JM Focal 1037 BE speaker placement

Mike,

What they are saying is that in your room you should probably have the speakers about two feet from the walls (generally a good idea no mater what the size of the room)...You might be able to get away with them being 1.5 feet away, but I wouldn't go much closer as it creates a bass "bloom" which is what the diagram indicates. Secondly if the speakers are two feet from the walls that leaves a total distance from speaker to speaker at 7.5 feet. This means that you want to be sitting about that same distance from each speaker...I have found that if I sit a little closer to my Jm Labs that I get a better more engulfing soundstage, so you might try sitting about 7 feet away from the speaker with your ear at about the same height as the tweeter, that way you get the best sound....I have found Jm Labs to be a very picky speaker about placement, but once you have it right they are the best speakers I have ever owned.

Happy listening,
Ben

I'd go 3 feet from side walls and then optimize distance to rear wall according to bass response. The most accurate sound (flattest frequency response) will usually come with speakers placed either 6 feet or more into the room. The most pleasing but bumpy "bass boosted" sound is usually with placement much closer to the rear wall behind the speaker. In the bass boosted mode you tend to lose some frequencies altogether due to rear wall quarter wave cancellation, however, since music is harmonic in content this will only make some mid bass notes appear thin. Experiment until you get the best compromise...no room and therefore no speaker placement is ever perfect. There is no magic formula.

Thank you Ben and Shadorne.
I'm in the ballpark at 28" to 32" from the side walls and 36 to 48" from the back wall. Any closer than 32" from the side walls and the speakers get very close together in my 11.5ft wide room. They seem to sound best as far from the side walls that I can get them without compressing the soundstage and I do like them closer to the rear wall and more bass. I adjust my seating position to be just outside the distance the speakers are apart. Closer does sound better.

Mike