I've been forced into buying a new sofa for the living room which now sits slap bang between my hifi speakers. I'm not sure whether I actually can tell a real difference in sound quality or whether I'm just imagining it as I'm miffed about having to shell out for a new settee instead of some nice new hifi gear. Is it likely that sound will be negatively impacted by sticking a whopping great big sofa between a pair of floorstanding speakers? I have moved the speakers to be level with the front of the sofa to try and minimise any absorption of sound or whatever... In general what effect do soft furnishings have on sound if they are in close proximity to speakers?