Speaker placement help?

[Matt Lan]

Posted in the B&W forum, lots of views but no help so far. I know these are crazy-basic questions, but would appreciate at least being pointed in the right direction to get started and learn more.

Thanks!

Matt

http://www.audioaficionado.org/b-w-s...our-800ds.html

[Rayooo]

Originally Posted by Matt Lane

Posted in the B&W forum, lots of views but no help so far. I know these are crazy-basic questions, but would appreciate at least being pointed in the right direction to get started and learn more.

Thanks!

Matt

http://www.audioaficionado.org/b-w-s...our-800ds.html

if you have not already, a good place to begin: Cardas Audio

[metaphacts]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

if you have not already, a good place to begin: Cardas Audio

"..so I will outline the system that is becoming the standard of the industry."


Use the system if you like. It can't hurt if you are just learning.

Just know that the line quoted above is, shall we say, optimistic.

[cmalak]

Matt...I posted the same response in your original thread but I am copying it here for you as well:

Matt, I am not a B&W owner but never-the-less let me offer up some general principles. Getting the bass performance dialed-in first will be the most important and that will be a function of how close to the back wall and conversely how far into the room the speakers are brought in. You want to place the speakers where they pressurize the room evenly and the bass has the most weight and yet retains the most articulation/definition so you do not end up with thumpy, undifferentiated one-note bass. Once you have that optimized, you can then focus on how far apart the speakers are spread from one another. You want to spread them as far as possible to give you the widest soundstage but without losing center-fill image. As soon as you spread them too wide, the center image will start being a bit diffuse or even worse you will have a sonic hole in the middle (if that happens you know you have spread the speakers too far apart). You can finally play with toe-in to lock in image definition and clarity and also manage treble integration and speaker rake for image height.

I will attach a few speaker set-up guides but I suspect Bill (Metaphacts) will disagree with most because they are variants of the triangle or rule of thirds set-up. But generically they will get you in the ball park. You can buy Jim Smith's "Get Better Sound" book, which is approved by Bill (Metaphacts) and that has very very detailed set-up guidelines you can follow: Get Better Sound

I have attached the speaker set up guides that will get you there for the most part but Jim Smith's book or better yet Bill (Metaphacts) will take you all the way there

[metaphacts]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Matt...I posted the same response in your original thread but I am copying it here for you as well:

Matt, I am not a B&W owner but never-the-less let me offer up some general principles. Getting the bass performance dialed-in first will be the most important and that will be a function of how close to the back wall and conversely how far into the room the speakers are brought in. You want to place the speakers where they pressurize the room evenly and the bass has the most weight and yet retains the most articulation/definition so you do not end up with thumpy, undifferentiated one-note bass. Once you have that optimized, you can then focus on how far apart the speakers are spread from one another. You want to spread them as far as possible to give you the widest soundstage but without losing center-fill image. As soon as you spread them too wide, the center image will start being a bit diffuse or even worse you will have a sonic hole in the middle (if that happens you know you have spread the speakers too far apart). You can finally play with toe-in to lock in image definition and clarity and also manage treble integration and speaker rake for image height.

I will attach a few speaker set-up guides but I suspect Bill (Metaphacts) will disagree with most because they are variants of the triangle or rule of thirds set-up. But generically they will get you in the ball park. You can buy Jim Smith's "Get Better Sound" book, which is approved by Bill (Metaphacts) and that has very very detailed set-up guidelines you can follow: Get Better Sound

I have attached the speaker set up guides that will get you there for the most part but Jim Smith's book or better yet Bill (Metaphacts) will take you all the way there

Cyril you should know by now that I always approve what works. Every methodology that involves listening to the room first and to the speakers second can work. Every methodology that rigidly espouses the use of a tape measure is pretty much destined to come up short - usually very short.

See what the speaker sees - not what your eyes see and all will be well.