Here you go for a typical room. Based on the Math of Grimani\Everest\Winer. Audio is Physics. Physics is math. Speaker Placement is easy. Take the room out of the equation the best you can using these ratios and treatment techniques.
Proper setup is the best thing you can do for your system, and it is FREE!!
Symmetry is important for timing and proper imaging. Use a tape measure and take your time. I even put a graduated scale behind the MLP and shoot a laser on top of the speakers towards my MLP to match toe in exactly. Makes a huge difference. The speakers should be level, firmly affixed to the floor with spikes, or to their stands with blutac or similar.
If you can, try to have the furnishings in the room evenly placed. One side of the room should not be acoustically dead (drapes and a sofa) while the other is hard reflections like bare drywall and pictures.
Here is how it is done:
There are known room length ratios which modes are at their best behaved. These are 0.2/0.32/0.45/0.55/0.68/0.8 times the room length\width. (Grimani\Winer) Placing yourself and the speakers in these positions relative to the rooms dimensions will avoid exciting\receiving Axial modes and coloring the sound where possible.
Using these ratios will yield a flatter response and a natural presentation. Notice how 0.2 and 0.32 correspond to the thirds and fifths rule everyone quotes all the time.
I agree with Matt that most speaker setup Gurus state the speakers should be placed 0.85x the distance to the listener apart. (Acoustic Frontiers) Luckily, this is easy to achieve in Mojo's room with the ratios above. Almost ideal actually. Placing speakers closer together than the equilateral triangle rule is a good idea. It lends more focus and gets the speakers further from the sidewalls. Toeing in the speakers also reduces treble sidewall reflections. It also increases direct treble energy and can give a "the singer is right there" live and focused phantom image. Experimenting with toe-in is a great idea.
Example 11x17 room (common dimensions)
Speaker From sidewalls width x 0.2
Speaker From Front wall length x 0.2
Listening position length x 0.68
Mojo, here is yours.
I took more care in measuring the dimensions so they are pretty close.
Speaker From sidewalls width x 0.2
Speaker From Front wall Length x 0.32
Listening position length x 0.68
The first reflection panels should cover the hot spot at 9 to 10 feet from the front wall. 1'corner traps should straddle front tri-corners (set them on floor in front corner or hang in top corner.)
