Emotiva RPA-1 User Manual

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Speaker Placement Tips
Tips Before Beginning 
Read this section thoroughly. There are a number of ways in which it may seem aesthetically pleasing 
to place speakers in a room that will ultimately result in a sound quality compromise. The placement of 
speakers is equally as important as the room itself. While there may be very little you can do about the room 
where your home theater is installed, you can choose placement of speakers within that room to maximize 
the sound quality of the system. Ultimately, this will give a much better result when you are enjoying your 
home theater and your new Emotiva RSP-1.
Overall, the best placement for front speakers is where the sound is directed at ear level. This means that the 
speakers themselves can be in positions lower (like small floor standing speakers) or higher (like in-wall or 
in-ceiling speakers) as long as the sound is “pointed” toward the listeners and preferably around ear level. 
Ideally you will place the speakers so they create an imaginary triangle with the listening position. This is 
known as the “Stereo Triangle” among audiophiles. A little toe-in of the front speakers sometimes helps the 
perceived distance between the speakers as more intimate and reinforces a phantom center image.  If you 
are doing a “2.1” system, a subwoofer can also be a little challenging to install depending on the room. In 
multiple subwoofer installations, the positioning of the woofers to the listener as well as to each other is 
critical because there can be problems with cancellation if optimum placement is not observed.