Whether you have a stereo or surround sound system,
correct positioning of loudspeakers in the room is essential,
as this will greatly affect the accuracy of the reproduced
sound. Speakers radiate sound from all directions and
therefore placing them against walls or on the floor is not
advisable. HHB Circle 5 and Circle 3 monitors are optimised
for use under free-field conditions - so for the best results,
consider the following points when setting up your
loudspeaker system.
Stereo Loudspeaker Placement
• The Circle 5 and Circle 3 loudspeakers should be placed
upright on stands, away from boundaries to reduce
reflections. Do not place them on their sides, as the
response at the crossover frequency will be less accurate.
• Both speakers should be the same distance from the
listening position.
• The Circle 5 and Circle 3 loudspeakers should be slightly
angled in towards each other, so as to point towards the
listening position, and placed at a height where the
listener’s ears are level with the tweeters.
• Ideally, the two loudspeakers and the listener should sit at
the corners of a triangle, where all sides are of equal length:
• The listener should not sit too close to the speakers, (i.e.,
within this imaginary triangle), since the important centre
image (sweet spot) can be greatly affected when listening
in this position.
• The loudspeakers should be placed away from corners and
walls - more than one metre away (approximately three
feet) is ideal - since there may be unwanted interference
patterns caused by the reflections of the signal from the
walls, which will colour the low and mid frequencies, giving
the impression of extreme bass warmth and unnatural
midrange.
• At these low frequencies, the sound from the loudspeakers
radiates in all directions, and reflects off any hard surfaces
to combine with the direct sound. At higher frequencies,
sound from the loudspeakers is more directional, causing
less of a problem with interference.
• Avoid placing the Circle 5 or Circle 3 studio monitors on
top of a mixing console, since this will adversely affect the
frequency response. Some of the sound output will reflect
off the surface of the console, interfering with the direct
sound from the loudspeakers. Instead, position the
speakers on stands slightly behind and above the console.
Loudspeaker Positioning
L
R
Loudspeakers
Listener
Figure 9
Suggested stereo
loudspeaker placement
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