How to Set Up Stereo Speakers

Got new speakers, or just moved into a new place? Remember, the most important component in a stereo system is the room where you set up the system. The positioning of your speakers affects sound quality more than the speakers will.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pair Speaker Cables
• Speaker Systems

1. Consult your speaker manual for suggestions.

2. Place the two speakers at the corners of an equilateral triangle, with your listening position as the third corner.

3. Start with the speakers about 6 to 8 feet apart.

4. Position speakers away from side and back walls as much as possible, and so that the distances to the back and side walls are not the same. However, position left and right speakers exactly the same distances from the walls on each side of your room.

5. Use stands or other nonresonant materials to adjust speaker height.

6. Position speakers high enough off the ground so that they are level with your ears when you are in the listening position. (The tweeter should be just over your head.)

7. Experiment with "toe-in": make the speakers face each other rather than face the same direction. Try about 10 degrees to start.

8. Find the ideal positioning for the speakers and your space through continued experimentation.

Tips & Warnings

• Toe-in improves the "center image" but narrows the "soundstage." Move speakers into the room from the back wall to increase soundstage depth.
• If your room is rectangular and lacks limitations created by windows, doors, fireplaces, and furniture, try setting up speakers with formulas shown on the Cardas Web site. (See Related Sites.)
• Keep speakers away from furniture and other audio equipment, as well as from back walls and corners, in order to preserve bass accuracy. Move them closer to back walls to increase quantity, but reduce quality, of bass.
• Expect the speakers to "disappear" aurally when your setup is perfect.

on 1/9/2008 Step one, clean your woofer with a damp cloth. Step two, lay your speaker flat on the ground so the woofer is facing the ceiling. Step three, use any type of hair spray and mist your woofer all over, spraying equal amounts onto the entire area of the woofer. Allow this to air dry. Be sure to use a good amount of hair spray. This will improve the sound and the performance of your woofer. It restricts air passage, which in turn creates less distortion and better bass.