[ricardojoa]

I have got three pair os speakers, the salk Song towers, sierra 1 and Selah tempesta.

They all sound wonderful, but what i found is that the sweet spot and center image differs.

For example, both the song tower and sierra are very easy to set up and can have good center image, even if they are close to walls and poorly placed.
The tempesta has the best sound quality but i find them to be harder to get a wider sweet spot and center image. It seems like they need to be brought out from the front wall to get a good center image, but even though the sweet spot seems to move to the speaker rather then staying in the stage.

Any thoughts? What make a speaker have good image and wide sweet spot and less fussy about placement?

[jimdgoulding]

Getting them out from your walls when playing allows for greater focus and three-dimensionality, IME.

[opnly bafld]

Dome vs. ribbon? 

[paul79]

Wide sweet spot and excellent off axis response go hand in hand IME.

[ricardojoa]

Thank you for the comments.

I have been thinking of it a few days and my conclusion is that, since these are all different speakers, this proof that every speakers needs an optimal placement for best sound.

[jk@home]

Another thing you can try is extreme toe-in, where the speaker's axis cross in front of the listening chair. I prefer this set up with my KEF LS50s. But they have to be pulled wide apart to work best.

http://thehighfidelityreport.com/extreme-toe-in/

[RDavidson]

It sounds to me as though there are some phase issues with the tempestas, likely stemming from the crossover network. You're noticing it especially in direct comparison with speakers that don't have this issue. Yes, placement is very important, but it won't make a speaker with phase issues ever image as good or better than speakers that don't have this problem. You might try wiring the speakers in reverse (ie switch the + and - leads at the spesker terminals, but not at the amp) and see if you get better center fill.

[ricardojoa]

Thank for the suggestions. I dont think is a matter with phase issue. The tempesta can image, just that they need to be brought out from the front wall to achieve that. The sierra and SongTower dont need that distance from front wall and still achive that center image.
I think it might have to do with the dispersion of the mid frequencies. Bringing the speakers out and with the same listenning position means listening to the speakers off axis more. What i think is the tempesta actually has wider dispersion in the mid band. It might actually benefit from setting the speakers further apart.

[jimdgoulding]

You see that gray thing in my avatar?  It's a wool felt pad made to fit by me.  You might give that a go on one of more of your speakers.