Speaker positioning: why do audiophiles neglect this so much?

It’s true there are just too many variables in all different rooms. Also in what people like to hear with respect to “too live” or “too dead”.

After decades, Im one of those folks that has come to my own personal conclusion that room acoustics come first. Whether it be broadband absorption and diffusers galore or just a few furnishings and a rug (or not), it’s room dependent.

Then comes the positioning of speakers/listeners. For me gear comes last.

But what if you do low volume/near field listening? Or headphones?

With no real boundary interference is room treatment necessary?

Here I would think the electronic gear would take priority.

Preferences and taste can’t be argued after all…

@mahgister Shouldn’t have been too bad at low level (and near field) except at the lower frequencies (<250Hz)…

Still that’s nothing to sneeze at (starting around middle C on a piano) Also correcting those lower frequencies throughout the room are perceived as 40-50% increase in music quality to most listeners…

You don’t have to sell me on the importance of optimized room acoustics with proper treatments.

@4afsanakhan The symmetry you speak of can usually have positive effects ABOVE the transition frequency of the room.

Below it the opposite is usually true.

@mijostyn +1

We often post up to describe our preferences. We enjoy the hobby in our own way… thats the beauty of it (and most other hobbies).

Go nuts on room treatments but lousy gear, or vise versa, or both, or neither, or any other combination of parts and pieces one sees fit…

“@mijostyn  I’ll risk further damage to my reputation and agree with you once more… IME the listening room is always a very large part of the system…

Im too new to this board, I don’t yet know folks…perhaps most here would not form an opinion about me yet.
If they would (this early) then I’d not be too concerned anyhow lolololololol…