The positioning of speakers in the environment can have a significant impact on performance…
In the previous blog post we mentioned only some aspects of the multichannel system, in particular we suggested how to place your subwoofer.
This time, we will discuss the placement of all the speakers in your system. However, note that everyone has their own preferences, so there is probably not one single answer related to speakers positioning.
First of all, it is good to remember that the listener’s head is the focal point of your system (and not the couch …!). And second of all, remember that speakers are designed so that they sound best when they are level with your ears.
What is the listener’s perfect position? As shown in the image, we are taking into consideration 7 specific positions because once again, nothing in a Hi-Fi system happens by chance.
The reference position for an ideal listening experience (or at least, a good start!) is the #3, the so-called hot-spot. As shown in the diagram, the distance between the left and right speaker as well as the distance between each speaker and the central listening position should be identical. Indeed, we are used to call this area “an equilateral triangle”. This is to obtain a balanced and realist soundstage.

Position #1 and #6 have a drier and less precise timbre; the #2 and #4 have an acceptable tone but an unbalanced and decentralized focus on the soundstage. The #5 and #7 are definitely the worst, as they have a problematic an undefined focus on the soundstage.

Clear that the environment is one of the main responsible for the improvement of the overall sound, here are some advices trying to “correct” your room in the best way!

• Try to avoid reflecting surfaces between you and the speakers: tables or similar. If you couldn’t, cover them with a blanket! This is to better listen to your music and to prevent the listening from reverberating.
• It is always recommended to place a carpet on the floor, especially if you have a “hard” floor, like marble.
• Do not place the Hi-Fi cabinet between the speakers, but on the side! The obstruction of the furniture damages the sound image.
• We recommend a central listening position; however, in case your listening point is close to the back wall (1 ÷ 2 meters), it would be better to cover it with natural materials like cotton or wool, or even better with acoustic panels, for the reduction of reverberation.
These are our tips for an ideal 2.0 surround speaker configuration.

Now we talk about the 5.1 Surround Speaker Placement, a system made up by 6 channels: 3 front speakers, 2 rear speakers and 1 subwoofer, as shown in the drawing below.

5.1 Surround Speakers Placement

Here we are with the best position of each speaker for the 5.1 home theater system:

• The front channels (Left, Right and Center) should be equidistant from both the screen and you. They should be placed just above the ear height;
• The left and right channels should be placed to the sides of the television, forming an optimal base angle from 25 ° to 45 ° with the listener;
• The center channel must be positioned directly above or below the TV, since it is mainly used for the dialogues of the actors;
• The subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room (if it’s possible, just avoid placing it in a corner). The best way is to try different positions in the room, because bass frequencies moves in all directions!
• The optimal position for the rear speakers is behind the listener, forming an angle from 90 ° to 110° with him. Preferably, they must be placed at the same height!

No living room has been designed to give us the best audio experience we can encounter.

However we tried to provide some solution or compromises to get the best listening experience.
Of course, in addition to the environment, your loudspeakers must play their role…and we hope your choice will be Sonus faber 🙂