How to Place Stereo Speakers for the Best Performance

How to Place Stereo Speakers for the Best Performance

How to Place Stereo Speakers for the Best Performance GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Home Theater & Entertainment > Audio 242 242 people found this article helpful

How to Place Stereo Speakers for the Best Performance

Get the most out of your audio setup

By Gary Altunian Gary Altunian Writer Gary Altunian was a freelance contributor to Lifewire and industry veteran in consumer electronics. He passion was home audio and theater systems. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 30, 2022 Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Audio Speakers Soundbars Stereos & Receivers

What to Know

Avoid placing speakers too close to a wall. Angle so they focus on the listening spot. Unless floor-standing, place on stands. Don't block.Golden rectangle rule: A speaker's distance to the nearest side wall should be at least 1.6 times its distance from the front wall.Position the speakers so that the distance between the front wall is 1/3 to 1/5 the length of the room. In this article, you'll learn how to set up a sound system to get the best results. Instructions apply to pairs of speakers and multi-channel setups.

Common Mistakes in Audio Setups

Here's a quick list of what not to do when setting up your speakers. Also, be sure to review the sound system's manual for tips specific to your model. Don't place stereo speakers near the front wall (the wall behind the speakers). Instead, give them about two to three feet of space. In general, when speakers sit too close to walls, especially corners, they can reflect sound off of surfaces or affect the subwoofer's performance. Don't orient the speakers so that they're completely parallel to each other. While this layout may look good, it won't let your system sound its best. In most cases, you'll want to angle the speakers so that they focus towards the listening spot. This way, you can experience the sharpest possible sound. Don't place speakers directly on the floor unless they're floor-standing tower speakers. Smaller speakers should sit on stands or shelves at approximately head and ear height. Many stands also help absorb reverberations and prevent the inclusion of noise. Don't put anything in front of the speakers. Any objects in front of the speakers will reflect sound, causing distortion or blurring. Claro Fausto Cortes / EyeEm / Getty Images

Apply the Golden Rectangle Rule

The distances from the side walls are also significant. The golden rectangle rule states that a speaker's distance to the nearest side wall should be at least 1.6 times its distance from the front wall. For example, if the distance from the front wall is 3 feet, the distance to the nearest side wall should be at least 4.8 feet for each speaker. Once the speakers are in the ideal spot, angle them in by 30 degrees to face the listening spot unless the manual says not to do so. Essentially, you want the two speakers and the listener to create an equilateral triangle. If you want perfection, a protractor and measuring tape will help immensely. Keep in mind that you don't want the listener's head to be exactly at the corner of the triangle. Sit several inches closer so that the point rests behind the head. This way, your ears will pick up the left and right stereo channels correctly.

Apply the One-Third to One-Fifth Rule

Position the speakers so that the distance between the front wall is 1/3 to 1/5 the length of the room. Doing so will prevent the speakers from creating standing waves and exciting room resonances (the peak and valley/null nodes when reflected frequency responses are in or out of phase with each other). Angle the speakers towards the listening position, like the golden rectangle rule above. Your listening position is as important as the speaker position to achieve the best sound quality.

Additional Tips

Don't be afraid to experiment with speaker placement. Every room is different, and the methods presented above are guidelines.Use masking tape on the floor to mark the speaker position as you experiment with placement options. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire 5 Things to Consider Before Buying Stereo Speakers How to Install In-Wall Stereo Speakers The Complete Guide to Home Audio Systems for Beginners How to Make Your Own Audio Diffusers with Concrete Forming Tubes How to Calculate the Viewing Distance for a TV Why You Need a Center Channel Speaker How to Get the Best Performance Out of Your Subwoofer How to Splice Wires for Speakers and Home Theater Systems How to Install Outdoor Speakers Under Eaves, Overhangs Tips to Set Up and Get the Most From a Sound Bar Floor-Standing vs. Bookshelf Loudspeakers: Which Is Best? What Bass Management Is and How It Works The 7 Best Floor Speakers of 2022 Direct, Bipole, and Dipole Surround Sound Speakers Expert Tested: The 7 Best Speakers for Record Players in 2022 The 8 Best In-Wall Speakers of 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies
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