Speaker placement is geometry, not guesswork.
If you want your speakers to disappear and the music to appear in three dimensions, start by forming an equilateral triangle between the listening seat and the two loudspeakers. The basics are simple: equal distance between speakers, and from each speaker to the listener. That triangle is the foundation of proper imaging.
But the details matter too. Toe-in affects how center images lock into place. A few degrees too wide, and you’ll lose focus. Too narrow, and the stage collapses—and, just to keep it fun, every speaker type is different.
I’ve walked into countless rooms where great speakers underperform simply because they’re placed like furniture instead of instruments. Shoved against walls, toed out into empty space, or aimed at the wrong spot entirely.
When the triangle is right, something clicks. Voices hover exactly where they should. Instruments take on real scale and dimension. The speakers vanish. You’re no longer listening to a pair of boxes—you’re in the room with the music.
Getting there doesn’t cost anything but time and attention.
