Thoughts on Improving My Soundstage?

stretchl

I've put together a basic map of my listening room, below.

I'm wondering if what I perceive to be limitations in my soundstage won't be overcome by anything other than getting my speakers farther apart than they are now.

The current speakers are LSiM-705's, and it's impossible to move them farther apart because there are floor-to-ceiling cabinets/bookshelves on either side of each.

So I'm thinking that since I have a few of the LSiM-703's still around I might stick a couple of them on the bookshelves, a couple of feet higher than the tops of the 705's, and see how they fill the room. (I'd obviously disconnect the 705's for this test.)

Does anyone who's familiar with the 703's have any thoughts on how they might serve in a room this size, placed on bookshelves, maybe ten feet apart?

Thanks very much.

mlistens03

I’d say go for it.
And, I may offer an idea. Homemade SDA with one set of the 703’s. It worked a lot better than I expected it to, you just need another integrated and and some resistors, or do it passively like the original SDA’s.
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/183376/turning-normal-speakers-into-sda-s/p1

mdaudioguy

A couple feet higher? Seems too high.

nooshinjohn

Can you relocate them to the short wall? My experience with the 703's was they preferred that orientation.

VR3

Can you sit 3 or 4 feet closer and minimize toe in to just a slight degree inward each speaker

SIHAB

That woofer at the back of the room could be the culprit.

What if you move them out into the room and dial them in.
Gaff where they shoot best. Then, move them back into the
original space and do what VR3 suggests. Dial them in there.
When it's time for critical listening move them back out.

The 703's should rock out the space. (though I haven't stuck them
on a bookshelf.

stretchl

SIHAB wrote: »

That woofer at the back of the room could be the culprit.

ROTFLMAO!

stretchl

VR3 wrote: »

Can you sit 3 or 4 feet closer and minimize toe in to just a slight degree inward each speaker

The listening position is a futon up against the back wall. There's really no practical way to have it out, as we use the space between it and the speakers a lot – it's my seven year old daughter's play area, we use it for games on family night, etc., etc. Plus, there's a flat screen mounted to the wall behind the speakers, and it's pretty high up above a fireplace/mantel. Moving the futon close would make viewing the screen pretty uncomfortable due to the angle.

What I do once in a while, though, for critical listening, is sit on the floor in front of the futon. That puts me really low in relation to the speakers, however, and I don't hear an improvement in soundstage.

Do you guys think the speakers are too close together? I know there's some numbers floating around somewhere about ideal ratios, but I've not seen them in a long time.

stretchl

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Can you relocate them to the short wall? My experience with the 703's was they preferred that orientation.

No. The wall to the left of the listening position is windows. To the right is, again, floor to ceiling bookshelves. I'll try to get a photograph sometime today.

mdaudioguy

stretchl wrote: »

Do you guys think the speakers are too close together? I know there's some numbers floating around somewhere about ideal ratios, but I've not seen them in a long time.

The usual recommendation is that the speakers and the listening position form an equilateral triangle.

tonyb

Speakers are too close together in my view, and those bookcases on both sides won't help matters either.

Maybe try some 703's on stands, in front of those bookshelves so you can widen them out more. May or may not work depending on the traffic pattern for the room. Putting them inside a shelf won't sound good and too high will also subtract from other qualities.

gmcman

You could experiment by using a chair and sitting in front of the futon. See if that changes anything in regards to any rear wall cancellations.