Rack Positioning

Unless you have a wide room, the rack should go between the speakers where it is out of firing range.

Regards,

Steve.

I have a long thin room that's a bit of an awkward shape, with lots of pointless alcoves.

After much experimentation, I've found the best positioning is everything (LP12, 160, 62, Hi-Cap, CD, tuner, Dragon) to the right of the right speaker, on two Sound Org racks, and tucked into an alcove. This means that everything is behind the speakers, out of firing range. The listening sofa is opposite the speakers, about 18 ft away from the HB1s.

Purists say this is not ideal, but I'm slightly constricted by the flat in which I live. This set up gives me the best sound.

Kevin

I would be interestred to hear what anyone else thinks

I will be chaning from 2 to 3 soon (over Christmas perhaps). Will let you know if it makes a difference.

Thomas

quote:

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Originally posted by Steven Toy:
Unless you have a wide room, the rack should go between the speakers where it is out of firing range.

Regards,

Steve.

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Steve,

This is a bad idea.

The rack, if it is not set up well behind the plane of the speakers will upset the imaging and soundstaging of the speakers. Sounds will bounce off the frame or edges and arrive at a different time to the main sounds. Arguably this happens in all rooms to an extent but it seems silly to exaggerate the problem. Any rack with sharp edges will do this.

Now on to the original question. Every room is different and will have areas of maximum and minimum bass pressurization. I would listen to the room and hear where the sound is very bass heavy or boomy, and then avoid this area. Corners are bad too. The type or construction of your rack will make a difference. A hifi in a sealed unit will act like a bit of bass trap and that is undesirable.

So in general an "open" rack, positioned in a area of a room that is not heavily pressurised will be best, but rooms are inhabited by others so you just need to be practical.

But Steve's recommendation is in my view erroneous.

Dev

Steve
You are definitely wrong with boundary reinforcement speakers like Kans. A flat clear wall is required for maximum performance.
Regards
Steve

As Dev, I always thought option 1 one to be the last resort option
Option 3 coupled with Dev's comment is what I'm thinking (but to honest I was looking for maximum distance)
Option 4 is what JV opted for (the cupboards in the hallway)

My current position gives the rack and boxes a harder time, and providing more distance in a less boomy area a way forward - now I just need 40 metres of naca5, but I fear the naca6 or naca500 is due out soon ???

naheed...

The 250s will be making their way to Naim or Avon**** for a service soon...

naheed...

Considering acoustic interference only, a corner would be the absolute worst place to site a rack since standing waves are strongest in corners. Placing the rack against the midpoint of a wall is better, and moving it out from the midpoint of a wall as far as possible is even better. Some modeling with the Visual Ears software suggests that the best place for a rack to minimize acoustic feedback would be dead center in a room.

quote:

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The rack, if it is not set up well behind the plane of the speakers will upset the imaging and soundstaging of the speakers. Sounds will bounce off the frame or edges and arrive at a different time to the main sounds. Arguably this happens in all rooms to an extent but it seems silly to exaggerate the problem. Any rack with sharp edges will do this.

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I agree. I should have clarified further by stating that this only applies to speakers situated well away from the rear wall so that the rack is effectively behind them. This is the case in my sistem where the front speaker baffles are ahead of the rack. For this reason I would not buy a speaker in need of boundary reinforcement such as Allæs until I had a bigger room which would allow placement of the rack to one side and out of firing line.

Regards,

Steve.

It goes, from top to bottom, me, CD5, 72, hicap, hicap, 250. The perfect position, well damped besides, and saves the expense of a chair.

--Eric

for yourself.

If nothing else, I've found that experimenting with YOUR particular room works best.

For years I had a double rack set up between the speakers, with the speakers several feet out into the room. (On a long wall).

Changing things around, with the electronics in a different room and even on a different floor made no difference. (Always sounded great)

Presently the rack is in the corner, to the left and rear of the speakers, on a short wall. The corner is next to an open foyer and stairway that transcends the two floors of the house.

The house frame is cantilevered over the foundation front and back. Anything I place outside the foundation seems to be pretty much immune to any influences. Put them on a side wall, which rests directly on the foundation, and all bets are off.

Many people have posted that Rega tt's need to be on light materials. I've never been able to live with that type of set-up in any of my configurations. IN MY ROOM, it needs to be on something heavy and inert. When placed in this manner it really sings.

I know it defys conventional wisdom, but my point is that you really need to take the time to try your stuff in your room.

The only real hard and fast rule I can subscribe to is: Once you've found the optimum location, it will likely be the most offensive to your domestic partner