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Near-field speaker placement

I have a small room (13.6 by 9 by 7 feet high) with carpeting on the floor and acoustic tiles on the ceiling. In a near-field setup, where should the speakers be placed in this room? I've read a number of different takes on placement, including these two that seem to contradict one another:

http://www.cardas.com/room_setup_near_field.phphttp://arqen.com/acoustics-101/room-setup-speaker-placement/#equilateral-triangle
I have a very modest system (NHT Classic Twos, NAD amp and preamp, Cary disc player and a small Velodyne sub). NHT recommends that the Classic Twos be placed at a 1.5 ratio (60 inches between the speakers would mean 90 inches from the listener). How big of a problem is this if the typical near-field setup is an equilateral triangle? And in a room like this, how far should the speakers be placed apart?

I wasted years on trying to make a square room work, and if this doesn't pan out, I'm thinking I might just go the headphone route. Thanks for the time and advice if you can provide it.
128x128jeddythree
mesch
3,529 posts
 
If speakers are to be placed in front of the 9'wall (the front wall) this allows for greater distance behind speaker and listener. Toe in and sound panels at reflection points will allow for closer distance to side walls. 

Another acoustic improvement is to place equipment rack to side of listener, not between speakers. Since you have preamp/amp separates you can place amp on stand along one side wall, splitting distance between equipment rack and speakers with lengths of interconnects and speaker cable.

Please keep us informed as to what come come up with. Good luck!
jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,620 posts
 
In my (horrible!) square room I've had very good results by judicious use of bass traps in the corners.The wall/ ceiling junction is especially important.Controlling the bass smooths everything out.You could pick up a few 703 owens corning panels inexpensively to experiment with.Then lots of experimenting with placement.It's tedious for sure 😐All rooms are different but feel free to look on my system page at pics of my room treatments and how they ended up in their final position.Good luck!
mesch
3,529 posts
 
Yes, bass traps in a small room. Also small rooms are best served by speakers that don't attempt the lowest octave.

rocray's avatar
rocray
1,448 posts
 
I have an almost identical size room. My speakers are on the 9' wall. They are 31" out from the front wall(rear of the speaker),and 84" apart. The center of the drivers are 19" away from the side walls. My listening chair is about 75" inches away from the speaker plain. I am also running 3 HSU subs. (2 STF-1's,1 VTF-2 MK3.) I find soundstage extends beyond the side,and back walls. 
    Good luck,I hope this may help you a bit.
           Ray
mesch
3,529 posts
 
Ray, that is the beauty of it, the soundstage/imaging can extend beyond the small room boundaries.  Having speakers placed along shorter wall allows for more space behind speakers and listener. Providing greater depth of field for soundstage. Absorption panels at reflexion points along side walls helps with most speakers.
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