Instructive thread on placement of hifi gear...

[collectslps]

I think it would be great for senior members to weigh in regarding placement of rack and speakers in listening room... where to place rack, speakers, acoustic treatment, et al. Thanks!

[Briz vegas]

Hello there sonny!

According to my profile I am a senior. Does this mean I get a discount on my rates and a bus pass. :W

I think it is very informative to check out some of the photos of systems in the B&W, Rotel and elsewhere. Its surprising how many systems are squeezed in to the domestic environment. Maybe you should have asked for single, obcessive types to comment on system setup- no WAF to deal with. They will have the system in the room first, and only then will they consider the furniture - primarily at reflection points and to absorb bass.

I have only considered the basics when positioning my system (it was not too hard as I have very little furniture) speakers away from rear walls, modest toe in, minimise objects between speakers (always difficult if HT and 2 channel are in the same system), side walls are miles away so no first order reflections there - need to do something about my rear wall behind the couch.

In the not too distant future I hope to visit a fellow audiophile who has apparantly done wonders to his listening room. Great way to pick up tips is to listen to others systems. Just remember to value what they have done right and avoid unnessary criticisms, unless it is just a suggestion that they move speakers away from walls etc. Nothing worse than a visitor commenting that you pride and joy CD player sounds like cats howling.

[David Meek]

According to my profile I am a senior. Does this mean I get a discount on my rates and a bus pass. :W

No, but you do get to shoo the younger members out of your way with your cane. :

I've gone from a large house with a dedicated room to a small house with a single combined living/audio/video room. In doing so, I've had to reconsider all of the compromises I lost with a dedicated room. My wife and I had an understanding before we moved here that the electronics weren't going away, however I would do whatever I could to keep it pleasant looking and comfortable feeling.

What I've wound up with so far is a primary viewing/listening wall housing only the 50" plasma and its stand which also holds the center channel, the two main speakers and the subwoofer. The face of my mains sit about 28" away from the wall with about a 10° toe-in about a foot or so out from the TV stand. This has given me a nice soundstage - a flat panel definitely helps out here - with decent spatial localizing. FWIW, keeping the front wall clear of anything not absolutely required minimizes the masking/reflecting issues you have to deal with other than those pesky first reflection points. Okay, there is wall art/hangings/oils, etc. that still live there but that's all part of it being a "living" area and doesn't seem to have any sonic effect. The equipment rack is located in the right rear corner of the room and is visually masked by a recliner, end table and lamp - still easily accessible but not a source of sonic issues or visual problems. One big issue I haven't resolved yet is the location and type of surround speakers I can make work. So to date I'm only using the mains and center channel - and really missing my side and rear channels (for movies at least), I might add.

Here's a pic of the front wall. Note: the corner of the loveseat is well away from the left main speaker. That's just camera angle making it look crowded.

[Chris D]

Come on, David. You know full well that bumping the couch right up to the speaker gives you free tactile-transducer performance without having to buy the piece!

No, seriously, looks like a great place to sit and unwind. Looking good.

[David Meek]

Thanks Major. :T It's definitely a different environment from the Houston house, but it's working better than I thought it could. Still, there's a ways to go.

[twitch54]

My set-up was concieved around the premise of good two channel first and foremost and let the HT "follow thereafter". Whereas most good two channel systems make this happen quite easily, so many who start of with their 5.1 set-ups really falter when it comes to serious two channel listening.

One of my acoustical challenges in my listening room is a safe, which was taken care of by my wife making a "Acoustic Condom" out of thick fabric.

[David Meek]

Oh, I forgot to mention that (like Twitch) I'm a two-channel audio type of guy before anything else.

[Kobus]

Note: the corner of the loveseat

Thanks for the details.

What is a "loveseat".

Kobus

[David Meek]

It's a narrow version of a couch. Couches tend to seat 3 or 4 persons and a loveseat only seats 2.

[ThomasW]

I think it would be great for senior members to weigh in regarding placement of rack and speakers in listening room... where to place rack, speakers, acoustic treatment, et al. Thanks!

If one is starting from scratch then do room mode and RT/60 sims of the room. Those will tell a lot about what's going to happen when you put speakers in the room.

[Chris D]

What is a "loveseat".

That's J-Lo's booty. Gotta "love" that "seat".

Twitch, that's a neat solution for the safe. Are you really that paranoid about somebody stealing your CD's, though? :rofl:

[twitch54]

Twitch, that's a neat solution for the safe. Are you really that paranoid about somebody stealing your CD's, though? :rofl:

You can take my CD's , just don't mess with my viynl !!!

it worked out quite well, easy on and off so when I need to get into my safe it's not a problem at all !

[wkhanna]

My set-up was concieved around the premise of good two channel first and foremost and let the HT "follow thereafter".

We share philosophies there, twitch.
I have often wondered what your system looked like, and now I see it is as fabulous as I had envisioned.
V nice my friend, V nice indeed!

[twitch54]

Thanks for the kind words "WK", as most of the members over on the M/L forum already know, I'm a viynl 'junkie' and a two channel nut as well !!

[miner]

Hip, Hip, Hooray for us vinyl junkies. My wife thinks I am nuts for getting back into vinyl, until I A/Bd a vinly vs CD version of Steely Dan's 'Aja'.