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Speaker placement Quandary

Where to begin here? My question is that in my experience with speaker placement I "think" that it is best to have your speakers well out into the room to achieve the best in soundstage width and especially depth? For example my Legacy Focus XD's are 6.5 feet into the room from front baffle to front wall. I messed with them quite a bit but never went closer to the front wall than that in fear of losing that well spaced out soundstage or emphasizing bass.. Imagery seems rather good as well. The "sound" comes from deep into the front wall not near the speaker plane. I see many listening rooms (in forum members setups, you tube, etc) that seem to follow this thinking and I also see some rather sophisticated expensive high end systems (in dedicated rooms so no WAF effect) that have their speakers just 1-2 feet off the front wall between the rear of the speaker. Is this an element of a different preference in listening? Wouldn't the soundstage become flatter? Is there some tonal advantages to this? I realize some speakers are designed to be closer such as some Wilsons and it seems many the the B&W's end up like this.  I understand that locating speakers is room dependant and a huge variable too. 

 

My speakers weigh 140 pounds each and I have them sitting on Via Blue decouplers so I cannot move them by myself and replace them on the footers, so I have not tried to move them closer to the front wall. Additionally they are rear ported and as I understand it's best to keep them away from the wall. 

 

As many of you have probably experimented with speaker placements, what have you found that gives you that nice expansive soundstage and imagery  in your rooms? 

Also is it more an issue with room modes too?

 

My room is 14w X 18L x 7H  My speakers are 6.5" out, 39" off side walls and 8 feet apart measured from center of front baffle.. My listening position is 9.5 feet (Of the side triangle measurements) from the front baffles and I sit about 4 feet off the rear wall. I have side wall treatments, rear wall diffusion, front wall diffusion and bass absorption. 

 

I am not really looking for placement suggestions unless you see a real flaw here. I just wonder how so many different configurations work so well regarding less distance between speakers and the front wall? Thoughts?

128x128fthompson251
yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
764 posts
 

@OP - Ideally use an SPL meter and a set of test tones from 30-125 Hz to look for any major anomalies. If there are, then judicious experimentation with positioning, toe in, and the amount and placement of acoustic treatment in the room may yield improvements.  It's not axiomatic that moving the speakers closer to the wall than 6.5 feet will result in a less open soundstage or excessive bass - depending on the room, it can do the complete opposite. Taking some measurements and repeating them will greatly speed up the process. Movements of three to six inches at a time are all that's needed.

pennfootball71's avatar
pennfootball71
278 posts
 

Rule of thirds

make an equilateral triangle to listening position so they are the same width apart as distance to your head!

then move speakers back until bass is boomy pull out until base is just right.

this is the most stupid proof way! If you want to widen them after to make triangle equal so that after base is optimized…then toe in tweeters to your ears until imaging is perfect.

 

 

soix
9,590 posts
 

It’s spelled “bass,” not “base.”  Argh. 

avanti1960
1,480 posts
 

@fthompson251 

If I had more room I would do the same and pull my speakers more away from the wall behind them.  Five feet from front baffle to wall is about optimum for the best bass depending on speaker design requirements.  At that distance there are no quarter wave bass cancellations that can affect bass output below 125hz or so.  After 5 feet out there is no more improvement in bass but as you have noted the sound stage depth is awesome.  IMO you have it right.  No need to move them back unless you want another foot and a half of room clearance.  

Some speakers need to be close to the wall and or corners for best bass.  I agree that sound stage depth is really lacking in that kind of setup.  

 

skinzy's avatar
skinzy
180 posts
 

This is a great thread. I have been obsessing with my speakers distance from the front wall. They are out about 4"9". I get great soundstage width and tons of imaging but depth is still lacking. I think next I will tweak toe-in to see if that helps. My problem is moving these 500lbs monsters.

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