emailists, thank you for the kind words and invitation!
Experiment with the placement, especially toe in. Some ESL manufacturers have rigid rules regarding toe in, but I never limit myself to manufacturer's placement limitations. I have found that often toeing them in according to my preference for the balance of center image characteristics vs. soundstage characteristics is preferable to being captive to someone else's placement demands (i.e., that they must be placed parallel to the head wall, with no toe in).
Another tip, this one mentioned in my book, is that for taller speakers, it can be beneficial to tilt them forward a bit. With my tall speakers such as the Legacy Audio Whisper or the King III, I place an approx. 1/4" thick coaster under each back footer in order to push the speaker, and consequently, the front baffle, forward slightly.
When that is done, it becomes obvious that in the native position, a large amount of the output of the speaker shoots overhead and is not appreciated. With slight toe in and slight forward lean on the panel, the experience is fundamentally different, imo, fundamentally better. Especially enjoyable is how much more the center image is denser. It is so pleasing to my ears that I will not use the King III without the slight toe in and forward lean.
Obviously, I am not encouraging any severe lean that destabilizes the speaker. Care must be taken especially if smaller children are in the home.
