which speaker at ear level

[mandi]

alot of folks say you need to get the speaker at ear level, well which of the three would you want at ear level? If you are working with fortes for instance. ohh,, this just made me think of another thread,

[michael hurd]

As high frequencies are quite directional, the tweeter should be at ear level for best response. This is why you never see a woofer at the top of a speaker and a tweeter at the bottom.

[mandi]

makes sence

[colterphoto1]

I disagree, since the bass tones are 'heavier' and tend to sink toward the floor, they should be at the top of the cabinet. Treble notes, being lighter, tend to 'float' upwards, so the tweeters should be as close to the floor as possible.

JUST KIDDING- one of a series of ridiculous acoustical principles we used to think of whilst installing PA systems in discos during the 80's!

[donkennedyalbert]

Hi. I get the point about high frequencies; I use that information when I do FOH work for my band. But at home, with my Klipsch Heresy IIs, it seems that the upper mids and highs are smacking me in the face, and it doesn't sound pleasant unless I'm listening to piano music and I want to feel like I'm in the hall.

I used to place them on the floor upside down. Am I the only one who feels this way or is this a common complaint about the Heresys?

[CECAA850]

Welcome to the forum. How far away from your speakers do you sit?

[donkennedyalbert]

normally anywhere from 8-12 feet. the closer the worse. unless it's piano, harpsichord, acoustic stringed instruments..

the highs are phenomenal. the mids are just soooooooooo dominant. it's as if the heresys are trying to be theatre speakers. i don't know why paul klipsch didn't make these with an attenuator knob. i'm currently using the "loudness" control (graduated knob on yamaha rx730) to make them sound like normal speakers.

i also have jbl 4311s, which sound great anywhere and at any distance. but i want to get the clarity that i know these heresys have (this is my 2nd pair). maybe a good parametric equalizer..

[donkennedyalbert]

normally anywhere from 8-12 feet. the closer the worse. unless it's piano, harpsichord, acoustic stringed instruments..

the highs are phenomenal. the mids are just soooooooooo dominant. it's as if the heresys are trying to be theatre speakers. i don't know why paul klipsch didn't make these with an attenuator knob. i'm currently using the "loudness" control (graduated knob on yamaha rx730) to make them sound like normal speakers.

i also have jbl 4311s, which sound great anywhere and at any distance. but i want to get the clarity that i know these heresys have (this is my 2nd pair). maybe a good parametric equalizer..

[Islander]

Since Heresies are floor-standing speakers, they should be on the floor or on short risers, not at ear level, unless of course you're sitting on the floor.

Also, Heresies don't have a lot of bass. Are you using a sub? With a sub, the low end will be filled in, so the mids and highs don't seem so dominant.

[donkennedyalbert]

these comments were very helpful; thank you.

i put them back on the floor and will hook up a sub later. this was exactly my point. the hf drivers are about 18" off the floor, not exactly ear-level even if you're in a chair. the tilted risers offset this a bit, but clearly these speakers are meant to be disperse the upper mids and highs more broadly - almost make them omnidirectional.

does anyone have any articles that discuss klipsch's philosophy about this? i mean, bose has its propaganda about reflections (not that i buy into it); what are the operating principles by which the design of these horn-heavy speakers is guided?

[darylomer12]

I disagree, since the bass tones are 'heavier' and tend to sink toward the floor, they should be at the top of the cabinet. Treble notes, being lighter, tend to 'float' upwards, so the tweeters should be as close to the floor as possible.

JUST KIDDING- one of a series of ridiculous acoustical principles we used to think of whilst installing PA systems in discos during the 80's!

Colter, you crack me up!

[oldenough]

This is why you never see a woofer at the top of a speaker and a tweeter at the bottom.

Michael, thankyou for this piece of information, i will be contacting Mission Electronics to inform them of their screw-up in regard to my Mission 780's. []

[dtel]

For me sitting about 15' back it makes little difference, I just tilt the speaker to aim it where I sit. My center channel is 6 1/2 feet from the ground on it's side ( fortee ll ), I once put it in front of the TV on the ground and could not hear a difference. To me if it's pointing at you, (up or down) this is more important, if you adjust the volume to match all the speakers so you hear them equally which you should do in any case.

To me almost any speaker could use a sub but it must be set where it does no more than fill in where the speakers leave off.

Just my opinion.