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What Could Cause Center Image To Present Lower than Expected

I will preface with admitting, that I am not an audiophile, but a hobbyist at best. Purchased Totem Acoustic Forest Sig. I am powering them with a ModWright  KWH 225I with Morrow Audio Sp7 speaker cables. My primary source is an Ayon S10 MKII network player/DAC feed by Small Green Computer (ROON) with Snake River Audio Mumushi Sig XLR interconects.

Integrated/Player feed with Morrow Audio Elite Power cords from a Shunyata PS8 w/Defender. PS8 connected with Shunyata Alpha v2 NR power cord.

Room is 13x19. Speakers 7' apart and 4" from front wall and 2.5' from side wall. No toe-in.  Audio equipment behind speakers along short wall with TV above mounted to wall. There is an 8x10 decorative rug hung on wall behind tv/equipment.

From the get-go, I have been very happy with sound and center image / soundstage present without fiddling with anything. Better than my ATC SCM19 v2.

My issue is with how low the center image presents.  Not sure how to proceed. Where to start. Is it most likely a speaker adjustment or component issue? I know my room is not properly treated.

Scott

amboguzzi
amboguzzi OP
13 posts
 

My mistake. They are 4 feet off the front wall. It has been a busy week, but I started with reducing the tilt. That has made a small but noticeable difference. More tracks sound fuller. Sorry for not having a more audiophile description. I am trying one thing at a time and listening awhile.

Next step will be to bring speakers closer together.

My listening position is roughly 7 feet back from the speakers.

Again, thanks for the responses.

Scott

amboguzzi OP
13 posts
 

Forgot to mention that image seems to have risen slightly also. 

Scott

soix
9,558 posts
 

I am trying one thing at a time and listening awhile.

Great approach!  When you say you “reduced the tilt” what do you mean.  As others mentioned, I’d think if anything tilting your speakers back just a tad might help raise your image height.  Or maybe I’m just misunderstanding.  I still think you could pull your speakers out another foot and move them a foot closer together with just a bit of toe-in.  Be interested to hear your thoughts if/when you ever get to that point.  My room/speakers are similar to yours and after much experimentation I found this basic positioning to be the best for overall tonal balance and imaging/soundstage, but way too many variables in there to know if it’d be an improvement in your system and for your tastes.  Still, very interested as you make each adjustment — if nothing else it’s an excellent (and free and fun) learning experience, no?

antigrunge2
1,418 posts
 

Not a great fan of tilting. On most conventional speakers the tweeter is mounted on top and should be at ear height. Tilting it backwards creates issues with phase allignment if you have multiple non alligned drivers in your speakers.

kingharold
304 posts
 

antigrunge2 wrote, "Not a great fan of tilting. On most conventional speakers the tweeter is mounted on top and should be at ear height. Tilting it backwards creates issues with phase allignment if you have multiple non alligned drivers in your speakers."

Some speakers require tilting to sound right.  For example two ways with first order crossovers have a fifteen degree downward polar axial tilt and need to be tilted back fifteen degrees to project sound straight out from the enclosure.

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