Speaker placement procedure

[alexlyf]

Came across this Youtube video of Mr Robbins talking about speakers placement. Sounds very interesting to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Pf0ycbyBM

Just curious, has any one tried to follow the guide with sucess? How difficult is it to get it right?

Alex

 

[alexlyf]

So, just a little report after I have a chance try it out last weekend. At one point I believe I have found the position of speakers that will reinforce bass (I could feel the surface of my sofa start to vibrate slightly more than normal) and also giving me a wide sound stage. The sensation is strange but yet wonderful to my ears. Female vocal is not as full but give a sense of space and stage positioning. Please excuse my poor description as English is not my mother tongue but the effect is really significant.

The problem is I messed up the setup by tilting the speaker backward the next day and I couldn’t make it work again! I could no longer find the bass note position that would give me the extra bass I needed.

This really leads to more questions. Is this the sound considered unnatural? Why is the result not repeatable? My ATC SCM 11 can only goes 56 Hz and is not a full range floor stander. Will that make this method so much more difficult to work with? I tried so very hard and moved my speaker very very slowly (half an inch a time) but still not able to achieve what I heard.

Any advice for improvement would be appreciated.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I found this video interesting and yet to try this myself

 

[expat_mike]

When I found a good positioning for my speakers, I used some small pieces of masking tape on the floor, to mark the corners of the speaker stands. I can now move the the speaker stands for cleaning, and then put them back in the right place.

 

[Vladimir]

Can someone please suggest desktop speakers positioning that will lock them up (as Bob in that video says)? The desk is 70cm x 150cm and the speakers are JBL LSR305.

But it is very important I get warm, lush and nonfatiguing analogue sound. The loudness compression and sharp highs really bother me and I need to take care of my hearing because I work in a library.

For reference these are some of my favorite bands I listen to: Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Deicide and before going to bed The Atomic Bitchwax.

 

[steve_1979]

When I found a good positioning for my speakers, I used some small pieces of masking tape on the floor, to mark the corners of the speaker stands. I can now move the the speaker stands for cleaning, and then put them back in the right place.

I find that leaving a thick layer of dust and fluff on the carpet and all flat surfaces helps to absorb some of the unwanted energy reducing 'mirror point reflections' at the listening position.

 

[davedotco]

Can someone please suggest desktop speakers positioning that will lock them up (as Bob in that video says)? The desk is 70cm x 150cm and the speakers are JBL LSR305.

But it is very important I get warm, lush and nonfatiguing analogue sound. The loudness compression and sharp highs really bother me and I need to take care of my hearing because I work in a library.

For reference these are some of my favorite bands I listen to: http://www.diale.org/tube_emulation.html

 

[Vladimir]

Can someone please suggest desktop speakers positioning that will lock them up (as Bob in that video says)? The desk is 70cm x 150cm and the speakers are JBL LSR305.

But it is very important I get warm, lush and nonfatiguing analogue sound. The loudness compression and sharp highs really bother me and I need to take care of my hearing because I work in a library.

For reference these are some of my favorite bands I listen to: http://www.diale.org/tube_emulation.html

Looks cool. However, Bob in that video clearly stated that no hi-fi component upgrades can match the level of increased sound quality achieved by speaker positioning when your speakers lock in. Not even cables.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

So is this video rubbish or is there some truth behind this video about speaker placement.?

 

[Vladimir]

So is this video rubbish or is there some truth behind this video about speaker placement.?

I don't think it would get presented on RMAF if it was rubbish. They also have a website.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I did find this video interesting but what I could not understand was Bob was saying that speaker companies tend to say that your speakers should be level and some say no toe- in like my handbook says so what he is saying is the opposite of my handbook but speaker companies test there speakers so the buyer of any speaker would set them up how the handbook says ?

 

[wilro15]

Can somebody summarise the video or do I have to watch the whole thing? He's just reciting his CV at the moment...

 

[matt49]

Can somebody summarise the video or do I have to watch the whole thing? He's just reciting his CV at the moment...

I'm afraid you need to watch the whole thing. Kind of made sense to me. He says the instructions are on his website, but I couldn't find them.

 

[alexlyf]

My guess is he pulled the detailed procedure and started charging a hundred dollar for it.

I suppose there is some truth in his talk, it's just that is not easy to achieve. I have tried to follow the procedure for two weeks but it turns out my speakers frequency response isn't low enough (only down to 56Hz according to ATC website) that it will be so much more difficult to use Bob's method to find the right positions for good bass note.

Also, so far I couldn't find a sweet spot that will give me fixed position of the vocal singer, as I move my head sideways, the singer position would also move, which, according to Bob, is incorrect.

Oh BTW, Bob is such a nice guy that he spent time to answer my email and giving advice, really appreciated.

 

[Vladimir]

I've spent years on forums telling people to tilt their speakers upwards or stop buying knee high stands and floorstanders. No cables or amps or DAC can rectify the fact that you speaker is singing in your belly button.

Bob made a business out of this. Good for him. I have no doubt his speaker placing actually works since it does all the right basics, but it's methodical.

 

[Esra]

I've spent years on forums telling people to tilt their speakers upwards or stop buying knee high stands and floorstanders. No cables or amps or DAC can rectify the fact that you speaker is singing in your belly button.

Bob made a business out of this. Good for him. I have no doubt his speaker placing actually works since it does all the right basics, but it's methodical.

+1 on that...I did not found a new secret sauce .Since this is not rocket sience,most people do not have patience enough to experiment with their speaker positioning and of course it has to look good.