building a TV stand with speaker stands with emphasis on best possible sound

T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
I'm in the final stages of planning to build a TV stand that will allow the B&W DM602 S3 speakers to be placed at the ideal height underneath the television - 3 on the same plane.

Doing it this way will require me to make the thing as long as possible, to spread out the soundstage as much as possible.

This may not be practical.

It also may be so long as to make getting to the wiring for everything a complete nightmare.

But maybe not.

I'm worried that doing it this way will limit how far apart I can make the speakers.

I want the speakers to sound as fantastic as possible, and I like when I can close my eyes and point to where the vocalist is or the bass player etc.

If I can't get the speakers spread out I may lose this.

So I have an idea for an alternative one in which only the center channel is stored underneath the television - with separate speaker stands for left and right...which will give me some flexibility in being able to move them around to try to find the "sweet spot".

Another thing to consider is the size of the room - and how much of the room is useable - and whether to place the stereo / TV along the shorter wall or along the wider wall - the room is not a perfect square - it's usable portion is approxamately 14' X 8' (The room is actually 14' X 12' but there are 2 doorways on the same side of the room - one doorway on one side and another directly across from it on the other side of the room making 4' of it unusable. (Can't put a speaker or a couch there)

I drew up 2 "approximations" of the ideas I have and I'm hoping to get good advice and tips from people who have been through this before. The following are the rough drawings of the ideas that I have kicking around inside my head. Please give your opinion on how you think I should go about this.

And feel free to ask any questions if I left out any vital information which you feel is necessary for determining the best way to go with this.

Thanks in advance.

:eek:
 

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T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
This is the other way I can go - again, it's a rough drawing but I think you'll get the idea of each.
 

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j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
#1 is definitely a no because sound will definitely be compromized. 2 is better.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Yes. What if you changed your speakers? You always want to be able to adjust them.
 
T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
Yes. What if you changed your speakers? You always want to be able to adjust them.
These speakers, are brand new because they haven't been out of the box since I bought them 7 years ago or so! (Don't ask!) So they will be with me a while. I have 3 pairs of them in factory sealed boxes.

So in another decade or so I'll build another one of these!

:p
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
What if you move? :)

I haven't changed my speakers in a while either, but I've moved twice since I've owned them and each room required slightly different placement.
 
T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
What is it about option 1 that would make them sound compromised? Too close together? Inside a stand?

I don't know if this changes anything, but there won't be a side wall or a rear wall on this stand. The front will be identical to the back. And the only thing on the sides and in between will be the 4X4's that are the support. It will have lots of air and space to breathe.

Although, theoretically anything near a speaker can alter the way it sounds I guess.
 
ahblaza

ahblaza

Audioholic Field Marshall
What is it about option 1 that would make them sound compromised? Too close together? Inside a stand?

I don't know if this changes anything, but there won't be a side wall or a rear wall on this stand. The front will be identical to the back. And the only thing on the sides and in between will be the 4X4's that are the support. It will have lots of air and space to breathe.

Although, theoretically anything near a speaker can alter the way it sounds I guess.
I think you answered your own question....
 
zieglj01

zieglj01

Audioholic Spartan
What is it about option 1 that would make them sound compromised? Too close together? Inside a stand?

I don't know if this changes anything, but there won't be a side wall or a rear wall on this stand. The front will be identical to the back. And the only thing on the sides and in between will be the 4X4's that are the support. It will have lots of air and space to breathe.

Although, theoretically anything near a speaker can alter the way it sounds I guess.
Placing speakers inside a cabinet (even front ported and sealed ones),
causes me to think about cubby holes, cavities and tunnels. And this
makes me think about vibrations, reflections and resonance.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Open back and side is good, but even the upper panel (and actually the lower one if they are not flush with the front) will alter the sound. So if you are after the least interference with the sound, then enclosing them in anything is not good.
 
T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
Placing speakers inside a cabinet (even front ported and sealed ones),
causes me to think about cubby holes, cavities and tunnels. And this
makes me think about vibrations, reflections and resonance.
So count you in among the people who think separate stands for left and right speakers is the better way to go?

I don't have much of a choice but to put what will be the center channel underneath the TV in the stand. I assume this isn't as critical?

I am primarily concerned with the sound of music anyway, and the center speaker will not come into play in this...
 
T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
Open back and side is good, but even the upper panel (and actually the lower one if they are not flush with the front) will alter the sound. So if you are after the least interference with the sound, then enclosing them in anything is not good.
Even if they were brought all of the way out so that the front of the speakers were protruding or at least flush with the shelf it sits on?
 
zieglj01

zieglj01

Audioholic Spartan
So count you in among the people who think separate stands for left and right speakers is the better way to go?
I don't have much of a choice but to put what will be the center channel underneath the TV in the stand.
Yes, that was a strong hint.:)

If would be nice if the center was front ported or sealed.
 
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T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
OK, how will having a semi bulky TV / component stand directly between the left and right speakers, even with separate left and right speaker stands, adversely affect sound quality?
 
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zieglj01

zieglj01

Audioholic Spartan
OK, how will having a semi bulky TV / component stand directly between the left and right speakers, even with separate left and right speaker stands, adversely affect sound quality?
Good speakers radiate to the front and sides. For overall
best imaging and soundstaging, with a sense of depth >
they need space to breathe and open up.

Give the ones on the stands, space and room to operate
around their sides and back > and when listening, place
the front of the L/R speakers ahead of the cabinet.

With the center in the cubby hole, at least put some bumper
feet under the speaker, and place the front of the speaker a
little bit past the front edge. If rear ported, and to help fight
the tunnel effect - stuff the port with some foam or a sock.
There are some other tweaks, that you can also do.
 
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T

twochordcool

Junior Audioholic
I'm FINALLY getting around to building this thing. The TV stand will have a compartment directly under TV for one B&W 602 S3 to be used as a center channel speaker in a home theater application. I just have one very important question:

HOW CRITICAL is it that there is significant space between TV and speaker so that neither "interferes" with each other in any way?

Do I need to build that compartment bigger to have space put between them or is it OK to build the speaker compartment with just enough space to house the speaker and little distance between the top of the speaker and the top of the TV stand?

If I build it with a "gap" it may look funnier than if I built it just big enough to house the speaker.

But if I don't is there a chance it will have an effect on sound quality or the picture?

I mean this in an "electronic interference" kind of way between the TV and speaker - not in a speaker configuration way...
 
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