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Experimenting with Speaker Room Placement

Hi - was having troubles with my room, which is 12 wide by 20 long, so logically I was thinking put the speakers on the shorter 12ft wall and sit back about 11-12 feet so I'd have more room between listener and the speakers. But tried my PSB towers, PSB bookshelfs, Bose Bookshelves, JBL bookshelves (and tried PSB sub with each) and that placement was always boomy bass and fatiguing sound. Just didn't sound right. 

So I tried setting up speakers on the long wall, the 20FT wall. It looks odd since I'm sitting pretty close to the speakers, about 7-8 Ft vs. 12 Ft, and the speakers are right up against the wall, and my listening chair is right up against the opposite wall. But it's more listenable, and bass seems tighter. Both the floorstanders and the bookshelves sound better. 

I'm still trying to purchase a new pair of speakers for this room (the other speakers mentioned were just borrowed from other rooms and from my home theatre setup). 

So wondering if others have experimented and found the long wall is better? It's more of a near field listening experience and looks odd having large towers that close to the listener. Would this position get fatiguing after a while? Should I treat the back wall with something since that wall is right behind my ears? What speakers are you using that seem to work well in this type of close listening setup?  If I place the speakers back on the shorter wall, is my issue that I need bass traps along the shorter wall to tighten the bass? 

Thanks very much for any guidance!  

kansas400
rbstehno
1,406 posts
 
I have a dedicated room that is 27x16x12. I just bought a new pair of Usher X-Towers. I used to use the rule of thirds for my prior ushers, but the x-towers produced way to much bass out 9’ from the back short wall. The room is treated with sac tube traps in each corner, and gik super bass trap in the back and multiple 1st reflection tuning traps. 

I went to the Cardas site and used his formula for placing speakers from the back wall and side walls. Much better, the speakers are around 80” out from the back wall and 50” from the side walls. Now the listening chair positioning, Cardas doesn’t go over that. I went thru Jim Smiths book and positioned my chair 33” from the back wall. 

Sounds great now.
czarivey
5,691 posts
 
I truly believe that stereo listening is best when NOT far away no matter how large room you have, because I haven’t heard good sound yet n very large rooms unless more than pair of speakers used and properly matched. In this situation you can only rely on best trial error possibilities.
I love headphones performance so have large speakers in relatively small listening area for that reason!
jadedavid
76 posts
 
I have a room almost the same size as the OP's and have experienced very similar problems in set up. I too now have my speakers on the long wall. I started with them on the short wall and after almost wearing out the carpet from moving them around so much, I finally tried them on the long wall. Better this way but still not entirely satisfying. I have numerous room treatment pieces and have gained some improvements by using them. 
Personnaly I think that the house may be improperly orientated with the earths magnetic fields thereby causing interference. Perhaps a visit from a Shaman to do a purification is needed.
Listening near field certainly provides the most clear, clean and detailed presentation but feels unnatural for me. I am more used to and prefer a more mid to far field position. 
I contacted GIK for a room analysis and after providing them with drawings, photos and conversation they replied with responses such as "well you could do this, or that". Not really what I expected from them as I though they would provide a more specific "road map" of how to treat my room.
So I am still in the same boat as the OP and am interested in specifics from others that have had a similar problem and how it was solved.  
kansas400 OP
17 posts
 
Thanks Jadedavid and Czarivey. I will re-try the short wall - what do you guys use for your short wall treatments? You mentioned a 'wall rug' ? I need to treat the back short wall where the speakers are placed and the short wall from my listening chair, which unfortunately would only be about a foot or two from my ears - so need to do something for those reflections.  

I've also been reading more about possibly bipolar or something like Ohm Walsh speakers - so instead of a perfect image studio monitor approach, use an omnidirectional.  Or possibly the Vandersteen VLR right up against the wall. So as to speaker options, seems like there are other choices that may work to overcome these room problems. 
gdnrbob
4,411 posts
 
My rooms are furnished heavily with bookcases, drapery, venetian blinds and area rugs. So, reflections are pretty much a non-issue.
Barring that, perhaps hanging an area rug or a moving blanket(that would be a temporary fix to see if it made a difference.

B
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