[stvnharr]

Master Set Procedures

The Needed Tools:
The only items needed to perform Master Set are your ears, a setup recording, a tape .measure, and a small level. Master Set can be performed by one or two persons.

The Set Up Recording:
Ballad of a Runaway Horse by Jennifer Warnes:
You can find this song on Jennifer Warnes – Famous Blue Raincoat, 20th Anniversary Edition, or Rob Wasserman – Duets, or Trios
This song works because of its simplicity and the steadiness of the voice line and the bass line, especially the bass line.
Other recordings could be used provided that they have a simple steady bass line that is easy to hear. I’ve found the above song to work best.

Initial Set Up
Remove any bass traps and other room treatments that you may have in the room and turn off the subwoofer, if you have one.
Set the speakers against the rear wall, and perpendicular to it. Speakers should be as far apart as reasonable. Important considerations are to keep speakers 2 to 3 feet away from side walls, and for the listener to be at the point of an equilateral triangle with the speakers. You can measure the dimensions with a tape measure or just make them approximate.
NOTE: Master Set works best if done along the long wall of the listening room, as that best mitigates room reflections, however it can be done along the short wall if necessary. For the first DIY attempt, try and use the long wall.
Because the speakers will be physically moved, it is best to remove any speaker spikes at this time so as to facilitate moving the speaker or stand.
I have found it helpful to use a tape measure laid out perpendicular from the wall when making the speaker movements. The movements need to be kept small and the best way to do this is with the tape measure as a reference otherwise the movements tend to be too large.

Be Patient. Master Set will likely take you from 1 to 3 hours. The movements are small, and at first go it may be a bit hard to hear the differences that I have described. But just keep at it. You can email me if you have questions or difficulty in the procedures.

Step 1: Setting the “anchor” speaker
This step sets one of the speakers as an “anchor” in the room. Either speaker will do. This step also has the goal of finding the smoothest bass response in the room.
First, just listen to the song, and notice the strong steady bass line in the first 2 verses. There are 19 notes in each verse, though the 2nd verse does have some extra 8th notes added. Listen carefully and notice that some of the bass notes have a “plonky” and/or exaggerated sound character. In this step you will be searching for the spot that will smooth out this “plonky” character of the note as it resonates in the room.

With both speakers playing, move the speaker out from wall about 6 inches and toe in the speaker directly to the listening position. Notice as the sound moves from being centered to this side. Continue to move the speaker out in small increments, ½” or so, until the sound is totally from this one speaker. Mark, or make note, of this spot.

Now, continue to move this speaker out from the wall in very small increments, 1/8th” or 2-3mm., and listen to the first 2 verses of the song. You are listening for any difference in the bass response of the 19 notes. Continue these small movements until you find a slight lessening in the bass resonance character. There may be more than one spot where this can occur. However, for keeping this simple, just find the first spot that smoothes out the bass. You may wish to make another very very small movement or two from this spot to find the very best spot.

Note: if you are having trouble discerning any difference in the bass with both speakers playing, you may wish to disconnect the speaker set against the wall temporarily, in order to better hear any bass differences. However it’s best to keep both speakers playing.
If you move the one speaker out too far into the room the sound will reconnect with the speaker against the wall, and move back to the center. You do not want this to occur.
It is important to find the best bass in the zone where all sound comes from just the one speaker. That will keep this setting independent from the other speaker when you move the other speaker out into the matching position!

Once the smoothest bass response has been found you can set this speaker into a “final” position and level it. This speaker is now “anchored”, and will not be moved again during the procedure.

Step 2: Setting the other speaker.
This step will move the other speaker into place and be adjusted to match the sound pressure of the “anchor” speaker. Move the speaker out from the wall about 6 inches, toeing the speaker directly in to the listening position. Now begin moving the speaker out at very small increments, no more than 1/8th in. or 2-3 mm. at a time, and only listen to the bass line. Continue to move the speaker out at these small increments until you hear a lessening of the bass resonances. Once you find a lessening in the bass make a small movement or two of 1/16th in, or 1-2 mm. and listen for the best response. You will also tend to notice that all of the music tends to smooth out and become much more clean and clear sounding as the two speakers equalize.
NOTE: You may be able to feel the bass resonance in your feet. This makes finding the best bass spot quite easy as the resonance will disappear in your feet.

