Sonus Faber Speakers Owner's Manual page 7

the speaker
in its environMent
When the speakers have been removed from their
packaging (which we recommend keeping for any future
moves), they may be set up in the room.
Special attention should be given to the choice of music
room and the positioning of the speakers. These choices
will have an important influence on the tonal balance of
the whole sound system.
The best kind of room is one with irregular walls and
ceiling. By irregular, we mean that the dimensions of
the walls and ceiling should not be identical, or close to
identical. The worst room is a square one.
Such irregularity can improve response because diffraction
of the sound waves against numerous surfaces limits the
formation of standing waves. Rugs and curtains have a
positive effect on the acoustic response, too, helping to
absorb the standing waves generated in the music room.
However, too many can also negatively affect the timbre
of the room.
The speakers may now be positioned in the chosen room.
However, taking the above criteria into account, it must be
pointed out that there are no fixed rules that are universally
valid for every room. A good approach is to start by
theoretically dividing the room into three equivalent
surfaces, as shown by the shaded lines in figure 1. The
speakers are best placed on the first of these lines and well
away from the side walls, while the best listening position
is on the second, as shown by position A in figure 1; this
will ensure a good quantity of air all around the speakers,
allowing them to work in total freedom, and protect the
listener from acoustic reflections generated near the walls
and corners of the room.
Position A in figure 1 also shows how the axes of the
speakers should be made to converge on the listening point,
crossing on it and creating the classic 'isosceles triangle'
configuration. This consists of literally aiming the speakers
at the ears of the listener, ensuring the best possible focus
of the stereophonic image.
Table 1 shows the effect of the speaker position on the
frequency response module. Position A, which is the best
arrangement, generates curve A, which shows a correct
linear response balanced to the variation in frequency.
Position B, on the other hand, given by the proximity of
the speakers and the listening position to the end and side
walls, generates curve B (shaded). This has a response that
is anything but linear, marked by a greater emphasis of
the bass range and considerable dampening of the treble.
These alterations noticeably reduce the quality of the
stereophonic image.
Since other domestic requirements will prevent most
people applying the above criteria, intended to create
virtually ideal listening conditions, we recommend placing
the speakers at least 70-80 centimetres away from the
corners and the side and back walls.
The distance between the speakers themselves should be
between 1.5 and 2.5 metres.