L.O.T.S. Loudspeaker Optimization Techniques for Soundstage!
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 8. 07. 2024
- LOTS | Loudspeaker Optimization Techniques for Soundstage!
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original "LOTS" video: âą AUDIOPHILE SOUNDSTAGE ...
0:00 Start
02:02 What is soundstage
03:51 Do we need tools
05:23 First, quick math
07:30 Laying tracks
11:15 Starting positions
11:56 Now we listen
13:37 ONE foot forward
15:37 Horizontal movements
16:50 Toe-in for final voicing
17:42 Tilt adjustments
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One thing to note: Siri and (assume Google) will be using decimals while I am using inches/feet. Feel free to convert if you want but keeping things simple, my method/math will get you close enough!
Do you mean: metric? :)
God bless the imperial system. #MakeItSimple
OK this isnât difficult, my American cousins - 1â = 25mm/2.5cm. God willing this will allow a very quick and simplistic formula to abide by. If youâre absorbing NRD beyond my abilities this should be a no brainer 30cm per foot as đŠđș has/had a foot in both camps for to long; imperial is just not accurate enough and is aligned with a generation before mine in the land of Oz. As an engineer mate near enough isnât good enough, but, clearly Ron made it very clear this is not an exact science, many things will impact the riggs performance đ Thanking you Ron for giving clear advice and justifying the importance of consideration toward placement âđœđ
OK now I notice this comment after making my pedantic comment LOL
Metric > imperial
As a pro audio engineer for more than 45 years I have to tell you, you nearly nailed this. You missed talking about one very important part of this, and the part this is unique to each room; standing waves. All of what you showed is 100% legit, (though I disagree on toe-in for reasons I will detail in a moment), but standing waves are where your entire process can fall apart.. In my particular room, if I put my listening place in your recommended spot, the bass falls off to almost nothing (cancelling wave). Move 12" back and it gets too loud, move 12" forward and it dials right in. My room is an anomaly, but the point is to listen CAREFULLY and not just follow 'instructions', no matter how talented the presenter.
Now, to toe-in. Toe-in sets up more cross talk between the speakers, which can produce lots of standing waves. Standing waves are USUALLY heard the best in the very low frequencies (described as 'booming' in many cases) but toe-in causes these at MID frequencies (possibly what you are calling 'shouty'). Yes, these DO indeed 'color' your sound, but I would postulate that all you are doing at that point is adding 'confusion' to your system.
I've actually tested this in an arena system as we were developing the 'flying array' systems that back in the 80's and 90's that are the norm now. We found that toe-in actually increased our power and coverage needs. Once we plotted the frequency responses from each side independently, then both sides together, it was clearly apparent that the speakers were 'fighting' each other when toed in. When left flat faced to the audience (even toed OUT a little) the edge response from each array summed in the middle to sound even across the room. Later we added center array's for vocal clarity, but kept the gain about 1-2db down for that array. later, when we began to run stereo rigs, we split the center array down the middle and discovered 'center channel' was better for an arena. It actually enhanced the stereo mix by allowing us to pan harder left and right without depriving the audience on the opposite sides of information. I think the case was that it may be a little easier to 'hear' these things when your room is hundreds of feet in each direction, and your sound system is driven by 150,000 watts! It does not hurt to be working with Dr Bose and Jack Weisberg (legendary NYC sound company owner) either!
In summary; talk about standing waves and how to listen for and accommodate them in the listening environment. Thanks for the great information videos!
Thatâs really interesting! In my home studio I have each speaker pointed right at my face. Are you saying I should have them pointing straight down the room, sort of playing right past my head?
@@SlowCarToChina The only thing you can do is try it out, and see what sounds best to you. It's your ears that will be listening to the music.
