If you check my system and threads, you will see I have a bias for Magneplanars, but it seems I always end up incorporating the following:
1) unless specifically designed to be somewhere else, put your speakers as far out from the rear wall as possible
2) same for side walls given their associated reflections
3) moving your listening chair closer to the wall behind the chair will accentuate bass, usually with pleasant results
4) toe in is overrated --- more magical imaging and that wonderful "where is the sound coming from?!" effect comes from orienting the front of the speakers in a perfectly straight line
(Having said that, for some reason toe in seems to work better with many mini monitors placed far apart.)
5) the importance of the critical basic triangle cannot be overstated. Inches -- perhaps even centimeters -- count. Even if your speakers don't beam like Quads, they will still have a "sweet spot" when set up well.
(My audio mentor used to take 4 equal length pieces of string, attach them to the top corners of the speakers and then stretch them to the opening of his EARS to make sure both speakers were in perfect alignment.)
6) Further to imaging and toe in, speakers should be as far apart as possible, although in my experience this is rarely more than about 8 feet before the center fill collapses.
Even when the center does fill in nicely, I find > than about 8 feet gives a more vague and bloated "image".
Good question. Good luck.
1) unless specifically designed to be somewhere else, put your speakers as far out from the rear wall as possible
2) same for side walls given their associated reflections
3) moving your listening chair closer to the wall behind the chair will accentuate bass, usually with pleasant results
4) toe in is overrated --- more magical imaging and that wonderful "where is the sound coming from?!" effect comes from orienting the front of the speakers in a perfectly straight line
(Having said that, for some reason toe in seems to work better with many mini monitors placed far apart.)
5) the importance of the critical basic triangle cannot be overstated. Inches -- perhaps even centimeters -- count. Even if your speakers don't beam like Quads, they will still have a "sweet spot" when set up well.
(My audio mentor used to take 4 equal length pieces of string, attach them to the top corners of the speakers and then stretch them to the opening of his EARS to make sure both speakers were in perfect alignment.)
6) Further to imaging and toe in, speakers should be as far apart as possible, although in my experience this is rarely more than about 8 feet before the center fill collapses.
Even when the center does fill in nicely, I find > than about 8 feet gives a more vague and bloated "image".
Good question. Good luck.