corner to corner distance for Klipschorn

[TFA]

Hello,

I have a room with a corner to corner distance of 28 ft. I would like to use the Klipschorn but am not certain they would be able to fill the centre area of the soundstage if they are placed this distance apart. Does anyone have experience with these speakers placed this distance apart? The listening position would be on axis with the speakers and can be tweaked no problem. The room is 28 X 32+ with 10' side walls coming to an 18" peak in the centre. Any advise or personal experiences would be appreciated. The centre channel solution will not be an option for me since there is a woodstove in the centre of the wall.

TIA,

Gene

[PrestonTom]

Gene,

It sounds like a nice big room that you have for listening. Go for it!

Being on-axis is best, which in your case would be 14 ft back (give or take). However, there will be a "hole in the middle" in terms of imaging. Since there is a wood stove in the middle, I will suggest using a false corner and move one of the speakers toward the center and then add a center speaker to the side of the stove.

This is sounding like a lot of money & effort... However, the center speaker need not be as high in quality as the sides (the K-Horns). The center is additive (left plus right ch) and it does not need to be turned up much in volume. Since it does not need much gain, you do not need to go overboard and try to get a Belle or a La Scala (if it is not a problem then go overboard by all means). I have had success with a Heresy cabinet (yes, I would prefer a Belle but that is not feasible at this point in time). Remember that the lower octaves will have plenty of energy from the 2 K-Horns. The center cabinet is "just filling in the hole" and making the phantom center a bit more stable and anchored. It is difficult trying to define the percept with words.

In my case, before I built the modified false corner (which does need to be unattractive). I jury-rigged a bookcase and sheet of plywood to mimic the false corner and borrowed a Vandersteen 2c (not much bass output but a decent midrange)as a mock center channel (I used a second amp and constructed a center channel box with a variable pot - there are various diagrams available). This was followed by listening with and without the center (at various degrees of attentuation and with various recordings). It does make a difference in providing the sterophonic image with a more solid panaorama. There is also a bit of depth provided - why this happens is worth another conversation. Since the effect does not require much gain for the center, the center speaker does not have to be on par with the K-Horns (yes, it is a compromise).

Anyhow, I have now totally re-arraged your living room, upset your wife, manipulated you into getting another amp and spaeker. I guess my work is done.

Seriously, do try the mock up to see if it helps - even it is just a radio shack speaker for a temporary center. This will give you first hand experience with what "the hole in middle" sounds like and it will give you an approximate idea of how it can be cured. If you like the result then by all means go ahead and do a proper job of it. Please let us know how this adventure goes and what your impresions are.

Good Luck,

-Tom

[DrWho]

If you feel the center soundstage is lacking, then move the listening position backwards. If it's not wide enough, just move the position forwards. You'd only need to have a foot or two available in front of or behind being directly on-axis (so I would start sitting right where they're bothing pointing at you and then shift accordingly).

[bhendrix]

Gene,

I have my K-Horns 26 feet apart on a long wall and sit back about 15 feet, pretty much on axis. The image scary awesome!! Give it a try . . .