@@SlowCarToChina A speaker has a 'sound stage' and most designers do their thing with the speakers flat, not toed in. Try it flat. Close your eyes and 'position' each instrument on that soundstage. Make a 'map' in your head, then try it with toe-in. You decide. I find that the soundstage is more nuanced with my DCM TF750's flat, but they are exceptional imaging speakers. One thing you will find is that the smaller the 'face' of the speaker, the less an effect it has one way or the other. This method also brings your listening room into play more, which I prefer. Happy listening!
I have a very similar issue where my imaging is best but the bass just dissapears. I've currently got it setup where I have a nice even frequency range but have to compromise on imaging. I keep hoping I'm going to find the magic spot where it all just works but it has alluded me so far.
@@johnmcinnes9399 so I have Totem Sttafs and after I set them up I was puzzled , i wasnât that happy with the sound. I felt the midrange was completely missing even though I toed them in to Face my ears. So I looked up online and almost everyone said for these speakers they should be 6 ft apart maximum (I had them 10 ft apart as I thought this would give a wider soundstage) and TOTEM advices do not TOE them in , just keep them straight forward and three feet away from the back wall (I had them right up against the back wall). After changing them from 10 ft apart to 6 ft apart and not toed in , they sound so much better. The midrange has returned. For Home theatre I donât see much difference if they are against the back wall or not (that may also be because the bass frequencies come out of the subwoofer) but for music I definitely do notice a big difference and what people said is correct . I pull them forward 1.5-2 ft in front of the back wall for music , thatâs the best I can do (3 ft is too much) and the sound improves for sure even though the wall is reflective glass and I should probably put some foam on the wall behind the back port of these speakers
Now I just need a listening room
THIS IS INCREDIBLE!! For YEARS I knew something was off with my system and followed advice both from the manufacturer (Focal) and from countless "experts" online. The general idea of what everyone tells you is "avoid corners", "use an equilateral triangle pattern", and "listen and experiment". I am a very detail/fact oriented person, and your approach with 1 foot quadrants perfectly measured took enough of the guess work out of this to help me get my system perfect.
For anyone reading this, IT WORKS but you need to follow things exactly. Put the tape down. Measure everything... It will take about an hour of prep, but its worth it. The dark room idea helps as well. I started from the back and actually encountered two spots where things sounded incredible. Keep this in mind if the first spot you find isn't ideal. Also moving the speakers to the left or the right in the square changes things A LOT. I honestly wasnt expecting this. When you find the right spot, move the speakers far forward again then back a foot at a time... confirm your results!
Sending you a little something via PayPal as a huge thank you for this free advice!
Holy smokes man! Got your donation and canât thank you enough! Really happy that you appreciated my tutorial and that you are up and running!
I tried it out tonight without exact measurement just to see and it work great. Gonna try again tomorrow with exact measurements as you suggested.
I can't believe it... I ended up with an equilateral triangle! LOL
O.M.F.G! This is amazing. I thought I had things dialed in pretty good and I was actually close. BUT... Using this method I wound up with my speakers moved back about 8 inches more than I had them (1/3 into the room, opposite of my chair) and about 4 inches each more toward the center of the room. My goodness the speakers completely vanished, the soundstage opened up and is vast and cohesive. I couldn't be happier. Thanks so much for this!
I saw this video so long ago, but the information you shared stuck in my head. After two years I finally finished purchasing the items needed for a respectable system. It was tough having to sit and look at each piece on my shelf and wonder and dream of how it would all sound some day. Well today was the day I finally set it up.
Like many, I pushed the speakers back to the wall so there would be ample flow through the room. The sound was detailed and accurate, but something was off. There was no "presence" to the singers and instruments.
It was then I remembered your LOTS technique. I pulled the speakers WAAAY forward and started listening with my eyes closed in a dark room. I backed them up until I heard what you described as unmistakable and boy it was. When that spot hit, suddenly I had musicians and singers centered right in front of me with decays off to the sides. If I hadn't experienced that from your words of audio wisdom, I would have been missing the real joys of owning an audiophile system. I would have wanted new speakers at a minimum and perhaps even thought it was altogether a waste of money. But when the soundstage was properly set up, a huge smile just lit across my face. It was emotional, involving, and it drew you in.
