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Listening Height Adjustment -- Is This Why Two People Don't Hear the Same?

Just wanted to pass on a recent experience, and surprise, in my system

My room (https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5707) is set up for one person to listen. I have a medium height arm chair at the listening position and had always assumed that it left me with my ears broadly in line with the tweeters in my Magicos (i.e. 42-43" off the ground)

Well I checked and I was actually at 38-40" depending on how upright I sit. Wondering how much of a difference getting it just so would make I purchased a set of add on feet, each 3.5-4" tall and added them to my chair -- not a good look!

But wow, what an improvement in sound. Tonally the speakers take on a very different balance, upper mid range and vocal intelligibility is substantially improved, bass is lighter but better defined and overall integration across the frequency range is much much better than before

The odd thing is that I don’t have the tweeters pointed directly at me -- they’re angled about 2’ off to either side, so what would a couple of inches in the vertical make such a difference assuming the tweeter drop off is uniform in all directions? Is it more a matter of driver integration?

This experience leads me to wonder
a) how many of us have actually measured and adjusted our set height to optimal/tweeter level, and do we do this every time we audition a new speaker, and
b) if two individuals are not the same height do we adjust for the difference in height between them sitting -- say a 5’6 vs 6’ person that’s probably a 3" difference sitting -- unless your chair has adjustable feet the experience of the two individuals may be completely different
128x128folkfreak
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak OP
1,349 posts
 
Many people have talked about using tilt to align the tweeters with the listener. Leaving aside room interaction my concern with this method is how do you ensure each speaker is tilted the same amount?

I make sure that each of my speakers is perfectly level to within a fraction of a degree (I use a very accurate, very heavy spirit level). Just as with laser aligning for toe in having completely equal level is essential to tip top information retrieval

if you are adjusting tilt on each speaker how can you be certain they are the same? Especially if your floor is not absolutely even. Maybe you level each speaker and then adjust tilt, but that assumes you have a vernier system or the like to ensure absolute consistency on each speaker
genez
220 posts
 
I have a much smaller system.  But, I adjust height, separation, and angel *very* precisely. I find setting the speakers even a quarter inch higher, or lower changes to tonal balance. Stereo is an illusion and requires exactness if a very realistic sound is desired.  Here is a picture of what I use to solve my speaker height problem. I used my old drum rack and modified it.
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/uploads/monthly_2016_05/58cd9944ba975_Picture44.jpg.dbc04cc3ca7f7...And here is what it looks like when the system is set up around it..https://www.computeraudiophile.com/uploads/monthly_2017_08/5986cc890e849_Picturewood3.jpg.dbeff9232c...
I have no idea what to suggest for a system of your size.... There are height adjustable office chairs you might want to look for.
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak OP
1,349 posts
 
@genez nice super near field setup, very neat and precise

I solved my problems by screwing some 4” risers into the legs of my listening chair, leaves my feet swinging like a child but sounds so much better!
genez
220 posts
 
Maybe make something into a semi footstool....  I think you'll feel better?
twoch
429 posts
 
My speaker maker tells me Where the tweeter should be and I should be sitting at.  But he wants me 9.5 or ,10 feet from speakers.  He even gives me a tool 10 degrees toe in.  I looked  at your set up awhile back
 It's some very nice equipment. I would like to
Listen to Quads  right against the wall There  I listened to a pair set up like that ,,,,,amazing. 
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