Speaker Placement - Lexicon CP-3 Plus Supplementary Manual

PLUS
CP-3 Theory
and Design

Speaker Placement

CAUTION: Speaker magnets
can distort the TV image. If
you see any picture discol-
oration in the area closest to
the speaker, the speaker is
too close to the screen.
24
To some degree, speaker placement will depend on whether your priorities
lean more toward music listening or film viewing. Fortunately, the goals are
the same for both listening situations: stable localization (imaging) in the
front, and diffuse, enveloping surround sound from the sides and rear.
The placement of speakers will be somewhat restricted in your home by the
need to have the sound closely associated with both the screen and your
seating area. Within this limitation, however, there are many possible
variations, for example in the height, angle and distance from the walls.
These choices, again, will depend on the type and number of speakers you
are using, as well as the physical characteristics of your room. Some of the
general effects caused by room reflections are explained in the following
section — "The Listening Room". Additional information relevant to your
particular system should be available from your speaker manuals. THX
speakers, in particular, are designed for specific placement and the
manufacturer's recommendations should be followed for best results. With
that in mind, here are some general guidelines:
If only two speakers are used, they should be placed relatively close to the
sides of the screen. With this configuration and a single listener, the
Panorama mode should be used for both music and films. For a wider sound
area, try the Ambience mode and adjust the Panorama Effect.
With multiple speakers, the main front speakers should be close to the edge
of the screen. If you have anything smaller than a 60" TV, this requires the
front speakers to be quite close together. Although spreading the speakers
further apart would provide a wider, more exciting soundstage, with some
films a few sound effects will not correlate well with the visual action when
the speakers are spread apart. Normally, the front speaker spread which is
ideal for video is too narrow for music, but the stereo effects processing in
the CP-3 PLUS restores the lost spaciousness. The front speakers should be
placed at equal heights and at equal distances from the front wall. Try
angling the speakers in toward the listening position (toe in) and keep them
away from the side walls.
A center speaker is so important for realistic dialog placement that if it is not
possible to have a center speaker it is frequently better to plug the Center
output of the CP-3 PLUS into the audio input of your video monitor and use
its built-in speaker (if it has one) than it is to run the dialog through the main
loudspeakers. (The CP-3
bass out of the center channel and directs it to the left and right speakers.)
The Center speaker should be located directly beneath or above the screen
(shielded.) — Turning on its side a speaker which is designed to be used
vertically will significantly alter the sound wave patterns it is intended to
produce.
PLUS provides a control for this setup which splits
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