Serendipity: perfect example


I have my monitors positioned 6 feet apart and my favorite listening chair about 6 back, to complete my listening equalateral triangle. So I thought!! While listening to some music I had to fudge around with something by the fireplace, while sitting on an ottoman. Wow, the soundstage got so much deeper I had to stop what I was doing. I was freaking out how intimate everything sounded. Turns out, (I'll save you the ridiculous details) my listening chair was more like eight feet back. Moved my chair up two feet, (man did the speakers look ridiculously close) to complete a dead on equalateral triangle, and I'm flipping. Not only do the speakers remain, just, a visual presence, but the music is so much more intimate with a depth that boggles. I'll look dead on at one of the speakers, and there is plenty of sound coming from behind the speaker and the center, as well, but nothing directly from the speaker. Also, now I have even less reflective wall crap to worry about. Any others sitting on their speakers like this? Quite amazing. And to think I was lookig for cracks in my fireplace. That, is serendipity. peace, warren
128x128warrenh
Where have you been, after all of the discussions here on proper set up? Well, better late than never. :-)

Incidentially, I just saw a photo of a well known equipment modder listening to his work over his system. His dynamic speakers were pointed straight ahead about 1 foot from the side walls and there was no reduction on the walls to eliminate /reduce first reflections. Hmmmm....wonder if I want to buy his mod's based on what he hears. Maybe not.
I actually have my speakers spaced exactly 5.56 inches apart, and facing toward each other. This allows me just enough room to squeeze my head between them. My La Scala's sound scary close to headphones.
Hey, I was only off by 2 feet. Just trying to make the point as to how critical that 2 feet can be...
I remember listening to Audio Physic Virgos set up just a couple feet away from the couch and wider than the couch (much wider than an equilateral triangle). I felt claustrophobic looking at them, freaked out by their closeness and width. However, closing my eyes and listening resulted in incredible depth, center fill, stable images, and a surround-like ambience that didn't pull people off the stage.
2 Feet? Lets try 2 inches! Keep that fine tuning going, practice makes perfect. :-)
hey guys

my walls are 22 1/2 ft wide....my speakers are 20ft apart...you won't believe what kind of a sound i get....the old way of thinking is out ...hi-fi has to get with the program...
As long as the seperate drive units can reach optimal integration upon reaching the ear.Seems there would be more detail,dynamics,volume,cabinet driver material noise.Delayed,lowered room effect and smaller more focused sweet spot.Run a low frequency sweep to double check for a bass null/node and listen for driver colorations at nearfield.
Definitely a one seat show.I enjoy nearfield also.
Definitely a one seat show. For background, listening while I read etc. the couch will do. Serious listening requires proximity. I too, was a little freaked out by the closeness, but I look ahead at the rear wall and visually lose the speakers. The music comes out of the wall. I can, as stated, close my eyes. quite glorious.
Hi Warren,

Last time we moved I played around with speaker placement: I ended up with
the speakers only 6ft away from in an equilateral triangle. It looked
ridiculously close to me as well. My wife looked strangely at me when she saw
the placement, until she sat down and listened. My monitor speakers
completely disappear; the soundstage is incredibly deep and wide extending
nicely beyond the speakers.

By chance, the room I have right now is a golden cuboid (length to width,
height doesn't work out) and the speaker placement fits exactly the
theoretical placement on the Cardas website:

Cardas Diagram C

Well, enjoy your new and improved setup.

Rene