Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo imaging and soundstage

i found a great link that has solved some of my problems. Worth checking out, it's about setting up speakers in a rectangular room.
http://www.cardas.com/insights/roomsetup.html


here's another cheap experiment I may try for my turntable, since I need a new stand for my components. http://www.audiophilia.com/hardware/diyttstand.htm

Cardas is one of the major names in audio. They are well respected in the industry on several fronts. First and foremost they make cables of renowned quality.

The main principle of this stand is KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid (not directed at anyone....)
He overstates the affect of the stand "it would be like upgrading from a "cheap and cheerful" Grado to a US$500 moving coil." But no doubt that the materials used would isolate the table from any room resonances. There are many stands available for this purpose, they look better....but cost more! ;)
I remember a magazine printing a letter from someone who used spikes on his speakers, onto a patio slab on tiptoes to the floor. Hey, that is the beauty of audio.....whatever you feel is correct and sounds correct!

I know the city where they author credits the inventor of owning a shop very well.. I have not heard of this shop, and may search it out.

Regards,

BBIBH

Hello BBIBH and duff,

There's an interesting psychoacoustic phenomenon that goes on in these situations. When we hear good speakers in our own room, which we're used to, we accommodate the nuances and colorations (good and bad) that characterize those particular speakers in our own room--and that becomes our "reference" sound. Now, when we hear the same or similarly good speaker somewhere else, all the variables (except the speakers) change. The "sound" of course, is quite different, but in our ear/brain memory, "different" becomes "better". In reality, it isn't necessarily "better", just different. I've noticed this with friends who aren't into audio as a hobby like we are. They always think other peoples stereo & home theater systems sound "better" than their own. Good and very good speakers will always sound somewhat different with any change in the room dimensions, the absorbancey of the furnishings, the program material, and the placement of the speakers.

So don't worry about it. It's just that you're accustomed to the sound of the M22Ti's in your room. When I've been away from my home for weeks, and then return, I'm usually astonished at how wonderful the sound is from my speakers. It's as though they had aged and become more refined in my absence. But my acoustical memory had simply blurred over the time I was away. You may experience the same phenomenon with your Axiom M22Ti's.


Alan Lofft
Axiom Resident Expert

I would venture to take this on step further. As we listen to "any" system in our familiar surroundings, we become used to the sound. This is true of bad, mediocre, good or excellent systems. As I have mentioned in anothr post, "psychoacoustic phenomenon" usually means "it is all in your head". This is similar to becoming comfortable with something, and then witnessing similar events in another setting, and believing it was much better outside of our frame of reference. It may not be, as you stated. But it leaves us wanting.

In terms of what duff was experiencing, this could very well be the case. However, with the description of the dealers implied criteria (acoustic treatment, musical choice, and systems possibly tweaked to highlight their best qualities), it is probably a combination. I have seen astonsihed people who have felt their systems lacking, or believe they are top quality amazed when you make adjustments to small things present in the room. This could be speaker placement, minor furniture rearrangemets, or even closing curtains over large windows.

This is all part of the nature of the beast! This is definitely a "tweak hobby"! Duff now has the disease...one that is a GOOD one to catch! ;)

Regards,

BBIBH