@tweak1 Wrote:

Many are confused by FRONT wall; it's the wall BEHIND the speakers. 

I agree!

Precedence effect:

• Article

Below is a quote from my speakers tech manual:

''2. Stereo imaging will be improved The frequency response of the new monitor design is quite uniform, even at angles sufficiently off axis both horizontally and vertically to be unlikely listener positions. However, this results in more uniform room reflections which contributes to a stable virtual source that does not change with frequency [Queen [13]). In addition, increased toe-in can be used with no degradation of the direct sound field, rf enough toe-in is used for the axes of the systems to cross somewhat in front of the listener, then the level precedence effect can partially offset the time precedence effect (Haas [14]). This contributes to a more stable stereo image as the listener's position varies along the length of the control board.''

Mike

@markalarsen 

That would be a mistake. When seated at your listening position the front wall is in front of you and the rear or back wall is the one in back of you.

@ditusa 

There is much more to imaging than lateral position, there is image size, location in depth in the sound field and the third dimension which is the sense that the instrument is a 3 dimensional object in space. Early reflections will disturb all of them even if lateral location is not affected. As far as stability of the image is concerned, especially with point source speakers, The image is extremally fragile when out of the listening position even by a few inches. 30 degrees or more off axis you can even lose the far speaker completely. Because lose of volume with distance is much less severe with line sources they create a more stable image and you never lose the far speaker of axis. The image is still perfect only at the listening position. This is why Line Arrays are used exclusively at large concerts. We were at the Arctic Monkeys concert at Red Rocks last night and even the subwoofers were linear arrays just outside of the main Linear Arrays. 

Why don't we just say the wall behind the speaker?

To call the wall behind the loudspeakers the rear wall makes no sense. Sure, that wall is behind the speakers, but so what? The wall the listener is facing is the front wall, the one behind the listened the rear wall. Period.

5’ from the front wall in a 10’ deep room.....?

Just a random concept to be or not to.... ;)

A Hall effect....