Listening Position

[MylesBAstor]

Electrostatic speakers are one extreme example of a very narrow head listening position for optimal sound. While ML curved panels certainly ameliorated the problemhelped, think Quad here.

But truth be told, I find that the vast majority of the speakers I’ve heard have a sweet spot, too, even with optimal setup (that’s one issue have with people commenting on sound at audio shows-you can even see rooms where the exhibitor has marked out that primo spot!) Especially to get that center image solidity and viscerality! Where that singer appears in front of you in all their glory. Moving the listening chair can really help to fine that center image too.

What’s other AN member’s experiences with their systems?

[1morerecord2clean]

This next to impossible at shows. Heads in front of you and your relationship to the speaker make shows difficult. I find all speakers and placement have a sweet spot. Some designs are more difficult to find that spot than others.

[ack]

I can't imagine any audiophile wanting to sit anywhere but dead center, or the sweet spot.

[seamonster]

My sweet spot is narrow. I may try reducing the toe-in sometime. The baffles are aimed at a spot five feet behind my head per the makers instructions.

[Rust]

I've never heard any speakers that do not have a sweet spot. Some are a little wider, some a little deeper, some even vary a little depending on program material. My current setup the sweet spot is a little less than an equilateral triangle. On thing I went to a few years back is my listening chair. It's a nice office chair that can easily be adjusted to the correct height and rolls to the correct position, but is easily moved out of the way when not listening. It has exactly zero wife acceptance factor according to friends but then I'm sans wife which also means 3 am listening sessions aren't an issue either.

[adrianwu]

This is an inherent problem with stereo, that is, to use two channels to localize the sound coming from one position. If we get closer to one speaker, the relative amplitude and time of arrival between the two channels change. I can't see how this can be mitigated. By having a more uniform off axis frequency response, this only improves the tonal balance at the off center listening position, but it does not do anything to improve the stereo effect. On the other hand, a wide dispersion pattern introduces more problems with room interaction. Personally, I prefer a more controlled dispersion pattern and I always sit at the center anyway when I do any serious listening.

[Mike Lavigne]

i sit in the relative near field in a large room and am a sweet spot guy for sure. to get the full holographic effect and immersion the sweet spot is best.

my twin tower speakers are tall and massive, so sometimes visitors have to force themselves to sit in the sweet spot as it gets them out of their visual comfort zone to be so close to large speakers. then dim the lights for one or two cuts and they are mostly comfortable as their visual resistance get's broken down. that's when they can appreciate what the sweet spot delivers.

it took me literally a decade to tame my room sufficiently to be able to sit so close without the hash driving me back. but i could now never move back.

[1morerecord2clean]

My Piega C711s require a ratio of 1/1.5 positioning. That’s according to their website. So in a perfect world, not mine I might add, my speakers, which are positioned 6.75’ apart, require the best listening position to be close to 10’ away. I can do just over 9’ without moving them too close to the front wall. They sound great and I have moved them back and forth, changed their lateral position, and played with toe-in like crazy.