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Speakers sound best facing wall????

Should I complain? - After months of tweaking and testing various components, I found my perfect sound. It really sounds beautiful and genuine (I listen only to classical; and authenticity is paramount), and the stereo image is there, when speakers are turned away from me, facing the wall at 135 degrees. I am looking at their backs when listening,

So, I am really happy. Or should I? With that very odd speaker position, something must be very wrong somewhere???

Ever since I took on my old hobby again (it had been in neglect for 30 years), bought 2 different solid state amplifiers (a powerful and very well balanced Sony TA-FA3ES, and a lower quality Technics), 2 different cd players (Arcam and Cyrus), 2 different sets of loudspeakers (Heybrook Heylo and Tannoy Revolution), a Velodyne subwoofer, a power conditioner (Belkin) and 2 sets of shielded IEC power cables and interconnects, I have been battling a problem:

*****an ear-piercing treble*****

No matter how low I would adjust the treble on my amplifier, and no matter the combination of amps, cd players, speakers etc., their position, my armchair's position, that problem was still there... until I turned the speakers away from me.

Room acoustics? - Well, all my equipment is in my living room, which has a normal height, and an odd, asymetrical shape. See plan. The house is made of timber, and the walls are painted plaster panels, with 2 dozens glass covered pictures in wooden frames. The room is carpeted, and slightly emptier than an average living room (3 armchairs, 2 wooden cabinets and audio rack). The wall which the speakers are facing has a curtain. The speakers are 130cm / 4ft away from the wall.

If not the room acoustics, what may be causing the ear-piercing treble when speakers are turned towards me? - Dirty power that the power conditioner cannot cope with? Faulty tweeters (on 2 different sets of speakers???)? Should I worry, since I have my perfect sound with the speakers facing the wall? - Any advice appreciated!
waryn
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shadorne
7,467 posts
 
You need to see an ENT. Something could be wrong. It is absolutely NOT NORMAL (as you are aware) to prefer the sound with the speakers turned backwards. Your speakers are fine - you should not have a problem with Tannoy's.

Do you have the same problem with a good pair of headphones? Youu can find online hearing tests too.
markphd
667 posts
 
Dynamic speakers produce sound waves when the cone moves backwards as well as when it moves forward. So in theory, you could place speakers front facing or back facing. However, speakers are designed and built to control the backwave. As a result, you're supposed to listen to speakers forward facing, or forward with a toe in.

Try putting the speakers forward facing with a cloth or some sort of semi-permeable film in front of the tweeter. See what that does.

I know a few psychologists who would enjoy having you as an experimental subject. Anybody whose perceptual abilities diviate from the population norm are interesting people to study.
waryn OP
20 posts
 
Markphd wrote: *****Try putting the speakers forward facing with a cloth or some sort of semi-permeable film in front of the tweeter.***** I had tried that, and I had even placed pillows. The treble attenuation and general result is not as good as turning the speakers to the wall.

Markphd wrote: *****I know a few psychologists who would enjoy having you as an experimental subject.***** No problem with me, I am happy to be a guinea pig... but I live in New Zealand (Auckland).

Shadorne, thanks for the links to the hearing tests. I will try them but, since it seems I clearly hear ultrasounds at much higher pitch than what amps and speakers are designed to reproduce, it may not be significant. Will report on that nevertheless, once I figure out how to get them to work.
plato
1,543 posts
 
Waryn,

From what you say, I'd say that your hearing is unusual. I have a friend who has the same kind of ultra-sonic hearing. He hears high-frequency sounds on certain of my CD's that drive him crazy. He asks me if I hear it too, and quite honestly I can't... not even a hint of what's bothering him. So I know this is possible.

I think trying a tube amp may help you a lot, and beyond that, either a good equalizer (preferably analogue) or maybe using a preamp (or speaker) with a treble level control could provide a further tapered treble reduction that you could dial in to your taste.

Good luck to you!
markphd
667 posts
 
Well, I'm sure there are psychologists at New Zealand's fine universities. However, avoid the ones who would want to implant electrodes in your brain. Leave that for the real guinea pigs.
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