Micro position adjustments

toe in and out is critical. finding the best room balance location is critical. most speaker manufacturers have recommendations based on the speaker design as to the ideal approach relative to the listening position.

but once you think you are close; try laser aiming and leveling. we call it ’stereo’ since it’s 2 speakers providing one soundstage. the balance of these two speakers determines the precision and tonal balance you hear.

the taller your speakers are the more this matters as the drivers are then more prone to be out of alignment. i have twin 7 foot tall towers where this process is critical for optimization.

there are devices you can purchase that can be attached to the face of a speaker that will allow you to exactly aim the speaker. also to level the speaker sitting on top. it’s spins around indicating the top is level.

you get a tripod with a piece of paper with a crosshair at the spot for your ears. once the speakers are known to be located at the exact same distance then the trick is precise aiming.

of course; it helps to also center your speakers exactly if your room is symmetric. i have a symmetric room with a piece of tape on my hardwood floor precisely measured down the center line which helps to measure the speaker position, but also when i’m listening it allows me to ’sight’ down the center for critical listening times.

you spend all this money on gear, and spend lots of time listening. this last little effort does pay constant dividends in what you hear.

wall. ceiling and floor treatments are a whole separate question. but every stereo system benefits from perfect alignment.

I’m one who doesn’t believe equipment should be in between the speakers as it will negatively effect the soundstage and overall performance of the speakers. So it does not surprise me that moving equipment between the speakers has an effect. My rack is to the side. 

On the other hand, yes, even small adjustment to the speakers themselves can can substantial changes; width, dimension from the front wall, toe-in, etc. without equipment between.

@bkeske

i agree -- you don’t want solid stuff consuming all the space between the speakers, especially where the treble and mids radiate (like big screen tv’s) - proper imaging requires space for the speaker’s normal radiation pattern to ’breathe’, do its thing

also agree toe in and space around the speakers to room boundaries are absolutely critical

proacs are imaging masters, you paid for these brilliant speakers, you should let them do what they are so good at doing!

mikelavigne

... we call it ’stereo’ since it’s 2 speakers providing one soundstage ...

No, "stereo" does not mean two speakers at all. The word is from Greek and means "solid," or three-dimensional. A four-channel system is still "stereo" and - some would argue - can have advantages over a two-channel system.

I should update......the front of the Proacs are still over 2 feet forward of any rack or component. Sure, nothing between is nice, but also a compromise in symmetry (components to the side) or long interconnects, speaker cables etc.(Plus, it’s nice to play a movie through occasionally).

Mike posted above about speaker position and symmetry....that’s a given.

But as I mentioned initially.....these super-small changes in equipment or furniture position can have a fairly big effect on soundstage, soundstage size, and tonal balance.