You'd think that setting up a pair of loudspeakers would be a piece of cake: Stick 'em where they look good, and be done with it. It
can be as simple as that, but to get the
best sound from your speakers, you'll have to do a bit more work.
Because speakers interact with the room in which they are placed—you know, sounds bounce off of walls and floors and get sucked up by furniture and stuff—paying attention to the placement of your speakers within that room can make a big difference in sound quality. With your speakers optimally positioned, your system will sound better. And, in my experience, better sound leads to discovering more music.
And more music leads to more fun.
So, where should we begin? John Atkinson has made speaker setup a bit easier with his essay, "
Getting the Best from Your Loudspeakers." JA takes the time to go over some of the basics—things even the most experienced audiophiles should keep in mind—and he does it in a way that makes setup interesting and fun. (Not insignificant!) To follow along, you'll need JA's
Editor's Choice Sampler & Test CD, a suite of signals that'll guide you on your way.
And in addition to JA's essay, you'll find several other articles related to loudspeakers and speaker placement, so you can learn even more.
I know: It's kind of dorky, listening to test signals and moving back and forth between your loudspeakers and your couch, but it'll totally be a good time. Invite a friend over and bust out the Chimay, Dale's Pale Ale, or your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, some cheese and crackers and other treats. Take your time and, when you're all done, play your favorite records. You'll be delighted by the difference made by proper speaker placement.
If you find that "proper" speaker placement is completely impractical—like, if you put that speaker
there, you won't be able to walk into your kitchen—then compromise. No big deal. Place your speakers where they sound their best and
still make sense for your living situation.
A quick story: I remember when John DeVore came over to my place to setup his little, outstanding Gibbon 3s—the first real speaker I'd ever had at home. John DeVore is
crazy when it comes to speaker setup. Dude will stick one speaker on your fire escape and the other on top of your head if he thinks they sound best that way. (I am kidding. DeVore Fidelity loudspeakers are actually incredibly versatile and room-friendly.) But I told John that I wanted to preserve the space of my living room; I didn't want to trip over cables or have to tip-toe around my speakers. John, in his very knowing, unassuming manner, was very conscious of my wishes and placed the speakers where I asked.
They sounded great. In time, I was more willing to experiment, and we moved the speakers around the room. They sounded
better. Since then, I've come to find a general place in my living room where speakers tend to look and sound their best. You'll find that place, too, and JA's essay will help you find it.
