Front Speaker Discussion - To toe-in or not??

It�s been traditionally agreed upon, from the old 2-channel Stereo day's, that the matched left and right channel speakers should be at least 7' to 8' (feet) apart to obtain the desired stereo sound stage effects (assuming you have the room to create that invisible triangular line from your 'sweet spot' to your front speakers).

This means (using 45 degree angles), . . .your optimum "sweet spot" sitting distance would be 9 ft. 7-7/8 inches away, if your front speakers are 8 ft. apart. (8 ft.  5-3/8 inches away for 7 ft. apart)       Anyway, you get the point, the closer you sit, the angle increases and your speaker's high frequencies output falls like a rock, ruining the airy, crystal clear sparkling high's that the high frequency tweeter driver's are suppose to provide.      Because of this, some consumer's toe-in their speaker's towards their "sweet spot".

Should you toe-in your speakers??      Slightly toeing-in the speakers might help some speaker's design limitation, but toeing-in where the center axis of the speaker is directly pointing towards your "sweet spot" will introduce some undesirable effects. Disadvantages: 1) Toeing-in your speaker's towards your "sweet spot" will compress the wide stereo sound stage effects with Music CD's and Dolby Digital 5.1 DVD's. 2) With DD-5.1 DVD's, left channel to center to right channel panning would be severely narrowed.

Example: With "Man in the Iron Mask" DD-5.1 DVD for example, there is a number of front channel sound pans (group of Musketeer's riding by on horses & horse drawn carriages) from the front right channel - center - front left channel (& visa-versa), a subtle but effective panning effects.

If your speakers are up to the tasks, when the group of Musketeer's riding by on horses sound starts, it should be about 6" - 12" (inches) beyond the right channel, then move seamlessly, to the center channel, moving towards the left, then about another 6" - 12" (inches) beyond the left channel.   Excellent example for you to verify your front channel panning capability with an actual Blockbuster Dolby Digital 5.1 DVD.

So, for that reason, I do not toe-in my JBL S26s (1" Pure Titanium Tweeters w/EOS) towards my �sweet spot�. They are about 7 ft. apart and squared off towards my listening area, just like all the Dolby Labs diagrams and Cinema DD/DTS/SDDS Theaters.      You may want to experiment with your setup, slightly toeing-in your speakers might help some speaker high frequency dispersion. Just remember (like the old days), the sound stage should go beyond your front R & L speaker locations.

See the S-Series Frequency Dispersion Pattern in my HT/Family Room

PI - Nov 23, 1999

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