Hi everyone and question about speaker placement

[Roy Radin]

Hi Everybody, I’m happy to be here on this forum and I’m finding your posts really interesting. I just purchased a pair of 60 XLi connected to an Arcam SA 30. The width of my space is slightly limited, although the width of the room is over 13 feet. I could put my speakers 8 feet apart but that would entail, getting rid of a chair which I don’t want to do. Do you guys think that 7 feet apart is too close together? BTW, my listening position is 13 feet away. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Roy

 

[Rehan Azim Hashmi]

In April 2023 discovered a formula in ML Classic ELS 9 instruction manual for inside room speaker optimal or precise placement. If not precise optimal placement then close to optimal or within one feet radius of ideal or perfect placement in room.

Measure the distance of wall in front of LP from ground to ceiling in inches. Multiply by 0.618 .Each Xli front midpoint must be kept this distance from front wall or wall in front of LP. Now you know placement of xli lengthwise in room.

Next calculation for placement from sidewall. Measure total distance in inches between left and right sidewall. First divide this measurement by 18. Second multiply by 5. The result is required distance expressed in inches from side wall to front midpoint of xli. Please try to place xli in room in harmony with above formula.

Does not hurt to try. If not help to improve sound may return XLI to previous position.

If you connect a straight line between front midpoint of left and right speaker and measure this distance X. Then listening position a perpendicular distance from midpoint of this line, ideally according to instruction manual may be between X and 2X. I understand your LP is very close to 2X distance.

 

[HiFi]

Welcome and enjoy the forum.

 

[ttocs]

Some may consider this process, as explained in the video linked in this post, to be a bit tedious, but this is how I discovered that my Left and Right speaker locations should not be the same distance from the front wall. I can link to some videos that go through great detail about how acoustics works and from these videos is how I learned Why the unequal distances works.

Go to 18:05 in the video for the start of How To Setup Stereo Speakers.

 

[Roy Radin]

In April 2023 discovered a formula in ML Classic ELS 9 instruction manual for inside room speaker optimal or precise placement. If not precise optimal placement then close to optimal or within one feet radius of ideal or perfect placement in room.

Measure the distance of wall in front of LP from ground to ceiling in inches. Multiply by 0.618 .Each Xli front midpoint must be kept this distance from front wall or wall in front of LP. Now you know placement of xli lengthwise in room.

Next calculation for placement from sidewall. Measure total distance in inches between left and right sidewall. First divide this measurement by 18. Second multiply by 5. The result is required distance expressed in inches from side wall to front midpoint of xli. Please try to place xli in room in harmony with above formula.

Does not hurt to try. If not help to improve sound may return XLI to previous position.

If you connect a straight line between front midpoint of left and right speaker and measure this distance X. Then listening position a perpendicular distance from midpoint of this line, ideally according to instruction manual may be between X and 2X. I understand your LP is very close to 2X distance.

Thanks Azim, I'll give it a try.

 

[Roy Radin]

Some may consider this process, as explained in the video linked in this post, to be a bit tedious, but this is how I discovered that my Left and Right speaker locations should not be the same distance from the front wall. I can link to some videos that go through great detail about how acoustics works and from these videos is how I learned Why the unequal distances works.

Go to 18:05 in the video for the start of How To Setup Stereo Speakers.

Thanks, I'll take a look at this.

 

[Roy Radin]

Fascinating video but I'll use Dirac first and see how it works.

 

[Nuri58]

As far as I know Dirac only helps on frequency response and well a lot of other stuff. But placement of speakers is I think quite essential to get right. If this process really results in a world of difference I don't know. But worth to check it out just to see if it does.

Edit: the new ART version (roght now only available on the Storm audio gear) might make the placement easier.

Those who has tried either let's hear about your results.

 

[Rob606]

In April 2023 discovered a formula in ML Classic ELS 9 instruction manual for inside room speaker optimal or precise placement. If not precise optimal placement then close to optimal or within one feet radius of ideal or perfect placement in room.

Measure the distance of wall in front of LP from ground to ceiling in inches. Multiply by 0.618 .Each Xli front midpoint must be kept this distance from front wall or wall in front of LP. Now you know placement of xli lengthwise in room.

Next calculation for placement from sidewall. Measure total distance in inches between left and right sidewall. First divide this measurement by 18. Second multiply by 5. The result is required distance expressed in inches from side wall to front midpoint of xli. Please try to place xli in room in harmony with above formula.

Does not hurt to try. If not help to improve sound may return XLI to previous position.

If you connect a straight line between front midpoint of left and right speaker and measure this distance X. Then listening position a perpendicular distance from midpoint of this line, ideally according to instruction manual may be between X and 2X. I understand your LP is very close to 2X distance.

Completely agree. I used this formula to set up my Summit's. It was extremely helpful as a starting position and better than all of the other formulations I found. It was still necessary for me to further tweak them for my room and listening position but this was an excellent starting point saving me quite a bit of time.