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Practice of sound / Installation and placement tips
This chapter contains common information on
loudspeaker placement and installation.
This is general rules, so there are
exceptions of some rules.
In which room do
you achieve the best
sound?
No matter how good the equipment is, in the wrong
listening environment it will inevitably sound bad.
There are some basic rules concerning a proper
loudspeaker installation:
Furnishings / Sound
quality
Carpets, curtains and soft furniture absorb mid-
range and high frequency sound, and this is
preferable. Big empty area, on the contrary, reflects
it and produces hard reflections that may lead to
blurry dialogue. Apart from colouring the sound,
also the perspective of the sound will deteriorate.
More furnishings attenuate unwanted resonances
and act as diffusers, which can improve the sound
dramatically.
Amplification of bass
frequencies
A loudspeaker that is placed near a wall, ceiling or
floor will amplify lower frequencies in a sometimes
not desirable way (since it may lead to an indistinct
sound recreation). This amplification becomes even
more obvious if the loudspeaker is placed near a
corner. Thus, for a sound as clear as possible, the
loudspeaker should be placed at least 30 cm (about
12 inch) away from the wall.
Some constructions are made to be placed close to
a wall.
Room dimension
Quadratic rooms or rooms where the length is
exactly twice as long as the width should be
avoided, since they may create unwanted
resonance.
Placement of the
loudspeakers
How you place the speakers in relation to the
audience is important to get a good soundstage.
Front speakers
To get the best result the front speakers should be
placed symmetrical in front of the listener. The
distance between the front speakers should be
around 80% of the distance to the listener. In other
words, the recommended angle between the front
speakers should be 45°.
Angle the
loudspeakers
Either you can angle the speakers toward the
listener, or let them stand in a straight-forward
position. Some speaker sound better when they are
angled inward, but it can also be caused by
reflections from side walls. If they are angled
reduces glare and reflections from the walls and
thereby enhances the stereo image.
Correct height
If the loudspeakers are small they should be placed
on a stand or tilted so the sound will level with the
ears.
