Redkiwi--I like this post. First I think people posting should qualify the speakers they are placing: bi-pole, di-pole, planer, ported (rear vs front). Each of these would most likely give different results. While I've helped with speaker placement, the only ones I feel that I have spent enough time with in tweaking their position is a pair of Martin Logan Monoliths. This is a sealed closure woofer and of course planer di-pole for mids and highs--it is also important to note that the planer component is curved. Oddly enough with the exception of the distance from the front wall, all other mis-alignments have the same problem. Namely, the soundstage falls apart. So, in more detail:
Distance from front wall. 2 things happen hear. One is bass reflection. Too close to the wall and the bass becomes bloated. The second issue is the reflection for the planers. They need room to breath and I've found that it is approximately 1/3 the distance between them. Mine are spaced 120 inches apart, with about 40 inches from the front wall. I would be interested if others found this "rule number 2 of thirds" for planers to be valid.
Distance between speakers: Aside the previous comment, they can't get too far appart on the image breaks down--the central voices--in fact I use female soloists to check this. If they (the vocalists) don't have a central and easily defined position, either speakers are too far appart or the toe in is wrong.
Toe in: Too far out and there's no central image, too far in and everything is bunched up in the center and the soundstage seems very small. I usually start with them toed in too much, and gradually move them outward until the soundstage (central image) falls apart. Then I toe them back in from that position just a little.
Well, I try to keep my posts reasonably short. So that's my 2 cents in a nut shell, but I welcome questions and follow-up.
Distance from front wall. 2 things happen hear. One is bass reflection. Too close to the wall and the bass becomes bloated. The second issue is the reflection for the planers. They need room to breath and I've found that it is approximately 1/3 the distance between them. Mine are spaced 120 inches apart, with about 40 inches from the front wall. I would be interested if others found this "rule number 2 of thirds" for planers to be valid.
Distance between speakers: Aside the previous comment, they can't get too far appart on the image breaks down--the central voices--in fact I use female soloists to check this. If they (the vocalists) don't have a central and easily defined position, either speakers are too far appart or the toe in is wrong.
Toe in: Too far out and there's no central image, too far in and everything is bunched up in the center and the soundstage seems very small. I usually start with them toed in too much, and gradually move them outward until the soundstage (central image) falls apart. Then I toe them back in from that position just a little.
Well, I try to keep my posts reasonably short. So that's my 2 cents in a nut shell, but I welcome questions and follow-up.