Sophia and Wilson owners...

[MAK]

Why is it that most Wilson speakers end up being positioned closer to room boundaries compared to the traditional placement of all other speakers. I have noticed this in the photos of all audio shows. Even at the venue for the shootout for the best speaker in the world in Germany?? the Alexandrias were positioned pushed into the corners much more than other contenders.

The reason I bring this up is that my dealer positioned my Sophias right into the corners after going through the Wilson voicing technique. The centers of the woofers (front face) are about 30" from the front wall and about 24" from the side walls in my 14' 6" X 23' X 8' dedicated listening room. I lived with this setup for about two weeks before moving the speakers a little in and further out from the room corners. But, while the imaging has improved, the soundstage depth is still not there. Reviewers for both Stereophile and Soundstage had their review samples set up 56" out from the front wall.

Could Sophia (and other Wilson speakers) owners please advise as to what position is working best in your environment and the size of your listening rooms. Any recommendations as to Sophia room setup will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
MAK

[oneobgyn]

You must use Dave Wilson technique of positioning your speakers in YOUR room

In my room my speakers are 5 feet from the front wall and approx 30" from the side walls

The Alexandria speakers are front ported and Wilson states that because of this they can be positioned very close to the front wall without affecting soundstage or bass. This is because he sells many of these speakers in Europe and Asia where typically the rooms are smaller.

As for the other family of Wilson speakers my suggestion is once you use his technique for placement let your ears be the final judge.

The use of a signal generator (if you have one) is also beneficial.

Remember the closer to the front wall your speakers are placed, the shorter the depth of your soundstage but it will give you a deeper lower end

[MAK]

OB, the first part of the setup, moving out of the boundary effect, I can manage, but the next step, identifying the spot where the vocals start becoming "swimmy" I can never reliably nail down. If I do it this way, my speakers end up being too close to front wall and, as you mentioned, soundstage depth suffers.
Now, your speakers are well away from the front wall, even though they are front ported. Sophias are rear ported, and I feel Wilson's technique puts them too close to the wall. Maybe the dealer (and I) just did it wrong.

Calling KiethR!

[oneobgyn]

Let your ears be the final arbiter.

Sophias are not difficult to move

[MC Maniac]

when mine were voiced, I felt the same way - especially that they may be too close to the side walls..

After the dealer left, I left them as he had set them up - after adding a bass trap in the front corners, I pulled mine in a bit from the side walls..

I should experiment again since I subsequently did the room EQ..

I'm not overly concerned as I never listen to 2 channel...

I get my imaging and wide soundstage from multichannel..:)

[oneobgyn]

After the dealer left, I left them as he had set them up - after adding a bass trap in the front corners, I pulled mine in a bit from the side walls..

MAK--don't forget as well that Wilson recommends the distance from speaker to sitting position should be 1-1.25 x the distance from tweeter to tweeter

[Dizzman]

"swimmy"??? Oy vay!

Sorry, some of these terms make me roll my eyes. HOWEVER... i have not heard these speakers, so my thoughts might change when i someday get the chance to listen.

[oneobgyn]

You lost me here Dizz!!


Sorry, some of these terms make me roll my eyes.

What terms are you talking about?

[Dizzman]

Originally posted by MAK
OB, the first part of the setup, moving out of the boundary effect, I can manage, but the next step, identifying the spot where the vocals start becoming "swimmy"

I am not sure what that means, but am keen to find out.

[oneobgyn]

Dizz --putting all that aside, welcome to the Bay Area. You have arrived in "Valhalla"--oops sorry for the term but you are going to love living up here a whole lot more than in the LA area.

Let me know when you want to come by for an audition.

[MAK]

Well, I moved them out further; centers of the woofers are now 47" from the front wall, 36" from the side walls and 8.5' apart. Listening position is 12' from each speaker (tweeter centers). Soundstage depth has improved significantly while width is as good as always. But the bass seems weak now. Anyhow, I guess I will play around with it a little more. Am I sitting too far away?
I'd love to also hear from some Sophia owners about their room setups. Anyone?

