Which speaker for room size?

[Levitator]

Beautiful set up Exsg! Love the black lines contrasted against those floor boards...enjoy!!

[aardvarkbark]

That looks so very nice. I wonder if, once the woofers are broken in, they become too boomy that close to the wall, though.

[meltemi]

Originally Posted by Exsg

Setup not complete yet. Spikes not down. Placement not sorted out yet.

Hi Exsg,

Congrats. Fantastically looking (and sounding?) system.

Some practical hints for setup:

1) Place the speakers in an equilateral or isosceles triangle,
the baseline being measured as the distance between the centers of the two speakers
and the distance from each speaker to the center of the listening position being either equal to the baseline (equilateral) or max 1.42 times the baseline (isosceles).
The chosen distance from the center of your listening position to each speaker needs to be exactly the same.

2) Depending on the distance and height of your listening position you might need to tilt the speakers forward to get the HF driver reach the height of your ears in a straight line.

3) Depending on the sidewall reflections you might need to toe in the speakers.
The toe-in angle should be exactly the same for each speaker respect to the baseline.
Toed in, the straight lines from the middle of the speakers should ideally cross behind your listening position but in front of the wall behind your listening position.

If done properly the soundstage image should solidly lock.


Personally, I prefer active room correction for two reasons:

1) IMHO bass traps are far from being an ideal means to correct bass response, since the room modes (bass resonance frequencies) depend on the dimensions of the room and each room is different. In addition, with bass traps you cannot equalize the frequency dips.

2) Since rooms are rarely if ever acoustically symmetrical, active room correction helps for compensating differences between left and right speaker.

On the other hand, problems with early reflections in the mid frequencies due to the placement of the speakers relatively close to the (side) walls can better be controlled with mid-frequency absorbers. And, carpets and curtains will help against excessive high frequencies.

Martin

[Exsg]

Originally Posted by aardvarkbark

That looks so very nice. I wonder if, once the woofers are broken in, they become too boomy that close to the wall, though.

Hm..I am concerned about this too but so far so good.

[Exsg]

Thanks for all your kind words.

The wood is called spotted gum. Really love them too.

[Exsg]

Originally Posted by meltemi

Hi Exsg,

Congrats. Fantastically looking (and sounding?) system.

Some practical hints for setup:

1) Place the speakers in an equilateral or isosceles triangle,
the baseline being measured as the distance between the centers of the two speakers
and the distance from each speaker to the center of the listening position being either equal to the baseline (equilateral) or max 1.42 times the baseline (isosceles).
The chosen distance from the center of your listening position to each speaker needs to be exactly the same.

2) Depending on the distance and height of your listening position you might need to tilt the speakers forward to get the HF driver reach the height of your ears in a straight line.

3) Depending on the sidewall reflections you might need to toe in the speakers.
The toe-in angle should be exactly the same for each speaker respect to the baseline.
Toed in, the straight lines from the middle of the speakers should ideally cross behind your listening position but in front of the wall behind your listening position.

If done properly the soundstage image should solidly lock.


Personally, I prefer active room correction for two reasons:

1) IMHO bass traps are far from being an ideal means to correct bass response, since the room modes (bass resonance frequencies) depend on the dimensions of the room and each room is different. In addition, with bass traps you cannot equalize the frequency dips.

2) Since rooms are rarely if ever acoustically symmetrical, active room correction helps for compensating differences between left and right speaker.

On the other hand, problems with early reflections in the mid frequencies due to the placement of the speakers relatively close to the (side) walls can better be controlled with mid-frequency absorbers. And, carpets and curtains will help against excessive high frequencies.

Martin

Hi Martin,

Thank you very much for your detailed advice.

My speakers and seating position is in an isosceles triangle.

My toe in for the 805s is probably around 20 - 30 deg. I find when it is pointed straight at me, the soundstage and image isn't as good. I tend to see the speakers then; with slight toe in, the speakers disappear. Cannot do no toe in as well; image not there then. Will need to work out the toe in for the big ones. One side is 1 m away from the side wall and the other has no nearby side walls.

Whoa..how do you tilt 94.5 kgs forwards?! I think BW would have taken into account the height of an average person seated and angled the tweeter downwards. I might be wrong. Perhaps Patrick can enlighten us?

What do you recommend as active room correction?

[Exsg]

Day 3

Amazing. It is getting really good.

The body, the control, the transient, the airiness, the floor shaking bass, the crisp and extended high frequency, the big soundstage, the image. Utterly *head shaking* incredible.

Queen's Another One Bites the Dust was an eye (or ear) opener. Loss for words.

Legends of the Fall track 4 filled my room and shook the hard timber floor. Could be a bit too boomy though.

Throw any piece of music at it and it still sounds good. I am listening to entire cds instead of picking only the tracks I like.

The revolution is such a revelation. And all these with only basic cables and around 50 hours of running in.

Can this still be bettered in 3 years? How mate?

I can just continue to sit here and listen till my ears drop off. Time to get new cds.

Let's see if the separation can get better. The harsh edges are gone now.

[Exsg]

Recalling the sigma monos and ssp with 800d3, it was very clean, airy and extended but I feel a bit too lean in comparison to macs. Too clinical.

I am surprised by its capability. Never really got a thorough audition so really glad with the purchase.

Highly recommended.

[King]

Wow, congrats @exsg, beautiful looking the black based furniture, amps and 802.

You really have to record them into video clip.

Flooring looks awesome too, I had the NSW spotted gum before,excellent choice.

[emoji106]

[krustycat]

Originally Posted by Exsg

Day 3

Amazing. It is getting really good.

The body, the control, the transient, the airiness, the floor shaking bass, the crisp and extended high frequency, the big soundstage, the image. Utterly *head shaking*

Throw any piece of music at it and it still sounds good. I am listening to entire cds instead of picking only the tracks I like.

The revolution is such a revelation. And all these with only basic cables and around 50 hours of running in.

I can just continue to sit here and listen till my ears drop off. Time to get new cds.

Let's see if the separation can get better. The harsh edges are gone now.

Great!

Just enjoy [emoji4] the music [emoji445].

Don't pay attention to all the recommendations we are throwing at you for the time being.

Unless you think you may not like what you are hearing or in the future you may want to try this and that but just for curiosity.

Keep playing music, that is the reason you invested all the money for.