Wilson Electronics Alexandria XLF, Owner'S Manual, Page: 30 / 94

A
l e x A n d r i A
x l F O
w n e r
’
s
M
A n u A l
30
W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a l t i e s
in obtaining superior sound. The first thing you need to do is eliminate the sidewalls as
a sonic influence in your system. Speakers placed too close to the sidewalls will suffer
from a strong primary reflection. This can cause out-of-phase cancellations, or comb fil-
tering, which will cancel some frequencies and change the tonal balance of the music.
The Wilson Audio Setup Procedure (Section 2.1) is the best method with which to posi-
tion your loudspeakers. Start with the speakers about 18” from each wall and, if you need
to move them relative to the side wall, move them away from the wall, not closer.
A very important aspect of speaker placement is how far from the back wall to place
the speakers. The closer a loudspeaker is to the back wall, the more pronounced the low
bass energy and centering of the image will be. However, this comes at a definite reduc-
tion in stage size and bloom as well as a deterioration of upper bass quality. You must
find the proper balance of these two factors, but remember, if you are partial to bass
response or air and bloom, do not overcompensate your adjustments to maximize these
effects. Overcompensated systems are sometimes pleasing in the short-term, but long-
term satisfaction is always achieved through proper balance.
The Alexandria XLF is designed for maximum phase coherence and pulse replication
accuracy when each speaker is aimed directly at the listener or microphone. Thus, your
Alexandria should be “toed in.” In other words, the listener, when seated in the listening
position looking forward with his/her head in a rested position, should just barely see the
surface of the inner side of each Alexandria. Toeing in the speakers provides meaningful
improvements in resolution of low-level detail in the midrange as well as appreciable
improvements in soundstaging performance.
Summary
In summary, for optimal tonal balance accuracy, resolution of low level detail, and
soundstaging performance, the Alexandria XLF should be positioned as outlined in this
section. Ideally, the speakers should not be positioned too far from the listener if maxi-