Linn Forums

Irri · 2011-03-27, 16:37

I've been reading up on speaker positioning. I realise now how important listener position is. I brought my listening position further towards the speakers which has helped increase a little. However, when I just leaned forwards to get up, the bass went from very little to a lot. The trouble is that my chair would have to be slap bang in the middle of the room.

Is there anyway to get around this? Do the nodes move if I move the speakers?

linnrd · (This post was last modified: 2011-03-27 19:43 by linnrd.)

Room Modes are a function of the dimensions of the room. Speaker positioning can increase/decrease the intensity of the room modes, but cannot eliminate them. Chair positioning can place the listener either at a null or a peak. While I have some philosophical differences with several items on the website, it is difficult to fault some of the ideas found in the speaker placement guides found on the
website and another, slightly more detailed one downloadable as a .PDF file. While there are several other missives to be found on the planetary personal pulpit we refer to as the worldwide web, some of which are better, many of which are worse, one could do a lot worse than start with the links above.

More detailed, and highly informative, reading may be found linked to this thread on the very entertainingly named, and entertaining, Gearslutz forum.

Irri · 2011-03-27, 19:51

Thanks. Will take a look.

Warren · 2011-03-28, 14:01

This seems to waste of lot of room space. Surely it is possible to have other good setups?

linnrd · 2011-03-29, 06:45

(2011-03-28 14:01)Warren Wrote: This seems to waste of lot of room space. Surely it is possible to have other good setups?

Yes, absolutely. The principles may be applied by taking integer multiples of all the distance ratios and the effects will be, more or less, the same. The idea behind these numbers = is to minimize the piling up of modes that couple harmonically (i.e. to spread out the mess), so as not to get severe peaks in room response, and multiples of the ratios would lead to the same effect while having a more livable environment. In the end, of course, it's going to be decided by ear for some, and by approval of the Minister of Finance/Spousal Unit for others.

It's interesting to use a 1/3 octave frequency analyzer to see the effects of speaker placement on the sound at the measuring position for those who are curious at heart. I have the good fortune of having a couple of dogs who have ingratiated themselves more than I have to the Decision Maker. As a result of this, there are two rather large thick cushions/beds in the middle of the listening space that the dogs lay on (that I perversely, yet correctly, refer to as sub woofers) instead of on the hardwood floor. That they happen to be at the first reflection point of the speakers is a bonus that I am quite happy to live with. So for those with hardwood floors, I suggest considering getting a dog. Smile

paultje · 2011-03-29, 11:10

Hmmmm, I've got a couple of dogs, but they leave the room when I put music on! (perhaps they don't like 'The Pussy-Cat Dolls'.)
Due to the layout of the room , I have to fire my speakers across the rectangle, not down, so I do have problems in this area, (enough to worry the dogs, it seems!).

Irri · 2011-03-29, 11:32

This guide seems to suggest firing across the room: http://www.immediasound.com/Speaker%20set-up%202009.pdf

paultje · 2011-03-29, 17:35

(2011-03-29 11:32)Irri Wrote: This guide seems to suggest firing across the room: http://www.immediasound.com/Speaker%20set-up%202009.pdf

......thanks for that guide, I shall give it a long hard look. It seems to go against everything I've read before.....I think my system sounds pretty good, so perhaps there's something in it.

entdgc · 2011-03-29, 18:12

(2011-03-29 11:10)paultje Wrote: Hmmmm, I've got a couple of dogs, but they leave the room when I put music on! (perhaps they don't like 'The Pussy-Cat Dolls'.)
Due to the layout of the room , I have to fire my speakers across the rectangle, not down, so I do have problems in this area, (enough to worry the dogs, it seems!).

Paul,

I had a new music room extension a few years ago which of necessity had to be rectangular. I had planned to 'fire' down the room and had electric plugs sited accordingly. However I found that to have the speakers a reasonable distance apart they were too much in the corners. So I tried it across the room with speakers well away from corners. All I can say is I haven't gone back! Even had additional sockets fitted to make the move permanent. I now have a choice of 9 sockets for the hoover!

Dave

paultje · 2011-03-29, 21:04

(2011-03-29 18:12)entdgc Wrote:
(2011-03-29 11:10)paultje Wrote: Hmmmm, I've got a couple of dogs, but they leave the room when I put music on! (perhaps they don't like 'The Pussy-Cat Dolls'.)
Due to the layout of the room , I have to fire my speakers across the rectangle, not down, so I do have problems in this area, (enough to worry the dogs, it seems!).

Paul,

I had a new music room extension a few years ago which of necessity had to be rectangular. I had planned to 'fire' down the room and had electric plugs sited accordingly. However I found that to have the speakers a reasonable distance apart they were too much in the corners. So I tried it across the room with speakers well away from corners. All I can say is I haven't gone back! Even had additional sockets fitted to make the move permanent. I now have a choice of 9 sockets for the hoover!

Dave

Thanks Dave,
Conventional wisdom seems to be to fire down the room but, as you say, I'm not sure. The speakers are more than 3 ft from side walls, so perhaps they are better that way. With quinn wiring I'm not too inclined to move them about a lot!