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Anyone have any songs/tracks that you use to set up you system in some way? If so, what song and what did it help you with?
I'll give my example. Legacy Focus SE speakers, Pass Labs XP-30 Preamp, McIntosh MC 601 monoblock amps, Clear Day Audio speaker cables.
My room is 15 ft wide and 20 ft deep with an 8 foot vaulted ceiling. I originally had my speakers about 27 inches from the side walls with about 100 inches between speakers. This was mostly for aesthetics and due to a 92 inch screen in the room. My speakers and system have been this way for about 1 year. As my system components have improved, I have also been trying to get more realistic sound from the system.
Two tracks I recently used (that I have had for years but never really listened to or tested with). The first is from the Stereophile Test Disc #2, track 10, "Mapping the soundstage". On this track a guy starts on the left, clapping his hands as he walks to the right, speaking his location as he walks. With my speakers in their original position, I would hear the clapping on the left for a time, then it would quickly jump to the right for the remainder.
The second song is Michael Jackson's "Thriller". I noted a similar experience. The door would creak open, then the footsteps would start on the right for a time, then it would quickly jump to the left for the remainder. It would not be as quick of a jump as the Stereophile track.
So, I repositioned the speakers 47 inches from the side walls with about 60 inches between the speakers. They are in front of my screen at this point - but I rarely watch movies anymore - mostly two channel audio.
Both of these tracks improved dramatically. Now the "Thriller" intro sounds like a natural progression of walking from right to left. The Stereophile track improved as well, but still has a slight jump from left to right as the guy is near the center. On this track, it flows so well, it almost sounds like the jump is caused by a dead spot as the guy walks by the microphone.
Anyway, I hope this helps someone else with their left and right speaker placement and spacing.
Please post if any of you have any songs/tracks that you use and explain how it helped you.
opcorn:
I'll give my example. Legacy Focus SE speakers, Pass Labs XP-30 Preamp, McIntosh MC 601 monoblock amps, Clear Day Audio speaker cables.
My room is 15 ft wide and 20 ft deep with an 8 foot vaulted ceiling. I originally had my speakers about 27 inches from the side walls with about 100 inches between speakers. This was mostly for aesthetics and due to a 92 inch screen in the room. My speakers and system have been this way for about 1 year. As my system components have improved, I have also been trying to get more realistic sound from the system.
Two tracks I recently used (that I have had for years but never really listened to or tested with). The first is from the Stereophile Test Disc #2, track 10, "Mapping the soundstage". On this track a guy starts on the left, clapping his hands as he walks to the right, speaking his location as he walks. With my speakers in their original position, I would hear the clapping on the left for a time, then it would quickly jump to the right for the remainder.
The second song is Michael Jackson's "Thriller". I noted a similar experience. The door would creak open, then the footsteps would start on the right for a time, then it would quickly jump to the left for the remainder. It would not be as quick of a jump as the Stereophile track.
So, I repositioned the speakers 47 inches from the side walls with about 60 inches between the speakers. They are in front of my screen at this point - but I rarely watch movies anymore - mostly two channel audio.
Both of these tracks improved dramatically. Now the "Thriller" intro sounds like a natural progression of walking from right to left. The Stereophile track improved as well, but still has a slight jump from left to right as the guy is near the center. On this track, it flows so well, it almost sounds like the jump is caused by a dead spot as the guy walks by the microphone.
Anyway, I hope this helps someone else with their left and right speaker placement and spacing.
Please post if any of you have any songs/tracks that you use and explain how it helped you.
opcorn:
