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Corner Placement

My visit to Capital Audiofest last weekend reminded me that the Audio Note speakers with their corner placement are always one of the more enjoyable listens at these shows.

It got me wondering more both about the speakers and corner placement.

Corner placement done well is clearly good for bass levels but not so good for depth of soundstage.  That seems to be the main trade-off.    Would you agree?

Also I am not sure I can determine anything unique about the Audio Note speakers compared to others that give them any special advantage for corner placement.  I suppose they are designed to produce the right level of bass with that placement especially being acoustically sealed rather than ported I believe.   But why could not other speakers that may be a tad bass shy benefit similarly?

How much of the Audio Note sound is the speakers versus the corner placement?

It made me get around to trying out corner placement at home.   I have at least two pair of smaller monitor speakers that might work best that way, like seemingly Audio Note does.   So far I am liking what I am hearing with these speakers that are also very good but would be considered a tad bass shy otherwise perhaps.



128x128mapman
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
22,389 posts
 
inna the AN setups I've heard had more soundstage depth than I would have thought and did not seem really 2-dimensional either, just not as much as many other good setups.   Plus other than that the AN setups at these shows continuously seem to be among my favorites.

Knowing what can be done otherwise, would that bother me over the long term?  Not sure.  My experimenting at home will help me answer that question.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
22,389 posts
 
One thing I am pretty sure of if I ever decide to take the plunge and add a SET amp system, which I have almost done many times to-date, I am pretty sure I would now definitely go with a corner placement arrangement of some sort. It seems to have the most advantages going for it and makes the flea powered tube amp option much more desirable for me.  WAF of corner placement helps a lot!


pops
2,275 posts
 
Mapman - I am with you, have always been intrigued by a setup like that.  I love everytime I have heard one and it is totally opposite from my long term rig - Thiel speakers and a big powerful SS amp.

I have also heard the MBL setup at the old UHA and it was incredible.  They temporarily hooked me but it is so much money.  I almost sprung for some speakers....just barely almost!

Jetrexpro, great description of your system - I would love to hear it!

jetrexpro
506 posts
 
Map, I forgot to mention that my speakers as along the long wall in my living room and there happens to be very shallow corners in which the speakers fit into. It's nice not to have any side walls. I guess this helps the sound to expand beyond the speakers sides, which also helps create some sense of depth.

Thanks Pops. You are welcome anytime if you are near NYC. It has been great hanging out with the guy who has the YG speakers CH amps. As you mention- a totally different and very expensive system compared to mine. I have learned from him and his system and he has helped me when he stops by for a listen. He helped my come upon the right IC's and speaker cables to bring it all together.
erik_squires
16,299 posts
 
By the way, I believe (and would not mind being corrected if wrong) the AN speakers were based on Snell models of yester-yore. Some of the reasons why listeners are fond of them may need a bit of a history lesson. :)

As always, buy what you'd like, I'm just trying to add to the understanding of the AN speakers.  At the last show I was at they were one of the few rooms I could stand to listen in. Most had such poor room treatment they sounded like pooh pooh.  The AN speakers, with no room treatment, sounded quite nice.  I'd still add room treatment, just saying, they seem to need less of it than most.

Best,

Erik
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