Be careful where you place equipment

Don't place your components, especially source components, in areas where there are bass reinforcement modes.

Try to avoid placing components (especially source components) in areas where the bass is very strong or exaggerated due to standing waves.

CD transports and turntables lose their life and dynamics when they're being bombarded by resonance inducing bass frequencies.

Most vacuum tube electronics are especially prone to adverse effects with such placement.

In fact, it's even possible to induce acoustic feedback with turntables that are improperly located when the system is played at higher levels (assuming loudspeakers with reasonably extended low frequency performance).

The problem is that we almost never reach that obvious level of deterioration (acoustic feedback), but we approach it. Because it's gradual as we increase volume, it's easy to miss the creeping degradation of the life and dynamics of the sound. Not to mention the bass becoming less articulate.

The absolute worst two places to locate source components, and for that matter, most vacuum tube electronics:

1. In a corner

2. Anywhere on the wall behind you

That's not to say there aren't other areas where unwanted bass energy may collect, but these two areas are almost certainly among the worst in any room.

Move your source components and any vacuum tube electronics out of these areas and listen to how much more effortless the presentation seems to be (and with better bass).

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