I don't think many realize how well-organized and presented this is. You condensed a tremendous amount of useful information in a very digestible and engaging package and it seemed effortless. Thank you
I have never heard a more intelligent, concise description of proper speaker setup. 27 minutes well spent. I learned more than everything else I have seen on RUclips combined. I have met a few musicians that taught me some of what you covered. You were intensely through and enlightening. Thank you!
Thank you for responding to my query. You are one of the first Audiophile / Expert who cared to reply. Some of the others asked for a “Consultation Fee” before even replying. I greatly appreciate your genuine concern for helping others. Thanks again.
I must say… the sheer amount of knowledge contained within this video and the way you have presented it is absolutely incredible and very helpful. Sometimes videos are either extremely technical to the point where you lose track, or it’s so simple you don’t gain much information. The balance you have here is perfect. Thank you.
I'm a acoustician by trade (architectural acoustics), and I appreciate someone finally explaining this in such a straight forward way. Acoustics is about managing energy. Great video, cheers from NYC.
That’s one of the most informative, concise and easy to follow descriptions I have ever heard and will implement to fine-tune my system. Thank you much.
I have been listening to a lot of audiophiles and found the channel and the host most truthful and a true student of science. Remarkable in this day and age.
A lovely well presented and knowledgable video. As a sound engineer for over 47 years and still, in retirement, using my much loved Genelec monitors bought back in 1995 - I can assure you all, as said here, the room maketh the loudspeaker. They have sounded so different as they've moved from studio to studio and room to room.
This is about the 10th video I've watched on speaker placement and it was easily the clearest and most practical. I've heard multiple times that speakers should be this measurement or that ratio away from the walls but it really doesn't matter unless they sound good. Thank you for putting this out there.
You are a Genius. And typically unassuming in your demeanour which is very British and I absolutely love it. Best video for the subject on RUclips / internet HANDS DOWN.
As a Londoner and a self confessed audiophile its refreshing to stumble across a audiophile RUclipsr with a British accent. Interesting and informative video. I have subscribed and hope the channel flies.
This man is the single best person to explain these principles, incredibly concise. I am going to be pedantic about the first error I've ever noticed in one of his videos, however. He did say dampen instead of damp. There's an old joke about the difference; if you ask an engineer to design you a dampener, he'll hand you a wet sponge.
I've re-oriented my speakers to more closely match the guidelines of distances and angles you suggest and the sound is much more remarkable. Thank you for a well presented tutorial on speaker set-up.
I have been building and listening to home built systems for many decades, and I finally built a dedicated listening space, 12' by 19', with sound absorption and sound diffraction panels all around, and then placed the speakers and listening position properly using a RTA to get relative flat response. These efforts made a HUGE difference in the listening experience of my system. The room is truly just as important as the system.
I watched this yesterday and decided to experiment. System consists of a Yamaha RX-A820 AVR and Dali Ikon 5 MK2 floor standers at the front (Mission speakers & sub make up the rest of a 5.1 set up) but for music, I'm almost always in regular stereo, and use a Sonos Port to stream Spotify or locally stored music. Room is 3.6 mtr wide by 5.3 mtrs long, and the speakers were previously 1.7 mtr apart (equidistant from the side walls) by 45cm from the wall behind. Because it's my living room, there are practical limitations in respect of ideal speaker placement (furniture placement etc) but I was able to increase the spacing apart to 1.85 mtrs and 60 cm from the wall behind. Wow! the bass is now tightened up and seems to have more punch, and I have a much improved soundstage. Many thanks for the great advice.
Having watched your recent video i went back to watch this one. I have a pair of PMC IB1 on there own stands which are filled with sand. These speakers are amazing I have had them a long time now and have moved them to a smaller room. They are placed on the long wall., I could not get them to sound right even with placement or with sound treatment. So after watching this video you mentioned a bit on decoupling the speaker of the floor , I always use spikes on the stands because all the rooms had carpet so I used these other feet’s that came with the stand which sit on the carpet instead of going through. First I changed one and noticed less vibration on the stand and speaker. When I changed both, sat down and listened the sound changed some much the bass was better upper frequencies opened up too. Just by decoupling the stand from the floor made more difference than any thing I’ve tried. So thank you so much, all your videos are excellent and go into more detail than others do
I followed your minimum 85 cm advice for the 5 millisecond delay of first reflected sound... and it worked! THANK YOU By far the best video on speaker set up.
I just started testing with repositioning my speakers this afternoon. Before Theo were not symmetric to the sidewalls, appr. 70 and 45 cm. I ended up with both 90 cm From sidewalls, and the effect is unbelievable. I knew my speakers (cost no object self built by experts I know, not me) are really nice, but after hearing really good demonstrations of Great sets I always had the feeling my midrange was the only thing that could be better. Now I am hearing new speakers. The midrange isn’t a bit better, It sounds like my speakers just had a Great holiday, and right now i can’t stop listening. Great advice, please keep making these Great video’s. Thumbs up !!!!
Thanks, that was very comprehensive and easy to understand. I noticed that, in comparison with your more recent videos, your own sound quality is rather woody here, so you have clearly made worthwhile improvements in that area over the years. I remember hearing the ProAc Response 1 in a hifi shop about thirty years ago and liking them very much, so not surprised you still like yours.
I am reviewing my speaker placement for stereo depth and looked at quite a few videos. After seeing your presentation, I am again so thankful and have such respectf for the work you do. Please do a reference book publication for us Audiophiles,; could be a classic Thank you so much, you are knowledgeable and it's appreciated.
Thank you Tarun, for a wonderful and simple explanation. How refreshing compared to the demeaning, rude, arrogant talk I received during my 15 min consultation with a notorious acoustic engineer who sells panels and tells me unless I spend $25.000 to treat my already treated(carpets everywhere, thick curtains, cloth furniture, solid stereo image) apartment, I need to spend that much because everything is horrible about my set up without asking one question. Lots of quacks out there so all of you beware.
Nice video and a lot of helpful suggestions for audio beginners and for anyone who hasn't really given much thought to speaker setup. Not anything new to me but I am a 50+ year audiophile. :) The only thing I would add is for audiophiles to experiment with the speaker width and speaker toe-in. Widely spaced speaker positioning will usually require more toe-in for optimal sound whereas more closely spaced speaker positioning will usually require less. This will also depend on the dispersion of your midrange/tweeters. If an audiophile wants super focused imaging and a narrower, more focused soundstage, then more toe-in is usually the answer. Conversely, with the tweeters aimed outside your ears and tending more towards straight ahead will give you airier but less focused imaging and soundstaging. By the way, Tarun, the toe-in of your left speaker (looking at your fireplace) is quite a bit less than your right speaker. Way more cabinet wall is visible. :)
Hi James, thank you sharing you experience and knowledge. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment on the video. I think it must be due to the camera angle or lighting as both speakers are toed in the same. Good to hear from you.
Really helpful, thank you! I relocated to Thailand a couple of years ago and have been wanting to setup home theatre/listening room ever since. I’ve just started shopping around now and this has given plenty of food for thought based on our setup over here.
Hi Tarun, I just pulled my speakers from the back wall from 48 to 90cm (measured from the tweeter): OMG! Stereo imaging improved tremendously, much more stable too and then all of a sudden there is the third dimension as well: there is depth to the sound stage that was not there at all before! Thank you!!
Thankyou Tarun, you brought back a few old memories and introduced a few foreign ones too. I have never tilted my speakers back to lift the soundstage but you can bet I will play with that now 😂 Cheers from Tasmania Australia 👍🏻
This is REALLY good and important info to get best fidelity - that you have provided. My old Infinity Quantum 2's came with detailed instructions describing, just these same steps you specified. One more thing that really helps is to have open space behind the sound stage beyond the back of the listener so the sounds are not reflected back at the listener, like in a concert hall, if possible. Infinities instructions also described the effects of the corner of a room reinforcing lows making bass louder. Infinity described moving the speakers to different positions and listening to the result, with some trial an error. When using a sub it is important to be able to adjust the phase while the listener is listening within the sweet spot so the bass does not cancel with the main speakers, doing this will find to actually turn down the sub some. These things really have profound affects, just as you say - Really helpful instructions! I look forward to checking our your other stuff!
Great presentation! As a former sound engineer I always try to convince people to focus on the dimensions and treatment of the room, as well as speaker and furniture placement, before buying expensive equipment. However, most people tend to ignore this advice, and rush out and drop big dollars on gear, only to end up with a poorly performing system. From now on I will direct people to this video! :)
After watching all lot of your videos and listening carfully to your advices in regards to room acustics. I went on and bought me some simply acoutic absorbers to test out if there is any change of making my living room sound better if i use absorbers. I asked a friend of mine to assist me in holding absorbers in place to be able to sit and listen with and without the panels installed. Long story short: Breath taking differences ! Much better in a way I never expected. Maybe you find that interessting enough to spent some words on those things in the future. Cos, as you said, if the room is crappy nearly no speaker can be brilliant. Wanted to share this and thank you for your effort making me curious what is possible if one only pointed into the right direction. Be safe and sound and all the best wishes for Xmas and 2021. Munter bleiben.
