by Paul McGowan
If you’re looking for a quick and easy fine-tuning technique, try tilting the speakers forward or backward relative to the listening position.
This is a time-honored tweak that not everyone’s familiar with, but it sure works great. The easiest way to do this is by using a CD jewel case under the front of your speaker for tilt back or under the rear of the speaker for tilt-forward. The half inch or so depth of a CD case is about perfect for a tilt change. You can use multiple cases to arrive at your final position.
What you’re doing is aiming the tweeter slightly above or below your ear—off-axis. Tilt back and above your ear will open the soundstage and offer a more airy presentation. Tilt forward and the opposite happens.
For this exercise, I like to start a well recorded multi-instrument piece like Reference Recording’sRed NorvoHow’s your mother in law. As I tilt back the speaker the image gets deeper, wider, and more open, but it also loses a bit of upper harmonic energy. Heading in the opposite direction I increase the HF energy (depending on how your tweeters are now aimed) and gain more life.
Once that recording is dialed in I put on one of my favorite setup discs,Buddy Holly’sTrue Love’s Ways. Here I am listening for the immediacy of the voice and make my final tweaks to get it just right.
Nice to have an easy tweak we can try at home.
Paul McGowan
Founder & CEO
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