Speaker positioning: why do audiophiles neglect this so much?

Someone asked for some basics from Jim Smith:

First, determine the optimum listening position in the room by determining where bass response is best (most even, not at a null).  Instrumentation can help here.

Next, relative to the listening spot, find the optimum speaker placement.  Start at the 83%rule mentioned above, as a starting point.  Adjust from there.  Many fine adjustments over time are necessary for best results.

Treat first reflection points.

Lastly, a blend of absorption and diffraction is best ( ratio of 1:2 respectively - more diffraction).

All other things equal, avoid equipment between speakers.  If unavoidable, place it low to floor and behind speakers.

Before spending on better equipment, try the above methods to improve performance of what gear is already there.

Harder to do than say, admittedly.

@bobbydd ,

Please show us how you have positioned the speakers in your system. Would love to see that.

@mahgister said:

I am not a gear fetichist but a student of experimental acoustic IN MY ROOM ....

My wife puts up with acoustic panels on walls and I have autonomy in speaker and listening position - but don't think I'd get away with the experimental room tuning you've got going on: 

The photos in my virtual pages dated back in the months before my systematic listening experiments in acoustic few years ago...

My actual dedicated room is my music room and laboratory...

Not a living room...And way more "silly" than in these past images...

Nothing is esthetical because all is homemade with low cost materials...

Then some may mock me, but i laugh last...

My wife would have divorced if i had put anything in our living room...But think about that, if my wife had accepted my system presence in the living room i would have never experimented  and discovered acoustic powerful impact...Most audiophile think that it  is only an icing on the cake...Sorry but it is the reverse, most upgrades are only icing on  a bad or on  a good cake , acoustic experience and science is the cake itself....

It was fun to experiment, fun to learn how to listen and tune the speakers/room and at peanuts costs...i am proud to not be a gullible passive consumer of audio only but also a creative learning student of audio and acoustic in particular....

Some of my experiment could inspire some more crafty people than me and can be tried in a living room...And my experience can spare useless upgrading to some and oriented them toward low cost acoustical experiments...This is the only reason for my posts....If it is not useful to some then i am nut for sure....

But the fact is and will not change because you would want it so : acoustic matter more than a piece of brand name gear at the end...

And a dedicated room is the only luxury in audio not the price tag of the gear....The fact that these two claims are inconvenient truths to spell in an audio thread dont matter...

😁😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😁😎

My deepest respect to you....

@mahgister said:

I am not a gear fetichist but a student of experimental acoustic IN MY ROOM ....

My wife puts up with acoustic panels on walls and I have autonomy in speaker and listening position - but don’t think I’d get away with the experimental room tuning you’ve got going on:

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8221

@mahgister said:

acoustic matter more than a piece of brand name gear at the end..

I tend to agree with this in principle, though I acknowledge there are gains to be had with well designed premium equipment.

I'd rather have low cost equipment properly setup in an acoustically sorted room than the most expensive gear thoughtlessly setup in problematic and untreated room. 

I've read descriptions of gear I'm familiar with that are quite laughable because people are describing the problems of the setup or listening environment.