Thank you Michael. I appreciate you sharing that and your support. Certainly, if you can accommodate them, the right room treatment in the right places can make a big difference. I am so pleased that you have had success with them 😊👍👍
I just bought some ex-demo BR03 speakers and was somehat disappointed that their soundstage wasn't any better than my M20s (under £100!). After moving furniture to allow me to tweak the speaker stands' position I played around with them and was shocked at how much better they sounded, they now fill the whole room with sound and I can't hear the speakers.Now I have to swing my sofa round to sit in the sweet spot, but it's worth it- I'm just glad I ordered my cables longer than required. It's reassuring you can improve your sound so massively without spending a penny!
Reviewers take note, this is how information should be conveyed. Most people on RUclips don't really know what they're talking about or how to describe things if they do. Great video as always.
This particular video was incredibly helpful to me. You have a really nice way of taking information and making it easily understood. The time and effort you put into this is much appreciated and really made a difference in my setup. Thank you.
Just started experimenting with speaker placement. Specifically moved them in from 1.5 foot to 2.5 from the wall. WOW. It is like I have brand new speaker. Imaging went from 2 to 11…. Clarity and separation way up. Wow. Thank you Tarun.
I know I’m commenting on a old video but this is timeless. You nailed all the basics. I’m starting to get caught up with some of your older videos and you are becoming one of my favorite reviewers 😊.
Watched a couple of your videos now. Straight forward, well packaged information. As someone said below, the management of energy you cover here is very helpful. I'm no audio file but am a music lover with many vinyl records. A carpenter/joiner by trade currently dabbling with ideas for speaker stands and racks. Your content is proving very helpful in my research. Cheers.
Wonderful, full of facts. I'm a newbie to both hifi and this channel, enjoying both :-). In case you will be considering Q&A type of videos: 1.) Does fire (heat) affect the sound in your room? It's pretty close to the speakers. 2.) There does not seem to be any visible treatment in your room, how come? 3.) With the speakers 90cm above the floor, sitting 2m from them, assuming your ear is at the same height as your tweater. The trajectory of the sound reflected off the floor is 2,71M, vs 2m direct path. Way below 5ms difference, right? You probably have a carpet there, just saying 90cm does not seem to be enough in all cases.
Thank you for the very practical review! I like the 3 ‘ rule for slowing down reflections to >5m sec.... I tried it and it worked just fine! More 3 dimensionality and more center fill.
you hit the nail on the head mentioning different recordings, many are remarkably different - in a a hifi system we are looking for one size fits all so have to make compromises, ideally have a few systems to suit each type of music or recording! (-:
Really good sound advice about speaker set up and placement and the speaker placement is the most important factor to getting the best out of your HiFi setup. I've been into HiFi for around 50 years now I am not claiming to be any expert by any means but over the years of experimenting with speaker placement myself I more or less set my speakers up the same way as you mentioned here and know precisely how important speaker placement plays a MASSIVE! role in getting the most out of your setup. The one thing I did notice you never discussed here was "Ports" and no doubt rear ports will mean that your speakers do need to be further away from the back wall and the distance they are away will have an effect on how the bass frequency responds. Front ported speakers are specifically designed so that they can be placed much closer to the back wall. I myself have front ported speakers and have had for many years now. My decision to go with them was basically because having children running around the house, I did not want to risk my speakers getting knocked over by placing them too far away from the wall. I can understand your theory about having large speakers in a small room but I also think that the source you are using to play your music with will have an effect in relation to them sounding boomy. My personal experience with floor-standing speakers goes back to the 80's when I purchased a pair of Wharfedale E90 Pro Speakers. At the time I purchased them I was living in a house where the living room was not as big as the one you have here and they were the most amazing speakers I ever had. I had them for around 24 years before I sold them and I can honestly say that the only time them speakers did sound boomy at times was when I played vinyl on my turntable. I never once got that from playing a CD. I dare say I could have spent a lot more money on a better turntable or even tried to put better feet on the bottom of the turntable to dampen things down a bit. But rather than spend even more money I decided to knock vinyl on the head and I certainly do not miss it one bit either. Besides that, the price of vinyl in relation to what it was years ago as skyrocketed and in reality, it should not be any more than the price of a CD. These days I am a surround FREAK! and have been since around 1994. I sold my old Wharfedale's in 2006 and got 2 grand more for them than what I paid for them brand new. The reason I did sell them was because I wanted more of a balanced sound for my AV setup and I replaced them with 4 of the same bookshelf speakers. I would even say for surround purposes you are better off going with the same speakers all round too rather than having floor-standing speakers on the front and smaller speakers for the rears and have stuck with them ever since. The other thing is that since I have been into surround sound, I have spent less than half the money I would have spent on my old stereo setups many moons ago and I am a lot happier with the results too.
Hi Lee, thank you for taking the time to share your experiences of speakers, systems and setups. I really enjoyed reading them. It reminded me of that old audiophile saying “everything makes a difference in hifi.” Thanks again for sharing.
I have two different pairs of Klipsch bookshelf speakers in my living room Klipsch RB61-11 those are paired with a Onkyo AVR and I have a new pair of Klipsch RP6OO'S paired with an Integrated amp both sound very well with my application, both pairs are approximately 6ft apart:your videos are very well articulated please keep up the good work
This was ever so interesting! It explains and confirms why I 'm always fiddling about with my speakers during the beginning of a new listening session. Had it right without knowing the physics. Thank you!
Hi again, I followed your advice and got out the old tape measure. Put the speakers at exactly the right distance. moved my chair closer to the speakers in order to get the triangle correct. and boy, did those adjustments make a difference. The sound is great again, and the bass is back! Now I see why I bought my gear in the first place, all those years ago. Thanks again for your tips.
So pleased I discovered your channel. Over the last 40yrs I've been involved in marketing (at the start of my journey) to audio engineering and music creation. Your philosophical stance is spot on ... Subscribed 👍
Another excellent video, thanks Tarun. Just a personal note on domestic horn speakers. My listening room is approximately 12 feet square. I use a pair of Lowther Acousta 115s which are fairly large but small for a horn. They roll off around 80Hz and consequently sound best only a couple of inches from the back wall (and still require a sub-woofer). Lowthers do not follow many of the norms and this is one example. Another is the tweeter height. Lowthers are a concentric design and the (floor-standing) speaker top is a little below ear height. If you take the grilles off though, you will see that the baffle is tilted backwards to compensate for the fact. On your room: Room treatment can make a huge difference. Thirty years ago when I moved here, I briefly stood my children in various parts of the room to act as absorbers and to break up reflections while I listened. I added a slim tall bookcase to one corner of the room which helped a lot (symmetry factor). My listening room is similar to yours but my speakers are at right angles to your set-up, with the chimney breast on my right from the listening position. (This is unavoidable as I have doors on opposite corners of my room and positioning my speakers like you do would obstruct a doorway.) My wife made me a long thin rug which I hang from short side of the chimney breast facing the speakers to absorb near field reflections. This has absolutely been the biggest single upgrade to the sound of my system. Your listening chair can also degrade the sound. A high-backed chair can make your system sound dull. Not only should your chair be 1/3rd into the room but your chair-back should be no more than shoulder height (unless you listen to closed-back headphones exclusively...). My son has a different approach. He uses a digital signal processor which comes with a microphone and you tune to your listening room. The processor adds (subtractive) filters tailored to your room to compensate for the big intrusive bass resonances and flattens the in-room response. I was highly sceptical of this approach but confess to being gob-smacked when he demonstrated the results. I never expected filters below 200Hz to have such an effect on the clarity of the entire frequency range.
Very interesting to hear your thoughts on spikes. I'd imagine only 5-10% of floors would be concrete or tiled and yet most high end tower speakers (and speaker stands) come with spikes built into their bases. I have ATC speakers and they have spikes. They sound amazing on a timber floor so I'm a bit confused there. There's lots to take out of this video, I know I'll have the tape measure out tomorrow. Many thanks!
I have pleasantly surprised myself tonight, after listening to your comments on placement (Tick), raking the speakers back (Tick), and dampening down resonances (Tick). I've done this without actually knowing how well my attempts had been, and my methods (although very basic, are successful). My floor-standing speakers have their internal cavities filled with individual 'zipper' type food bags/ or Dog poop bags if you're skint, filled with glass bead used in sand blasting @£3.50 per 20kg, and by using the bagging method you can be sure of equal amounts in each speaker. The raking was achieved by using rubber grommets from the car electrical world, which my initial goal was to stop my speaker 'creeping' on the laminate flooring and stop any vibrations troubling my dogs sleeping on the floor, but they come in many sizes and thicknesses so I used One large grommet on each front corner, and 1 smaller grommet central at the rear. As for placement I imagined the placings to be equal in any room, just as headphones would be, that was only common sense. I'm now off to learn how good my olde world Monster (multi-strand cable actually is . . . . I'm off now to enjoy Gentle Giant's, Memories of Old Days
Great advice Tarun. Very clear and concise! I watched this video a few weeks ago and just came over it again. I watched again and learned more from it. Thank you Sir!👍😊👏👏👏
Absolutely agree with the set up of HiFi kit making or breaking the experience. I recently visited the Acoustica show in Chester and the best systems definitely did not sound the best. Some rooms with budget set ups and better furnishings often sounded considerably better.
