Best speaker placement/listening position in small room

[frank1985]

Here's a video of my room: Room - YouTube

It measures 10ft by 8ft

Due to the awkward symmetry, I'm going to have to place my monitors up against my curtains. How far back can I place them until the bass starts to become troublesome? Also, how far apart should they be - I'm thinking 4ft? I'm having a bunch of bass traps delivered at the weekend but I want to sort out monitor placement first and foremost.

 

[frank1985]

Another question;

I want to place some decouplers on my speaker stands. These will raise the tweeters to about 2-3 inches above ear level - is this problematic? The various height adjustments are quite far apart so the other option is to make the stands taller and tilt the speakers down (the decouplers have an angled option) - would this method be preferable?

 

[jhbrandt]

Frank,

2-3 inches should be fine.. what is the vertical dispersion of your speakers? - It also depends on how far away you will be from your speakers.

10 X 8 feet.. ideally you should face the 8' wall. AND you 'should' be sitting 45" from that wall. The speakers about 37" to each ear & about 42" apart.. they should be focused at a point 5 -7" behind the center of your head.

I hope that helps.
Cheers,
John

 

[frank1985]

Frank,

2-3 inches should be fine.. what is the vertical dispersion of your speakers? - It also depends on how far away you will be from your speakers.

10 X 8 feet.. ideally you should face the 8' wall. AND you 'should' be sitting 45" from that wall. The speakers about 37" to each ear & about 42" apart.. they should be focused at a point 5 -7" behind the center of your head.

I hope that helps.
Cheers,
John

Many thanks for your response.

The locking heights are 32.25", 36.25, 40.25", 44.25". I've been experimenting with the angled option at 36.25, and the tweets are pretty much pointing directly at my ears, but i'm wondering if there's any advantage to having them flat but slightly offset as opposed to angled but more directional?


Btw each monitor has a different surface to its rear, i.e. the left speaker has a pair of curtains, and the one on the right has a wall. Will the difference in bass response between each speaker be dramatic? It's awkward because the window is off center.

I can just about have the listening position at 45 inches, but the speakers would be right up against their respective surfaces. But i'm guessing this is still preferable to being further back into the room, particularly at the 50% point right? Plus I can just block up those portholes on the front..

 

[jhbrandt]

Frank,

Angle your speakers as you prefer... whatever works best for YOU. The 60 degrees is industry standard for best translation, but pointing AT your ears (especially for nearfields) is not required as long as the horizontal dispersion for those speakers will cover your listening area comfortably.

There will likely be a stronger SBIR for the right speaker, but if you place absorptive treatment behind the right speaker, it should compensate. The SBIR effect will shift higher in frequency as you move closer to a boundary, so regular trapping will catch it.

- Just don't plug the port/vents on the speakers, you will screw up the cabinet response.

Cheers,
John

 

[frank1985]

Frank,

Angle your speakers as you prefer... whatever works best for YOU. The 60 degrees is industry standard for best translation, but pointing AT your ears (especially for nearfields) is not required as long as the horizontal dispersion for those speakers will cover your listening area comfortably.

There will likely be a stronger SBIR for the right speaker, but if you place absorptive treatment behind the right speaker, it should compensate. The SBIR effect will shift higher in frequency as you move closer to a boundary, so regular trapping will catch it.

- Just don't plug the port/vents on the speakers, you will screw up the cabinet response.

Cheers,
John

Thanks very much for your advice, you've been super helpful