Speaker positioning for KEF Reference 1's

grunviz

Established Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
557
Reaction score
128
Points
196
Hi there,

I have just purchased some second hand KEF Reference 1's, which arrived yesterday. I have been playing around with the positioning and wondered about getting the thoughts of the community. You can see in the photo, I actually have the speakers on some chopping boards as it allows me to push them around for testing! My wife was delighted with this!

Anyway, I am swapping from some PMC Twenty5 22's which I just didnt get on with. I had those speakers overlapping about 60cms behind my head as advised by the manufacturer so they very well toe'd in - the listening position is directly opposite the woodburner on one end of a sofa. I think these KEFs already sound great (probably confirmation bias!!), but I am wondering how much I should toe in - or not etc. I started using the KEFs oriented as the PMCs were, and since them I have moved them out a bit wider and straightened them up a bit. Any thoughts?

The room is a small-ish (around 16m2) in the centre of our house which I have sort of claimed as my own. You can see the speakers either side of the fire place. I want to be careful of the door to the left (this is not used), because of reflections, especially as the speaker to the right is next to my desk and in a bit more space. So I can't quite get to 2 metres between the speakers, its around 1.8m+ centre to centre. I am about 2ms away, so nearly a triangle. I could probably get the speakers to 2m, but the left speaker would be even closer to the door.

The KEF come with the ability to change the bung on the rear port to reduce the bass. Right now, I have the longer bung in order to keep bass managable, given that the speakers port into alcoves.

Anyway, happy for any thoughts or comments. Thanks.
 

Attachments

  • 20200716_110446.jpg
    20200716_110446.jpg
    214.5 KB · Views: 450
They are certainly in the wrong position........should be in my house.:censored:

I'd just experiment with the ports, do you have both. I also think that KEF recommend no toe in, although I do have a slight toe in on my R300s.

Enjoy them which I certain you will.
 
Thank made me smile after I had read the whole of the first sentance! I thought I had commited some massive hifi faux pa!!!

I do have both ports, I just checked. The longer ones are currently installed. They are fairly easy to get out, but slightly tricky to click the covering into place.
 
Also, what about the wooden floor? Is spikes on pucks sufficient?
 
Get a nice bit of granite to match the hearth....................or exchange them for my R300s. I'll buy the granite..................honest.:thumbsup:
 
Nice set up and room!

I think the equidistant triangle principle is an ideal, but not something that is always achievable. I also think that as long as there isn't a "hole" in your stereo image, then you'll be fine.

I find stereo mixes are nowhere near as placement critical as Home Cinema - probably because the sound isn't constantly moving around from speaker to speaker.

You've got rugs and soft furnishings, so the sound shouldn't be too harsh or glaring. Spike pucks are more for floor protection than for sonic gains in my experience, and they can be a total pain in the arse if you need to reposition anything.

I recently invested in 8 of these:


(My speakers use M8 threads, but there's a M6 version available too).

They're slightly cheaper here:


They make all kinds of claims for sonic improvements, but to be honest I bought them more for convenience and there's no more struggling trying to line up the spike into the puck whilst holding a heavy floorstanding speaker!

I wouldn't class them as essential, but I'm glad I bought them and they do do the same thing as spikes + pucks, but with far less hassle.

OT - is that a Herman Miller chair at the desk? I was thinking of getting one of those recently but read conflicting reports of their comfort, especially the seat cushion (I notice you're using your own cushion as extra padding!). I bought a Humanscale chair instead and it's really good.:)
 
-- As an eBay Associate, AVForums earns from qualifying purchases --
Nice set up and room!

Thank you! I have been working on it. I wasnt able to move the lounge around to my liking so I appropriated the snug!

OT - is that a Herman Miller chair at the desk? I was thinking of getting one of those recently but read conflicting reports of their comfort, especially the seat cushion (I notice you're using your own cushion as extra padding!). I bought a Humanscale chair instead and it's really good

Yes it is. I bought it a few years ago, second hand as well, on ebay. When I begain working from home more often. I don't like the chair without the cushion, with it, its amazing!! Although the previous kitchen chair was not hard to beat.
 
I think the equidistant triangle principle is an ideal, but not something that is always achievable. I also think that as long as there isn't a "hole" in your stereo image, then you'll be fine.

I think I might be going slightly deaf in one ear, I always imagine I hear the stereo image slightly off to the left, it was the same in the other room and with other speakers.

You've got rugs and soft furnishings, so the sound shouldn't be too harsh or glaring. Spike pucks are more for floor protection than for sonic gains in my experience, and they can be a total pain in the arse if you need to reposition anything.

The spikes are a nightmare to get on the pucks. I was holding up the speaker and the stands (with sand in) - the stand and speakers are also attached (screwed together), whilst my wife took her time lining them up! Mind you it is tricky, we have an uneven floor, which was a mistake!

(My speakers use M8 threads, but there's a M6 version available too).

These are interesting, although I am not sure they would be compatible with the Kef stands, which are brilliant for adjusting, as you use an alan key from the top. Genius.

Get a nice bit of granite to match the hearth

I just looking at chopping boards. I am not sure I could use slate like the fire place, but grante would work!! I still have to find a way to hide the cable across the fire place, but that is another story.
 
Have you considered selling the MF and buying a Lyngdorf instead?

I think your speakers and MLP deserve some RoomPerfect lovin’.
 
Please tell me those logs are there just for 'show'?

If not, fire fire fire!!!!
 
Please tell me those logs are there just for 'show'?

If not, fire fire fire!!!!
That's a real log fire. I think then, as the founder member and president of the Reference 1 Protection League and a retired firefighter that I should confiscate them. :thumbsup:
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom