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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
skinzy's avatar
skinzy
175 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.

ghdprentice
6,946 posts
 

@skinzy 

This is what “sliders” are for. Making it easy to move them around. I think it took me a year to get mine situated. I got to know them really well in the position of my old speakers. Then every week or two I would move them a little… and back, or not. 
 

I realized that many folks said they would vanish. But mine were not. Then, instead of having “the beams crossed” behind my head… I slowly, and incrementally toed them out until they pointed straight out… they disappeared.

 

The recommended position is just a starting point, slow and meticulous  positioning will make them sound the best.

yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
733 posts
 

@OP, there are conflicting comments about toe in in the posts. GHD Prentice's comment above is a good way to proceed. Different speakers require or don't require toe in - in varying amounts - so experimentation is needed.

newbee
4,767 posts
 

OP (and Skinzy), I don’t know what you are using as a reference for ’depth of image’ but ’depth of image’ is not so much because of set up, once you have a good set up drilled down, i.e. 5’ +/- from the wall behind the speakers and first reflection points deadened or diffused, and not so much toe in which is mainly to help with reducing side wall reflections, as it is what is on your recording.

If you do not already have one, that you get a recording that has depth of image imbedded because of the recording of the music. I used a recording by Opus 3 called Depth of Image. This is not a real ’test’ disc, so much as a compilation of music by a bunch of Swedes playing a mix of pop/classic/jazz music using great recording technics. I have heard this played over a SOTA system and it is truly holographic. It can be spooky real! I highly recommend it. It can be found on CD or vinyl. I preferred the vinyl but the CD works as well. Good luck.

jl35
3,976 posts
 

Current speakers came with recommendation to toe in,  so that sound crossed 3 feet behind listening position. Previous speakers were designed to point straight ahead.  Of course lots of trial and error, and each speaker not necessarily with identical toe in...

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