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Speaker Placement Priority - wall clearance or perfect equilateral

I have a pair of Wilson Sophia 2’s, and after the hurricane (moved them temporarily on higher ground) I have not yet repositioned then properly.

if I do the perfect equilateral triangle thing, because my listening position is not super close, they will have to be spread wider, and this not have as much clearance from the side wall.  Or, I can get relatively close to equalizing the sizes of the triangle, with listening position a bit longer than the space between, and maintain more clearance from the side wall.

Current measurements:

Distance between speakers measured ocenter to center: 105 inches

 Distance between tweeter and ear in the  listening position: 138 inches 

 Distance between right speaker and right side wall, measured from the center of the top of the speaker: 29.5 inches 

 The left speaker has no left side wall, it’s open To the adjoining room.

I don’t even think I can get to 138 inches of separation between the two speakers.  Without trouble I can move each speaker 10 inches further from center, which would put me at about 125 inches apart, and still 138 inches to the listening  position.

At that point, that right side wall is getting a little close... So measurements notwithstanding, where do you think the priority lies: perfect equilateral positioning or clearance of sidewall?

if you have any specific recommendations based on my measurements, that’s even better! You can see a picture of the set up in general in my virtual system page, though the current setup is slightly moved.



marktomaras
erik_squires
16,243 posts
 
It is a matter of trade-offs and values. There is no best answer, but good starting points. Ideally, you have no side walls at all, and you have no equipment between the speakers either. This is where high quality acoustic panels like GIK acoustics help.

What you want to achieve is an image that is solid from edge to edge, if not even beyond the speakers, with as smooth of a response as possible, and of course, we like wide soundstages!

As you get closer to the side walls, the image suffers, as does the mid-treble sound and transparency.

Toe-in is also a big deal. Sometimes a few degrees change can help fill in the soundstage. Sometimes you want the tweet axis to cross in front of your listening location, to minimize side wall interactions.


twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
If you have the speakers closer to the side walls and toe them in more, to maintain the same vertex/crossing point, this will ameliorate to some extent the negative effects of the reflections from the walls.
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
yes, some tmts.on the side walls will pay off as will more toe-in (but it's best if they are aimed behind your head)

the perfect equilateral triangle thing is not an absolute
dlcockrum's avatar
dlcockrum
2,190 posts
 
Very nice system you have Mark and your room diagram is great. Have you tried or considered moving the speakers farther away from the rear wall - say another ~2 feet out from the current position?

Dave
marktomaras OP
544 posts
 
Dlcockrum, the speakers stop just before the rug, to move them fully onto the rug will be too much for the look of the room.  It is a living room & Audio room, so there has to be a balance.

several of you mention more toe in. I think that is what I am going to try. I always thought very moderate toe in was preferable. Coincidentally, I went to an audio event at a local shop this week, a demonstration of Wilson Alexia 2, fancy DCS digital stuff, and D’agostino amps. Peter McGrath from Wilson was there. The alexias were toed in to an extreme (by my eye) amount. Peter explained this to me, and it appears that you all are on the right track with advise on my system. More toe in!

perhaps this evening  I’ll kick them out 6 more inches, to shore up that equilateral disparity a touch, and toe them in so the tweeter axis crosses just behind my ears.


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