Do you always toe in your main speakers?

My understanding is that it improves and widens the sound stage by toeing in, but got the Polk Rti-A3’s. All sound demos online they are positioned straight on and sound great. I experimented with the ones I just got and don’t notice a heck of a lot of difference with the sound stage, taking into account appropriate positioning otherwise. Any thoughts greatly appreciated-
Peace

 

Depends on your room and listening position. Just try things out and stick with what works best.

This may be of some use:-

 

And this:-

DIY Master Set Procedure

 

No. They're pointing straight out into the room.

 

Depends on the speaker design, the room and your preferences.

 

This! No more need be said.

 

In my experience, toeing in bring more of a focus point but narrows down the sound stage, in general

 

My main speakers are Maggie MGMC1's, you have to swing them out 30 degrees or they sound awful

 

Mine are straight...

 

consult your speaker's manual for positioning, follow it as closely as possible and then listen carefully from your primary listening spot.
firing axis angle can fine tune what you are hearing especially sound stage focus, stage width, speaker localization and tonal balance.
your goal should be to make the sound stage focused, singers and players should be easy to locate and not wander about. most of the sound should come from the center. if the sound stage has a hollow center and the speakers call attention to themselves, aim inward.
aim carefully, use painters tape to mark, listen carefully and take notes if you are truly serious about it.
finding the best position and firing axis for your speakers is one of the best things you can do for the sound of your system.

 

I do as I am not always in the sweet spot when listening. I get more of a stereo image with toed-in speakers when I am not in the middle.

 

I have Totem speakers, and the user guide says they are designed to face straight out.

 

Toeing-in does the exact opposite of widening a soundstage. Toeing in tends to help to fill the "hole in the middle" of your soundstage, so that it becomes a cohesive mass where your ears can no longer identify the position of your speakers in the sound-field.

 

I just tried toeing out my planar/ribbons (thanks to a thread here on AK about it), and the sound has improved.

I would try toeing out conventional boxed driver speakers, just in case.

 

Remember also, toeing in or out can alter the frequency response at the listening position -- depending, of course, upon the dispersion of the drivers, proximity of walls, etc. This is more important to my way of listening, than "soundstage". Typical budget speakers I'd likely try firing straight into the room to attenuate brightness.

 

I’ve had various sized listening (living room) spaces in the time I’ve had my Dynaudio’s, and they’ve always been toed in just a little, otherwise they have a slight ‘hole’ in the middle of the soundstage. That said if I toe them in a bit more to be absolutely perfect for sitting and listening, the sound isn’t quite right when I’m moving about doing stuff, which is at least half the time when I’m listening to music. So there’s always been a relatively small compromise. And I ain’t moving them depending on what I’m doing!

 

Seriously, this depends on the room and the speakers.

 

No, because Dali tell me not to.

 

Appreciate all the info. Polk’s instructions say. “ triangle formation “, this is known, but states” toe-in per personal preference “. I have tried much of the afore mentioned advice , and have decided the sound stage , openness , is better with A3’s straight, and grills off to my ears. Thanks again folks-
BTW- very impressed with these right out of the box! Powerful feel the sound, yet balanced. Can’t wait until they are broken in-
Peace

 

I've never had a pair of speakers where toe-in made as big a difference as with the Martin Logan Motion 15i's. Toeing in didn't just "firm up the image" or anything so subtle as that. It made a night and day improvement in the tonality of the speaker.

On the other hand, I prefer my NHT C3's pointed straight ahead.

 

I have pair of Dali in my living room system, I have them firing straight ahead as per Dali recommendations and that's how they sound best.

 

Toe in, here

Sit in the middle for the sweet spot!

 

Drivers in an array have differing off-axis response, which usually means you have lobing. So as your listening position is further from being in the direct path of the drivers (less toe-in), anomalies in the frequency response become more prominent. You have to make these calls based on your room and preference because the room will reinforce certain frequencies, but I think of two speakers as a two part system of lenses. You can have softer focus, or tighter focus. You can focus the sound behind the listening position, or even in front of it, or even directly on it. Less toe-in usually gives you a wider, softer center image. That said, be sure that both L and R arrays are equidistant to the listening position, then work with toe-in from that point. You'll probably find, also, that the further your two speakers are apart, the more toe-in you will like.

 

Straight! Toeing in plays havoc with my OCD..

 

Yes, alwys toe in.