Is toeing speakers a bad idea?

@tomsch decooney mentioned something important that i forget about and that is to take notes which does help.

1000%, its amazing how many times we can test something, thinking we’ll remember the results each time, then comparing to 5-10 other test scenarios, moves, and end up repeating the same tests over again IF we don’t have any notes record of prior tests and results..

For me, its a complete waste of time, and potential for do-overs, if you simply can’t take notes to record results, thoughts, and findings of each test case scenario.

A few years back, I was testing 30 different pairs of vintage small signal and drive tubes in some different amps. Weeks later I’d go back and re-read the results from each test, almost in disbelief how things can be similar and so different some times.

I also do this in case our mood and hearing changes too, trying not to leave another separate day of testing in the dark when comparing back to prior days. 

I remember once upon a time using a Sheffield Labs disc that had an in-phase/out-of-phase track and Doug or Rodger (I cannot remember which) said, when out of phase, to position the speakers enhance the out of focus as much as possible (when out of phase) and then when they were back in-phase, that positioning would result in very tight focus.  So I did that, and that turned out to be what I consider a rather severe toe-in in a near field room, and the focus did wind up being real tight . . . but I lost a whole lot of peripheral sound stage.  Now I don't use any toe-in at all . . . focus is good and I have (by my standards) pretty good peripheral sound stage.

Of course, this is all in a near field listening environment, and that is not what you have. 

Audio Physic has info on speaker placement.  That is the best suggestion I have found to date.  Toe in depends on what you equipment can produce as far as soundstage, dimension, etc.

Happy Listening.

Everything depends on your room and room treatment if when straight too bright 

a bit of toe in can be good ,go to Cardas web sight and there is a informative 

section on speaker setup.

With a large room, why are you placing the speakers 3’ from the wall? When I had a room this size, speakers were 9’ from the front wall.