Start with the Equilateral Triangle

Correct speaker placement is the single cheapest upgrade to any stereo system. The starting point is an equilateral triangle: your head and the two speakers form equal sides, with the speakers aimed at your ears. From there, distance from walls controls bass balance, and toe-in controls imaging precision.

Room Interaction

Walls act as bass reinforcement and early-reflection sources. Placing speakers one-third of the room length from the front wall provides a balanced starting point; rear-ported designs need additional clearance behind them. Side walls within a foot of a driver create strong early reflections that blur stereo separation — pull speakers inward or treat the reflection points.

Fine-Tuning by Ear

Use the numbers here as a starting grid, then move in small increments — a few inches at a time. Adjust toe-in until the center image is solid and vocals lock in place. If bass sounds boomy, move speakers farther from walls; if it's thin, move them closer. Trust your ears over any calculator once the starting point is established.