Oh man, can't thank you enough for the tip at 15:49 . I pulled my Amphion Helium 520 floorstanding speakers just a bit more (10 cm or so) off from the side wall, which made a huge difference for the better in stereo image. Now my triangle ain't anymore that correct, but this compromise is so much better. At last I'm hearing the huge open crisp clear sound I heard at the dealer, many years ago! I thought it was my amplifier/dac, but no, it's acoustics! I reckon your tip just saved me a lot of money! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Great video. I have just discovered your channel and have learned so much useful advice from this and some of your other videos over the last week. I very much appreciate your clear concise delivery with humble demeanour. Keep up the great work.
The symmetry point you mentioned only applies to symmetrical rooms with symmetrical fixtures and furnishing. In reality most home rooms can be oddly shaped and asymmetrical furnished, causing the speakers to load each side of the room differently. You need to adjust the speaker positioning to compensate for that. The most optimal positioning is rarely actually symmetrical.
I came hear to say that,, and you're already here !!! , but yes that's my room to a tee, measuring tapes are useless in most real rooms,, I don't even sit centrally to my speakers, or central in the room itself, but I still get a great soundstage & central imaging is bang on. Other than measuring and using the equidistance triangle method, so to speak, it was a great video.
Was going to say the same thing.....measuring tapes are not really needed...chances of being sat in the middle are slim to none if you set the thing up right.......will look odd but once the lights are out and you shut your eyes you are 100% bang in the middle......don't get the reaching out and touching the centre imaged singer either.....when I listen the room is deadly quiet... there is no sound in the room.....everything happens behind the loudspeakers....even going through the back wall into the garden
That was great , very informative and clear. I have just invested in a pair of speaker stands which place the speakers at correct height and i took your advice on placement from walls, what a difference Many thanks for that .
i recently learned that, in some situations, those wall reflections and the pronounced bass they cause can be used as an advantage. as i have just fixed my girls old hifi reciever and put it in her room, we did test a couple of speakers - and settled on a pair of tiny bookshelf units (think 'JBL control one') i never thought much about these particular speakers as they were pretty cheap and always lacking in the low end when on their own ... so they spent the last 5 years tucked away in a closet... but now we put them on a shelf, litterally with their backs agains the wall ... and boy did they start to go low all of a sudden. it's like we found the combination of amp, speakers and positioning that works very good in this room ... finding a good match is always interesting to witness when it happens ...
Great job. Thumb up. Thank you. (Minor note: I believe it is "Toeing" not "Towing" when talking about the angle of the speakers--unless you are talking about BIG speakers you tow behind a truck. Then you really are towing speakers.)
100% correct. I heard a £250K system at a London hifi show in 2006 and it sounded awful: completely and utterly wayward. It included cables that would buy decent 2nd hand cars to boot! In another room I heard a £7K system which sounded outstanding. All the elements were precise and intact. Both rooms were treated.
I have subscribed your channel ever since I bumped into it for the first time. In-depth coverage of speaker placement, I do not know how comprehensive it will be until I watched your video. Now I have great intimacy with my speakers despite it disappears when the musicians are in action. Thank you for sharing with us. Keep the good work and stay healthy you and your family.
Thank you Moh. That is very kind of you to say. I appreciate your support and you taking the time to comment. Wishing you and your loved ones good health as well 😊👍👍
Hi Tarun, I really appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge of HiFi and set up and the industry. I really like the way you have edited the videos with the sections, you have a great presentation style. Could you do some videos on how the industry works, design, manufacturing, distribution, selling and costs to help us understand how much HiFi may cost as a percentage of the total price. Also with your engineering background can you say something about cables, mods, tweeking, etc and what may or may not be snakeoil etc. Also can you do some videos on what are good second hand or vintage bargains to look out for. Thanks very much and keep up the good work.
Hi Vox, thank you for watching. All excellent suggestions, I was thinking of doing the next video on cables and I think you have just convinced me to go ahead. A video on cost models is tricky as it depends on the size of the manufacturer, whether they use a direct sale model, have local distribution on use an external distributor. However, if you are looking at a manufacturer who is NOT relying upon an external distributor and is distributing by themselves directly to a dealer, the model based on the MRSP is typically something like this. To make things simple, let’s say a manufacturer is retailing a pair of speakers for £1,000. Parts cost 15% @ £150 Business overheads (including marketing) 30% @ £300 Manufacturers gross margin 20% @ £200 Dealer margin 35% @ £350 As I say this is a very general rule of thumb. If a manufacturer needs to appoint an external distributor, I would expect the MRSP to increase an the retained margin by the manufacturer and dealer to reduce a little.
Thank you for this! Based on your information, I repositioned my Klipsch RP600M's a bit, and got significant improvement. All at no cost. They were about 25cm too close to the rear wall, and 'tightened up' when moved out to your suggested position. It really helps having a second person moving the speakers while the shot-caller stays in the prime listening spot.
I've always loved that first Joan Osborne record that you opened with ("Relish")--and long have wondered why more audiophiles don't mention or demo it. Thanks for that!
Stumbled on your channel today. From the UK myself and worked in HiFi also. Father was also, (do you remember Leak Sandwich speakers?) so is kind if in the blood. The first well considered presented channel I've seen. I can find nothing I disagree with of my own 30 years of experience. Used to be pretty high end but life hasn't been kind so I'm in the low end bracket these days. Have a half decent headphone set up.Grado, Dragonfly Coblt, I'm pretty happy with. Use a CA DAC magic plus from my source to my Wharfadale active speaker set up. I know not mega bucks but I'm pretty happy with my choices to hear music with my financial resources available. Appreciate your honesty, well explained explanations, and non HiFi snobbery. Subscribed.
Tarun I really like your presentation style, obvious knowledge of what you're talking about and the tips coming from your experience in the industry and as a passionate audiophile. I've been interested in hearing better audio since I was 15 - nearly 50 years of intense interest. I'm not someone who changes components every 5 minutes, but tries to squeeze the best out of what I've very carefully chosen. Like you, I have an engineering (in my case physics) background and was in the same physics set as Andrew Jones (now Elac) and Arthur Khoubessarian (Pink Triangle and now The Funk Firm). I can really identify with what you're saying and am looking forward to watching your earlier videos like choosing an amplifier and your reference recordings. Subscribed. I was gratified to see we both have Exposure - I have VIII stereo power, and XI, XII preamp from the mid 80's and still going strong, though I am wondering if I should get something newer. CD is Primare CD32, speakers KEF Reference III, Townshend Audio super tweeters. Cables - a lot of Kimber and mains conditioning. Atacama Equinox equipment stand. In my new house I have very challenging room acoustics - so will definitely be experimenting with some of your suggestions (rearward tilt, spikes on concrete floor). Am listening to your CD video as I write this and it gives me a real desire to do a video response of reference CDs and a quick overview of the system and acoustics challenges I face. Many thanks for the care you put into your videos. All the best, Rob in Switzerland. PS. It's "toeing"! like "toes" not "towing" - they're not going anywhere!
Hi Rob, I really enjoyed reading your comment. That must have been one interesting physics class with yourself, Andrew and Arthur. Sounds like you have put together a fabulous system over the years. You should definitely do some videos on your reference CDs, system overview and acoustic challenges. If you do, please let me know as I would love to watch it.
I, thank you for a useful well presented straightforward video. I have messed with HiFi from the age of about 8. My dada had a system and we used to manage it together. I really never applied much science or had much knowledge, apart from on a physical electronics based approach as I think I have a fairly solid electronics background. I’ve finally got to the stage where I’ve been able to spend some money on HIFi, i junked all my old bits and bought a NAD M33. I have B&W CDM9NT’s and an old set of B&W DM2’s. I’ve been lucky to be able to get some JBL L100’s and L82’s. Simply put, I’ve discovered what I probably knew already, the room I’m listening in is far from ideal. When I put the speakers in a larger square room, they sound so much better than in my long kitchen living room with a vaulted ceiling. I’ve spent the weekend learning, experimenting, and using an online tool to get some idea what’s going on. I watched your video this morning and your comment on the higher and lower systems sound, being effected by the room was very usefully. I have found that you can only really take in information and knowledge, when you are ready. This might mean having experience, have learnt and understood different things, or even took the time to listen and understand carefully what is being presented. Your video is an excellent starting point, that I wish I had access to 40 years ago. Well done
Spot on regarding matching speakers to how big your room is and for the majority of speakers i would agree with the placement in the room . However my 2 favourite speakers ever rewrite the rule book Linn Kan ( placed as tight to the wall as possible) and Shahinian Arc - place them wherever you want but 2 m apart . Enjoying the channel
Hi Bri, I remember Shahinian speakers. From what I remember, they are omni-directional. You are right, there are always exceptions to the rule where a speaker has been specifically designed to be placed in a particular position. Thank you for watching and commenting on the video.
