[rw@cn]

I am slowly positioning my 1.7's in my room per Jim Smith's "Get Better Sound" book. In it he suggests tilting them using a mirror in order to be 90 degrees to the center of the treble section. Well rather than tilt them, I used my office chair and raised it until my head was in the correct position.

Does it work, in a word YES. After two weeks, I can say that the results are striking. Jim knows his stuff. When my new chair arrives, I'll be sure to do the tilting thing.

The instruments are now at their proper height, lateral positioning is better, resolution is sharper and music sounds smoother.

Try it.

[jk@home]

When I originally was setting up the mount bracket angle for my modded MMGs, I used a makeshift rig/angle bracket with a laser level, to aim the center of the speaker at my ear level at listening position. Then transferred that angle to the stock brackets, bent to match.




Sometimes tilted is better than fully upright, both ways need to be tried.

 

[Emil]

Now I know why Sound Anchor Stands provide the ability to adjust tilt. Seems like they were aware of this all along.
Can you please explain a bit more about using the mirror?

Sound Anchor Magnepan Stands consist of a welded tubular steel base that uses 3 heavy duty adjustable spikes for leveling and a tubular steel top section that fastens to the speaker. The two sections are bolted together in a way that allows the speaker to be tilted forward or backward. Two turnbuckles are used to adjust the speaker tilt angle and make the whole structure more rigid.

[SteveFord]

I was lent that book a few years back and I believe the procedure involves affixing a mirror to the speaker and then using a flashlight held right where your ears are.  I believe that the light should come right back at you.
Perhaps rw@cn could confirm?
I know that when I was putting my MMGs up on hinges they sounded best with my ears right about dead center in the panel when I was sitting.
I ended up going for a compromise: with the top of the speaker about 5 3/4 feet up off of the floor I got good sound when seated and when walking around.

[rw@cn]

Yep Steve you got it. For Maggies the mirror should be in the middle of the tweeter ribbon/quasi ribbon. "Get Better Sound" by Jim Smith lots of good tips DVD/Book for around 30 bucks. Don't mean to advertise but since we are posting his ideas perhaps we should reference the source (that is from the CS researcher in me  )

[rw@cn]

double post

[fredgarvin]

I tnink this is common for many planar speakers. I've had a couple VMPS models which have planar mids, and they both sounded better with a slight lean backwards, just 1/2 inch or so.

[Letitroll98]

Reminds me of a story of a couple of friends in the fencing business, I had hired them to install razor wire on my plant's chain link fence.  The procedure was to attach the wire at one end, roll out the loops to the end of the section, cut it, then go back through the length attaching the loops.  Benny had gone to get another box of wire and Jimmy was left on his own to cut a length, he lined up the proper distance with his left arm holding the wire, but was struggling mightily to reach his right hand, holding the diagonal cutters, high enough to cut the wire.  Benny returned, watched the struggle for a bit, then said very deliberately, "Lower...your...left...arm".  Jimmy lowered his arm holding the wire and cut the length chest high.  We were literally ROTFLOFAO.

Get a lower chair.  Much easier than building custom stands to raise the speakers. 

[rw@cn]

Wouldn't that be get a higher chair?

[Letitroll98]

Wouldn't that be get a higher chair?

I suppose it could go either way depending on the original chair height combined with which Maggie, but if you are tilting the speaker back you need a lower chair and if you're tilting the speaker forward you need a higher chair.  I think I have this right, but if not it makes no difference, just reverse it.  So 1.2's/MMG's you would raise up and/or tilt back with most chairs (or get a lower chair) and 1.7's and up you would tilt forward or get a higher chair (or install a sunken floor).

No my boy, you're all confused, the horizon is moving up.

[medium jim]

Wouldn't it be easier to adjust the listening chair to the proper height?  Tilting planars is going to effect the way it loads a room especially from the rear of panels. 

Jim

[Letitroll98]

Kinda my point.

[medium jim]

Kinda my point.

True,  felt the need to add the fact that tilting planars also changes the way the panels will load the room.

Jim

[Tyson]

Tilting Maggies is fine, but I prefer tilting at windmills.

[rw@cn]

I suppose it could go either way depending on the original chair height combined with which Maggie, but if you are tilting the speaker back you need a lower chair and if you're tilting the speaker forward you need a higher chair.  I think I have this right, but if not it makes no difference, just reverse it.  So 1.2's/MMG's you would raise up and/or tilt back with most chairs (or get a lower chair) and 1.7's and up you would tilt forward or get a higher chair (or install a sunken floor).

No my boy, you're all confused, the horizon is moving up.

Okay, for some reason I was stuck with thinking only about tilting forward. Since my original post, I've decided to buy a chair close to what seems to me the optimal height and supplement with a riser ring. Funny the lengths we are willing to go through for this obsession hobby.

Unfortunately, at 67 I don't qualify to be a boy anymore. 

[SteveFord]

Now that you mention it, you probably are a little too old for the high chair.

[rw@cn]