Speaker phase and timing

Get out your Stereophile Test CD, or a test record that has a phasing test track. I know that Sterophile Test CD number two has this, and maybe others. There is a track with a Fender bass guitar being played out of phase and then in phase. When everything is right that guitar snaps to center on the in phase track. I think this is an accurate means of determining if you are out of phase, or if room acoustics are somehow shifting your image. A couple of weeks ago, I discovered, by playing the test CD and the test record, that my cartridge was out of phase! Strange things happen, I guess. I can even imagine the factory messing up the internal wiring of a speaker, although it's hard to imagine Wilson doing it.

Speaker, listener, and furniture placement have more to do with imaging than your equipment.

Spousal friendly placements with the speakers or your chair just a foot or two off the wall behind them will not be good. A television between the speakers is not good.

You might describe your physical setup in more detail.

ditto the speaker placement measurement....if possible to within a 1/8 of inch,( toe angles ) ..... front wall to speaker- within a 1/2 if possible ....speaker placement as you know, is a BIGGY.. keep workin it, brent

Thanks again -- that's more great advice. I'll work on speaker placement and reflections. The room is a living room, therefore far from ideal: hardwood floors and rugs, fireplace to the left, window wall to the right, large asymmetrical openings at all 4 corners, and a 65-inch RPTV between the speakers (blanket over the TV makes a huge difference.) I guess I shouldn't expect much better sound than what I'm getting. Eventually I'll get a room that will justify the equipment. But in the meantime, I'll keep working it.

I have on occasion actually heard the dog barking behind me. I haven't listened to that cd in a while but I think it is terrific. Not just the special effects but the music as well. When the monkey gets up to answer the phone, that phone is ringing in another room.
The Soul Cages by Sting is another in Q sound. I didn't know this the first time I listened to it. There are sounds coming from way outside the speakers. It freaked me out until I looked at the liner notes.
Something different, I dig it.