Your videos and logical approach are simply the best. One more thing I would say that makes a difference is making sure the speakers are level. I have Canton Vento Reference 7 floor-standers and that made a positive sound improvement. These are balanced to listen off axis both horizontally and vertically from the tweeters. Just enough toe in to get the proper center image. They are mounted on shock absorbers to decouple them and the infrasonic frequencies are filtered out. Very tight bass. I would like a little more bottom roundness on some music, just have to figure out how to accomplish that. Otherwise they sound very well balanced on everything I play, just LPs and CDs. Your channel is the real deal, no audiophile neurosis just the facts.
Thank you Damian. I am glad you enjoyed the content. I can’t really do with audiophile pretensions. That is one of the reasons I called the channel “A British Audiophile.” It is about time we claimed then name back for people who just love music and like playing with the gear. Nothing else. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences. 😊👍
After wactching you vid and helpfull advice I have been experimenting with my speaker setup today. I had my tube amps checked and repaired. They broke some 35 years ago and at that time I didnt have a guy to repair them. Seemed the gradual increase in voltage in that era had a bad impact on my tubes.. Trafo's were 220v so increased output. All is fixed and restored now.. and my last remaining quad of philips el34 (not as good as the old Tesla's who were my standard) sound nice. I do miss the openness in the speakers. Ordered a quad of psvane el34ph and I can't wait to hear them. Hope they arrive soon.. Anyway, thank you for sharing your knowledge. Well appriciated!!
Man; I love your vids and, being the audiophile I am, I know everything you say is spot on. Plus, you're clear, coherent, articulate, and serious, all qualities a serious audiophile, esp a foreign one like me, appreciate enourmously. But the sound on your vids is so drenched in the reverb from your insanely hard room -the slap echo in there has to be insane as well- and due to the total lack of sound treatment, I don't doubt it's that way. What good is it to have great-sounding equipment, only to destroy it with your room ? Hope you don't regard my comment as disrespectful. Treating the room is by far the cheapest upgrade for any audiophile. I spent a mere 200 dollars in acoustic panels, plus an area rug , and my living room is audio nirvana now. Cheers mate !
Hi, thank you for watching and for your feedback. The room is actually pretty good, rug on the floor, plenty of soft furnishings. The problem is the videos are shot in my iPad Pro and Apple for some reason have got rid of the 3.5mm connection. I use an adapter to concert 3.5mm to USB C and the sound is terrible. Tried different adapters and two different mics but can resolve the problem.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 No bass trapping and a square room, no defusers, no absorption in the first listening position. I beg to differ that the room is good. Going to get some horrible standing waves and what not.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 The sound is terrible because you're relying on CHEAP a/d conversion with these adaptors you're trying, as well as attempting to record in an untreated room
Very scientific and logical reasoning, easy to follow and very informative. I will be regularly following your videos to learn more about audiophile listening. Thanks.
Hi tarun, so glad you recommended me watch this video, i totally get it with the speaker placement, basically let your ears decide what works, so informative with the fine details.thank you.👏
@@abritishaudiophile7314 no,, thank you tarun,any info ,tips are gratefully accepted, your a mine of information, on the measly budget i have to play with its welcome with open arms.cheers
Tarun, really appreciated this video as I'm about to invest in a system and had no idea that room setup can really affect the balance. I have a fairly large living room (6.5mx7m)that is acoustically bright (marble floors and an entire glass facade). Both the Left and Right speaker will be placed 90cm in front of a wall but the right speaker is next to the glass facade whilst the left speaker doesnt have a wall next to it. (living room opens up hallway + other rooms). This means there won't be symetrical reflecting surfaces. Firstly, should I opt for heavier curtains on the right hand side , and what can I do about the left hand side? We're in the middle of construction so I can make some changes...
Hi Richard, that is a tricky acoustic space. If you place enough soft furnishings in the room you should be able to bring the reverb time down to an acceptable level. The likelihood is that the glass facade on the right is going to cause more acoustic problems than the open left side. I would place the heavy curtains over the glass facade and close them when critically listening. A think rug on the floor would also help. Try and pick a speaker with excellent off axis performance and not an overall bright top end. Focal and B&W are out. Depending on what you want to spend and the kind of sound you want, something like the Buchardt S400s would work well in an acoustically lively space where speaker placement isn’t ideal. Good luck 😊
Perfect. Notwithstanding the fact that I have a difficult room in which my huge Revel Salon 2s are only about 16/17 inches from sidewalls, I still got a lot out of this video. Recently, because of my frustration with my setup, I acquired a minidsp SHD Studio. The DSP has helped immensely and, Dirac being Dirac, my speakers still sound like my speakers. Domestic negotiations say that I’m not going to solve the setup too soon, the DSP is my imperfect but helpful solution.
Hi Gene, thanks for the heads up. I will get a mat to place under the lamp. I love the glow of that lamp, especially during late night listening sessions.
WOW! A lot of information well explained. I like that the recommendations were supported by well-explained reasons so you can consider the details yourself. I really liked the discussion on toe-in affecting the soundstage. I'll experiment with my Polk bookshelf speakers that I have on stands. Thanks for the information!
I don't think many realize how well-organized and presented this is. You condensed a tremendous amount of useful information in a very digestible and engaging package and it seemed effortless. Thank you
Thank you TK. That is very kind of you to say 😊👍👍
Agreed!
agreed too.
You digested the package?
Agreed, there are plenty of good stuff here, very well presented. thanks !
I have never heard a more intelligent, concise description of proper speaker setup. 27 minutes well spent. I learned more than everything else I have seen on RUclips combined. I have met a few musicians that taught me some of what you covered. You were intensely through and enlightening. Thank you!
Thank you. It is great to have feedback like that 😊👍
Great post!
Thank you for responding to my query.
You are one of the first Audiophile / Expert who cared to reply. Some of the others asked for a “Consultation Fee” before even replying. I greatly appreciate your genuine concern for helping others. Thanks again.
I can understand why people subscribe after watching just one video of yours. Solid, trustworthy content. Much appreciated!
Thank you CT. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😊👍
This is the best all round practical explanation on how to position your speakers I've ever come across. Definitely a thumbs up!
Thank you Terry. Much appreciated 😊👍
I must say… the sheer amount of knowledge contained within this video and the way you have presented it is absolutely incredible and very helpful. Sometimes videos are either extremely technical to the point where you lose track, or it’s so simple you don’t gain much information. The balance you have here is perfect. Thank you.
Thank you. Very kind and greatly appreciated 👍😊👍
I'm a acoustician by trade (architectural acoustics), and I appreciate someone finally explaining this in such a straight forward way. Acoustics is about managing energy. Great video, cheers from NYC.
Hi OCTOmgnt, thank you for watching and commenting. It is great to have your professional opinion.
I had been looking for a word to describe this and managing energy is perfect.
This was by far the most useful info I've ever heard or read about in my 10 years of owning hi fi equipment.
Thank you spyingpoodle. I appreciate you watching 😉👍
This is one of the most helpful videos I have come across on how to choose speakers and how to set them up correctly. Fantastic.
Thank you Anand. Very kind 🙂👍
That’s one of the most informative, concise and easy to follow descriptions I have ever heard and will implement to fine-tune my system. Thank you much.
That is great. You are most welcome 😊👍
I have been listening to a lot of audiophiles and found the channel and the host most truthful and a true student of science. Remarkable in this day and age.
A lovely well presented and knowledgable video. As a sound engineer for over 47 years and still, in retirement, using my much loved Genelec monitors bought back in 1995 - I can assure you all, as said here, the room maketh the loudspeaker. They have sounded so different as they've moved from studio to studio and room to room.
Thank you Paul. That is very much appreciated 😊👍
This is about the 10th video I've watched on speaker placement and it was easily the clearest and most practical. I've heard multiple times that speakers should be this measurement or that ratio away from the walls but it really doesn't matter unless they sound good. Thank you for putting this out there.
Thank you buddy. That is much appreciated 👍😊👍
You are a Genius. And typically unassuming in your demeanour which is very British and I absolutely love it. Best video for the subject on RUclips / internet HANDS DOWN.
Thank you James. It is extremely kind of you to say and your support is very much appreciated 😉👍
As a Londoner and a self confessed audiophile its refreshing to stumble across a audiophile RUclipsr with a British accent. Interesting and informative video. I have subscribed and hope the channel flies.
Jellied Eels and Pearly Kings in ol London Tawn.
Oi ! Oi! Saveloy!!
This man is the single best person to explain these principles, incredibly concise.
I am going to be pedantic about the first error I've ever noticed in one of his videos, however. He did say dampen instead of damp. There's an old joke about the difference; if you ask an engineer to design you a dampener, he'll hand you a wet sponge.
Thank you. It slipped in 😂👍
I've re-oriented my speakers to more closely match the guidelines of distances and angles you suggest and the sound is much more remarkable. Thank you for a well presented tutorial on speaker set-up.