My room may not be neat and orderly when compared to others, but oh the sound, the glorious sound. Thanks again Ron
And this is the difference between a real listening room and a home theater, or a family room. Hard to get perfect speaker placement without a dedicated room where you can get the speakers away from the walls. Because of the layout of my theater I've long known that my speaker placement for music sucks so I'm knowingly sacrificing it - but I've been doing it for so long I'd sort of forgotten about the 'magic' I know my speakers can deliver. You've inspired me to move them around - if even for the day - just to experience the magic again. Thanks! Maybe the sliders need to be permanent - move them out for an occasional listening session - slide them back when done.
Yep. My father was telling me that his speakers are front ported, so it doesnât matter where they are. Until recently, when I came and moved them away from the wall and heâve heard the thing. Now heâs a believer)
Thanks for sharing the technique, Iâve done it mostly by ear. Iâll certainly try it.
Iâve always kind of instinctively known this but your step by step procedure is so clear and concise. It should be ârequired viewing â for any young audiophile. Brilliant work Ron , well done! I laugh when I think about how many times Iâve suggested to friends to come on out into the middle of the room and play... thatâs where the magic happens. Wives hate me ! I try to settle them down by explaining how much money I just saved them in upgradesđđđ. A room is a terrible thing to waste...
Thank you so much for this!
The tip of starting with the speakers all the way out instead of up against the wall was GOLD. I thought the poor sound in my new house was a function of reflections and a bad room.
I was ready to drop a bunch of cash on room treatments and even shop for different speakers (and i love my current speakers). Turns out I just needed them about 6' off the front wall.
Now my soundstage is holographic and the tubby bass is tightened right up. Outstanding. Thank you again!
Nice to fix it at NO COST
Ron, This is a fantastic episode. I tried it and the results blew my mind. I had to make a few compromises but all in all, now I understand speaker disappearance. Thanks so much! Love this episode. Please keep doing stuff like this.
Great news! I love it!
After spending a year trying to get my stereo to sound like what I knew it should be I spent yesterday morning employing the L.O.T.S. system. I finally realized how much of my mid-range had been missing. When they locked in the mids bloomed which made the true bass more apparent. This in turn helped me to integrate my pair of subs much easier and I am much much closer to realizing my rig's potential. Thanks! You've probably saved me some big $$ in component upgrades!
Wow ! This absolutely WORKS !!!
I've tried other speaker placement tutorials and never got the effect that this has produced, but this method brought out a surround sound effect that I have NEVER achieved with my system. I couldn't believe it and even my wife sat there in the sweet spot and was amazed.. and she is a hard customer to please
I can't leave the speakers and seat in the locations that I ended up with, but they are marked on the floor for those times when I want to enjoy my stereo. It is amazing
Thanks a million !!!
Heck yeah!
Just did this today. Totally life changing. My speakers are now super near field like literally a foot away (open baffle full range speaker) and I finally got the imaging I have been looking for. In fact Iâm returning my center channel because I am now totally ok with a phantom center. You have saved me a lot of money and sleep less nights fiddling with stuff thanks you!
Ps: canât wait for the M6 and Spring 3 reviews those are my end game additions hopefully!
Thanks Ron, great tutorial, shedding light on one of the most overlooked setup parameters for quality sound enjoyment. Can't beat learning from the success and experience of others.
Game changer. I had never worried too much about my listening position relative to the room, but that combined with having my speakers almost in the middle of the room (front to back) has created a depth of soundstage I hadn't heard before in my space. I'm using Cornwall IV speakers, nowhere near a corner or wall :)
I'm so glad I found this video! About 10 years ago I invested quite a bit into my sound system, especially the speakers, and I thought I had it set up pretty well, and was quite pleased with the sound, but somehow felt it was lacking a certain something... well this was it, I just needed to pull my speakers away from the wall! I could only bring them forward 30cm, but even that was enough to make a big difference, the music has really come to life, I'm enjoying my CD collection all over again. Thank you so much! đ
I totally agree with the lights off eyes open approach for listening!
