How do you share the sweet spot?


 My 2.1 set up  only pleasures me when i sit or walk in the sweet zone. If I have guests over, I dislike sharing my position so they can experience the sound stage.  Is there anything one can do to share the sweet spot? Is a 4.1 or 4.2 set up the solution? Does the speaker, gear, position and set up dictate overall experience?(I'm sure it does)
How do you guys share the sweet spot? 
Is it ok to be sweet spot selfish? I feel that being an "audiophile" is also sharing the experience. 
Your thoughts please. Thank You!






tomavodka
This will be somewhat counter-intuitive, but with some horn speakers the sweet spot width can quite wide. First a bit of background:

The ear localizes sound by two mechanisms: Arrival time and intensity. With most system setups, as you move off to one side, the near speaker which naturally "wins" arrival time also "wins" intensity because you are now more on-axis of that near speaker. So typically the center image moves over to the side even further than you do, and if you move over far enough the soundstage can "collapse" to the near speaker such that you're virtually listening to mono. 

Suppose we take a pair of horn speakers which have a uniform radiation of say 90 degrees wide (-6 dB @ 45 degrees off-axis to either side) and toe them in about 45 degrees, such that their axes criss-cross in front of the listening area. Now something interesting happens as we move off to one side: The near speaker still inevitably "wins" arrival time, but the FAR speaker "wins" intensity! This is because we are now well off-axis of the near speaker, but pretty much on-axis of the far speaker. These two different localization mechanisms approximately offset one another, such that we can still get a center image and a reasonable spread for the instruments even from well off the centerline. The key to this working is, that near speaker’s output must fall off smoothly and rapidly as we move off to the side. Therefore this technique is unlikely to work well with most speakers.

With this technique you can let your guest have the center sweet spot and you can sit to one side of them without the soundstage collapsing. Yes it will still be better right smack in the middle, but it won’t suck off to the side. At audio shows I use this configuration and when possible place one chair up against a side wall, to the outside of the speakers. People instinctively avoid that chair, unless the room is full. Then after the song is over I ask the person in that chair whether they could still hear a decent spread to the instruments, and invariably they say yes, and usually go on to say how pleasantly surprising it was. Some even say it sounded like they were in the middle, which imo is an exaggeration, but still an indication of how well the technique can work.

Duke
The idea that wide sweet spot speakers lose detail is really more of an in-room problem.

In the right room, these speakers can be very satisfying to guest listeners and those sitting on the proverbial throne.

The Magico S1s, which are not faultless, are great exemplars of this.

Duke's suggestion is another one that's been proven.

The alternatives, say, ESLs like the Sanders or Martin Logans are the opposite side of this.  Very tight dispersion, amazing detail, and a sweet spot that's really a point.
If a speaker "images" in different locations at the same time it most likely has no image at all.


Well I can assure you that is not true. Listen to a pair of Ohm, mbl German Physics or other good quality omni designs. The imaging and soundstage (when set up properly as always) is top notch. I have several pair of Ohms and have owned a pair for 30 years now and can vouch for that. I’ve heard mbl set up optimally as well and that is in a class of its own in regards to 3-d soundstage and imaging from most any location in the room.   You do need a very special room for that with those though.
I have two chairs side by side.  When she complains, I slide it back over about 8" that puts me dead center.. Just don't tell her.. She's happy.

I can always tell when my chairs been moved. 1.  the floor is marked,
2. The Rolling Stones, and Rod Stewart LP are out.. Her chairs is in the middle. I found her RE-taping a spot,  gettin' all pissed because, her tape was pulled, she pulled it.. and didn't mark it.. 2 hours to get happy..
Good ears.  She learned 25 years ago. Smart Lady...You know for a GIRL, anyways.
Yea she's standing over my shoulder, yukin' it up right now...
Feb, was 45 years, been together.. Man that's a long time..
She agrees..LOL

When we concert in the backyard, 6-9 people, get a great spot

ONE WALL! Behind 4 speakers!  25 H X 60 W and 40 foot deep.
No back, No lid, No sides for 120 feet.
Pretty nice

Regards