Audio Physic STEP plus Owner's Manual page 6

5. The design of the STEP plus enables them to still produce a clear and precise sound even when
they are positioned closer to a wall. This position broadly reinforces low frequencies by around
+3 and + 6 decibels, making the bass output sound more powerful. As a result, the tonal quality
of the sound reproduction may increase. Placement too close to the walls may, however, also
result in a bass boost which provides a reproduction that is undifferentiated and lacking in
details, depending on how close the loudspeakers are to the walls.
6. This effect is even more intense when the loudspeakers are placed in the corners of the room.
The broad increase in lower frequencies may rise to considerably more than six decibels. This
is normally not conducive to the sound reproduction and makes the bass tones become
dominant very quickly, while the midrange becomes diffuse and thick. All in all the music lacks
in detailed information. When placed in the corners of the room, the acoustic conditions mean
that the loudspeakers tend to perform significantly below their sound reproduction capabilities.
You can easily use your favorite music to determine the influence of the position of your
loudspeakers on their sound reproduction. Pieces of music involving a singing voice accompanied
by only a few natural instruments are particularly suitable for this test. Start by placing the
loudspeakers about 20" away from the walls and then move them around 5" closer to the wall
in each listening test. As soon as voices sound start to sound diffuse and lose their contours
and the fine details fade away into the background or even completely disappear, move the
loudspeakers a few more inches away from the wall again. Use the same procedure to find
the ideal distances away from the side walls. By carrying out this test, you can quickly
determine the perfect position for your loudspeakers.
7. In addition to the strength of the bass response, the distance from the side walls also
particularly affects the localization of sound events and therefore the precision of the spatial
imaging. As the distance from the walls increases, the localization will become more precise and
the sound will be more balanced. When the loudspeakers are extremely close to the side walls,
this will result in early acoustic reflections, leading to both reduced spatial perception and a
rather nervous sound reproduction. Curtains or shelves or similar at the sides reduce this effect.
6
Bass Boost of + 3 dB + 6 dB
Bass boost of > 6 dB
Setup close to the wall: Low frequencies
are broadly reinforced by around +3 and
+6 decibels when the loudspeakers are
positioned close to the wall.
Setup in the corners of the room: Low tones
become significantly louder and overlap into
the midrange frequencies. This results in a
washed-out and lethargic sound reproduction.