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Help Total Confusion

I just read where placing your equipment rack between your speakers is a no-no, collapsing sounstage, boomy bass, etc.

My problem is that I don't have a choice. So would it be better to buy a taller, thinner rack, creating more vertical space around my speakers, or a low slung, wider rack, creating more horizontal space around the speakers?

My speakers are monitors (Tyler Acoustic Linbrooks) and all my listening is near field, about 7 to 71/2 feet from listening chair. The speakers are 8 feet apart now and I detect a small hole in the center of the soundstage, so moving them closer an inch or two might be helpful.

I'm almost ready to buy a new rack, but none of the accesible stores will let me give the furniture a trial run, which I find curious because they'll all let me audition components in-home. Thanks so much in advance for your suggestions and comments fellow 'goners.

Dan
tbadder
elgordo
530 posts
 
A single Argent Room Lens, placed about 18" in front of the TV when listening to two channel, will give you depth and stage that you would not have thought possible. Go to Audio Asylum to learn how to make your own for nearly nothing. Don
jazzdude
332 posts
 
I have a rack between my speakers also and I have excellent centerfill. The trick is not to let the rack break the vertical plane between the speakers. Move your speakers out from the wall and keep your rack as close to the wall as possible. If you continue to have a hole-in-the-middle then I would further develop your front end and upgrade your cabling.
twl
3,251 posts
 
I have my equipment between my speakers, set back about 2 feet, and I have put a DIY Argent room lens, centered between the speakers, just a few inches in front of the equipment, as Elgordo says, and my soundstage and image focus is awesome. I also have room lenses flanking the outside of each speaker, and one behind the listening chair.
bufus
149 posts
 
I have a 57" widescreen TV in the middle of my speakers. My speakers are about 2 feet closer to me than my TV. When I completely cover up my TV with a large sheet of duct board, which is made of 1 inch thick fiberglass, my soundstage becomes more transparent / open. There is definitely alot of audio energy coming off the back and sides of speakers. So, the audio rack or TV in the center of the speakers reflects alot of sound.
jd790739
1 posts
 
As others have said, you can make this work fine. Move your speakers out as much as you can. If you lack center fill they're either too far apart or you might try a bit more toe-in. Try pointing in until the center image is solid with a full-width stage.
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