Changing Speaker Positioning Based Upon Recording

[barturtle]

I seen many posts on optimum quad speaker positioning, but to me, it seems like it really depends upon the recording. Some recordings really seem to want a "4 corners 360 degree approach" while others seem to work best at 180 degrees and some others even narrower like 120 or so.

Do many of you take the time to move speakers based upon which recording you're listening to?

 

[Doug G.]

That sounds like way too much work, to me. Kind of like blanching kelp.

Doug

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Do many of you take the time to move speakers based upon which recording you're listening to?

No. Way too much trouble.

 

[hobie1dog]

Welcome to the forum. Speakers are too big, and the room is too small. But I use the independent level controls on my Surround Master v2 to compensate for each recording.

 

[marpow]

Welcome to the club @barturtle I noticed this was your first post. It's a real good question.
I know exactly what you are talking about. Occasionally I move my speakers, just a little of course, as I am always looking for audio nirvana.
What I tend to do more is adjust channels within 0-2.5db depending on speaker position.
I sit about 12" off center, as my seating is for two, so the arm rest between the two seats is dead center. Even after a fully calibrated rig, depending on the recording I might change the levels a bit.
My surround rears and center positions are good where they are, level adjusting depending on recording is usually flat at my left side and can be 1-2db higher on my right.
Where I seem to have most of my adjustments is the R/L fronts, still trying to get it dialed. I move them occasionally, toe in/toe out/, etc.
I listen to a lot of stereo and that can be everything under the sun, sometimes purposely vocals are left or right, sometimes phantom center, instruments stronger in one speaker, weaker in the other, this is just how it was mixed, not really a lot you can do.
People on QQ are always talking about raising and lowering speaker levels.
If I change my pre/pro to Pure Direct, which is nice, the channel level feature does not work.
I was taught that a good way to get your sweet spot dialed in is to listen to a Mono source and get that sucker dead center to your listening position.
My advice is that if you are sitting and listening and your enjoyment is being interrupted by your brain saying "this just doesn't sound right" it's a good indication you need to try some small adjustments and the channel level feature if you have that is your best friend.

 

[barturtle]

Welcome to the club @barturtle I noticed this was your first post. It's a real good question.

My advice is that if you are sitting and listening and your enjoyment is being interrupted by your brain saying "this just doesn't sound right" it's a good indication you need to try some small adjustments and the channel level feature if you have that is your best friend.

Thanks.

I mean, while Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters should wrap around me, A Chorus Line should move across the stage, not wrap around me, and if you have the speakers positioned behind you, then you have people singing and dancing behind you...if they did the dancing effect so that it went from right rear to left rear, maybe, but it doesn't it dances center to right, then back to center, just as one would on stage.

Leveling won't fix that, you need to move the speakers.

 

[AYanguas]

I have also the same "problems" when listening to different 4.0 mixes.
I have 7.1 speakers at floor level, and normal AVR playing directs the Quad Rears to the Surround speakers that are at 180-190º at the sides of the couch.
When there is much content on the rears, depending on the mix, I hear them as a kind of binaural effect and feel more sound "inside my head". That reduces the compared level front sound stage quite a bit.

I do not change speakers positions, neither move the couch to the front. What I do sometimes is to reconfigure the AVR to redirect the Quad rears to the Surround Back speakers, that are in a more rear location behind the couch, and get closer to the 'square' around the MLP. That way I listen much better some Quad mixes.

 

[IMachine]

My speaker setup is the same Steven Wilson likes it.
5.1.2 and the rears are more sides. The same height as my head. I would never move them, but I lower the vol of my rears, for example, when I listen to quad recordings.

 

[Larry Geller]

Never ever ever.