Pushing the speakers back for flatter bass

[Pressure23]

I think about SBIR quite a lot, especially given Genelec’s recommendations are similar to Neumann - ie consider positioning speakers quite close to the wall. My Genelecs are within 20cm. However, behind the speakers I also have quite thick acoustic panels (GIK monster traps) as well as on the side walls. This helps a lot with bass peaks.

The Dalis are in front of the Genelecs but still well short of 80cm.

 

[darrenyeats]

It can be better, often necessary, to place the speakers near boundaries.

IME if near side walls, treatment at first reflection point was very helpful.

IME near front wall (which means 60cm or less considering SBIR topic) diffusor panels on the front wall between speakers were very helpful. Also keep the area as clear as possible.

In terms of positioning I found there was a point spectrally and sound field-wise, where a clearly better compromise came into focus.

 

[Columbo]

Do you not find pushing speakers closer to the front wall affects soundstage? In my speakers like to be at least 30-50cm away else sound staging flattens out a fair bit.

I also found EQ (Roon) to be a brilliant solution to fix a hefty 50hz peak, just this one tweak has done more for my sound than any new DAC or amp. Can't believe I listened to music for years with that peak / amazing the crap your ears will adjust to.

I'm still unsure whether it's a good idea to use EQ to fix a dip (100hz). I've not yet tried. I read somewhere filling in dips with EQ is a no-no.

 

[Columbo]

It can be better, often necessary, to place the speakers near boundaries.

IME if near side walls, treatment at first reflection point was very helpful.

IME near front wall (which means 60cm or less considering SBIR topic) diffusor panels on the front wall between speakers were very helpful. Also keep the area as clear as possible.

In terms of positioning I found there was a point spectrally and sound field-wise, where a clearly better compromise came into focus.

Another thing that gain more improvement than a new amp or DAC. Couple of fairly affordable panels on side walls first reflection points. The difference is not subtle. Lost a little soundstage width (which I now understand was just nasty combing effect). In return, way more clarity, significantly more soundstage depth, music is easier to listen to.

Not considered diffusion on the front wall. I assumed my front wall was too close - I've read a couple of times that for diffusion to work it needs a sizeable distance between the speaker and the panel?

 

[AndyU]

Another thing that gain more improvement than a new amp or DAC. Couple of fairly affordable panels on side walls first reflection points. The difference is not subtle. Lost a little soundstage width (which I now understand was just nasty combing effect). In return, way more clarity, significantly more soundstage depth, music is easier to listen to.

Not considered diffusion on the front wall. I assumed my front wall was too close - I've read a couple of times that for diffusion to work it needs a sizeable distance between the speaker and the panel?

Most studios put diffusion on the wall behind the listener, and I think it needs to be a reasonable distance away. Can’t quite understand what it diffuses if it’s between the speakers as most diffusers only work above the frequencies that radiate backwards from a speaker. You can get absorbers with diffusion elements over the front to leave more higher frequencies bouncing around.

 

[darrenyeats]

Can’t quite understand what it diffuses if it’s between the speakers as most diffusers only work above the frequencies that radiate backwards from a speaker.

For the same reasoning, I was also surprised at the difference.

After that I also added diffusor panels around the back (not on the wall but around my HH resonators) and I feel that helped too.