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Speakers with no rear wall, better or worse sound?

I have been in a debate about speaker placement. I was proposing that having speakers in the middle of a long space (~30 foot long room) would be preferred over having speakers about 3 to 4 feet from a wall behind the speakers. I would think that having little to no wall reflections of sound from behind the speaker would be preferable. The wall behind the speakers is currently about 14 feet back. Another opinion suggested that we should build a wall 4 feet behind the speakers to get the best sound. I was thinking that the reflected sound from this new sound would mix with the speakers' direct sound and erode the quality. Other views? We were considering some renovations and I do not want to go through a significant change to our home and erode sound quality.
hickory
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I'd think that there will likely be (at least) 2 audible effects:

Overall bass response will likely be attenuated as room re-inforcement from the "front" wall is eliminated.

Bass response should be smoother as frequency specific destructive interference from reflections off that wall are eliminated. (There will still be some destructive effects from the other walls, floor, and ceiling, but that wall is often the worst offender.)

As to the "better or worse" analysis of the net impact, that will be case specific and will turn, in part, on whether there'd be too much or too little bass from that speaker in that room, with the missing wall "restored".

Good luck.

Marty
philjolet's avatar
philjolet
2,306 posts
 
frankly it sounds ideal for a Maggie

they love to be away from walls

IMO YMMV of course
drew_eckhardt
394 posts
 
Different. Maybe better. 4 feet is too close to be optimum for many speakers - 5 feet, 6 feet, more is often better.

You'll push the front-wall reflections out in time which helps sound-stage depth, drop the front wall reflection intensity which may improve timbre because frequency response isn't as uniform at extreme off-axis angles, have less bass (which can be good or bad depending on how the speaker's baffle step was designed to compensate for wall proximity), move the SBIR null lower in frequency and diminish it (good), and energize room modes differently (which can be good or bad depending on where the speakers and listener rare).
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,471 posts
 
You want the speakers you mention at least 5 feet out from the wall. The more the better. Mine are 7.5 feet and the sound is glorious. I measure from the front of the speaker. Perhaps 13 is too much, but I would have to hear them. The rule of 1/3's works very well based on my experience and current set up. My room is 24 feet long and my speakers are 7.5 feet out from the wall.

I bet 8-10 feet would be ideal for you. You should still have body without bass overhang and great imaging a focus.
koestner
667 posts
 
Putting up a wall behind your speakers will lessen the perceived depth. Whether it's a visual or acoustical thing I don't know, but you will notice an amazing reduction and probably not like it at all.
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