Speaker positioning: why do audiophiles neglect this so much?


Went to a recent seminar featuring Jim Smith, well known author of the book  "Get Better Sound"  and hi fi set up guru.

The basic gist of the discussion was that the most important elements of a high end stereo installation are listening position and speaker positioning, in that order.  The actual hardware (speakers, amplifiers, source, cables etc) are of less importance relatively speaking.

Yet it is clear from this web site and it's contents, that set up is discussed much less than the actual hardware.

When I look at the Virtual Systems page on site, I'm estimating that, maybe, 10% of the systems posted are close to well set up.  Thus, hardly any of the featured hardware is performing close to it's maximum potential.

Shame, and why is it so?  Not sexy enough to talk about system set up in depth?  Lack of knowledge?  Or is it simply too hard to do and too complex a subject?

Just my 2 cents ...

bobbydd

You can create great S.Q. in a living room.... But it is way more difficult...

And it is not because many people cannot own a dedicated room that this truth can be erased from thread:

It is not the cost of the gear who gives us S.Q. but acoustic....

The only luxury in audio is a room, not a 100,000 bucks system...

I apologize for repeating this truth...

But i cannot boast about a piece of gear i dont upgrade nor buy anything i prefer to make my devices with junk...

 

 

But this acoustical truth is not said by much people here...is not it?

It is my excuse .... And i can mute myself and let others speak about everything save this important acoustic discovery for me for sure...

😁😊

 

My best to you....

 

As mentioned in this thread already, many of us do not have a dedicated room (as much as we probably wish we did).

So we have to do the best we can with what we have.

I have a setup as mentioned, media cabinet right in the middle of the speakers.

But at least I was able to get rid of the coffee table (was able to convince the wife that we hardly ever have guests, no use of the coffee table), so now there is nothing between my seating position and the equipment/speakers.

I so wish I had a dedicated room.

Jay

 

Unless you want vastly different speaker lengths it is not always practical to have your equipment rack placed anywhere other than between the speakers. In previous houses I have had the equipment placed at right angles and well to the left of the LH speaker, with different length cables but never noticed any improvement in SQ. I now have a TV on the wall and the speakers well away from front and side walls and the equipment rack between the speakers and it sounds fine to my ancient ears.

I still think it's not possible to judge how a system in a room sounds from looking at a photo.

Wise observation...I think the same because my room look awful....But dont sound awful at all....Ifi judged my room by a photo myself i will claim the sound must be horrible...But it is a visual bias that has nothing to do with acoustic experience...

It is the reason why i put no actual images of my room in the virtual system page...

The old one are enough to perturbate most people.... Read the commentaries....😁😊

 

And seriously, how can you evaluate distance, exact location, material acoustic properties of the material content and topology, with speakers characteristics, exact density of the walls and ceilings and floor and the hiddeen characteristic of the room not visible and evaluable by sight ?

the only one who said he can was speaking of relatively empty room, not small nor too large, and even in this case it is very problematic to judge....

The most important aspect will be before room treatment and mechanical control, the synergy between the speakers characteristic and needs  and all properties of the room...This is INVISIBLE....

Those who say they can judge a room by a photo  dont understand acoustic and reduce acoustic  to panels general rules of  placement... alas! acoustic and psycho acoustic are more complex than  GENERAL panels mathematical rule placement,  trained ears experience judge listening on the concrete room NEVER from a  photo....

The only thing we can guess to have great acoustic property by sight of blueprint design not only photo will be the architectural design of a big amphitheater, and even there we must  listen, seat there to be sure and to be able to compare with other design... 

 

 

😁😊

I still think it’s not possible to judge how a system in a room sounds from looking at a photo.

So I guess since not all of us can have the perfect listening situation then we shouldn’t upgrade our system at all?  
 

Obviously making changes to equipment makes a difference in sound, so why not do it?  Because it would sound even better in a non functional living environment?

So really none of what you are judging others for makes much sense.
 

Have you ever upgraded a car stereo or bought a car with a higher end unit?  What a waste I guess since it’s not a perfect listening environment. Have an expensive coffee maker yet use Starbucks beans?  I mean we could go on and on.