Being retired, sheltering in place is not a huge adjustment. But it has caused me to try out a few ideas:
1.) Adding "Late Ceiling Splash" tweeters back in. Duke LeJeune suggested these years ago for my 8 inch whizerless single driver speakers. The tweeters (with a protective cap) sit flat on the floor directly behind the speakers to provide ambience, boost the highs, and provides sufficient delay to not interfere with imaging. When I first tried them loved them and they had an additional benefit - allowed for a wider soundstage while maintaining the center of the soundstage when I also severely toed-in the speakers. Changed my system completely so just held on to the speakers and tweeters. But last year pulled the speakers back into use but with a different amp didn't initially feel the need for the tweeters.
2.) As part of adding the tweeters back in, moved my main speakers farther apart to expand the soundstage. Still experimenting, seems to vary by the recording and type of music. Center of soundstage collapses (resulting in hearing separate left and right channels) most readily with small ensemble/single performer. Currently the speakers are 8'-10" apart center-to-center in a room that is 13ft wide and toed in to cross 18 inches in front of the listening position. Images are more life sized. BTW this method has been suggested for controlled directivity designs to widen the sweet spot. As mentioned, this boosted high frequency response which frankly my speakers needed.
3.) Moved one of my 3 subwoofers farther away from the left/front corner. I follow the advice of Earl Gedde, Duke LeJeune, Floyd Toole, and others who recommend multiple bass sources to help even out the inevitable in-room bass peaks/dips. Previously followed Fibonacci ratios of 12 inches from right/front corner, 19 inches from left/front corner, and 31 inches from left/back corner. So now have one fairly tight to the corner, one centered 31 inches from the corner, and one in the middle of a long wall. The change is subtle but I like it.
4.) Changed Dirac settings. Frankly wasn't sold on the effect, so played around by saving multiple settings: the recommended setting (slight boost of the lowest frequencies with a gradual slope back to flat at roughly 150 Hz); a compromise between the recommended setting and where the room measured; and a minimal tweaking from the room measurement. So had left it in the last setting. But tried the first setting and boosted the subwoofers volume settings. This I like a lot.
