Room Acoustics and Speaker Placement

OP 

Thanks. 

The great thing is that regardless of your investment level optimizing your setup willl make a huge difference in the sound quality and is great experience for later systems. When you have time after a couple weeks, add some photos to your virtual system. They are very easy to add there.

I have had decades of enjoyment of improving my system with set up and of course listening. 

Ultimately, you have to try stuff. I would keep the two feet on the right to start with. Looks like you can gain nearly a foot on the left. Since there is not a wall close to the left speaker you have more space there. 6 feet apart would be a good sized triangle. You can try more later. 

As far as the rack goes. In part it depends on the volume you listen. But I would try to move it as far away as possible so the speakers are not shaking the rack... I would try up to, but not under the TV. Good starting point. I am sure your wife doesn’t want this looking too weird. 

Best practice... is to put the amp on the floor and split the system at the preamp. But, this is the kind of refinement you can work towards year from now. Yes, speaker cables should be the same length. We have all struggled with this. Frustrating, but a really good habit to bite the bullet and get the same length. 

I’d recommend Robert Harleys, The Complete Guide to High End Audio. As if you would have time for reading with a toddler. I am sure you are lucky if you get a half hour to listen to music. 

Also, it would be helpful to know your equipment. You can put that a Virtual System... so you don't have to repeat it. Knowing the exact components can be very helpful in making recommendations. 

Have fun, take your time. 

You’re welcome to PM me if you want to continue any of this in private. Your call. I’m good either way. 

OP,

Thanks for the feedback. The glass above the system looked like mirrors at an angle. I get it now. 

You would move the rack  to prevent it from interfering with the imaging. You could cage the rack over to the side, like you have the whole system now. Then just protect each speaker. 

Once this is done and you are able to sit at the apex of a roughly equilateral triangle with the speakers (you can just move a chair there when you listen). You will want to dial in the speakers. I think you can move the left speaker a bit further out since there is no adjacent side wall... Actually what is the speaker to speaker distance? I can’t tell. You would want 6’ to 7’... but it can be smaller... it determines where the listener position it. 

You will want to slowly vary the toe in on the speakers between beams crossed behind your head and straight out. Take your time. I typically try one extreme and then the other, very slowly converging on the one with the best central image and widest sound stage. You can work on this for a week... Drop it and work on other things... pick it up again next year. Over time you will learn the sound of your system and optimize the toe in. 

You can determine how effective acoustic panels are by simulating them. I have used couch cushions (wrap in heavy blankets if they are leather), pillows and rolled up blankets... anything like that. The height of the imaging will be determined by the acoustic treatments. The treatments that you have only do not extend to the floor. So they will restrict the imagine height. Look at my main system, notice the pillows along the floor. The soundstage on my system goes from outside the speakers, above the speakers and into the wall. 

OP,

Thanks. Speaking of pictures worth a thousand words... really worth it. 

Well, that is challenging. Where are you going to sit? That will be a challenge. Where you have put the speakers is the obvious placement. You can do a corner bass trap and acoustic panels behind the speakers. Moving the rack over next to the TV would help. This would probably sound really good. Can you find a way to put a listening chair that make a triangle with the speakers?

Are those mirrors on th ceiling? Those are probably acoustically bad. 

Option 2. 

You can differentially decorate the sidewall the at is closer to the speaker to absorb a bit more. Open behind is great, since the great depth will eliminate rear reflections. And as a bonus, it will probably sound better in the dinning area.