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Speaker set up for more than 1 person

I have my system set up perfectly for a single person sweet spot. Near field about 9 feet from my speakers. But if I move even slightly off center the soundstage moves and one of the speakers dominates. If I have a couple friends over how can I arrange my speakers so we can all get a good soundstage with centered imaging? Move my speakers closer together? 

maprik
ghdprentice
8,106 posts
 

I have a love seat with the left seat in the sweet spot. The right hand seat is for my dogs... but if there are two visitors they get the love seat and can switch back and forth. I sit off to the side.

I have never tried to expand the sweet spot, since that is so carefully set up. The width of a sweet spot is speaker dependent. 

 

soix
10,355 posts
 

Listening in the near field won’t really work as you’ve already found.  I’d move the listening chair(s) back four feet or more if possible and toe the speakers in only as much as you need to get a good center image — just experiment but this should help. 

gano
750 posts
 

I would buy a big cardboard, cut a small hole in the middle, about  20" diameter and put it where you sit normally. Whoever's head and however many can fit in the hole will be in the sweetspot. 

elliottbnewcombjr
5,950 posts
 

I wrote this specifically for more than one listener, both 2 channel stereo music and 2/5.1 video with several people on a sofa

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/11516

yyzsantabarbara
5,123 posts
 

A lot of this depends on the speaker tech. The KEF Blade for example has a huge, sweet spot. I think coincident drivers tend to have a slightly bigger sweet spot, with the Blade being very special in this regard.

I enjoyed the Magnepan LRS and Mini for not being so restrictive on the seating. I use the Mini in my office.

 

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