Thiel Owners

I should think the speaker set up track on XLO Test CD and similar is independent of speaker brand or type. That’s the beauty of it. Hunting for the perfect speaker locations for using trial and error or even using a diagram is practically guaranteed to obtain local maximums only. Usually, all things being equal, speakers should be placed closer together than one might predict a “sensible” distance. The more diffuse the sound using the out of phase track the larger and more correct the soundstage will be when the system is in phase. There is no guesswork with the speaker set up track. Trying to find the locations by ear is like trying to solve x simultaneous equations in x + N unknowns. 😩

Thielrules, the drivers were damaged, so yes.

I’ve had someone more professional than I come in with a test CD and measuring devices to calibrate my system and adjust settings along with the speaker placement but there are some CDs that just don’t sound as good to me where the speakers are. It may very well be a bias with what I prefer to hear, or a flaw in the testing conditions whereby the test CD doesn’t accurately reflect the distribution of frequencies and audio wavelengths found in the difference CDs I listen to. In other words, I’m sure the placement and settings are ideal to listen to the test CD!
In the end, what matters to me is how I prefer to hear the sounds from each CD from wherever I am sitting or standing at that moment, however inaccurate they may be! That certainly is hypocritical I admit because after all, I love the Thiels for their accurate representation of the material. Could be that I’m ignorant, lazy or just simply human! I am not perfect, despite what I tell my kids.

Wrong test CD. 😩