Play across or along a long sitting room?

JimDog posted:

Brian von Bork from Cardas Audio just told me:

"There is no rule for toe in as it is speaker and room dependent. Trial and error is required. In a perfect world the distance between the speakers should be the same as the distance to the listening chair. This creates an equilateral triangle."

...

That always seemed obvious to me. I always start with speakers firing straight on to start with, and work from there until I have the desired affect for system, speakers and room.

RaceTripper posted:

JimDog posted:

Brian von Bork from Cardas Audio just told me:

"There is no rule for toe in as it is speaker and room dependent. Trial and error is required. In a perfect world the distance between the speakers should be the same as the distance to the listening chair. This creates an equilateral triangle."

...

That always seemed obvious to me. I always start with speakers firing straight on to start with, and work from there until I have the desired affect for system, speakers and room.

I do the same and give myself a few days, then adjust further if required.

Guinnless posted:

RaceTripper posted:

JimDog posted:

Brian von Bork from Cardas Audio just told me:

"There is no rule for toe in as it is speaker and room dependent. Trial and error is required. In a perfect world the distance between the speakers should be the same as the distance to the listening chair. This creates an equilateral triangle."

...

That always seemed obvious to me. I always start with speakers firing straight on to start with, and work from there until I have the desired affect for system, speakers and room.

I do the same and give myself a few days, then adjust further if required.

For new speakers it take me much longer than that. It changes as the speakers break in. I'm into my new speakers for just over a month now and still making tweaks as they change from running in. Dynaudio's Esotar2 tweeter is notorious for long break in times.

My Spendor A7s are just two months old.  Once fully run in I tweaked the toe in over a week. 

My motorbike laser chain alignment tool came in handy for getting the positions correct.  ☺

Guinnless posted:

My Spendor A7s are just two months old.  Once fully run in I tweaked the toe in over a week. 

My motorbike laser chain alignment tool came in handy for getting the positions correct.  ☺

I have a laser sharp tool for aligning my speakers too. My ears. 

Yes, experimenting with speaker position is an art form in itself.

What I've realized from this thread is:

i) speakers should disappear/merge when they are just right

ii) speakers can be closer together than seems 'normal' (e.g. Nigel's 1.9m)

iii) the proportions between the 3 sides of the speakers/head horizontal triangle are closer to equilateral than I thought (but in the end totally individual)

iv) there is also a vertical triangle to hone (as per Racetipper's subwoofer on the floor and tweeters up above his head)

iv) there is not even consensus on whether it's best to aim along or across the room

v) sidewalls and ceilings matter more than I realized

and most of all -

vi) despite what it says in the manual, it sounds fantastic when you aim them right at your head