[Morbius]

Originally posted by oneobgyn
Dizz --putting all that aside, welcome to the Bay Area. You have arrived in "Valhalla"--

OB,

Only if your interconnects are made by Nordost:)

[oneobgyn]

But the bass seems weak now

Do you have them toed in such that you can just see the inside of each speaker panel as Wilson describes.?

If so I would recommend a sitting position of approx 1.1 x

Right now I think that you are too far back--you are almost 1.5 x


My sitting position is approx 1.1 x

[oneobgyn]

Dizzman


The BAAS meets again this Saturday. Can you make it?

[Jeffmac]

Dizz --putting all that aside, welcome to the Bay Area. You have arrived in "Valhalla"

I suppose OB you want to now call it The Valhalla Bay Area and change Danville to Alexandria?:D

[Jeffmac]

The reason I bring this up is that my dealer positioned my Sophias right into the corners after going through the Wilson voicing technique. The centers of the woofers (front face) are about 30" from the front wall and about 24" from the side walls in my 14' 6" X 23' X 8' dedicated listening room. I lived with this setup for about two weeks before moving the speakers a little in and further out from the room corners. But, while the imaging has improved, the soundstage depth is still not there. Reviewers for both Stereophile and Soundstage had their review samples set up 56" out from the front wall.

The Wilson voicing technique is good but not necessarily the absolute best way. You must use your ears. It is a good place to start though. Also your listening position has as much to do with it as the placement of the speakers. As OB stated earlier Wilson has a formula for distance but again it might not be right in your room. Let your ears guide you.

[oneobgyn]

I think for the Sophias Mak is sitting too far away from the speakers

[oneobgyn]

For that matter I would go so far as to say that for any of the Wilson speakers Mak would be sitting too far back based on the distance of his speakers from side to side.

[Jeffmac]

Originally posted by oneobgyn
For that matter I would go so far as to say that for any of the Wilson speakers Mak would be sitting too far back based on the distance of his speakers from side to side.

I agree. He should be 1.1 to 1.2X's (the distance between tweeters) away.
Like you said.

[tzucc]

I was sitting there the other night, enjoying some music, and I marvelled at how far those X-1's were sitting apart. It just doesn't look right. But in that position, they sound much better than where the dealers own experienced Wilson installers had originally placed them.

So I have tried two positions, the original installer and my careful execution of instructions in the WIlson manuals. The latter was much better. But I sure as heck wasn't going to experiment more and move those fridges around any further... so damn unwieldy.

[Dizzman]

what if i have 600 CD's but crap for audio gear

[Dizzman]

I would love to come, but alas that is the moving day itself.

[MAK]

OB, Jeffmac; I will experiment further with listening position tonight. But, I don't know how this will address the weak bass issue unless my current listening position is in a null, which I don't believe to be the case.

[MAK]

... and the speakers are toed in just as you described OB.

[KeithR]

I have my Sophias 39" from the back wall, and about 3-3.5' from the left side wall (the other side wall is an "open" space)

I have them about 9' apart and sit around 1.2x

I had them 46-47" from the wall but bass wasn't strong enough. It really just takes a day moving them until it sounds right. I do toe them in per the manual where just the inside surface of the speaker is showing.

Hope this helps
My room is huge at 25x20x8, although I don't use the entire room obviously for my plasma/listening area

[MAK]

KeithR, did you feel that soundstage depth suffered when you moved them back closer to the wall? I had mine exactly where you have them right now and felt that the soundstage was pretty flat. Moving them out to about 47" has certainly improved the depth but, of course, reduced the bass.

[oneobgyn]

MAK--you need to experiment and let your ears be the judge.

Move them to one position and listen for at least 1 week before you move them again and ALWAYS tape your floor where you last moved them from so that you can always go back.

[KeithR]

MAK, it's a compromise of sorts. My room is much different from yours, so tough to go by mine

[MAK]

Thanks all; on with more experimentation.