This is awesome, well thought out and repeatable.
Great job Ron. This is the best explanation I have ever heard or seen. I canât wait to try this!
Great tutorial. Just âcorrectedâ my rig. WOW
Thanks for all the efforts you put into that one Ron, fantastic video.
You are a genius! I followed your advice and it was like "Abracadaudio". Speakers are surprisingly far into the room but the sound stage is amazing. Thank you!
Awesome!
After checking out a couple of your videos, this one made me sub. Very well explained and put together. I have just recently experienced the sound stage from two towers and listening to music is a completely different experience now. Thanks for the hard work!
Having setup near field in a 10 x 12 bedroom for the last 2 years I can honestly say that it is a great solution especially for problem rooms. I ended up, after trying a few different speakers, with a pair of vintage Boston Acoustics T830 3 way floor standers, though admittedly due to their short height I had to raise them a foot from the wood floor it actually helped decouple them, and being a sealed design it keeps the low frequencies from being overpowering, especially as they are just 2 feet from the wall. I never thought a fairly large speaker could work so well in a smaller space.
I sit about 3 feet away on a fold down bed that serves as a couch, pulled out abut a foot from the opposing wall, works a treat. Of course, it is beneficial to use quality components that hopefully work together, I rotate a Yamaha RX 1100U receiver, Harman Kardon HK 3500 receiver and a Luxman L 215 integrated. They all work well , complimented by a Sansui SR 525 turntable and Denon blu ray player that I use as a transport through a MF V Dac.
I did position a pair of fairly expensive 2 way bookshelf speakers on top of the T830s and although a bit higher than optimum still manage to sound very good thankfully. I even prefer sitting near field in the larger living room with some larger floor standing speakers and find it just as enjoyable so well worth giving it a try.
If one has the good fortune to have the dimensions to take advantage of substantial full range floor standing speakers sitting further back can be quite the experience but most of us tend to have more modest systems with various constraints in place and so near field makes perfect sense with many more advantages than disadvantages.
Hi Ron, I have watched hundreds of videos on acoustics and this is by far the best one on speaker placement. You will have to follow it up with sub placement for sure and please include setting the cross over. Also a mention about height maybe even in the desciption would be helpfull.... And to anyone who can't leave their speakers out in the middle of the room, you don't have to just put a small sticker on the floor and bring em out when you want to spoil yourself.
:
@@BubblePuppy. There's a simple way to make a dimple... czcams.com/video/6D6Fkkl8D3g/video.html
I want to be brief for the time being, this LOTS system works some serious magic with my speaker placement, Ron thank you so much for a clear understanding of what to listen for and how to go about doing it, music is now detached from my speakers with a spooky holographic phantom image.
Yessssss!
Great, very informative video Ron! I can easily tell that your videos have stepped up to the next level since you decided to go full time. For me, that means I search out your videos more often. Very nice job, Ron!
This is awesome! Please keep sharing tips and tweaks.
Greetings from the UK. Thank you for this video. I tried all sorts of methods to get sound stage breadth and depth. Most worked quite well. Yours was perfect and much easier to fine tune. Probably the best and certainly the cheapest major upgrade for any system. Thank you.
Awesome!
Love this. Canât wait to try it!
Great tutorial, very well explained and illustrated; definitely worth a try.
I found this my own way. We got to the same place in different ways. This is very cool. When I get a new listening room I will do this and mine using this as my basis. Excellent video. Thank you for the beautiful explanation.
There is LOTS of great advice in this video (sorry, I couldnât resist). Rock solid method to getting your speakers in the right place. Well done buddy!
Best wishes from the other side of the pond, Tarun.
