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O.C.D. Speaker placement

How o.c.d. are you in speaker placement, and how important is it? I am o.c.d. in many aspects of my life including speaker placement. I've always enjoyed what is known as a formal balance (symmetrical design). So this is my dilemma: I have the distance of my speakers equal, within an 1/8", from the side and back walls, and they are also level side to side and front to back but the distance from the center of my listening position to the tweeters is different by somewhere between 1/2"-3/4". Does this even really matter?
I'm sure I'll get all kinds of jokes towards this question, but whatever. I figure there has to be some other o.c.d. people here considering all of the products aimed towards audiophiles, from footers to cable risers to c.d. and i.c. polishing kits.
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peter_s
1,335 posts
 
I totally get where you guys are coming from. In fact, I'm even more particular than that! I've actually been diagnosed as CDO, which is a lot like OCD but the letters are in the correct alphabetical order.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
If you are measuring from your speakers to the wall you are most likely off by much more than you think. Rooms are not square. In fact they are far from it.

Try measuring from your listening position to each speaker with string. It is the only way to ensure the speaker are equal distance from you. Once you do this you will notice how the sound stage tightens up with better balance left to right.
karl_desch's avatar
karl_desch
426 posts
 
Having your speakers equal distances from the back and side walls may not be the best acoustically. I would try the golden ratio. Read the quick primer on speaker placement at the cardas website under "insights".

Also, no need for periods between OCD. Its an acronym. But thats a little OCD of me to mention.

-Karl
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
If you're not using the speaker placement track on the XLO Test CD or similar you're not even close. Tip - speakers should be placed much closer together than most people think.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
"Tip - speakers should be placed much closer together than most people think."

It never worked for me on the long wall and with large speakers. Every situation is different and requires trial and error because all speakers react differently with the room. Only if it were that simple to use a CD or read a book, but it's not.
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