John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

I searched and couldn't seem to find the answer to this simple question: How high should I place my speakers in the soffit without having to put them on an angle?

Thanks!
Rob

I you aren't angling them I'd put them at 4 foot height - otherwise angle them from 5 foot height. (that's from the base of the speaker)

cheers
john

Thanks again John!

Thanks again John!

Why 4 feet? I have mine on stands that are 42 inches and they seem too high. Wouldn't about 36 inches be better for a sitting position?

Carl:

I can't understand where you thinking is coming from.

Speakers are designed for optimum frequency response on axis from the front. the average height of ears when sitting in an office type chair is 1.3m, or 4 feet. See the development of John's 4 feet statement? If you are discussing people sitting in furniture, the average height of ears is closer to 1.05m, or 3 feet, 6 inches. The first height dimension is specified in "pro" listening environment specifications where the auditors are few and can sit in a specified location, the second for "home" listening environments. Both types of specs specify that the axis should be aimed at the auditor's ear. Hence John's "otherwise angle them from five foot height." Of course the real world gets involved in this. If you know that you will have important auditors both sitting at the sweet spot and at times standing you have to compromise. That is why some recommendations are that the speakers be aimed (for this discussion angled), to an optimum height of 4 feet 7 inches, as a compromise between sitting and standing positions.

The next point that may have run across your mid is "if I angle my my speakers to try and get the best coverage for my auditors, what are the limits?" Current standards where they specify height angling write that 10 to 15 degrees is the limit.


Without knowing any details, if you are having problems with you speakers at that height, check the power response of the speakers and compare that with he room absorption.
I hope this helps somewhat.

I wrote several times about the average person. The average person also has one ovary and one testicle.

as a compromise between sitting and standing positions.

yes - that's why I said the 4 foot position - note I said the base of the speaker - a normal speaker would then put the main driver at the 4'7" position which is cool for sitting and standing.

cheers
john

Wow. My current desk speaker heigth is 38" and it is perfect for seated position. I must be REALLY REALLY short in a chair if 4 feet is the standard heigth.

Yeah 4 feet seems high. My speakers are set at 39” and I measured 44” from the floor to my ear. I guess you guys just like sitting on tall chairs or maybe I slouch.

Hey guys - we are talking about soffit mounted speakers - you are talking about nearfields - surely you want the mains to be higher than you nearfields else the nearfields just get in the road.

cheers
john

Whilst the above stated hight is totally right, another thing you might want to take into consideration (with SOFFIT mounted speakers!), is the kind of gear you will have blocking the speakers from the listening position - like the ever increasing size of monitor screens (especially if you work with l/c/r or surround formats or 2 screens) nearfields, etc. Often I have found the proximity effect of mains blowing against the gear to be worse than having the mains a little higher,

Sjoko2, that makes it sound more reasonable to mount them at 4 feet. I just don't want to miss out on any frequencies!

When flush mounting speakers and putting them on an angle all you have to worry about the perpendicular plane of the speakers intersecting the listening position.

If your angle of incidence is not perp. then you are going to lose high freq. perception since the speakers will be pointed either above or below your listening position, this also introduces problems.

Also don't mount your speakers to close to the ceiling or else you will suffer from boundary proximity, esp. if you ceiling is not aborbant.

The best situation is mounting them vertical starting at about 48" - 54" if possible.

I'm tall.

ollie


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