Aleph 5 + Dunlavy 4

Hi Felix, I did try following the manual and the essential points (wide separation and distance) but the long wall setup and toe-in. Long wall setup is not the option for my listening room arrangement. In my past experience, I do not like the sound when PSB is toed in. What is the theorectical benefit of toe-in ? image and directional treble ? not bass I guess. Thanks !

"What is the theorectical benefit of toe-in ? image and directional treble ?"

Yes, the speakers are extremely directional and have very narrow and well-controlled dispersion characteristics. That's one of the reason why they can be placed fairly close to the room's boundaries without encountering severely adverse effects. Direct toe-in helps the speakers achieve the amazing focus that makes them very special.

I became interested in this thread, because I encountered a similar problem when I first setup my SC-IV's. I placed them in a manner very similar to yours, in a room almost the same size and shape, and had virtually no bass even though I was driving them with a KSA-150. It took me almost a week to open the owner's manual (audiophile pride, you know) and set them up per the manufacturer's instructions. The transformation in the sound was truly spectacular. Since then, I've setup literally dozens of pairs of Dunlavy's, and all of them sounded best with long wall placement.

If there's absolutely no way for you to utilize the long wall, I'd suggest placing your seat directly against the back wall with the speakers moved half-way into the room, as a starting point.

Best Wishes,
Felix
www.audioannex.com

Sorry to sort of go off the subject, but I really think the speaker cable needs to be changed. I think you need cables that has more emphasis in "speed" rather than "guts". Sorry if I sound like I don't know what I am talking about. Just think, "low gauge" and "low capacitence".

Felix: By mirror imaged, i was referring to the design of each individual speaker as a vertical array, not from side to side. The drivers below the tweeter are a mirror image of the drivers above the tweeter, etc...

As far as the controlled dispersion pattern goes, much of this has to do with the MTM type driver layout and the "acoustic blanket" ( damping material around the high / mid drivers ) that Dunlavy makes use of. All MTM arrays will demonstrate limited vertical dispersion. How limited the vertical dispersion is will have to do with the spacing between the drivers and quantity of drivers used in such an array.

My experience with toe-in on a speaker of this nature is that it DRASTICALLY limits the size / width of the soundstage while producing a much "hotter" high end and tonally forward presentation. Increased toe-in will also limit side-wall reflections, so it would provide better performance in non-long wall installations. While the center image is increased with toe-in, a certain amount of air / space between instruments is also lost due to increased focusing of the signal into a smaller area. In such a situation, sitting further back ( beyond the distance of creating an equilateral "V" with the speakers ) will produce an increased sensation of the performers being front and center rather than if the speakers were not toe'd in and you were sitting in an equilateral triangle. Obviously, personal preference will dictate what works best for you in your system but the experience of those like Felix who have quite a bit of experience with a product of this type should not be disregarded. Even if we do have different personal preferences : ) Sean
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"By mirror imaged, i was referring to the design of each individual speaker as a vertical array, not from side to side. The drivers below the tweeter are a mirror image of the drivers above the tweeter, etc..."

Fair enough, but that's not what mirror-imaged means.

"My experience with toe-in on a speaker of this nature is that it DRASTICALLY limits the size / width of the soundstage while producing a much "hotter" high end and tonally forward presentation. While the center image is increased with toe-in, a certain amount of air / space between instruments is also lost due to increased focusing of the signal into a smaller area. In such a situation, sitting further back ( beyond the distance of creating an equilateral "V" with the speakers ) will produce an increased sensation of the performers being front and center rather than if the speakers were not toe'd in and you were sitting in an equilateral triangle."

AFAIK, you've never setup a pair of SC-IV's. The constraints you describe are somewhat ambitious given the actual performance of the product.

"Obviously, personal preference will dictate what works best for you in your system but the experience of those like Felix who have quite a bit of experience with a product of this type should not be disregarded. Even if we do have different personal preferences : )"

I appreciate that, Sean, but this really isn't an issue of personal preference unless one has a strong desire to live with a distinct lack of bass and focus, basically negating the fundamental design goals of the speakers. There's a very good reason as to why the owner's manual goes into detail illustrating specific placement options.

Best Wishes,
Felix
www.audioannex.com