Great tips Ron!
Best how to on speaker set up ive ever seen!
It is magic!!!!!!! Thank you so much. If you listen once like this, you cant go back. It is not music anymore
I just got started and it freaking works. I have a small room. Wow. Thank you!
Awesome!
I used painter's tape and moved the speakers an inch at a time. Listened over the course of three or four days. Outstanding sound stage and imaging as a result.
How far did they end up from your back wall
@@Chase1297 Floorstanders, about 6 feet to the wall.
Tried this today. Worked great! Finally I have a holografic soundstage.
I'm an Engineer so your approach makes a lot of sense to me, I can't wait to try this myself. You have a new subscriber! Thanks!
Welcome aboard!
I'm going to try this tonight. Thank you for taking the time to make this!
Thanks , brother... I'm gonna try it today... Going away from near field.. let's see... I have all the faith..
I just finished with my media room and I'll be trying this out in a few days. Can't wait. Only problem is my room is only 9.5ft in length. So that's siting 3' 2" away. Not going to happen. I really can't change where I'll be sitting but the speaker position can be played with a bit. Thanks Ron!
Just drop in and say thank you for such an incredible advice! I played around with the speakers for the whole morning and i was fascinated. Not only me, but my wife too who doesn't know much about acoustic She could hear the difference. What's more, you van move your speakers wider or narrower to suit difficult genre of music if you need more vocal or soundstage. Wonderful
My wife told me there was something wrong when she was listening to an audio book because there was no sound coming out of the speakers (just the phantom center). I'm still playing around with placement.
The math is very much in line with what I've read, then done. And when you're close, an inch or 2 out or in, forward or back can make a noticable difference. But I have NEVER been able to make those speakers disappear. When good, the speakers are like the microphones, and the performance is behind and outside their placement. That's been like the holy grail for me. Great tutorial on the mechanics of getting it done. Thanks.
Thanks for the comment!
A good way to look at it is you want the sound to be coming from behind the speakers. When you accomplish that, then they are gone.
Marvellous! Thanks Ron.
Outstanding tutorial. I have been serious about music gear for many years and I knew nothing of this. Thank you!
Good advise, going to have to try this.
Great one! Thanks for sharing!
That video was done really well. People need to hear differences in slight increments so they can determine the differences before arriving at the sweet spot.
Youâre always stepping up your game. Taket level đ
Hey thanks!
Fantastic video! I finally got around to trying this in my new stereo listening space (have had Axiom M60s for years, but due to various reasons *-cough*WAF*cough-* have been sitting in a closet for years until we reorganized our office to include a reading/music nook).
In my 10x20 room, the speakers had been sitting just a foot off the front wall and 1.5ft from the side walls, toed in slightly. I know itâs not ideal, but WAF has its limitations and I was thrilled that she suggested bringing the speakers out in the first place. :)
After doing the LOTS steps, it turns out that the magic spot for the speakers was 4 feet from the back walls (with the listening position ~7ft from the back wall), 2.5ft from the side walls, with . The magic is real! The improvements in imaging, soundstage, balance and realism are downright startling! Iâve always enjoyed and been impressed by my Axioms, but wish I knew years ago just how good they could sound with proper placement.
The downside? There is no way in hell my wife would be okay leaving the speakers sitting 4 feet out into the room. Iâll just have to move the speakers out for listening sessions and move them back for WAF. But Iâm okay with that.
Great advice on all counts! Just a damn good, down to earth video...period! Thank you!
Few things...one, folks should know that combining the set up recommendations you present along with creating an (early) reflection free zone at the listening spot with a few strategically located absorption panels to kill those earliest hard reflections takes all this magic to the next level (there is soooo much more to behold beyond the "center image") and can remedy image shift issues in room set ups that don't allow for symmetry (equal distance between speakers and side walls). I remember your video on room acoustics, and I kept waiting for you to reference it in this video, but I suspect you were keeping the size of the pill small so folks who haven't embarked on the placement/room acoustics journey wouldn't feel intimidated or overwhelmed. But I think you'll agree that the payoff when combining the two is orders of magnitude more effective and affordable than something like expensive cable tweaks and/or upgrading your $500 DAC to a $1000 unit.
