THX ARENDAL, Handbook

Page: 30 / 48

Too often, calibrating a home cinema is a task that is
often entirely left to the the AV Receiver/Processor and
an ‘Auto Setup’ or ‘Auto EQ’ feature. However, by taking
steps to choose and setup your equipment properly, you
reduce the requirement for EQ and less is always more
with audio. EQ should be thought of as a band-aid for
small problems; there just to add a fi nal polish to the end
result. It should not and cannot make poorly chosen, or
positioned loudspeakers perform optimally. For that to
be possible, we have to start with the basics and in this
article, we will deal with the front loudspeakers.
Positioning - Why we’ve done what we have
All Arendal Sound speakers are designed with emphasis
on not just having an linear on-axis (directly in front
of the acoustic center of the loudspeaker) frequency
response throughout the frequency spectrum, but also
off-axis. At Arendal Sound, we place much emphasis on
having a linear power response - This being the sum of
the frequency responses in all directions.
Much scientifi c research has been undertaken on this
subject and a linear power response has a greater positive
impact on the overall sound, because the frequency
response is more even in all directions. This means an
Arendal Sound speaker will be more tolerant of differences
in room shape, size, construction and materials.
In speakers with a tweeter mounted fl at on the baffl e, the
frequency response can vary wildly compared to the ideal
as you move away from this axis in any direction and that
uneven sound refl ects from elsewhere within the room
and arrives back at your ears, tainting the fl at response.
This type of speaker will be very room dependent - read
inconsistent from one room to the next.
The controlled directivity design that Arendal Sound has
refi ned, aids the speakers in having a linear frequency
response at the listening position, even when placed
relatively close to side walls, so Arendal Sound speakers
are relatively room independent and allow more freedom
with positioning. This does not mean they will not benefi t
from careful attention to positioning, but simply that
positioned correctly, they will tend to remain consistent
performers wherever you are listening to them.
In terms of the actual positioning in the the room, there
are number of factors to balance and perfecting one
element, can be at the detriment to others, so it is always
a case of balancing stereo imaging, bass power, bass
evenness, etc.
What follows are our general recommendations in line
with the capabilities and design of Arendal Sound speakers.
Most recommendations follow general convention,
because Arendal Sound Speakers are designed to work
with normal systems in normal rooms and applications
like Home Theatre mandate certain speaker placements
PLACEMENT & SETUP
- SPEAKERS