You have now found the placement spot where the speakers are equally pressurizing the room. This is what you are looking for, and essentially you are done with Master Set.

Step 3: You can tweak the midrange setting at this point by varying the toe in of the speaker by toeing out in 1/16th increments. My own experience is that I have never found any real difference in midrange sound from this procedure.
Also, you can raise the front of the speaker a couple of degrees. This is known as adjusting the rake angle, and I have found this to be a good effect. Set the speaker permanently and level it.

Finalizing:
Now, move to several positions in the room and listen. Notice if the sound stays the same in any location. If there is some movement of the sound as you move around the room, you will have to reposition the second speaker slightly.
If you’ve done Master Set correctly, the sound will be the same from any listening position in the room as long as you are out a couple feet from a wall. The music will only change in perspective, such as if you move around in a concert venue.
In my current listening room my favored seat is on a perpendicular axis with the right speaker, yet the music is perfectly centered between the two speakers.

Final Comments
The sound you obtain with Master Set should have a perfect left-right stereo image with very clean clear instrumental and vocal sounds.
Listen first to your most favorite songs and recordings and notice how they now sound.
If you have any room treatments or bass traps, you may return them to the room at this time, and note any if there is any change.
Turn the subwoofer back on. You may have to turn it down slightly or reposition it as you will likely hear some bass resonance from the sub. I just turned mine down a bit.

If you are pleased with the sound, then you have found something new.
If not, you can always return to your previous setup, having only spent some time and nothing else.

[mrbruce]

(Meant to include this under original thread)

[GeorgeHudetz]

Thanks for posting this!  I've heard about this in the past and always wondered what the procedure is.

But I have one clarifying question:

NOTE: Master Set works best if done along the long wall of the listening room, as that best mitigates room reflections, however it can be done along the short wall if necessary. For the first DIY attempt, try and use the long wall.

Are you stating that it is best to have the speakers positioned such that, when you start, the speakers are backed up against the long wall, or the short wall?

Thanks.

[mrbruce]

I'm going to chime in again, although Steve is certainly the person with the most experience.
Several things that I think are important about this approach:
1.  The Jennifer Warnes song is very useful for this method and is THE song most people use.  You'll likely be tired of the song when you're finished with the locating process!
2.  I was told that there is typically a dead zone on the wall behind the speakers that many times is the first 18 inches or so from the wall.  Initial setup can USUALLY start further from the wall.  It doesn't mean the ideal location can't be closer; only that it may expedite the process to start at least that far from the wall.
3.  Using masking tape on the floor to mark the potentially best locations makes the process repeatable and faster.  I found that there were several good candidate locations and a person can quickly compare and choose the best.  I put down a track of masking tape for the speaker and moved the speaker along that line and then marked candidate points.   As Steve mentioned, small movements (1/4 inch ) can be very detectable.
4.  I also found that the amount of toe in for the anchor speaker, and the other one, can clearly affect the response.  Again, masking tape, in a perpendicular direction to the first line of tape, allows marking and returning to the best spot.
5.  After the anchor speaker is anchored, there is significant change/improvement possible when adjusting the toe-in of the second speaker.  Again, using masking tape, you will likely find small increments significantly affect the soundstage and clarity of Jennifer Warnes' vocal.  Adjusting the rake angle, by shimming the speakers in front, or back, can allow you to get the vocal at a very realistic height and the sensation of the vocalist floating in front of the speakers.
6.  Doing this by yourself is VERY tedious.  If you can enlist a helper to make the small adjustments, while the music is playing, you will be able to detect changes MUCH more easily.  While the sonic impact of a person behind the speaker can't be eliminated, the person who taught me the process sat on the floor behind the speaker while he moved it and stopped when I signaled to him that the location was right.  In my opinion, trying to do this procedure by yourself is only for the masochist.  Sitting in the preferred seat while the other person moves the speaker , is the way I was taught.
7.  Using furniture sliders under the speakers, while you're doing this, makes for a MUCH faster and smoother setup.  If you use spikes, obviously you want to remove them, or set them on coins on the sliders, if you must.  I do use spikes and simply put them back when I was finished.  Because my current speakers are over 200 pounds, sliders were mandatory for my helper.  More importantly, slight movements are much easier to make, especially if you are moving along a line of masking tape.
8.  Finally, EVERY room and speaker is different.  This approach is a great starting point.  Trust your ears over everything else.  This approach costs nothing but time and is totally reversible.  One last use for masking tape - mark the speakers current position before starting this procedure and you'll have a good reference to see if things improved significantly.