That is great Phil 😊👍
I have been building and listening to home built systems for many decades, and I finally built a dedicated listening space, 12' by 19', with sound absorption and sound diffraction panels all around, and then placed the speakers and listening position properly using a RTA to get relative flat response. These efforts made a HUGE difference in the listening experience of my system. The room is truly just as important as the system.
Ditto, I am very jealous 😀
I watched this yesterday and decided to experiment. System consists of a Yamaha RX-A820 AVR and Dali Ikon 5 MK2 floor standers at the front (Mission speakers & sub make up the rest of a 5.1 set up) but for music, I'm almost always in regular stereo, and use a Sonos Port to stream Spotify or locally stored music. Room is 3.6 mtr wide by 5.3 mtrs long, and the speakers were previously 1.7 mtr apart (equidistant from the side walls) by 45cm from the wall behind. Because it's my living room, there are practical limitations in respect of ideal speaker placement (furniture placement etc) but I was able to increase the spacing apart to 1.85 mtrs and 60 cm from the wall behind. Wow! the bass is now tightened up and seems to have more punch, and I have a much improved soundstage. Many thanks for the great advice.
Thank you Stupot8572. I am glad it worked out 😉👍
Just Brilliant! At last someone who can explain the basics without getting too technical, and in layman’s terms. Outstanding!
Thank you Noel. That is extremely kind 👍😊👍
Having watched your recent video i went back to watch this one. I have a pair of PMC IB1 on there own stands which are filled with sand. These speakers are amazing I have had them a long time now and have moved them to a smaller room. They are placed on the long wall., I could not get them to sound right even with placement or with sound treatment. So after watching this video you mentioned a bit on decoupling the speaker of the floor , I always use spikes on the stands because all the rooms had carpet so I used these other feet’s that came with the stand which sit on the carpet instead of going through. First I changed one and noticed less vibration on the stand and speaker. When I changed both, sat down and listened the sound changed some much the bass was better upper frequencies opened up too. Just by decoupling the stand from the floor made more difference than any thing I’ve tried. So thank you so much, all your videos are excellent and go into more detail than others do
Thank you Rodney for sharing your experiences. It is feedback like that which makes doing this channel so worthwhile 😉👍
I followed your minimum 85 cm advice for the 5 millisecond delay of first reflected sound... and it worked! THANK YOU
By far the best video on speaker set up.
Thank you Viggo. I appreciate you watching and commenting 😉👍
I just started testing with repositioning my speakers this afternoon. Before Theo were not symmetric to the sidewalls, appr. 70 and 45 cm. I ended up with both 90 cm From sidewalls, and the effect is unbelievable. I knew my speakers (cost no object self built by experts I know, not me) are really nice, but after hearing really good demonstrations of Great sets I always had the feeling my midrange was the only thing that could be better. Now I am hearing new speakers. The midrange isn’t a bit better, It sounds like my speakers just had a Great holiday, and right now i can’t stop listening. Great advice, please keep making these Great video’s. Thumbs up !!!!
Hi rene, in a good system acoustic symmetry is really important. Thank you for your support and sharing your experience.
Thanks, that was very comprehensive and easy to understand. I noticed that, in comparison with your more recent videos, your own sound quality is rather woody here, so you have clearly made worthwhile improvements in that area over the years. I remember hearing the ProAc Response 1 in a hifi shop about thirty years ago and liking them very much, so not surprised you still like yours.
Thank you 😊
I am reviewing my speaker placement for stereo depth and looked at quite a few videos. After seeing your presentation, I am again so thankful and have such respectf for the work you do. Please do a reference book publication for us Audiophiles,; could be a classic Thank you so much, you are knowledgeable and it's appreciated.
Thank you John. That is very kind 👍😊👍
Thank you Tarun, for a wonderful and simple explanation. How refreshing compared to the demeaning, rude, arrogant talk I received during my 15 min consultation with a notorious acoustic engineer who sells panels and tells me unless I spend $25.000 to treat my already treated(carpets everywhere, thick curtains, cloth furniture, solid stereo image) apartment, I need to spend that much because everything is horrible about my set up without asking one question. Lots of quacks out there so all of you beware.
@@r2d3vadar92 thank you kindly. It is unfortunate that some people in the industry don’t have their clients best interests in mind 😊
Nice video and a lot of helpful suggestions for audio beginners and for anyone who hasn't really given much thought to speaker setup. Not anything new to me but I am a 50+ year audiophile. :) The only thing I would add is for audiophiles to experiment with the speaker width and speaker toe-in. Widely spaced speaker positioning will usually require more toe-in for optimal sound whereas more closely spaced speaker positioning will usually require less. This will also depend on the dispersion of your midrange/tweeters. If an audiophile wants super focused imaging and a narrower, more focused soundstage, then more toe-in is usually the answer. Conversely, with the tweeters aimed outside your ears and tending more towards straight ahead will give you airier but less focused imaging and soundstaging. By the way, Tarun, the toe-in of your left speaker (looking at your fireplace) is quite a bit less than your right speaker. Way more cabinet wall is visible. :)
Hi James, thank you sharing you experience and knowledge. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment on the video. I think it must be due to the camera angle or lighting as both speakers are toed in the same. Good to hear from you.
Really helpful, thank you!
I relocated to Thailand a couple of years ago and have been wanting to setup home theatre/listening room ever since.
I’ve just started shopping around now and this has given plenty of food for thought based on our setup over here.
Thank you 😊
Refreshing to discover a practical down to earth no nonsense ego free presentation.Thanks for sharing the science common sense and experience.
Thank you, much appreciated 😊👍
Hi Tarun,
I just pulled my speakers from the back wall from 48 to 90cm (measured from the tweeter): OMG! Stereo imaging improved tremendously, much more stable too and then all of a sudden there is the third dimension as well: there is depth to the sound stage that was not there at all before!
Thank you!!
That is great feedback Evert. Thank you for sharing 👍😊👍
Dang, just 31.800 Subs? I am shocked. Terribly underrated. Apreciate and confirm your work!
Thank you 😊👍
Thankyou Tarun, you brought back a few old memories and introduced a few foreign ones too. I have never tilted my speakers back to lift the soundstage but you can bet I will play with that now 😂
Cheers from Tasmania Australia 👍🏻
Thank you my friend 👍
This is REALLY good and important info to get best fidelity - that you have provided. My old Infinity Quantum 2's came with detailed instructions describing, just these same steps you specified. One more thing that really helps is to have open space behind the sound stage beyond the back of the listener so the sounds are not reflected back at the listener, like in a concert hall, if possible. Infinities instructions also described the effects of the corner of a room reinforcing lows making bass louder. Infinity described moving the speakers to different positions and listening to the result, with some trial an error. When using a sub it is important to be able to adjust the phase while the listener is listening within the sweet spot so the bass does not cancel with the main speakers, doing this will find to actually turn down the sub some. These things really have profound affects, just as you say - Really helpful instructions! I look forward to checking our your other stuff!
Thank you ND. I appreciate you sharing 😊
Great presentation! As a former sound engineer I always try to convince people to focus on the dimensions and treatment of the room, as well as speaker and furniture placement, before buying expensive equipment. However, most people tend to ignore this advice, and rush out and drop big dollars on gear, only to end up with a poorly performing system. From now on I will direct people to this video! :)
Thank you Stefan. That is high praise indeed. Thank you for watching and your support 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you! :)
After watching all lot of your videos and listening carfully to your advices in regards to room acustics. I went on and bought me some simply acoutic absorbers to test out if there is any change of making my living room sound better if i use absorbers. I asked a friend of mine to assist me in holding absorbers in place to be able to sit and listen with and without the panels installed. Long story short: Breath taking differences ! Much better in a way I never expected. Maybe you find that interessting enough to spent some words on those things in the future. Cos, as you said, if the room is crappy nearly no speaker can be brilliant.
Wanted to share this and thank you for your effort making me curious what is possible if one only pointed into the right direction.
Be safe and sound and all the best wishes for Xmas and 2021.
Munter bleiben.
Thank you Michael. I appreciate you sharing that and your support. Certainly, if you can accommodate them, the right room treatment in the right places can make a big difference. I am so pleased that you have had success with them 😊👍👍
I just bought some ex-demo BR03 speakers and was somehat disappointed that their soundstage wasn't any better than my M20s (under £100!). After moving furniture to allow me to tweak the speaker stands' position I played around with them and was shocked at how much better they sounded, they now fill the whole room with sound and I can't hear the speakers.Now I have to swing my sofa round to sit in the sweet spot, but it's worth it- I'm just glad I ordered my cables longer than required.
It's reassuring you can improve your sound so massively without spending a penny!
Fabulous 👍 speaker and listener positioning is the biggest part of achieving great sound 😊👍
Reviewers take note, this is how information should be conveyed. Most people on RUclips don't really know what they're talking about or how to describe things if they do. Great video as always.
Thank you herr trigger. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😊👍👍
Great information. I have played with speaker placement, but never considered the "hows or whys." Thank you, sir.
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
This particular video was incredibly helpful to me. You have a really nice way of taking information and making it easily understood. The time and effort you put into this is much appreciated and really made a difference in my setup. Thank you.
