2. misc-audio
  3. 179235-151192

Placement of Components

I've read that the ideal placement of components is on a side wall (not between speakers).  I am wondering if this applies to turntable set-ups only or across the board to all components? I am guessing that having a turntable between the speakers will degrade the sound quality due to the vibrations that the turntable cartridge picks up from the speakers?  Would a streamer have the same issue if it was placed between the speakers?  

I am running a Musica Pristina A Cappella III > Denafrips Terminator + > Asthetix Calypso Eclipse Preamp that are are on a side wall on a basic Salamander Archetype rack and are connected using a 25 ft. XLR runs of the World's Greatest Cables ( about $100 on Amazon) to Audio Mirror Reflection 45 SET mono blocks into Cornwall IVs. There is also an Intel NUC running Roon in the next room.  I am wondering if the long run of my modest XLRs are limiting my sound quality and I would be better of placing my components between my speakers and buying higher quality XLRs.  25 ft. runs of high quality XLRs are prohibitively expensive but I could swing one or two meters of higher quality XLRs (i.e. Cardas, Kimber, etc.) if it makes sense to place my components between my speakers.

Or maybe it's just six of one; half a dozen of another?  Any thoughts from those of you that have experimented with both set-ups in a balanced system would be appreciated. 

bgchz

Showing 2 responses by mijostyn

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 

@aewarren , there certainly are absolutes but there are issues that may only pertain to certain situations. A good example is you do not want to place a turntable on anything that sits on a bouncy floor unless it's chassis design is well isolated.

Amplifiers should always be placed as close to the speaker as possible. This is more important for lower impedance loudspeakers but it does pertain to all loudspeakers. 

Turntables are always a touchy issue because they are vibration measuring devices and they do not care where the vibration comes from. The more isolated they are the better. The volume of point source speaker drops off at the cube of the distance so keeping the turntable as far away from the speakers as possible is a good idea. The caveated is that there are locations where the bass can be amplified do to acoustic considerations and you certainly do not want to place the turntable in one of these locations.

Everything else could care less.  

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 

@bgchz , it depends.

Amplifiers should be located as close to the speaker inputs as possible keeping the speaker wires as short as possible.

Turntables are best in the next room or as far away from the speakers as you can get it. You could make that argument for mechanical devices like disc drives and tape machines but everything else, particularly if it is all balanced makes no difference where you put it as long as it is safe from flying alcoholic beverages, children and the housekeeper.

More to discover