[strider]

A really minor note, the Jennifer Warnes song is not on Wasserman's Trios album, at least on the copy I have.

[richidoo]

When adjusting toe, should the speaker be rotated around the axis of the center of the driver array, around tweeter, or center of cabinet, or what?  Seems if you adjust woofer location within 1/16" then adjust toe you are screwing up the woofer position unless you rotate the speaker so that the woofer stays in the same place?  My speakers are ~3 feet deep with a slanted front baffle. If I rotate about the tweeter, woofers will move out of position.
Thanks!
Rich

[mrbruce]

Richidoo,
My version of the writeup recommends pivoting the right speaker (assuming you've used the left as the anchor), about the rear outside corner.  It further indicates that pivoting out will typically increase clarity but may affect the soundstage. Pivoting in increases focus but may muffle the center.  My speakers are much deeper than wide, and displayed the effect clearly when they were pivoted as little as 1/4 inch, measured at the front corner.
Your comments about the woofer position are valid but I found that there was clearly overall improvement when adjusting the toe-in.
When you get to the point of adjusting the toe-in you'll be able to judge for yourself whether it is beneficial.  Trust your ears at that point.
Bruce

[richidoo]

  Thanks!

[andyr]

Hi Steven,

Very interesting article on the "Master Set Procedure" - I'm sure it will be a valuable reference.  I have recently got hold of "Runaway Horse" (on the Cisco 45rpm, 20th Anniversary "FBR" release) so I sat down tonight to listen, with your "Set Up" notes in hand.

Now, my speakers are set up mathematically (I'll explain what I mean, later), not experimentally.  Just for reference, my room size is 8m x 5.1m with a pitched roof running longways, 2.7m at the sides and almost 5m in the middle.  My "big" Maggies are set up on the end wall, firing down the room and toed-in so that a perpendicular from the point midway between the ribbons and the mid-panels, hits my ear.  I sit further away than an equilateral triangle with the speakers (by which I presume you mean "an equilateral triangle from ears to driver centres"?).

I have to say that the bass line is strong and steady in my setup, with no "plonky" or exaggerated notes.    Moreover, as I move around the room, the sound doesn't have any anomalies - although, as you say, the perspective changes.  And yes, I have a good "stereo image with very clear instrumental and vocal sounds"!    Although I didn't call it "perfect" as in the "BoaRH", JW is slightly L of centre ... but on Track 3, Side E "A Singer Must Die", she is dead centre.

So I'm not sure whether that is a product of my environment ... or the recording.    And also whether I have achieved as good a setup as I could've by following the - sorry, very laborious - "Master Set Procedures"?  But it sure was a helluva lot easier than moving the speakers 1/8th of an inch at a time! 

Now, re. "mathematical" ... a couple of years ago, I came across a paper which said that good bass performance results from a combination of 2 things (the first of which might be slightly compromised in favour of the second):

1.  The centre of the bass driver should be situated at an odd fraction of the length & width of the room.  IE. 1/3rd in from the side walls ... or 1/5th ... or 2/5ths ... or 1/7th ... etc.  Likewise for the room length.  The centre line of my bass panels is set 1/5th W from the side walls and 1/5th L out from the front wall.

2.  There are some "magic" ratios for the centre of the bass driver wrt:
     * distance off the floor
     * distance from the side wall, and
     * distance from the front wall (behind the speakers).

