Setting priorities

Our priorities often influence our focus. If we're intent on setting up a system for one specific quality, such as tonal balance, we tend to focus on that area while ignoring others. It's rare that my priorities are broad enough to encompass the whole system. More often than not I am laser focused on problematic areas, things that stand out like sore thumbs. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest the only time my priorities are broad enough to give a fair shake to the whole system is on first setup: roughing in the speaker placement. Once that's satisfactory I poke and prod in different areas refining and polishing based on that initial setup. It's good to remind ourselves to step back from time to time and set our priorities on the broad brush strokes of making music. Which is why it's so helpful to engage the ears of first-time visitors to your room. We can get a fresh perspective through their lens. While it's not always easy to host newbies to your stereo lair, the next best alternative is to solicit comments and observations through photos, though that's a brave step for most. There's a wonderful thread here on our forums that I would encourage folks to visit and hopefully contribute a picture of your setup. In fact, I'd make it a priority.