Two, you could probably do an entire video regarding how what we see when we're listening affects sound stage resolution. Lighting is a huge factor, but so is something like having metadata on a monitor in front of you that draws your attention away from the "free air"...or even oneâs physical/emotional state (rested vs fatigued, sick vs healthy, etc). Fascinating chit.
And lastly, and its pretty pedantic, but THANK YOU for calling the wall behind the speakers the FRONT wall and the wall behind the listening spot the REAR wall. Drives me nuts when people reverse it (and I see and hear it happening A LOT in hifi discussions).
Ok...time to get back to work on my GRR x-Statik build. ;)
Outstanding job on this video, BTW!
I bought a FX Audio DAC for 50 bucks. I replaces the electrolytic capacitors with film caps and now it sounds like a $3,000 DAC. Oh ya I forgot about the OPA-627 "can" style op amp. That was a bit pricey, but holly smokes!!!!
Thank you .
Thank you for your advice
*damn this clarity and wide sound stage i never heard from my klipsch before. very nice, thx:.
I think this is a nice starting point when setting up in the long axis of a room. In my case, I have my listening axis short, meaning my front and back wall are the long walls of my rectangular living room,. This setup gives me a sound stage unbelievably wide. I can get almost 180° with some tracks. Yet with depth giving me that 3D, holographic illusion. Also check out some technical from Audio Physics. I also think that the rules of 3rds and 4ths can be broken, donât be afraid of going wider with more toe in.
Life changing video !! Thank you so much !
Ron this was great. Thank you. Hope you and your family are doing well.
I think the last part - toe-in adjustment deserves a detail video on its own - the listening, measurement (just for validation - I'm sure there are people out there who wants to quantify things). Oh... there are speakers out there with round edges (i.e. not boxy and hard to 'see' or observes the sides being equally toed-in). Nice job!
Very good info. Best thing I can add, once you are done with all of this, use the tape and adjust if necessary until the speakers are within 1/16" of the exact same distance to you, and toed in absolutely symmetrically. Because once you get close then eliminating even these tiny little imperfections delivers focus and depth you have to hear to believe. Can you tell I have done this a few times? đ
Amazing video Ron đ
Thanks Ron, simple well explained tutorial, great acronym đ.
Amazing video thanks!
This was absolutely useful information ! And it was actually fun to do! Thanks for this.
I really like this technique!.
Brilliant! Thank you đ
Thanks!
So great ! Perfect. Thanks
This may be the best video on CZcams
Very good. Thanks
Good insight and good explanations. Thanks Eric!
Such a great video in these hard times. Letâs go play with speaker placement.
Such a great video. I wish I could like it twice. Very helpful!
Great video. Thank you for the tutorial. đ
Thank you very much for sharing.
I'm getting a kick how you're saying tape measure (maysure). Love it. đ I had to rewind a few time to make sure it wasn't my hearing.
Hahaha
Great video....!!!!
Canât wait for your GR NX Studio video.
That was great. I've learned I need to move my large Advent speakers.
Fantastic video Obi Ron
This is a great method. Although problematic if you don't have a dedicated listening room and can't place all furniture accordingly.
But I will definitely try doing my bestđ
Wow! What a difference. Thanks for the tips.
Excellent video !! AND, SO HAPPY to see one of the LAST remaining BRICK AND MORTAR audio stores (where you can still audition the equipment) in MY area shown as your sponsor! Dave and his crew are simply wonderful, and I always let their name be known when I leave comments on the various audio review video channels. I am the very happy owner of a new Parasound Halo A-21 / Halo P6 combo driving Martin Logan ESL-9 electrostats and Kimber cable interconnects. ALL from Safe and Sound. This is the nicest sounding audio system I have ever owned and Dave put it all together. Their new warehouse is like a Home Depot, only all audio gear. Thanks again for a great, informative video presentation. (O:
The best explanation of placing I have ever heard/seen. Thanks, dude. Keep on rocking.