     If you select one of these magic ratios, you might have to compromise on the exact "1/5th", "2/5ths", "1/7th" distance.  However, these magic ratios are not too relevant to my situation, given the Maggie "bass driver" is 1.5m high!!    (I think it's too simplistic just to take the mid-height of the 1.5m driver as the centre point, for the purposes of the "magic ratio".)

I'm happy to email you this article if you'll PM me your email address.  Then perhaps you might be kind enough to set up your speakers according to the article and tell me how it compares with the "Master Set Procedure"?

Regards,

Andy

[ted_b]

A really minor note, the Jennifer Warnes song is not on Wasserman's Trios album, at least on the copy I have.

It's on Duets, and on the FBR 25th anniversary.  I think the version on Duets is much better, sonically and otherwise.

[andyr]

double post - sorry

[stvnharr]

Hello All,
I have been away for much of this month, only returning a couple days ago.  It's good that there has been some response here.

George: Master Set works best if done along the long wall.

Bruce: You have experience with Master Set, either had it done, or have done it yourself. Your comments here are good.  I tried to keep my write-up as simple as possible with as much description of what I heard as I did things.

Andy: I'll send you a pm in a little bit.

More comments on my own procedures:
It took me several tries to get Master Set properly done. There are a lot of little things in there that can make it a bit tricky. I got close a lot of the time, but never really got it correct. Since I most always did it myself, I did learn it the hard way, however, I find that that often is the best way.
I never found things to ever get tedious! Patience really helps as you cannot be successful without it!

1. Listen only to the bass line of the first 2 verses of the song.  These are the easiest to hear.  It's easy to tune out the vocal line.
2. Small movements as described.  One of the biggest impediments to success with Master Set is making movements that are too large.  Even 1/4 inch is much too large.  The points you are trying to find are very small. It is easy to pass over them and never find them.
3. The beginning set up is ONLY for starters, as you have to start somewhere. Yes you can start with one speaker out a bit from the wall. But I think it's good to start as I have described so that you get the full effect of moving the one speaker out has on the sound and how there is a zone where it all seems to come from one speaker with both playing.
4. Master Set only works if the "anchor speaker" is set in the space where all the sound is heard from that one speaker. This placement is independent of where the other speaker is, so that when the other speaker is moved, the "anchor" speaker's bass remains unchanged.
5. In moving the second speaker listen only to the bass line, as in No.1 above. It is unmistakeable when the bass resonance drops out.  And when this happens, everything else just comes all together.  The reason I had such trouble with Master Set is that in moving the second speaker I was always just listening to the vocal line and trying to get the best sound from it, and that never worked.  The first time I did this listening only to the bass line, I got it perfect, and knew it in a millisecond.

6. Some of the things in Bruce's comments are sort of Advanced Master Set tips. You can do these things once you get comfortable with the Basic Master Set, as I have described.

Steve

[kyrill]

Hi Steve

Thx for pointing others and me to this calibration technique
I am a not native English speaker, so that is where my many questions come from,

1) "Set the speakers against the rear wall, and perpendicular to it."
Ok i understand the first part of the sentence. but the sec. part? Normally the back side of speakers point to the rear wall. Do i have to turn the speakers 90 degrees so that tweeters "fire" parallel to the rear wall?

2)  "Speakers should be as far apart as reasonable. Important considerations are to keep speakers 2 to 3 feet away from side walls, and for the listener to be at the point of an equilateral triangle with the speakers"

I think i understand the sec. part of the sentence. but my listening position is fixed. It is a heavy couch. So this equilateral triangle has at least one fixed spot. As soon as  i move one speaker further  or closer to my listening position then the width of the triangle has to change too, to keep it equilateral. I think equilateral triangle means 60 degrees angles and 3 equal lengths of sides? Or do you mean this kind of triangle is only important as soon as the exercise has successfully finished? Or do you mean for instance when listening during the exercise you constantly change your listening position to maintain this equilateral listening position, when you constantly move one speaker?

3) "Master Set works best if done along the long wall of the listening room, as that best mitigates room reflections, however it can be done along the short wall if necessary. For the first DIY attempt, try and use the long wall."

