Calling all SRT owners - imaging issues

brody05
brody05 Posts: 329
edited November 2008 in Speakers
Having had a shake up in the HT I am now in the position of struggling to get the SRT's to image resulting in having to toe them in a bit:eek: I know. I know, a big no no but I don't seem to have much choice and wondered what others have with regard to distance apart and distance to listening position.

I have had SRT's in 3 different homes and currently they are 5 meters apart and the listening position is 3 meters back from the center of between them and measuring from the front of the speakers.

The imaging was as you may expect about 5.5 meters (almost on the back wall of the room which is 6 meters by 6 meters), simple answer you say is move them closer together but I value my life and my wife values not having a big speaker in front of the bi fold doors in to the back yard the right speaker curently sits on the edge of.

I have toed them in a touch in the hope of bringing the image forward to the listening position which it has but the result is the imaging isn't as sharp as it usually is, particularly the vocal imaging that is always right in front of me when the eyes are closed and in a state of bliss.

I have the control unit set to wide.

Any ideas???

Has anyone had to run them with toe in before???

What distances are other owners running.

Any help greatly appreciated, I will of course be making further tweaks here and there to try to get some gains but I think the whole toeing in thing really upsets the way they are designed to function.
Post edited by brody05 on
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Comments

  • ESavinon
    ESavinon Posts: 3,067
    edited November 2008
    How large is your room? For good imaging you're supposed to form a triangle between the speakers and your sitting position with the speakers sitting straight.
    SRT For Life; SDA Forever!

    The SRT SEISMIC System:
    Four main satellite speakers, six powered subs, two dedicated for LFE channel, two center speakers for over/under screen placement and three Control Centers. Amaze your friends, terrorize your neighbors, seize the audio bragging rights for your state. Go ahead, buy it; you only go around once.
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  • brody05
    brody05 Posts: 329
    edited November 2008
    Hi ES,

    the room is 6 meters by 6 meters and the listening position from the front wall is 4 meters back.

    I have in the past always had them about 4 meters apart but it is either as they are or either side of the 60" TV right next to the RT55i's I use as centers due to the double doors to the back yard.

    I used to have the right speaker covering one side of the double doors but had to compromise with the mrs (the compromise was to get the Verastarr amp) so have to wear it really.

    Cheers
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  • polkie4life
    polkie4life Posts: 231
    edited November 2008
    Ahh yes, if only in a perfect world.

    I have the total opposite predicament. I dont quite have the room to put mine far enough apart to achieve the perfect triangle, and am sitting a bit further back than the sweetspot. I also had the problem on initial set up where one speaker is placed near a wall and the other sits at the opening to our dining room.

    I'm still pretty happy with how they sound, but it is a little frustrating knowing that there are still more gains to be had.
    In terms of audio, i truly feel sorry for the visually impaired. How can they know what they like if they cant read google?


    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=86838
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  • brody05
    brody05 Posts: 329
    edited November 2008
    Maybe I just need to be the same, happy with the sound even though it could be better in an ideal world.

    Maybe winter will mean that 2nd door into the back yard can be covered??? I just dont get women, why do we need to be able to open both doors, I can fit through one with a drink in each hand easily enough:confused:
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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited November 2008
    I think your having some issues with the room accoustics. Square is NOT conducive to good listening, and is probably causing you some cancellation issues. I would suggest some tasteful room treatment, with the wifes approval, of course.
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  • brody05
    brody05 Posts: 329
    edited November 2008
    Haha, yeah I am sure she would be happy with that.

    I have run some in and out of phase test tones and haven't picked up on dead spots, any idea's on how else to check for this?

    It sounds great with movies, and pretty good with two channel music, just not imaging as well as they have.
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  • brody05
    brody05 Posts: 329
    edited November 2008
    Well I have managed to make some great inroads into improving the imaging.

    I think it is as good as it will get in 2 channel, the toe in is not as bad as I first thought, I know not ideal and about two and a half inches off square.

    I think part of it was running in lots of new drivers 2ndry to an oops I had when playing around one day - lets just say there was a blue flash and a big bang resulting in two new tweeters, 8 new midrange and 2 new crossovers....... Fortuanately the insurance company covered it.

    I have this annoying intermittent noise that sounds like the stylus of a needle being dragged accross a couple of tracks on a record out of one of the channels of the amp and checking cables ect.

    If interested I have started a 'help me' thread here;

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74313

    Does anyone have the variable phase on the control unit of center? Being in a big room I have the bass at +5 on the master volume, big space to fill with 3 meter high ceilings.

    Thanks for the input and help:)
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