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6. Neo One and Three Positioning 7. Neo Centre Positioning
The position of speakers within the listening room is likely to have more influence
over their performance than any other aspect of their installation. It is worth
spending some time experimenting both with the finer points of speaker
positioning, as well as the larger scale issues of room layout.
If you are already familiar with the acoustic characteristics of your listening room,
and the way speakers perform in it, you may already have a good feel for where
to position your new Aegis Neos. However, installing any new hi-fi component
provides a good opportunity to review an existing set-up and perhaps make
improvements.
The position requirements for a pair of Aegis Neo Ones or Neo Threes installed in
an average sized and furnished listening room (say 4m x 5m) are as follows:
• Between 0.2 and 0.6 metres from the rear wall.
•
Between 0.4 and 0.8 metres from the side walls.
• Between 2.5 and 3.5 metres apart.
• Clear of corners.
• Angled inward (to a maximum of 15°) towards the listening position.
Don’t worry if, thanks to the architecture or layout of your room, it is not practical
to follow each requirement. The most important thing is to experiment with the
different options that are practical and find the one that works best.
While it is often the first instinct to position a pair of speakers against the shorter
wall of a rectangular room, it is often the case that a position against the longer
wall will produce better results. This is because the long wall position tends to
result in less prominent reflections from the side walls of the room. However,
whether used against the long or short wall, it is important that each speaker of
Diagram One
the pair is located in a similar acoustic environment
(different environments would be, say, a curtained area
and a solid wall). The acoustic character of the side
walls of the room in the area where the main reflection
between speakers and listening position will occur
should also be similar. Diagram One illustrates a typical
layout.
Once your speakers are connected (see Section 8)
and working, and you begin to become familiar
with their performance, it is likely to be worthwhile
experimenting a little more with their positioning.
Reducing the distance between the speakers and
the rear wall will increase the level of bass and low
midrange making the speakers sound warmer. The
warmth however is likely to be gained at the expense
of some mid-range clarity and stereo image focus and
depth. Increasing the toe-in angle of the speakers may
regain some image focus but again this is likely to be at
a cost of image width and openness. Learning through
experimentation how speakers behave in your room
will help you find the optimum solution.
2.5 - 3.0 metres
angle
inward
(15° max)
Listening position
0.2 to 0.6 metres
from back wall
Reflection
region. Keep
similar each
side.
