Niles Audio DS8.3, DS8..5 manual Introduction, Placement for Critical Listening

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Loudspeaker Placement

Introduction

Although the DS8.3 and DS8.5 have extensive ability to compensate for unusual placements with their unique pivoting woofers, tweeters and acoustic fine-tuning switches, placement is still the primary tool for satisfying your particular listening needs. In this section, we discuss how loudspeakers should be placed and how woofers and tweeters should be directed and how the acoustic fine-tuning switches should be set for different purposes.

Placement for Critical Listening

If you like to imagine that the band or orchestra is playing in front of you as you listen to music, or you are very conscious of clarity, detail and the textures of the individual instruments, or you listen criti- cally to movie soundtracks or music videos in your home theater, you will need your loudspeakers placed so that they are optimized for critical listening. Here are some guidelines to make the process of placement quick and easy.

Make sure the sound will not be blocked or reflected off of furniture or other objects. You should have a direct line of sight with the front of the loudspeaker. To determine the best position, measure the “listening” distance between the ideal listening position (your favorite chair or couch) and the location in which you plan to install the speakers. Try to place the loudspeakers so that they are equally dis- tant from your listening spot and at least one half of the listening distance apart (this maintains a large pleasant stereo “image”). In home theater applications where there is a center channel you may choose to space the left and right main loudspeakers farther apart for a “bigger than life” sound with Dolby® encoded movies and TV shows. However, for combined music and movie usage stay within the good place- ment zone for music. For example; if you are ten feet back from the loudspeakers, the loudspeakers should be between five and ten feet apart (See Figure 4).

Woofers and tweeters should be directed at the listening position.

Speaker Placement

Direct woofer and tweeter towards

listener

Critical

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10'

 

 

5'

 

10'

Listening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Position

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct woofer and tweeter towards listener

Figure 4

In this example, the loudspeakers could be placed from five to 10 feet apart, since the listener is 10 feet back from the loudspeakers

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Contents DS8.3 Table of Contents Introduction Easy Installation Twist & LockTM BaffleHole Saving Bracket Recommended Amplifier Power Installation Considerations Speaker Wire Incorporating Remote Control Insulation Behind The Speaker Boundary Effect Placement for Home Theater Rear Applications Placement for Varying Listening PositionsIntroduction Placement for Critical ListeningRunning the Loudspeaker Wire in New Construction Installation FundamentalsPulling the Cable Concealing Loudspeaker Wire in Existing WallsLoudspeaker Location Volume Control Stereo Installation Fundamentals Mounting New Construction Bracket Insulating the Ceiling CavityInstallation in Existing Construction See Figure Final Installation in New or Existing ConstructionDirecting the tweeter Listening at Higher Volumes Loudspeaker PhaseCleaning OperationDS8.3 SpecificationsNiles Audio Corporation Limited WarrantyDetach Here Warranty Registration Card Niles Audio Corporation