Best Speaker Placement Rules you've used?


Thought a thread like this might be interesting. What have you found to be the best rules for speaker placement? Either in your own system and room or one that has worked for you in many.
Ag insider logo xs@2xmusicfirst
For 30 years I thought I just instinctively knew where to put speakers in a room, then I found the Cardas formula; I did the math, moved the speakers to the recommended locations and the sonic image snapped into place to another whole level.

Be aware however, once you start on this route you are on a slippery uphill slope. You will find that the ideal room as certain length, width, and ceiling height ratios, and you may find you need more length to support your desired lowest frequencies, and you you might need any number of acoustical treatments, not too mention software spectrum analyzers and other tools. At the end of this journey is a realization that as important as you thought the room was is the discovery that the room has a HUGE impact on the final sound - and all the great gear in the world isn't going to overcome the wrong room. If you happen to have a good room on the other hand, you are on the road to potential sonic happiness. Good luck.
Recently, I have been experimenting with the nearfield speakers placement as suggested by Audio Physic and it has improved the overall presentation of the music that is being played. I will still need more time to optimise my placement but I initially started using the Cardas method awhile back which I thought worked well then. At present the palpable factor has moved up a notch but I seem to hear a bit more bass boom than before. IMO it is a trial and error process to fine tune speaker placements and there is no one "best" method/rules but perhaps some combination of methods.
experimentation (obviously from what you're seeing here) is the key. I prefer an equilateral triangle. closer = better. Intimate and very deep soundstage. It's a one man listening seat, but there is always the couch for plain ole grooving to great sounds. However, when I want to enjoy what my rig can really do?--I pull my easy chair into a 6 foot equilateral triangle, take the grills off, seat back and look into a wall of sonic wonderment. Play around with your speakers. VERY room dependent, as you'll find out. You will certainly cut down the room factors with a closer seating arrangement. It has been my experience that most systems I've heard, the listener is way too far back from the speakers. It can be a visual turn off sitting so close, but not for this audiophool. peace, warren
I agree with the Cardas method which is where I put my speakers and did not even think about moving them after that, but do not have the link. Someone put the link in an old speaker post of mine about Maggie 1.6 speaker placement if you can find it.

I also like the TAS rule of thirds method. I think it is the best for integrating the bass with the rest of the sound but your speakers are really in the middle of the room with this method.
In my 22 x 13 room the speakers were 7.3 feet out in the room and 4.3 feet apart, which is the room measurements divided into thirds. The speakers really disappeared and the balance was great but I could not leave them there for long, just too intrusive.