That is great Rich. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😊👍👍
Just started experimenting with speaker placement. Specifically moved them in from 1.5 foot to 2.5 from the wall. WOW. It is like I have brand new speaker. Imaging went from 2 to 11…. Clarity and separation way up. Wow. Thank you Tarun.
That is great Stefan 😊👍
This is by far the best video explaining speaker set up. Thank you
Thank you Pete 👍
I know I’m commenting on a old video but this is timeless. You nailed all the basics. I’m starting to get caught up with some of your older videos and you are becoming one of my favorite reviewers 😊.
Thank you my friend 😊👍
Watched a couple of your videos now. Straight forward, well packaged information. As someone said below, the management of energy you cover here is very helpful. I'm no audio file but am a music lover with many vinyl records. A carpenter/joiner by trade currently dabbling with ideas for speaker stands and racks. Your content is proving very helpful in my research. Cheers.
Thank you. Very much appreciated 😊👍
Wonderful, full of facts. I'm a newbie to both hifi and this channel, enjoying both :-). In case you will be considering Q&A type of videos:
1.) Does fire (heat) affect the sound in your room? It's pretty close to the speakers.
2.) There does not seem to be any visible treatment in your room, how come?
3.) With the speakers 90cm above the floor, sitting 2m from them, assuming your ear is at the same height as your tweater. The trajectory of the sound reflected off the floor is 2,71M, vs 2m direct path. Way below 5ms difference, right? You probably have a carpet there, just saying 90cm does not seem to be enough in all cases.
Thank you Daniel. I appreciate the suggestions 😊
Thank you for the very practical review! I like the 3 ‘ rule for slowing down reflections to >5m sec.... I tried it and it worked just fine! More 3 dimensionality and more center fill.
I glad it work Robert. Thank you for watching 👍
you hit the nail on the head mentioning different recordings, many are remarkably different - in a a hifi system we are looking for one size fits all so have to make compromises, ideally have a few systems to suit each type of music or recording! (-:
Thank you 🙂
This channel is so good! I'm Finnish beginner and about to buy my first hifi setup. This channel is helped me so much!!!
That is great Juha. Thank you for watching and good luck with your first Hifi setup 😊👍👍
Really good sound advice about speaker set up and placement and the speaker placement is the most important factor to getting the best out of your HiFi setup. I've been into HiFi for around 50 years now I am not claiming to be any expert by any means but over the years of experimenting with speaker placement myself I more or less set my speakers up the same way as you mentioned here and know precisely how important speaker placement plays a MASSIVE! role in getting the most out of your setup. The one thing I did notice you never discussed here was "Ports" and no doubt rear ports will mean that your speakers do need to be further away from the back wall and the distance they are away will have an effect on how the bass frequency responds. Front ported speakers are specifically designed so that they can be placed much closer to the back wall. I myself have front ported speakers and have had for many years now. My decision to go with them was basically because having children running around the house, I did not want to risk my speakers getting knocked over by placing them too far away from the wall.
I can understand your theory about having large speakers in a small room but I also think that the source you are using to play your music with will have an effect in relation to them sounding boomy. My personal experience with floor-standing speakers goes back to the 80's when I purchased a pair of Wharfedale E90 Pro Speakers. At the time I purchased them I was living in a house where the living room was not as big as the one you have here and they were the most amazing speakers I ever had. I had them for around 24 years before I sold them and I can honestly say that the only time them speakers did sound boomy at times was when I played vinyl on my turntable. I never once got that from playing a CD. I dare say I could have spent a lot more money on a better turntable or even tried to put better feet on the bottom of the turntable to dampen things down a bit. But rather than spend even more money I decided to knock vinyl on the head and I certainly do not miss it one bit either. Besides that, the price of vinyl in relation to what it was years ago as skyrocketed and in reality, it should not be any more than the price of a CD.
These days I am a surround FREAK! and have been since around 1994. I sold my old Wharfedale's in 2006 and got 2 grand more for them than what I paid for them brand new. The reason I did sell them was because I wanted more of a balanced sound for my AV setup and I replaced them with 4 of the same bookshelf speakers. I would even say for surround purposes you are better off going with the same speakers all round too rather than having floor-standing speakers on the front and smaller speakers for the rears and have stuck with them ever since. The other thing is that since I have been into surround sound, I have spent less than half the money I would have spent on my old stereo setups many moons ago and I am a lot happier with the results too.
Hi Lee, thank you for taking the time to share your experiences of speakers, systems and setups. I really enjoyed reading them. It reminded me of that old audiophile saying “everything makes a difference in hifi.” Thanks again for sharing.
I have two different pairs of Klipsch bookshelf speakers in my living room Klipsch RB61-11 those are paired with a Onkyo AVR and I have a new pair of Klipsch RP6OO'S paired with an Integrated amp both sound very well with my application, both pairs are approximately 6ft apart:your videos are very well articulated please keep up the good work
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences James 😉
This was ever so interesting! It explains and confirms why I 'm always fiddling about with my speakers during the beginning of a new listening session. Had it right without knowing the physics. Thank you!
That is great. Thank you for watching 👍
Hi again, I followed your advice and got out the old tape measure. Put the speakers at exactly the right distance. moved my chair closer to the speakers in order to get the triangle correct. and boy, did those adjustments make a difference. The sound is great again, and the bass is back! Now I see why I bought my gear in the first place, all those years ago. Thanks again for your tips.
From one to another this is wonderful. I’ve become lazy with my active Naim setup and you’ve inspired me to try harder. Thank you!
Hi Robert, great to hear that. Thank you for watching and commenting on the video.
Tarun, I've watched several of your videos and find them quite good. Thank you for your reasonable, scientific approach to music listening.
Thank you for watching John 😊👍
So pleased I discovered your channel. Over the last 40yrs I've been involved in marketing (at the start of my journey) to audio engineering and music creation. Your philosophical stance is spot on ... Subscribed 👍
Hi Chris, thank you for watching and commenting on the video. I really appreciate you supporting the channel.
This is a brilliant explanation of how to set up your hifi system. Thank you, Tarun!
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
This is a gem of a channel and my new favorite!
Thank you Pubudu. Very much appreciated 😊👍👍
Another excellent video, thanks Tarun.
Just a personal note on domestic horn speakers. My listening room is approximately 12 feet square. I use a pair of Lowther Acousta 115s which are fairly large but small for a horn. They roll off around 80Hz and consequently sound best only a couple of inches from the back wall (and still require a sub-woofer). Lowthers do not follow many of the norms and this is one example. Another is the tweeter height. Lowthers are a concentric design and the (floor-standing) speaker top is a little below ear height. If you take the grilles off though, you will see that the baffle is tilted backwards to compensate for the fact.
On your room:
Room treatment can make a huge difference. Thirty years ago when I moved here, I briefly stood my children in various parts of the room to act as absorbers and to break up reflections while I listened. I added a slim tall bookcase to one corner of the room which helped a lot (symmetry factor). My listening room is similar to yours but my speakers are at right angles to your set-up, with the chimney breast on my right from the listening position. (This is unavoidable as I have doors on opposite corners of my room and positioning my speakers like you do would obstruct a doorway.) My wife made me a long thin rug which I hang from short side of the chimney breast facing the speakers to absorb near field reflections. This has absolutely been the biggest single upgrade to the sound of my system.
Your listening chair can also degrade the sound. A high-backed chair can make your system sound dull. Not only should your chair be 1/3rd into the room but your chair-back should be no more than shoulder height (unless you listen to closed-back headphones exclusively...).
My son has a different approach. He uses a digital signal processor which comes with a microphone and you tune to your listening room. The processor adds (subtractive) filters tailored to your room to compensate for the big intrusive bass resonances and flattens the in-room response. I was highly sceptical of this approach but confess to being gob-smacked when he demonstrated the results. I never expected filters below 200Hz to have such an effect on the clarity of the entire frequency range.
Hi John, I really enjoyed reading your comments and learning about your experiences. Thank you for watching and sharing 😊👍
Very interesting to hear your thoughts on spikes. I'd imagine only 5-10% of floors would be concrete or tiled and yet most high end tower speakers (and speaker stands) come with spikes built into their bases. I have ATC speakers and they have spikes. They sound amazing on a timber floor so I'm a bit confused there.
There's lots to take out of this video, I know I'll have the tape measure out tomorrow. Many thanks!
Thank you for watching and sharing 😊
I have pleasantly surprised myself tonight, after listening to your comments on placement (Tick), raking the speakers back (Tick), and dampening down resonances (Tick). I've done this without actually knowing how well my attempts had been, and my methods (although very basic, are successful). My floor-standing speakers have their internal cavities filled with individual 'zipper' type food bags/ or Dog poop bags if you're skint, filled with glass bead used in sand blasting @£3.50 per 20kg, and by using the bagging method you can be sure of equal amounts in each speaker. The raking was achieved by using rubber grommets from the car electrical world, which my initial goal was to stop my speaker 'creeping' on the laminate flooring and stop any vibrations troubling my dogs sleeping on the floor, but they come in many sizes and thicknesses so I used One large grommet on each front corner, and 1 smaller grommet central at the rear. As for placement I imagined the placings to be equal in any room, just as headphones would be, that was only common sense. I'm now off to learn how good my olde world Monster (multi-strand cable actually is . . . . I'm off now to enjoy Gentle Giant's, Memories of Old Days
Thank you for sharing Colin 😊👍
Great advice Tarun. Very clear and concise! I watched this video a few weeks ago and just came over it again. I watched again and learned more from it. Thank you Sir!👍😊👏👏👏
Thank you for watching it twice 😉 I appreciate your support 👍
I found this very helpful, thorough, described in a straightforward manner. Thank you.