"..if done along the long wall " This slips beyond my understanding. The long wall is the longest wall, yes?
the rear wall is the "short"wall" at least in my listening room.

If i start at the short wall is this the same as start at the rear wall as in yr first instruction? ( Set the speakers against the rear wall, and perpendicular to it) Then i move one speaker into the room parallel to the long walls? Is that the same as: "..if done along the long wall "?

4) SO when I start the exercise, so for instance Left speaker to rear wall and i start moving the right speaker i only move it perpendicular to the rear wall. The distance between Right speaker and side walls ( long wall) stays the same?

and last my final question
5) Hugh from Aspen who finally did it too followed a slightly diff approach. When moving the first speaker ( Right) you disconnect the left. When Right found it's sweet spot, you connect LEFT, keep RIGHT connected and follow your instructions. It looks like it make sense to me.

ehh not my last question but probably it is embedded in question 2
6) when moving speakers what is your listening position? The final one that you normally sit in?

and this is almost last
7) My dipole speakers are soooo heavy. cant i do the exercise with two smaller ones that do cover the bass from 60 hz and up and then when they both found the sweet spot replace them with the final ones and play a bit around those spots? playing a bit still means only in one dimension further or closer to the rear wall? question 4)

If i sit in my listening position and more and more i move one speaker closer to me, the sound becomes much louder from the one closer to me to a point that the stereo image completely shifts to the closest speaker. It is as if all music comes from that spaker. But somehow that is not what i think you mean with: "..there is a zone where it all seems to come from one speaker with both playing."

thx
kyrill

[stvnharr]

Hi Steve

Thx for pointing others and me to this calibration technique
I am a not native English speaker, so that is where my many questions come from,

1) "Set the speakers against the rear wall, and perpendicular to it."
Ok i understand the first part of the sentence. but the sec. part? Normally the back side of speakers point to the rear wall. Do i have to turn the speakers 90 degrees so that tweeters "fire" parallel to the rear wall?

2)  "Speakers should be as far apart as reasonable. Important considerations are to keep speakers 2 to 3 feet away from side walls, and for the listener to be at the point of an equilateral triangle with the speakers"

I think i understand the sec. part of the sentence. but my listening position is fixed. It is a heavy couch. So this equilateral triangle has at least one fixed spot. As soon as  i move one speaker further  or closer to my listening position then the width of the triangle has to change too, to keep it equilateral. I think equilateral triangle means 60 degrees angles and 3 equal lengths of sides? Or do you mean this kind of triangle is only important as soon as the exercise has successfully finished? Or do you mean for instance when listening during the exercise you constantly change your listening position to maintain this equilateral listening position, when you constantly move one speaker?

3) "Master Set works best if done along the long wall of the listening room, as that best mitigates room reflections, however it can be done along the short wall if necessary. For the first DIY attempt, try and use the long wall."

"..if done along the long wall " This slips beyond my understanding. The long wall is the longest wall, yes?
the rear wall is the "short"wall" at least in my listening room.

If i start at the short wall is this the same as start at the rear wall as in yr first instruction? ( Set the speakers against the rear wall, and perpendicular to it) Then i move one speaker into the room parallel to the long walls? Is that the same as: "..if done along the long wall "?

4) SO when I start the exercise, so for instance Left speaker to rear wall and i start moving the right speaker i only move it perpendicular to the rear wall. The distance between Right speaker and side walls ( long wall) stays the same?

and last my final question
5) Hugh from Aspen who finally did it too followed a slightly diff approach. When moving the first speaker ( Right) you disconnect the left. When Right found it's sweet spot, you connect LEFT, keep RIGHT connected and follow your instructions. It looks like it make sense to me.

ehh not my last question but probably it is embedded in question 2
6) when moving speakers what is your listening position? The final one that you normally sit in?

and this is almost last
7) My dipole speakers are soooo heavy. cant i do the exercise with two smaller ones that do cover the bass from 60 hz and up and then when they both found the sweet spot replace them with the final ones and play a bit around those spots? playing a bit still means only in one dimension further or closer to the rear wall? question 4)

If i sit in my listening position and more and more i move one speaker closer to me, the sound becomes much louder from the one closer to me to a point that the stereo image completely shifts to the closest speaker. It is as if all music comes from that spaker. But somehow that is not what i think you mean with: "..there is a zone where it all seems to come from one speaker with both playing."

thx
kyrill

Hi Kyrill,
I think I can answer your questions quite easily in easy to understand terms for you.

