Tweeters are above ear level. what now?

hi guys,

I have floor standers with a bracket underneath including spikes and a granite slab. with these setup the tweeters are above ear level when I sit in my listening chair. this is not an ideal scenario acoustic-wise as far as I know. I need the bracket and the spikes they really clean up the low registers so I keep them. what now? make a podium for the chair? that would look strange and costly. anybody with a similar setup maybe? I am seeking advice how to make make this situation better.
thanks

 

I sit on a couple pillows. It helps that my listening room doesn't need to meet my wife's aesthetic preferences.

 

Getting another chair with adjustable height would probably cost far less.

 

It will depend largely on the loobing. There is no fundamentals in sitting at the same level as the tweeter.

 

How much higher than ear level are the tweeters? A few inches shouldn't matter, assuming you're also at least half a dozen feet away from the speakers.

If you do sit on pillows, do you hear a difference? Make sure you allow for the effect of a soft cushion behind your head. My stereo images better when I sit forward in my seat, keeping my head away from the chair's back.

 

Harbeth’s for instance call +/- 10 cm “on axis”

I’ve found I have to go more than that for it to be materially offensive.

 

If I want to put my ears at the same level as twitter I have to lay down on the pavement like a cat!

Sorry I don't know how to load images. My loudspeakers are Ruark Accolade,
Take a look here: ruark accolade specs - Google Search :

 

Have you tried crouching and standing where your sweet spot to approximate where your ears would be in your chair vs when your ears are level with the tweeter?

Maybe there isn't all that much difference, or you actually like it better below.

 

The tweeters should be above your ears a little bit. If you read the measurements of speakers there is usually a suckout when the measuring mike is above the tweeter and your ears are the mike. I sit about 3" below the tweeter and between the midrange and tweeter. I use a desk chair that goes up and down and I don't recall that the sound changed all that much from its lowest to highest position so I sit in the middle.

 

Wouldn’t want to have to always listen to music glued to one specific spot each time.

I get that part of the hobby and I do have a dedicated chair but I need my speakers to sound good if I’m anywhere in the room. Need to always enjoy the music.

 

I say enjoy the music now!!!

Or get speaker setup / platform that auto-sense your ear height, so when you get up out of the chair, the speakers automatically raise up to ear level again. Or if you sit in a different chair. Heck, let's say you recline.... you ears are going to change height again... can't have that!

 

You could get your ears raised.

Otoplasty Ear Surgery - Can Ears Be Raised Vertically?


Or perhaps tilt your speakers forward a bit.

 

Depending on the distance you sit from the speakers, a slight forward tilt (thin spacers under rear spikes/feet etc) will often tilt the tweeters to aim at your head. You might be surprised at how little you need to tilt to achieve this.

I use a laser pointer, something like this to check, held flat against the baffle alongside each tweeter - not very expensive on ebay or Amazon & it also confirms speaker distances....

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...XjAF1deLe0j8fzG2LO0u6V8BccHRwrrtbERSk0sDHn6pf

(...careful with eyes though!! )

 

How far are they from ear height? Tilting the speaker down will bring each driver closer to the same distance from you ear. I have my tweeter about 1 inch above my ear.

 

I sure wish I could edit that post, was in a rush to get back to work. I tilted my speakers up, as they were to low. That brought the drivers closer to the same distance while moving the tweeter level upward. Sorry.

 

Ok I just got home. When I sit in my center chair, they are right at ear level unless I am slouching

When I’m walking around my room with martini in hand, all bets are off.

 

Thanks, did you vote in my poll? Bowers & Wilkins Speaker Owners - Tweeter Height?

 

it depends on the design of the speaker. some are designed and voiced to sound best with the tweeter below earl level, some are designed for nearfield, some far-field, etc.
if it sounds a little too bright, pull them away from the wall (if you can) and toe out a little without losing the image focus. if they are too close to any objects with flat surfaces (TV screen, wall behind it, walls to the side) much of the brightness will be amplified by reflection right back at you.

 

. . . when it's the fourth martini, who gives a rat's patoot?

 

Yes it is a few inches only maybe 4 or 5. If I push up myself in the chair there is a difference. the sound stage is more natural "looking down" than "looking up".

 

I know this the other way around tweeters are in level or below ears

 

Tilting is not an option here unfortunately. have a laser pointer good idea!