@@charliecroker2541 you are most welcome 😊
Absolutely agree with the set up of HiFi kit making or breaking the experience. I recently visited the Acoustica show in Chester and the best systems definitely did not sound the best. Some rooms with budget set ups and better furnishings often sounded considerably better.
I have had similar experiences Mark 😊
Oh man, can't thank you enough for the tip at 15:49 . I pulled my Amphion Helium 520 floorstanding speakers just a bit more (10 cm or so) off from the side wall, which made a huge difference for the better in stereo image. Now my triangle ain't anymore that correct, but this compromise is so much better. At last I'm hearing the huge open crisp clear sound I heard at the dealer, many years ago! I thought it was my amplifier/dac, but no, it's acoustics! I reckon your tip just saved me a lot of money! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi luomusuomukas, that is great! It is hearing comments like that which make doing this channel worthwhile 😁
Thank you for this intelligent, well-presented and incredibly useful video. It is the best video on the topic I have seen on RUclips.
Thank you Game Escape. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😉👍
Even through the YT channel, there is quality sound in your set up.
Thank you my friend. Much appreciated 😊👍
Great video. I have just discovered your channel and have learned so much useful advice from this and some of your other videos over the last week. I very much appreciate your clear concise delivery with humble demeanour. Keep up the great work.
Same here. Very calming haha
Thank you Andrew. much appreciated 😊👍
Thank you Marcel. Good for when you want to go to sleep 😊🥱
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Consider it a great alternative to the usual semi-shouting channels 😉
Keep it seamly. You are discussing a serious topic in which people are genuinely interested in. That's why we take time to watch your video.
Noted. Thank you James 😊
The symmetry point you mentioned only applies to symmetrical rooms with symmetrical fixtures and furnishing. In reality most home rooms can be oddly shaped and asymmetrical furnished, causing the speakers to load each side of the room differently. You need to adjust the speaker positioning to compensate for that. The most optimal positioning is rarely actually symmetrical.
I came hear to say that,, and you're already here !!! , but yes that's my room to a tee, measuring tapes are useless in most real rooms,, I don't even sit centrally to my speakers, or central in the room itself, but I still get a great soundstage & central imaging is bang on.
Other than measuring and using the equidistance triangle method, so to speak, it was a great video.
Was going to say the same thing.....measuring tapes are not really needed...chances of being sat in the middle are slim to none if you set the thing up right.......will look odd but once the lights are out and you shut your eyes you are 100% bang in the middle......don't get the reaching out and touching the centre imaged singer either.....when I listen the room is deadly quiet... there is no sound in the room.....everything happens behind the loudspeakers....even going through the back wall into the garden
@@leegoodwin9233 Why don't you sit in the garden then
@@tonys4396 So we can't even talk about speaker placement without being dicks about it now?
@@tonys4396 lol!
That was great , very informative and clear. I have just invested in a pair of speaker stands which place the speakers at correct height and i took your advice on placement from walls, what a difference Many thanks for that .
@@DavidG-m2l that is great 👍
I've never heard speaker placement explained in such a straightforward way. Many thanks
i recently learned that, in some situations, those wall reflections and the pronounced bass they cause can be used as an advantage.
as i have just fixed my girls old hifi reciever and put it in her room, we did test a couple of speakers - and settled on a pair of tiny bookshelf units (think 'JBL control one')
i never thought much about these particular speakers as they were pretty cheap and always lacking in the low end when on their own ... so they spent the last 5 years tucked away in a closet... but now we put them on a shelf, litterally with their backs agains the wall ... and boy did they start to go low all of a sudden.
it's like we found the combination of amp, speakers and positioning that works very good in this room ... finding a good match is always interesting to witness when it happens ...
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Kenji
Great job. Thumb up. Thank you. (Minor note: I believe it is "Toeing" not "Towing" when talking about the angle of the speakers--unless you are talking about BIG speakers you tow behind a truck. Then you really are towing speakers.)
Thank you. That was an oversight 😂👍
100% correct. I heard a £250K system at a London hifi show in 2006 and it sounded awful: completely and utterly wayward. It included cables that would buy decent 2nd hand cars to boot! In another room I heard a £7K system which sounded outstanding. All the elements were precise and intact. Both rooms were treated.
Thank you Andy 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 We import, export and sell some truly exotic audio.
Seen a couple of your videos. You have been at it for a time... I can see how you enjoy your lovely living room... keep searching for the grail!
Thank you JU 😊👍
Good to see Floyd Toole's work getting recognition. So much of the Canadian speaker industry was influenced by his work at the NRC.
and the rest of the world. Thank you for watching and commenting 😊👍
I have subscribed your channel ever since I bumped into it for the first time.
In-depth coverage of speaker placement, I do not know how comprehensive it will be until I watched your video. Now I have great intimacy with my speakers despite it disappears when the musicians are in action.
Thank you for sharing with us. Keep the good work and stay healthy you and your family.
Thank you Moh. That is very kind of you to say. I appreciate your support and you taking the time to comment. Wishing you and your loved ones good health as well 😊👍👍
Hi Tarun,
I really appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge of HiFi and set up and the industry. I really like the way you have edited the videos with the sections, you have a great presentation style. Could you do some videos on how the industry works, design, manufacturing, distribution, selling and costs to help us understand how much HiFi may cost as a percentage of the total price. Also with your engineering background can you say something about cables, mods, tweeking, etc and what may or may not be snakeoil etc. Also can you do some videos on what are good second hand or vintage bargains to look out for. Thanks very much and keep up the good work.
Hi Vox, thank you for watching. All excellent suggestions, I was thinking of doing the next video on cables and I think you have just convinced me to go ahead.
A video on cost models is tricky as it depends on the size of the manufacturer, whether they use a direct sale model, have local distribution on use an external distributor. However, if you are looking at a manufacturer who is NOT relying upon an external distributor and is distributing by themselves directly to a dealer, the model based on the MRSP is typically something like this. To make things simple, let’s say a manufacturer is retailing a pair of speakers for £1,000.
Parts cost 15% @ £150
Business overheads (including marketing) 30% @ £300
Manufacturers gross margin 20% @ £200
Dealer margin 35% @ £350
As I say this is a very general rule of thumb. If a manufacturer needs to appoint an external distributor, I would expect the MRSP to increase an the retained margin by the manufacturer and dealer to reduce a little.
Thank you for this! Based on your information, I repositioned my Klipsch RP600M's a bit, and got significant improvement. All at no cost. They were about 25cm too close to the rear wall, and 'tightened up' when moved out to your suggested position. It really helps having a second person moving the speakers while the shot-caller stays in the prime listening spot.
Hi Mark B., great suggestion. Really please you got something beneficial from the video. Thank you for watching and commenting.
Great points, especially regarding room interaction. In general you hear more room than speakers (60/40) if around 3m away.
Thank you Alex
I've always loved that first Joan Osborne record that you opened with ("Relish")--and long have wondered why more audiophiles don't mention or demo it. Thanks for that!
Thank you Will 😊👍
One of the best videos I've seen in a long time. Awesome man!
Thank you reflux1986, I appreciate your support.
Stumbled on your channel today. From the UK myself and worked in HiFi also. Father was also, (do you remember Leak Sandwich speakers?) so is kind if in the blood. The first well considered presented channel I've seen. I can find nothing I disagree with of my own 30 years of experience. Used to be pretty high end but life hasn't been kind so I'm in the low end bracket these days. Have a half decent headphone set up.Grado, Dragonfly Coblt, I'm pretty happy with. Use a CA DAC magic plus from my source to my Wharfadale active speaker set up. I know not mega bucks but I'm pretty happy with my choices to hear music with my financial resources available.
Appreciate your honesty, well explained explanations, and non HiFi snobbery. Subscribed.
Thank you MR. Great to learn about your experiences. I appreciate the support 😊👍
Excellent informative video..
Refreshing to listen to a reviewer who knows his craft.
Thank you Christopher. I appreciate your support 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I've been at this hobby for over 45 years and find your recommendations spot on and very worthwhile!
Thank you Terry 😊
I have no questions or input. I'm just here to say that I enjoy your content and presentation. Cheers!
Awesome! Thank you 👍
Tarun I really like your presentation style, obvious knowledge of what you're talking about and the tips coming from your experience in the industry and as a passionate audiophile.
