Agree with Stanwal. Placement is very important, but acoustic treatments can go a long way to tighten things up. I, too, find that the Cardas formula doesn't give me enough separations and sidewall reinforcement. My room is narrow, 12', so optimal placement is only 3" closer to the sidewall than Cardas formula and that makes a very significant difference. But without bass traps, that placement sounds a bit boomy and muddy. With bass traps, just right.