A$$ & Ears


Hoping this results in a fresh chain of "current" information or an affirmation of similar posts from the past. 

I tried a couch in my listening room and never considered things like ear height, which translates to seat height. My goal was to "share" my system with others, from my wife to friends. The truth ended up being that it is less than one percent of the time that there is someone listening other than myself. Secondly, sitting on a couch in a showroom for 10 minutes does not translate into actual comfort for 30 minute, plus listening sessions. I typically listen for more than an hour at a time. The couch is going! 

My goal is to get something very comfortable, possibly wide enough for two (wife only), with a low back so my head would be clear, and high enough because I "need?" my ears to be at the height of the horns / tweeters.

I found several solutions but have not pulled the trigger because of the ear height "requirement"? There are so many images out there where every audiophile with systems costing six to seven figures have the famed Eames? lounge chair:

 

It's a cool chair, checks most boxes and there are plenty of clones that are very affordable. My problem is that your butt is almost on the floor, yet you see it in countless rooms where the tweeter, ribbon, or horns must be above the listener's head. I've seen some million-dollar systems where the tweeters are clealy feet above the listener's ears! There is no apparent toeing-down of the speakers... What gives? It's the chair to have for show? The chair that means you are a serious Audiophile? Ear height really isn't that important? It "feels" like I would not be taken seriously if I don't have that chair in my treated room haha. 

Should I abandon my requirement that my a$$ needs to be at least 20+ inches from the floor? 

There are solutions to raise the height of your chair, but they can get expensive depending on the type of base your chair has.

Curious about the ear height "rule", your experience with seating and to learn what you have and if your ears are in the same plan as your "tweeters".

Thanks!

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Not all speakers are configured the same way, but I prefer ear height to be at the acoustic center between the mid/midbass driver and tweeter, not at tweeter height. With many speakers, that puts ear height a few inches below tweeter, but it can depend on how far away you sit.

I use and recommend the Ekornes recliners. When upright my ears are exactly the same height as the tweeter in my speakers (37"). The comfort level is superb for long term listening, reading, etc. There are several models and they do 'sit' differently. Mine are the most expensive(!) and worth every dime. Only one person chair, buy two. FWIW I could have bought the Eames chair but I never thought it was really that comfortable for me. I have a bad back - the Ekornes has great back support, especially lower back. Check them out. BTW I'm 5'10"  and 185lbs.