5
aiming the Speakers
Your Snell speakers are designed to produce a very smooth response over as wide a range of
radiated angles as possible. Like all speakers of this type the response evenness is maintained
over a wider horizontal arc than vertical (assuming the long box dimension is vertical). Take this
into account when placing and aiming your speakers.
/
If the speakers are mounted very high or very low, aim the center of the speaker to your
ear level while listening in a seated position.
/
If this is not possible, it may be preferable to place the speakers on their sides.
toe-in
“Toe-in” refers to the angling of the speaker systems toward the listener location. Toe-in is
a matter of taste. As the degree of toe-in increases, the stereo effect becomes more direct-
sounding, like a pair of headphones. Speakers not toed-in will give a more diffuse sound with a
less defined central image.
Location affects Bass
As speakers are moved closer to rigid room boundaries - the walls, the floor, and the ceiling
the deep bass part of the sound range is accentuated. However, if speakers are too close to the
room boundaries, particularly corners, the bass output can be uneven. Experiment until you find
the best overall sound for your room. Choose a musical selection with a strong, continuous bass
line. Repeat a short section until you have a firm impression of it in your mind, then try another
speaker location. Repeat this process until you are content with the bass response you are
getting. Moving your listening position will affect the sound as much as moving the speakers.
Try different listener locations as well as speaker locations.
the placement Switch
In some situations it may be best to position the speakers in a location that does not produce
the best overall sound balance. A common example is in audio/video installations where, in
order get the best sound image, the speakers must be placed next to a large cabinet or big
screen television. This can cause uneven response in the upper bass and lower midrange which
can make voices sound unnatural. The Snell J7, K7 and LCR7 feature a Placement Switch,
located in the upper left corner of the terminal cup, that can help restore smooth response in
such situations.
If the speaker is located where it has at least 12 inches (30cm) of clearance on three sides, use
the Normal switch setting (toggle up). If it is placed next to a large object, try the Boundary
switch (toggle down) position to see if it results in smoother response.
when used as a Center Channel
In a multichannel system the center channel keeps dialogue or soundtrack information
centered. Therefore, its placement relative to the left and right speakers is critical.
/
Place the speaker on top of or beneath your TV, with its front edge as for forward os
practical. Try to keep the front of the speaker flush with the front of the screen.
/
Try to place all front speakers at approximately the same height. If possible, the center
speaker height should be within 2 feet (60cm) of the height of your left and right speakers.
/
If you need to place the speaker any higher or lower, angle it toward ear level. If this is not
possible, place the speaker on its side for best results.
J7-K7-LCR7 - a.indd 5
3/24/09 9:20:57 PM
