The Front Speakers; Subwoofer Location (For 2.1 Systems) - Emotiva RSP-1 User Manual

The Front Speakers

You should closely follow the placement recommendations of your
speaker manufacturer, with the addition of the following points:
• The left and right front speakers should be positioned so that
you are exactly centered between them. This will help create
a stable phantom center image
• For the best overall imaging, the left speaker should be
set exactly the same distance and angle away from your
listening position as the right speaker. It is recommended
that you use a tape measure to set them up to be the same
distance away, within about half an inch tolerance.

Subwoofer Location (for 2.1 Systems)

A subwoofer typically sounds best in a corner with at least 5 feet
of wall to either side. Due to the short wavelengths of high-
frequency sounds, they don't interact strongly with the size and
shape of a room. Lower frequencies long wavelengths that can
cause "Standing wave" problems. Placing the subwoofer in a
corner usually creates the best possible situation for the sound
to interact with the room, allowing even distribution of the bass
frequencies. Often the corner that offers nearby placement to
the front speakers may yield the best results, but you should try
several locations before settling on just one.
The best location for a single subwoofer can be found by playing
a couple of different low frequency test tones (or some music
with heavy sustained bass passages) and proceeding with the
following easy 1-2-3 process:
1. Place the subwoofer right on the seat of your couch or listening chair.
2. You can then either run the calibration (noise) signal through it, or simply plug the analog outputs of a CD
player directly into your subwoofer's low-level inputs. Turn down the subwoofer's volume level before turning
on the CD, then play the test tones or some music with heavy sustained bass passages.
3. Walk around the room, standing in all the positions where you might be able to place the subwoofer. Again,
this is usually near the corners of the room. Try locations fairly close to the front speakers.
Notice where in the room the bass output from the subwoofer sounds the loudest. Shut things down and
install the subwoofer there. This is the best position for the subwoofer. The bass will sound the best when
you are sitting in your normal listening position.
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Place LEFT and RIGHT main speakers at equal
distances from the listening position as if to create an
imaginary triangle between the listening position and
the speakers.
Standing waves depicted in a room. "Peaks" are good,
"Dips" are bad.