JM Focal 1037 BE speaker placement

Mike,

What they are saying is that in your room you should probably have the speakers about two feet from the walls (generally a good idea no mater what the size of the room)...You might be able to get away with them being 1.5 feet away, but I wouldn't go much closer as it creates a bass "bloom" which is what the diagram indicates. Secondly if the speakers are two feet from the walls that leaves a total distance from speaker to speaker at 7.5 feet. This means that you want to be sitting about that same distance from each speaker...I have found that if I sit a little closer to my Jm Labs that I get a better more engulfing soundstage, so you might try sitting about 7 feet away from the speaker with your ear at about the same height as the tweeter, that way you get the best sound....I have found Jm Labs to be a very picky speaker about placement, but once you have it right they are the best speakers I have ever owned.

Happy listening,
Ben

I'd go 3 feet from side walls and then optimize distance to rear wall according to bass response. The most accurate sound (flattest frequency response) will usually come with speakers placed either 6 feet or more into the room. The most pleasing but bumpy "bass boosted" sound is usually with placement much closer to the rear wall behind the speaker. In the bass boosted mode you tend to lose some frequencies altogether due to rear wall quarter wave cancellation, however, since music is harmonic in content this will only make some mid bass notes appear thin. Experiment until you get the best compromise...no room and therefore no speaker placement is ever perfect. There is no magic formula.

Thank you Ben and Shadorne.
I'm in the ballpark at 28" to 32" from the side walls and 36 to 48" from the back wall. Any closer than 32" from the side walls and the speakers get very close together in my 11.5ft wide room. They seem to sound best as far from the side walls that I can get them without compressing the soundstage and I do like them closer to the rear wall and more bass. I adjust my seating position to be just outside the distance the speakers are apart. Closer does sound better.

Mike

I was confused also confused with the instructions. But I think every room is different. I too, perfer my seating position just outside the distance the speakers are apart giving me a more of a focused stagging. Good for vocals. And by adjusting the toe in some i get the right imaging of the ochestra. In figure A, it says 1 =2 but greater or equal to 3.

On a side note, Have any one try tilting the speakers slightly upward (approx. 7 degrees). I did it by raising the rear spikes and lowering the front spikes but placed 3/4 inch wood blocks under the front spikes. By doing this solved 2 issues for me. First the raised wood sub-floor was causing artificial reverberation from the down firing port, since it is 90 degrees to the floor. By tilting the speakers slightly, the port is now firing at an angle to the floor. The artificial bass reverberation is gone. I still get accurate bass. Second, it less brignt.

A little about brightness; you may be experience some brightness from the 1037's. I use Virtual Dynamics cables all around . Brigntness is completely gone. Sorry for the deviation form the subject. But still relates to the 1037s. Just love these speakers even more as i maximise the system for them to sing.

Thanks Tmstamps,
I too have a suspended wood floor and carpeting. I thought about tilting but put my speakers on 15x18x3" butcher block maple slabs.
I just got these speakers and the rest of my system is new to me, I took a two year layoff and am just starting up now. I have my speakers set with a very slight toe-in. I'm breaking in all Synergistic Tesla Apex wires. My CD player, speakers and wires are new so I need a couple of weeks to break in before passing judgment.
I welcome any ideas, I should just rename this thread to discuss the 1037 BE's.

Mike

Recently I got a pair of 1028be2's. My room is a cathedral ceiling with a Loft over the listening area. 9' ceiling, then open on both sides.

My speakers are setup in a modified triangle with 2'10" out from the rear wall. Sidewalks are 17' away. The room is wide but my seating position is 28" or so from a rear wall with openings to a dining room and hallway.

I haven't experimented a lot with distance behind the speakers yet. They're on long spikes and a few are getting loose from me trying to move them.
I'll have to call Focal about a repair. Never had that issue with my B&Ws, but these sound so, so much better!!
Simaudio 700i AMP
Simaudio Neo260D CD Player
Bryston BDA-1 DAC
Discovery Cables
Mapleshade Isolation Sys.

Recently I got a pair of 1028be2's. My room is a cathedral ceiling with a Loft over the listening area. 9' ceiling, then open on both sides.

My speakers are setup in a modified triangle with 2'10" out from the rear wall. Sidewalks are 17' away. The room is wide but my seating position is 28" or so from a rear wall with openings to a dining room and hallway.

I haven't experimented a lot with distance behind the speakers yet. They're on long spikes and a few are getting loose from me trying to move them.
I'll have to call Focal about a repair. Never had that issue with my B&Ws, but these sound so, so much better!!
Simaudio 700i AMP
Simaudio Neo260D CD Player
Bryston BDA-1 DAC
Discovery Cables
Mapleshade Isolation Sys.