7
Listening Room Layout
The following points will help you optimise your listening room layout.
1. The left and right sides of the room should be symmetrical. If the room is asymmetrical, this will
degrade the quality of the stereo image. This is because most of the sound energy that you hear is
reflected before it reaches your ears.
2. Place the loudspeakers symmetrically in the room, i.e. the same distance from the centre line of the
room and the same distance from the front wall.
3. Avoid placing the loudspeakers similar distances from the side and front walls, as this may lead to
an uneven bass response
4. Avoid having any hard surfaces between your listening position and the loudspeakers. This will
generate additional reflections that may degrade the stereo image. For this reason, where ever
possible equipment should be located at the side of the room. If you have a hard floor (wood or tile), it
may be advantageous to place a carpet on the floor covering the area between the loudspeakers and
the listening position, as this will reduce unwanted early reflections.
5. Avoid having the listening position closer than 1.2m from the rear wall as early reflections from this
wall will degrade the stereo image.
Loudspeaker Placement
Distance from the Front Wall
The PQS-202 Mk IIs may be placed directly against the front wall if it is desired to minimise their
intrusion into the listening room. We recommend that you start with the loudspeakers positioned 1.0m
from the front wall. As you move the loudspeakers closer to the wall the level of the bass response will
increase. The converse will be true as you move the loudspeakers away from the front wall. Aim to
find a position that provides an even bass response, combined with the best defined and most realistic
stereo image when you are seated at the listening position.
Distance from the Side Wall
We recommend that the distance of the listening position from the loudspeakers be 1.5 to 2 times the
distance between the centres of the loudspeakers. Moving the loudspeakers further apart will degrade
the stereo image.
Avoid placing the loudspeakers closer than 1m from the side walls, as the early reflections will degrade
the stereo image.
Positioning the loudspeakers too close to the side walls will also lead to an uneven bass response.
Aim to find a position that provides an even bass response, combined with the best defined and most
realistic stereo image when you are seated at the listening position.
Figure 6 gives a general guide to loudspeaker positioning and the location of the listening position.
Note how the recommended listening position varies with the separation between the loudspeakers.
