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Hey all,

I'm looking for some speaker placement advice.

I have searched the internet and tried several methods. Of note, were several golden ratio methods like one that I found on the Cardas website, but the best method I have found so far is as follows: Start in the corners and move out in somewhat equal proportions. At some point you will arrive at a point where you get: loudest bass, but most balanced bass between different bass notes. Then you measure the distance from the sidewalls, and you add half that distance, and you move the speakers in accordingly. For some reason, in my room, when you make this move, you end up in: quietest bass, but still the most balanced bass between bass notes. I have decided I prefer this position best! From what I can tell, my speakers within several inches front to back, and side to side from this position perform equally well. It's a general location of balance! From what I have read however, speaker placement down to a precision of about 1/4" all makes a significant difference, so I'm wondering where to proceed from here. I have tried simply moving them a couple inches front to back, and a couple inches side to side, and it only seems to take them out of their sweet spot, so I formulated a method of preserving the ratio front back/ side side, and moving them along this line, and I also plotted out the inverse of this relationship and it looks like an "x" on my floor of possible locations I can locate the speakers. I just haven't tried it yet because my speakers are a little bit cumbersome.

Does anybody have any insights for me, or other methods that would approximate this procedure?

I imagine it's a pretty common situation for any pro sound tech moving into a venue for the first time, if the venue owner doesn't explicitly tell him where to locate his mains for optimum sound. He would then have to do some measurements, start with an approximation, and then arrive at a conclusion in the same manner I have done. Certainly there has to be a formula out there for doing this!

Thanks,

Chris

Hi Chris:

If you are using monopoles [conventional 'box' loudspeakers] you might find this technique useful:

WASP

\\Charles

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"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanks Charles,

I have tried that one, but I forget how it works. I will read it again and see if it gives me any new insights.

Chris

one model that is being used is called the Sumiko Master Set that seems to have a good deal of popularity, you may want to look into that, the procedure is on the 'net...

For monopole, live end - dead end works for me. That's come from studio setup, which the listener should seat about 1/3 into the room, and the speakers 1/6. It's close monitoring but it works surprisingly good. Again, at least for me....

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SamB

Had an interesting discussion with Herb at the show. Seems he found a few people who believe in putting each speaker where it sounds right, one at a time. Aficianados of this approach include Sandy Gross and John DeVore.

Sandy calls it " Setting up speakers like a blind man."

They look weird but sound good.

The world isn't purely symmetrical so why your your speakers be?

Food for thought.

I've tried the Joachim Gerhard method before, with speakers toward the middle of the room (not directly on the nodes) and the listener all the way up against the back wall, and it works pretty well......

My current setup is dictated by my open-plan living-dining room pair. I have my dipoles at the junction of the two rooms.

[quote="FerdinandII"]I've tried the Joachim Gerhard method before, with speakers toward the middle of the room (not directly on the nodes) and the listener all the way up against the back wall, and it works pretty well......

My current setup is dictated by my open-plan living-dining room pair. I have my dipoles at the junction of the two rooms.

What dipoles are you using and what are the dimensions of your living and dining rooms?

Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL
Width of rooms are 13' and 10'. Dining room has ascending staircase to the left (which I didn't show in the diagram), making it seem narrower.
Length is 13' x 2 = 26'

The way in which these dipoles couple with both rooms gives a very nice ambient effect for non-critical listening and the minimal rear reflection when sitting in the listening spot has advantages. I wish I had a little more room on the sides, but the right side is 95% bookcase and the left side flares out a bit, so side reflections aren't horrific.