Speaker direction?

The more toe in used the the smaller the soundstage. Dynamics are also compressed. Some frequencies will be reduced more and others accentuated depending on room placement. The only reason I sold my Watt/Puppy 6's was do to the design flaw of having to aim them at your head ala headphones...without the toe in, imaging was unfocused. Theoreticals aren't worth diddly sometimes. I prefer my room to be filled with a living breathing sounscape...unrestricted and unhyped! Speakers should be on the long wall and 10 to 12 ft apart min. Seating should be no more than the distance apart, preferrably a ltlle less. Toe in only for adequate, realistic focus. Sit low with back against treated wall if possible.

Raquel, I assume you are a woman, because you are correct in everything you said:) Of course, I was generalizing for the average system and the most common mistakes made by audiophiles. I have owned many reference systems, but most were digital based. All things considered, I do believe most audiophiles tend to constrain their systems by placing the speakers incorrectly for whatever reasons they may have.

Calldr, I grew up listening to music in a basement with the lights out. The ipod generation will never understand the complete immersion that is possible with music. Not only has music been dumbed down, but the art of listening has as well...along with the discrimination to even recognise either abilities loss as important.

I would disagree somewhat in the notion that new generation digital music listeners will ever evolve into an audiophile (best sense of the word intended). They may love what they are listening to, but most of what is being consumed is crap. Music appreciation has gone out the window for most of our kids growing during the whoring years of the music industry. MP3 formats emphasize conveinience mainly, over quality. I will allow however for the possibility that an improved playback technology may develop out of the current trends in consumer demands. The most troubling scenario at that point would then relate to what the majority would be listening to...I'm afraid it will be deeply disturbing, empty and poorly recorded. Funny really, we may have access to better, cheaper playback devices but no desire left for enjoying the potential of the format. Rod Serling warned about the decline of the arts back in the early 60's as it relates to the marketing and advertising industries. The more involvement they gain in driving the consumer toward a desired endpoint, the faster the decline of creativity and the mass audiences appreciation of original, important and thoughtfull art. Look to the decline in classical music venue attendance figures, soft jazz, rap and other dumbed down examples of what is now spewed out for mass consumption. The lowest common denominator has become the majority!! LOL