Flashlight technique on summits

[khenegar]

I presently have summit speakers. As noted M/L recommends setting up there electrostatics with the flash light refelection being on the inner third of the the stat panel. Why is this? Has anyone tried having the speaker directly facing u with the light refelection directly right in the center off the stat panel? I tried this and it has seems to have more upper and mid freq the bottom end sounds the same. and the sweet spot has not gotten any smaller actually more accurate! It really sounds good, Ive been living with this configuration for over 3 weeks now and don’t think I will go back to the inner third setup. I’ve had some friends over and they agree on this new setup! The summits are also setup perpendicular to the floor which also made a nice change. Any pros and cons on this? Thank u

 

[roberto]

Hola Ken,

I have the Summits in my second system. The flash light technique is for stage. It presents better where are you seated while listening the musician(s) at the imaginary stage where you have your system. If you use your speakers facing you, you are seated in the first rod of the event. You are almost between or with the musician(s) at the stage, almost where the orchestra director is. If you start to move toward outside the speakers, inches by inches, you start to move your seat to the back of the theater. One third allows you to be seated at the tenth center theater rod. If you move more the your seating position could be at the back of the theater. Martin Logan is one of the speaker´s brand that truly offers you the best seat of the theater if you have patience. You can really choose where do you want to be seated.

Ken, if you like to listen your music facing you, it is OK. It is your liking, and your system. Just enjoy your music the best way you like it!!! The stat panel dispersion is design for all the possible variables for the rooms where the speaker are going to be placed. The flash light technique is just a starting guide, and usually is where most people like it.

Remember that if I like the red color, you might like the blue color better. It is a matter of liking and not necessary has to be your liking.

If you have more high frequency facing you, I think that you need to wash your stat panels. This is not right. The highs are about the same facing them you or having one third of the panel facing you. What varies is only the stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHWP6Bq8rHw&t=17s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckoqpBmS_mw

These videos will show you a better understanding about the design of the ML stat panel.

Happy listening.

 

[sleepysurf]

I've taken it one step further, and am currently using even more extreme "toe-in" with my Expressions, such that the flashlight reflects between middle and outer 1/3 of the panel.

This causes the rear wave to reflect off the wall away from the front wave, even with the panels only 3 ft from the front wall, and is the functional equivalent of adding absorption/diffusion treatments. This orientation creates a much wider "sweet spot" and also significantly improves off-axis imaging, at the expense of slight loss of dynamics and soundstage depth at the central listening position.

 

[Brad225]

As Roberto and Alan suggest, what ever position you like is the one for you to use.

For me I stretched a string across the room for measuring and have mine toed in 3/4" from being straight forward. Even then, I'm listening to the inner 1/3 of the panel. I have a full, deep, wide and detailed stage this way. Every room and system is going to be different.

It is like being different fruit from the same tree. Well---- you know what I mean.

 

[ttocs]

As roberto explained so well, I love the theater seating analogy!, there is possible quite a lot of variation to suit many tastes.

Also, I used the sleepysurf method with my Vistas to great effect.

With my Expressions I've noticed that they seem to be more sensitive to front wall rear-wave reflection, so using more absorption (more width, wider than the actual mirror reflection) to cover the first reflection area very, very well has tamed the shrill and piercing sounding highs which can come through otherwise and make it seem like there's too much treble.

 

[JonFo]

As the others have noted, the orientation of the panels is all about balancing front and rear-wave energy. While it's natural for most to focus on where the front of the speaker is pointing at, with line-source dipoles, where the rear is pointing at, and where that sound is further reflect from, are just as (if not more) critical to the resulting soundstage and frequency balance.

Experimenting with rear-wave absoption can have a significant beneficial impact on the results as described by ttocs above.

 

[Peter Soderberg]

yes to all. Rake and toe in are both vital tuning steps yet open to your own situations. We will not kick in your doors and take them from you. More to in will give a bigger sweet spot but it is all about managing the energy from both side. I have had folks vary greatly over rake as well. let your ears guide you.