Listening Distance - an informal survey

mr_bill · « **on:** 1 Mar 2009, 01:42 am »

Out of curiousity - what distance is your listening position from your speakers? Please post your experience.

I rearranged my room a year ago and have been listening at approx 15' away from my speakers and have found that I don't enjoy this 'farfield' position. My preferred distance from my speakers is 8-10'. When I've demoed some really nice systems, I find the same to be true as well (8-10')

Wondering what others are doing. This question is really specific to two channel systems and not HT.

Thanks!

low.pfile · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 02:01 am »

Right now as we speak I am 9 ft to each speaker. The wall behind me is 6 ft away. I never considered this nearfleld since I am more than halfway back in the room but maybe it is? Speakers are spaced 7ft center to center.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 02:03 am »

8-11 feet in main rig, 32" in small computer, recording, setup.

Rocket_Ronny

santacore · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 02:17 am »

I'm about 9 feet from my speakers and unfortunately have a wall at my back. Not the best, but it's all that I can do.

timind · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 02:19 am »

Ears are 9 ft from speakers. Distance between center of speakers is 7 ft. There is only about 2 ft between me and the rear wall but it is well treated with Auralex panels.

Scott F. · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 02:56 am »

I sit about 15' from my speakers. Unlike your farfield experience, this one works pretty well. It's probably because of I'm doing the open baffle thing. It really makes the soundstage ginormous.

markC · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 03:16 am »

Open baffles 7 1/2' apart, (drivers centre to centre), 5 1/2' out from the front wall. Listening position is 9' from the speaks and the rear wall is 6 1/2' behind the listening position. The room is, (I'm sure you can do the math for the length), 21' x 12' x 7 1/2'.
I wish the room were wider, as I've had them in my friends room which is about 25' x 30' and the sound is much "larger".

MaxCast · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 03:37 am »

I sit 10' from my speakers
They are 10' from the front wall,
3.5' from the side walls,
7.5' apart,
10' from seat to the rear wall.

rockadanny · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 03:46 am »

Approx. 12 feet.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 03:57 am »

Open baffles 8 feet back and 8 feet apart with 8 feet of space behind.

If I could pull my speakers wider apart, I'd sit further back. The goal is to create a realistic wide sound stage.

max190 · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 02:41 pm »

Room dims (12'6" x 15'5" x 8')

Spkrs placed on the short wall 6' center to center.
37" measuring from the front of each spkr to the front wall.
39.5" measuring from the front center of each spkr to the sidewall.
LP is 9' away with 36" of space behind me.

Spkrs are slightly toed-in so they fire on axis 4' behind me.
All walls are trapped and treated.

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 03:06 pm »

11 foot away but have a chair that I seem to move constantly up a foot or 2 depending on the mood I'm in for what I call nearfield at 9' or far field at 11'. back wall to close to my head at 11'.

ted_b · « **Reply #12 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 03:21 pm »

My speakers are a little over 5 ft out from the front wall (to their fronts), about 9 feet center to center apart, and approx 11 feet from my ears. There's about 7.5 ft behind me to the back wall.

zybar · « **Reply #13 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 03:37 pm »

Here's my setup:

6' 7" out from the front wall (measured from the front baffle)

7' 6" apart (measured center to center)

15' 4" from speakers to listening position

8' 6" from the listening position to the rear wall

I know that this is a little different from what most people do, but trust me, it definitely works.

Here is a picture:

George

sendler · « **Reply #14 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 04:56 pm »

Wow, you guys have huge rooms!
.
14x16x8.5' room. Speakers fire the long way. Well damped.
.
53" tweeters out from front wall
.
46" Ears out from rear wall
.
7'4" tweeters apart
.
8'6" ears to tweeters. Sometimes lean forward 1'.

JLM · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 09:51 pm »

Cardias prescribed room/set up:

Room is 8 feet high by 13 feet wide by 22 feet long.

Set up is a 68 inch equalateral triangle, 68 inches from front wall, 45 inches from side walls, and speakers firing the length of the room.

Six GIK 244 panels at front corners, front/side wall first reflection points.

timjthomas · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Mar 2009, 09:55 pm »

Speakers are just over 6' apart, one foot from the front wall (bay window actually). Left speaker (looking at them) is 40" from wall, right speaker has no wall (opens to foyer). Listening position is about 8' from speakers. No back wall -- room opens into the dining room.

andyr · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Mar 2009, 02:15 am »

Quote from: JLM on 1 Mar 2009, 09:51 pm

Cardias prescribed room/set up:

Room is 8 feet high by 13 feet wide by 22 feet long.

Set up is a 68 inch equalateral triangle, 68 inches from front wall, 45 inches from side walls, and speakers firing the length of the room.

Six GIK 244 panels at front corners, front/side wall first reflection points.

Yours appears to be the only one that I would define as "nearfield" as you are using the "equilateral triangle" setup rule.

(Of course, the equilateral triangle should be from the centre of the drivers, not the sides of the cabinet/panel.)

However, I calculate you are sitting almost in the centre of the room ... 137" behind you and 127" in front? I thought the middle of the room was supposed to be a null point ... have you ever tried sitting, say, 1/3rd into the room (which would give you only 88" behind you) or 2/5ths (which would give you 105" behind you). The latter would mean you were sitting a couple of feet further away from the centre of the speakers than they are apart.

Regards,

Andy

andyr · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Mar 2009, 02:26 am »

Quote from: mr_bill on 1 Mar 2009, 01:42 am

Out of curiousity - what distance is your listening position from your speakers? Please post your experience.

I rearranged my room a year ago and have been listening at approx 15' away from my speakers and have found that I don't enjoy this 'farfield' position. My preferred distance from my speakers is 8-10'. When I've demoed some really nice systems, I find the same to be true as well (8-10')

Wondering what others are doing. This question is really specific to two channel systems and not HT.

Thanks!

IMO, "nearfield" & "farfield" will be different in different sized rooms as this is defined by how far away from the speakers you are sitting, relative to how far the driver centres are apart. If you have a 12' wide room and your speakers are firing down the length then the centres of your speakers are unlikely to be more than 8' apart. So "nearfield" would probably be having the chair at the equilateral triangle's point - ie. 8' from each speaker. However, there might be room mode issues that would cause you to prefer a seat slightly further away - say 10'. (Going closer might result in a lack of centre-fill.)

If you have an 18' wide room then the centres of the speakers would typically be around 12' apart ... so the "equilateral rule" would put you 12' away from each speaker. Again, room modes might mean a 15' distance gave better sound.

Regards,

Andy

pardales · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 Mar 2009, 02:31 am »

About 9 feet.