Mr. RF62 Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 If your sweet spot is to small.............SO ARE YOUR SPEAKERS ! Good one dtel!!! Hmmm, now to upgrade.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I'd have to wonder, if room treatments done properly, might not affect that for some? Seriously, how many here have gone through the process of making sure your room is as good sounding as your speakers? I know I haven't though I want to when I move downstairs (much to the wifes chagrin) I don't know if modifying the room would help or not, just seems to me that it should get way more conversation here than it does. BTW, Dtel, I agree with you. When you decide to upgrade, may I have your castoffs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormin Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Since making the changes from pretty nice vintage high wattage Onkyo seperates w/Chorus IIs to the current Pro_Ject RM5SE and modded Jolida CD > Tercel >Peach > SS McIntosh > Crites Belles I have realized an increase in the quality of sound on the side of the sweet spot but not that much (quality drop off is more gradual but still very limited in lateral). MY SPOT is most definitely sounding better. Poor Chorus II's never got a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 At the Akfest audio show this last weekend using V-trac mid horns with BMX drivers an exceptable sweat spot was anywhere on the opposing 16 foot wall of the motel room. These tratrix flare type horns disperse the sound so well its amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I am lucky enough to have a room that allows me to play with the sweet spot a fair amount merely by adjusting the toe-in of the speakers. The wider the stance the wider the sweet spot. I do have the additional flexibility of actually moving the speakers closer or further apart but I rarely if ever use this. I should add that I do not usually adjust the toe-in to expand the sweet spot but rather to adjust the listening experience based upon what I am listening to at the time. As the toe-in is reduced the soundstage width increases but the apparent depth decreases. Large orchestral works on good recordings allow me to listen with the speakers all but face on but I have to rely on the depth information in the recording to get away with it. With the speakers facing the listening position the sweet spot allows for very little head movement. With them fully toed-out the sweet spot is about 2.5 seats wide (depending on the size of your bottom). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 To me, the very fact we talk in terms of a "sweet spot" points to the biggest short-coming of two-channel audio. IF all the two-channel recordings we own could be re-mastered from the original multi-tracks and mixed down to three channels, with no panning between channels, and IF we all had center channel speakers in our systems, and IF we all used three-channel amps instead of two, then we wouldn't have to be too concerned about sweet spots and their size. The sound stage would be appropriately wide and images (if you could call them that) would seem to stretch across it no matter if you were seated extreme left, right or dead-center. But, two-channel is what we've got and I don't see anyone trying to do anything about it anytime soon, especially considering multi-channel already has two strikes against it in the marketplace. Most people don't care, anyway. It's only us audiophools that worry over such things... ...oh and btw, mines about three feet wide.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesboy Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 For what's it worth It's been my experience that missing the sweet spot was not a matter of inches but a mere fraction of inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I should add that I do not usually adjust the toe-in to expand the sweet spot but rather to adjust the listening experience based upon what I am listening to at the time. As the toe-in is reduced the soundstage width increases but the apparent depth decreases. Large orchestral works on good recordings allow me to listen with the speakers all but face on but I have to rely on the depth information in the recording to get away with it. With the speakers facing the listening position the sweet spot allows for very little head movement. With them fully toed-out the sweet spot is about 2.5 seats wide Max, that's pretty much how I would describe it. too. Toed out gives me more freedom of movement, and this works well for good orchestral recordings. I don't move mine any, and have settled on a reasonable compromise.Good to see you on here too. Hope all is well with the family. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 In our basement, the sweet spot is about ten feet wide. People sometimes forget a live accoustic performance does not have everything balanced in stereo sound. You need to hear all the instruments, but the sound will vary as you traverse across the face of the stage. The sweet spot begins(and ends) when you reach the point where you can't accurately place(or visualize) with accuracy where the players are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormin Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 About a foot at best for me. But I'm referring to sweet spot as the 2 channel stereo illusion that lets you get lost in the music and the performance. Alot of amazing stuff in the sweet spot. Its amazing how many folks have never experienced it. I have had folks over and let them sit in my chair to check out some song they like and their jaw drops and the next word is" wow the band is right in front of me". "The singer is right there, the drummer is behind him, wow thats amazing". And these people happen to be in their fortys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I put my head in a vice that is smack dab in the sweet spot. .....it came with my RF-7's. That cracked me up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 When the speakers are arranged as good as possible, a three-dimensional sonic holograph is heard at the sweet apex where the two beams of stereo sound cross. This auditory illusion not only has width, but it seems to have depth also. The singer, in particular, seems to be located forward of the band and the location of the individual instruments can be pin-pointed in the illusory soundstage. With cone drivers, the sound stage to me seems smaller, but the sweet spot can be larger. Even with the wide dispersion of the Klipsch’s big ole mid-range horns, the most beautiful sound stage illusion is actually only recreated in a very narrow spot. I set up the system, the room, the chair, everything to recreate this 3D sonic holograph. If I am not in the exact sweet spot, usually by inches, the illusion is less than complete. BTW, nothing, except mega-buck dream systems, even comes close to recreating this sonic 3D illusion as well as big ole horns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Just thought I would add.... As some of you may know, I have been listening to the freshly rebuilt Dynaco MKIII's from 1965 (see NEW Avatar) at length, and I would say that the best area for getting a good sound stage is about the width of one of my love seat cushions probably about 20 inches? I find that after a while if I am off center with another listener, you can get used to that position and its not too unlistenable... Since the K'horns are somewhat in a fixed position toe wise, the suggestion I have read is that the 'triangle' crosses AHEAD of your listening center. From my view at the seating area, I can easily see the right and left SIDE grills on the K'Horns. Just my 2 cents [] Anyone else play around with toeing out K'Horns ? Like to hear from you.. .......Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Anyone else play around with toeing out K'Horns ? The problem with doing this with standard Khorns (obviously) would be reducing bass response. I'd guess you could do this with fewer problems with the sealed-back 60th Anniversary models. Some folks do un-bolt the HF section from the LF, so that the top hat can be aimed off that 45-degree axis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu2toobs Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Regarding audio, mine probably covers a couple feet left and right. I have my LS aimed to converge slightly behind me, which works ok for me. That's the setup I'm using also after experimenting with many other variations. And Craig's right about the Tractrix horns, they're amazing, especially coupled with Alk JR's. My system's never sounded this good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Hey Fini... Thanks for letting me in on that unbolting idea for the top hat.. I had not thought of that. Only thing with it is, it must look strange with the exposed 'unfinished' area on top of the bass module !! Well, I may just try that. \\ .........Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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