I've been interested in hearing better audio since I was 15 - nearly 50 years of intense interest. I'm not someone who changes components every 5 minutes, but tries to squeeze the best out of what I've very carefully chosen. Like you, I have an engineering (in my case physics) background and was in the same physics set as Andrew Jones (now Elac) and Arthur Khoubessarian (Pink Triangle and now The Funk Firm). I can really identify with what you're saying and am looking forward to watching your earlier videos like choosing an amplifier and your reference recordings. Subscribed.
I was gratified to see we both have Exposure - I have VIII stereo power, and XI, XII preamp from the mid 80's and still going strong, though I am wondering if I should get something newer. CD is Primare CD32, speakers KEF Reference III, Townshend Audio super tweeters. Cables - a lot of Kimber and mains conditioning. Atacama Equinox equipment stand.
In my new house I have very challenging room acoustics - so will definitely be experimenting with some of your suggestions (rearward tilt, spikes on concrete floor). Am listening to your CD video as I write this and it gives me a real desire to do a video response of reference CDs and a quick overview of the system and acoustics challenges I face.
Many thanks for the care you put into your videos. All the best, Rob in Switzerland.
PS. It's "toeing"! like "toes" not "towing" - they're not going anywhere!
Hi Rob, I really enjoyed reading your comment. That must have been one interesting physics class with yourself, Andrew and Arthur. Sounds like you have put together a fabulous system over the years. You should definitely do some videos on your reference CDs, system overview and acoustic challenges. If you do, please let me know as I would love to watch it.
I, thank you for a useful well presented straightforward video. I have messed with HiFi from the age of about 8. My dada had a system and we used to manage it together. I really never applied much science or had much knowledge, apart from on a physical electronics based approach as I think I have a fairly solid electronics background. I’ve finally got to the stage where I’ve been able to spend some money on HIFi, i junked all my old bits and bought a NAD M33. I have B&W CDM9NT’s and an old set of B&W DM2’s. I’ve been lucky to be able to get some JBL L100’s and L82’s. Simply put, I’ve discovered what I probably knew already, the room I’m listening in is far from ideal. When I put the speakers in a larger square room, they sound so much better than in my long kitchen living room with a vaulted ceiling. I’ve spent the weekend learning, experimenting, and using an online tool to get some idea what’s going on. I watched your video this morning and your comment on the higher and lower systems sound, being effected by the room was very usefully. I have found that you can only really take in information and knowledge, when you are ready. This might mean having experience, have learnt and understood different things, or even took the time to listen and understand carefully what is being presented. Your video is an excellent starting point, that I wish I had access to 40 years ago. Well done
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Great content and channel. Really enjoying hearing your perspectives. Best wishes.
Spot on regarding matching speakers to how big your room is and for the majority of speakers i would agree with the placement in the room . However my 2 favourite speakers ever rewrite the rule book Linn Kan ( placed as tight to the wall as possible) and Shahinian Arc - place them wherever you want but 2 m apart . Enjoying the channel
Hi Bri, I remember Shahinian speakers. From what I remember, they are omni-directional. You are right, there are always exceptions to the rule where a speaker has been specifically designed to be placed in a particular position. Thank you for watching and commenting on the video.
Your videos and logical approach are simply the best. One more thing I would say that makes a difference is making sure the speakers are level. I have Canton Vento Reference 7 floor-standers and that made a positive sound improvement. These are balanced to listen off axis both horizontally and vertically from the tweeters. Just enough toe in to get the proper center image. They are mounted on shock absorbers to decouple them and the infrasonic frequencies are filtered out. Very tight bass. I would like a little more bottom roundness on some music, just have to figure out how to accomplish that. Otherwise they sound very well balanced on everything I play, just LPs and CDs. Your channel is the real deal, no audiophile neurosis just the facts.
Thank you Damian. I am glad you enjoyed the content. I can’t really do with audiophile pretensions. That is one of the reasons I called the channel “A British Audiophile.” It is about time we claimed then name back for people who just love music and like playing with the gear. Nothing else. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences. 😊👍
After wactching you vid and helpfull advice I have been experimenting with my speaker setup today. I had my tube amps checked and repaired. They broke some 35 years ago and at that time I didnt have a guy to repair them. Seemed the gradual increase in voltage in that era had a bad impact on my tubes.. Trafo's were 220v so increased output. All is fixed and restored now.. and my last remaining quad of philips el34 (not as good as the old Tesla's who were my standard) sound nice. I do miss the openness in the speakers. Ordered a quad of psvane el34ph and I can't wait to hear them. Hope they arrive soon.. Anyway, thank you for sharing your knowledge. Well appriciated!!
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Bob 😊👍
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You have an awesome channel!
Thank you Rick
Great info. You really have a lot of experience and knowledge. I didn't know high freq. are running faster than low ones.
Thank you 😊
Man; I love your vids and, being the audiophile I am, I know everything you say is spot on. Plus, you're clear, coherent, articulate, and serious, all qualities a serious audiophile, esp a foreign one like me, appreciate enourmously. But the sound on your vids is so drenched in the reverb from your insanely hard room -the slap echo in there has to be insane as well- and due to the total lack of sound treatment, I don't doubt it's that way. What good is it to have great-sounding equipment, only to destroy it with your room ? Hope you don't regard my comment as disrespectful. Treating the room is by far the cheapest upgrade for any audiophile. I spent a mere 200 dollars in acoustic panels, plus an area rug , and my living room is audio nirvana now. Cheers mate !
Hi, thank you for watching and for your feedback. The room is actually pretty good, rug on the floor, plenty of soft furnishings. The problem is the videos are shot in my iPad Pro and Apple for some reason have got rid of the 3.5mm connection. I use an adapter to concert 3.5mm to USB C and the sound is terrible. Tried different adapters and two different mics but can resolve the problem.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 No bass trapping and a square room, no defusers, no absorption in the first listening position. I beg to differ that the room is good.
Going to get some horrible standing waves and what not.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 The sound is terrible because you're relying on CHEAP a/d conversion with these adaptors you're trying, as well as attempting to record in an untreated room
Very scientific and logical reasoning, easy to follow and very informative. I will be regularly following your videos to learn more about audiophile listening. Thanks.
Thank you Raymond. I appreciate you watching 😊👍
this was such a well thought out and informative video thank u
Thank you William. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😉👍
Hi tarun, so glad you recommended me watch this video, i totally get it with the speaker placement, basically let your ears decide what works, so informative with the fine details.thank you.👏
Thank you Phil. So pleased that you got some value from it 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 no,, thank you tarun,any info ,tips are gratefully accepted, your a mine of information, on the measly budget i have to play with its welcome with open arms.cheers
Tarun, really appreciated this video as I'm about to invest in a system and had no idea that room setup can really affect the balance. I have a fairly large living room (6.5mx7m)that is acoustically bright (marble floors and an entire glass facade). Both the Left and Right speaker will be placed 90cm in front of a wall but the right speaker is next to the glass facade whilst the left speaker doesnt have a wall next to it. (living room opens up hallway + other rooms). This means there won't be symetrical reflecting surfaces. Firstly, should I opt for heavier curtains on the right hand side , and what can I do about the left hand side? We're in the middle of construction so I can make some changes...
Hi Richard, that is a tricky acoustic space. If you place enough soft furnishings in the room you should be able to bring the reverb time down to an acceptable level. The likelihood is that the glass facade on the right is going to cause more acoustic problems than the open left side. I would place the heavy curtains over the glass facade and close them when critically listening. A think rug on the floor would also help. Try and pick a speaker with excellent off axis performance and not an overall bright top end. Focal and B&W are out. Depending on what you want to spend and the kind of sound you want, something like the Buchardt S400s would work well in an acoustically lively space where speaker placement isn’t ideal. Good luck 😊
Perfect. Notwithstanding the fact that I have a difficult room in which my huge Revel Salon 2s are only about 16/17 inches from sidewalls, I still got a lot out of this video. Recently, because of my frustration with my setup, I acquired a minidsp SHD Studio. The DSP has helped immensely and, Dirac being Dirac, my speakers still sound like my speakers. Domestic negotiations say that I’m not going to solve the setup too soon, the DSP is my imperfect but helpful solution.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Patrick 😉
Just FYI, those salt lamps can "leak" salt onto the surface under them. Mine did. Watch for that on top of that gorgeous Hegel!
Hi Gene, thanks for the heads up. I will get a mat to place under the lamp. I love the glow of that lamp, especially during late night listening sessions.
I was just about to post the same comment! My lamp started leaking too. A small plate underneath does the trick.
Put led bulb in, I now no heat no salt melting.
Thank you Kristijan
@@kristijankusic3706 It releases water due to changes in air humidity - even with lamp turned off.
WOW! A lot of information well explained. I like that the recommendations were supported by well-explained reasons so you can consider the details yourself. I really liked the discussion on toe-in affecting the soundstage. I'll experiment with my Polk bookshelf speakers that I have on stands. Thanks for the information!
Thank you Rick 😊
Love your content. You've got a new subscriber.
Looking forward to your next video.
Thank you Cau8 LangMang for watching, commenting and supporting the channel.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 There's no such thing as room overloading. We could debate this all the way to Chinatown.