Hey thanks man
Great video mate. Welldone.
Thank you for the useful advice
It's all about the room
Great stuff
Essentially this is similar to "HP's Rule of Thirds". Which is always a solid platform from which to begin to operate.
The math/physics involved suggest the "38% Rule" is a good place to begin, ie., listening position being 38% off boundary wall behind listener, or off boundary wall in front of listener.
Always be mindful these are theoretical ideal, and in situ measurements trump theory. The 38% point is simply the best mathematical point for the most benign blend of peaks/nulls in that room axis.
Most enthusiasts don't want to know why, ... they just want a guide like you offered in this video ... so great stuff! Your an asset to this community.
I truly dig the music accompanying the vid.
All the best, Kevin
Great, brilliant, fantastisc. Haven't done my "homework" yet, but will the minute I have the time. I love Your work, thanks!
Ty, gonna give this a shot
This was great Ron. Trouble is when your listening room is your living room and that is open plan. This is my dilemma, especially when I factor in the island bench kitchen. Love ya work!
Chainsaw?
đ€ got my speaks on standmounts with mini castors so they can be moved around easily but not in the dark...
Superp tutorial Ronđ
But I would like to ad something you left out.... Depending on your room layout, it is not always true, that you get the best result, setting your speakers up with the same distance from your listening position. So the best thing is to follow your tutorial, but moving them one at a time. Especially the bas, is easier to get right that way.
This comes from another metod of tuning your speaker placement, where you start by listening to only one speaker placed at the frontwall, and then moving it until the bas is spot on, then doing the same with the other. Combining that with your metod worked wonders in my roomđ
You're amazing! This worked wonders in my odd small shaped room(10x10x9 effective). I am getting some GIk acoustic treatment soon. I had my speakers too far apart. I watched your small room video too. Took the best from both.
Awesomeness!
First off -- this is excellent advice and thank you for sharing it. When I first started getting truly interested in creating a quality listening experience (many years ago), I had a less-than-ideal room but still managed to stumble my way (mostly by luck, to be honest) to making an excellent soundstage. Even then, I'd heard enough live (acoustic, mostly) music to realize that I wasn't hearing these sounds a two distinctive sources, but as an experience unfolding in 3D space with notable perception of width, center, and depth As you said, once experienced, anything else is disappointment, regardless of the specs of the gear.
This approach assumes a rectangular, regular-shaped listening area with freedom to place the speakers wherever. For many, though, this just isn't the case, and speaker placement comes down to a combination of available locations and whatever one's "significant other" will tolerate. This may explain why "against the wall" shows up so frequently, even from speaker companies that surely are aware of the soundstage concept.
Placement restrictions aside, do you have any tips for dealing with asymmetric listening areas?
Ron, Awesome video and your are so right it's amazing how many Audiophile pics i see on reddit and they spend all this money then stick there speakers in the corners. "Never put baby in the corner" well anyway it works only difference i did is once i locked in the sound stage i toed in ever so slightly till i locked in my center image then i stopped. Sound like a completely different system Thanks so much..
Thanks for the tutorial Ron (it's built-up from your Frequency Friday). My system sound improved drastically using your method. Due to my irregular room shape, my final added step was leaning forward, backward, left , right, and diagonal to fine tune the sitting position. Much appreciated.
I used the golden ratio and it worked awesomely for me.
thanks for sharing good info.
Great video!!! I am definitely gonna give this technique a try! Thanks again for a great video! I learned a lot!
Good luck and have fun!
Wow! This is fantastic! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Going to go give this a try right now!
Awesome!