This should cover a number of questions in this blog.
I recently established a listening room for my old KEF 204.2 (Now about 20 years old) and they sound fantastic. I'm powering them with the Emotiva mono-blocks 500W/side (emotiva.com) and the added power cleaned up the sound stage. My room is not ideal as it's about 13 ft square. The ideal speaker placement for me was on the 8-5 line; 60" from the back wall to the face. Tape a diagonal line on the floor out from each corner intersecting a point 5' from the side wall and 8' from the back wall. Then plce the front center on the line, 60" from the back wall to the tweeter face. For me, that's about 8.5' between the speakers. The sweet spot is also 8.5 feet back making a equilateral triangle. Now, a laser line shot across the top of the speaker (center) should intersect just 2-3 feet behind the listening chair.
Once speakers were set, I had to trim the KUBE. Some advise not to use it but I found sound was MUCH better with; without everything went flat. However, I run with Bass Extend OFF and trim the bass to -2 (db?). This opened up the sound stage.
Tweek1: Sound dampling panels on the side walls at the first and second reflected sound points (a mirror leaned on the wall ans positioned between chair and speakers shows 1st point on R wall when you can see the R speaker; second when you can see the L speaker will be closer to chair. Same for L side. My cheap panel was a 2'x4' T-bar ceiling panel made of fiberglas insulation; plastic face.
Tweak2. I had 12 ga wire and I doubled up with a new 10 gage speaker wire-Python2 brand; really opened sound stage.
Tweak3. I added sound traps in the front corner. My cheap panel used (2) 2'x4' T-bar ceiling panel (made of fiberglas insulation; plastic face); glued together, framed and suspended at a 45 degree angle; 4" out of the corner and 4" down from ceiling; suspended by 30# fish line; long side up and down.
Tweak3. I took my Paradigm Sevo-15 sub into the room but timmed it to only enhance below 50 Hz. Phase needs to be set first with a sound meter and test tones.
The process took several months but I have been richly rewarded.
Recently I auditioned speakers in the 10-15,000 range and did not notice a compelling improvement!
I recently established a listening room for my old KEF 204.2 (Now about 20 years old) and they sound fantastic. I'm powering them with the Emotiva mono-blocks 500W/side (emotiva.com) and the added power cleaned up the sound stage. My room is not ideal as it's about 13 ft square. The ideal speaker placement for me was on the 8-5 line; 60" from the back wall to the face. Tape a diagonal line on the floor out from each corner intersecting a point 5' from the side wall and 8' from the back wall. Then plce the front center on the line, 60" from the back wall to the tweeter face. For me, that's about 8.5' between the speakers. The sweet spot is also 8.5 feet back making a equilateral triangle. Now, a laser line shot across the top of the speaker (center) should intersect just 2-3 feet behind the listening chair.
Once speakers were set, I had to trim the KUBE. Some advise not to use it but I found sound was MUCH better with; without everything went flat. However, I run with Bass Extend OFF and trim the bass to -2 (db?). This opened up the sound stage.
Tweek1: Sound dampling panels on the side walls at the first and second reflected sound points (a mirror leaned on the wall ans positioned between chair and speakers shows 1st point on R wall when you can see the R speaker; second when you can see the L speaker will be closer to chair. Same for L side. My cheap panel was a 2'x4' T-bar ceiling panel made of fiberglas insulation; plastic face.
Tweak2. I had 12 ga wire and I doubled up with a new 10 gage speaker wire-Python2 brand; really opened sound stage.
Tweak3. I added sound traps in the front corner. My cheap panel used (2) 2'x4' T-bar ceiling panel (made of fiberglas insulation; plastic face); glued together, framed and suspended at a 45 degree angle; 4" out of the corner and 4" down from ceiling; suspended by 30# fish line; long side up and down.
Tweak3. I took my Paradigm Sevo-15 sub into the room but timmed it to only enhance below 50 Hz. Phase needs to be set first with a sound meter and test tones.
The process took several months but I have been richly rewarded.
Recently I auditioned speakers in the 10-15,000 range and did not notice a compelling improvement!