Loudspeaker Positioning

Circle Studio Monitors

Whether you have a stereo or surround sound system, correct positioning of loudspeakers in the room is essential, as this will greatly affect the accuracy of the reproduced sound. Speakers radiate sound from all directions and therefore placing them against walls or on the floor is not advisable. HHB Circle 5 and Circle 3 monitors are optimised for use under free-field conditions - so for the best results, consider the following points when setting up your loudspeaker system.

STEREO

LOUDSPEAKER PLACEMENT

•The Circle 5 and Circle 3 loudspeakers should be placed upright on stands, away from boundaries to reduce reflections. Do not place them on their sides, as the response at the crossover frequency will be less accurate.

•Both speakers should be the same distance from the listening position.

•The Circle 5 and Circle 3 loudspeakers should be slightly angled in towards each other, so as to point towards the listening position, and placed at a height where the listener’s ears are level with the tweeters.

•Ideally, the two loudspeakers and the listener should sit at the corners of a triangle, where all sides are of equal length:

•The listener should not sit too close to the speakers, (i.e., within this imaginary triangle), since the important centre image (sweet spot) can be greatly affected when listening in this position.

10Figure

•The loudspeakers should be placed away from corners and walls - more than one metre away (approximately three feet) is ideal - since there may be unwanted interference patterns caused by the reflections of the signal from the walls, which will colour the low and mid frequencies, giving the impression of extreme bass warmth and unnatural midrange.

•At these low frequencies, the sound from the loudspeakers radiates in all directions, and reflects off any hard surfaces to combine with the direct sound. At higher frequencies, sound from the loudspeakers is more directional, causing less of a problem with interference.

•Avoid placing the Circle 5 or Circle 3 studio monitors on top of a mixing console, since this will adversely affect the frequency response. Some of the sound output will reflect off the surface of the console, interfering with the direct sound from the loudspeakers. Instead, position the speakers on stands slightly behind and above the console.

Suggested stereo

loudspeaker placement

L	Loudspeakers	R

Listener