1. Rear of the speakers as close to wall as feasible. Speakers face forward into the room and perpendicular to the wall.

2. If you have a small moveable or folding chair you could use this for this step. If not, then just sit on your heavy couch where it sits.

3. Long wall is the longest in horizontal length wall.  Short wall is the shortest in horizontal length wall.

4. If you start with moving the Right Speaker, you can toe this speaker in directly at you, if you are seated at the point of the triangle. The left speaker does not move at all.

5. The answer is NO. Hugh got things a little bit mixed in his write up. It is necessary to have both speakers ON while moving the right speaker out until ALL sound is heard from the Right Speaker. Listen to the bass line with BOTH speakers ON.  If you have difficulty hearing unevenness in the bass, then you can disconnect the Left Speaker.  This is what I did.  Once I found the spot for the Right Speaker, I then reconnected the Left Speaker.
I hope this is clear to you.

6. I find it best to stay at the original seat at the point of the triangle for the whole time.  However, as we found out on Friday, this is not really necessary. But staying at the original seat makes getting up to move a speaker a bit easier and faster as you are closer to it.

7. The answer to this is unfortunately NO. Each speaker is different and will be in a different position. Heavy speakers are hard to move. You have to remove the spikes or put something slideable under them.

8. You are referring to the First step and the movement of the First speaker. As you move this first speaker out from the wall the music will begin to shift to that side, closer to the speaker.  There will eventually be a spot of placement where the sound will all seem to come from that one speaker, as if it is the only one playing.  There is a zone of 5 or 6 inches where this occurs.  Moving the speaker out further will recenter the sound of the two speakers.

If you have any more questions or need clarification on anything above, ask, and I will try to answer.

Steve

[kyrill]

Ok Steve

just question 4)

So even when I toe in the speaker you only move speakers away from the rear wall but in a straight line perpendicular to the rear wall . ok?

SO for instance when the speakers would be on teflon sliders or on a platform with wheels you can put a rope on the speaker and pull it away from the rear wall towards you but not when you, when pulling, you sit in the listening chair. you must move and stand in a straight line between speaker and original starting point, when speaker started to move, ok?


K

[richidoo]

I have a couple questions too. 

1. Must Master Set be repeated when furniture is moved?

2. Speakers should be moved along a perpendicular path from the front wall, not along the toed in speaker angle, right?
Thanks

[stvnharr]

I have a couple questions too. 

1. Must Master Set be repeated when furniture is moved?

2. Speakers should be moved along a perpendicular path from the front wall, not along the toed in speaker angle, right?
Thanks

Rich,
1. This would depend if the furniture is making a difference to the sound. It's hard to say, but unless you are moving a large piece of sound absorbing furniture to the other side of the room or out of the room, I'd tend to think it wouldn't make much difference.

2. Move the speakers perpendicular to the wall keeping them toed in to the listener.  It's easy to do.
Also, and I neglected to mention it I think, but it's good to keep the speakers as level as possible.

Steve

[richidoo]

Thanks Steve. I just realized I missed kyrill's double clarification of my question. Sorry.  Good questions kyrill!

[ted_b]

Dumb question: you guys have been calling the wall in front of you, that is behind the backs of the front speakers..."the rear wall"!     What do you then call the wall behind your listening chair?  The back wall?  Is there no "front wall" in your set up?  Why this nomenclature?   

[kyrill]

Hi Ted
I understand the back wall or rear wall is behind the speakers, i also understand the wall behind the listener, in this method of placing the speakers, does not play a role and was never mentioned. So no confusion from the beginning about that.

My question was about the path the speakers follow.