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D.
If you sit equally distant from both speakers, angling the speakers inward
crtoeing them in') about 5 to 10 degrees usually produces the best
convergence of high frequencies where you listen. Different listening
positions may require different toe-in.
E.
To go beyond these basics and experiment with positioning for optimum
performance, please read the placement guidelines that follow. They are
about the speakers, the room, and you.
1.
The Speakers in Relation to Room Boundaries
The position of your speakers with respect to the walls, floor, and
ceiling of your listening room will often affect their sound in major
ways.
a)
The closer you place speakers to the boundary surfaces of
your room, the greater the proportion of bass in their overall
sound. This is due to the enclosing, "focusing" effects of
nearby surfaces on longer-wavelength (lower) frequencies.
Positioning the speakers near the intersection of two
surfaces (wall and wall, wall and floor, or wall and ceiling) will
produce more apparent bass than placement near a single
surface. The greatest proportion of bass is delivered by
placement near three intersecting surfaces-in a room comer
near the floor or ceiling, where the convergence of the two
walls and the floor/ceiling produces an amplifying effect that
is a bit like that of a megaphone. And the least bass comes
from placing a speaker away from all boundaries. Your own
tastes should decide what proportion of bass response
seems right in your room.
b)
The combination of the three dimensions of your room
generally will produce at least three points in the room where
the frequency response you experience related to a given
position (of either the speaker or you) will either greatly
increase or almost disappear. The most obvious effects are
on low frequencies, but mid-frequency effects, while usually
subtler, are also often present. Keep in mind, then, that very
small changes in positioning (of the speakers or you) may
produce major or subtle changes.
c)
Distances of speakers from the walls can make great
differences in the number, strength, and particular
frequencies of secondary reflections--changing frequency-
balance, sonic spaciousness, and definition. Most listeners
prefer their speakers at least a few inches from all walls, but
the choice is yours to determine by listening.
5
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