In this article, you’ll learn how to set up a sound system to get the best results. Instructions apply to pairs of speakers and multi-channel setups.

What to Know

  • Avoid placing speakers too close to a wall. Angle so they focus on the listening spot. Unless floor-standing, place on stands. Don’t block.Golden rectangle rule: A speaker’s distance to the nearest side wall should be at least 1.6 times its distance from the front wall.Position the speakers so that the distance between the front wall is 1/3 to 1/5 the length of the room.

Common Mistakes in Audio Setups

Here’s a quick list of what not to do when setting up your speakers. Also, be sure to review the sound system’s manual for tips specific to your model.

  • Don’t place stereo speakers near the front wall (the wall behind the speakers). Instead, give them about two to three feet of space. In general, when speakers sit too close to walls, especially corners, they can reflect sound off of surfaces or affect the subwoofer’s performance.
  • Don’t orient the speakers so that they’re completely parallel to each other. While this layout may look good, it won’t let your system sound its best. In most cases, you’ll want to angle the speakers so that they focus towards the listening spot. This way, you can experience the sharpest possible sound.
  • Don’t place speakers directly on the floor unless they’re floor-standing tower speakers. Smaller speakers should sit on stands or shelves at approximately head and ear height. Many stands also help absorb reverberations and prevent the inclusion of noise.
  • Don’t put anything in front of the speakers. Any objects in front of the speakers will reflect sound, causing distortion or blurring.

Apply the Golden Rectangle Rule

The distances from the side walls are also significant. The golden rectangle rule states that a speaker’s distance to the nearest side wall should be at least 1.6 times its distance from the front wall. For example, if the distance from the front wall is 3 feet, the distance to the nearest side wall should be at least 4.8 feet for each speaker.

Once the speakers are in the ideal spot, angle them in by 30 degrees to face the listening spot unless the manual says not to do so. Essentially, you want the two speakers and the listener to create an equilateral triangle. If you want perfection, a protractor and measuring tape will help immensely. Keep in mind that you don’t want the listener’s head to be exactly at the corner of the triangle. Sit several inches closer so that the point rests behind the head. This way, your ears will pick up the left and right stereo channels correctly.

Apply the One-Third to One-Fifth Rule

Position the speakers so that the distance between the front wall is 1/3 to 1/5 the length of the room. Doing so will prevent the speakers from creating standing waves and exciting room resonances (the peak and valley/null nodes when reflected frequency responses are in or out of phase with each other). Angle the speakers towards the listening position, like the golden rectangle rule above. Your listening position is as important as the speaker position to achieve the best sound quality. 

Additional Tips

  • Don’t be afraid to experiment with speaker placement. Every room is different, and the methods presented above are guidelines.Use masking tape on the floor to mark the speaker position as you experiment with placement options.

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