, as you say. It’s all the other methods that are not set rules. I guess I must not have been clear the other fifty times I described this method. 😃 Thick as a brick. 🧱 Caveate: Most rooms are in such bad shape acoustically that many people will have difficulty hearing the “sound coming from all around you” with the system in reverse polarity. It takes a lot of effort before that happens. As Bob Dylan says at the end of his records, good luck to everyone. I never said it was going to be easy. That’s why they call it a hobby. 🤗 Yes, I know, your system sounds fabulous! 
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