The following sketch shows an optimum set-up for a stereo system. The important part here is to place the speakers such that the head of the listener and the two monitors lie at the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

The following sketch shows a 5.1 set-up. It is recommended to have a symmetrical listening position with the front left and right speakers facing the listener and the surround speakers located at the back of the listener.

Distance from walls

While placing speakers, make sure that they are at least 40 cm away from any reflecting surface. This will help minimise bumps in the low-frequency response due to reflections, and also ensure that the rear-mounting port is unobstructed. It is also required to ensure that the heat sinks at the back have adequate ventilation, for uninterrupted operation.

The acoustical makeup of your listening room is key in determining how good (or bad) is the sound that reaches your ear. The contents of a room (carpets, curtains, furniture etc.), its shape, and the material of which the boundaries are made, make or break your sound. The idea is to have a listening area where the absorptions and reflections are calibrated to attain, as far as possible, a neutral environment. While there are no 'quick fix' formulae to convert a room to an 'ideal listening room', here are some things that you might try to attain optimal performance.

In your listening room, clap your hands, snap your fingers, and jingle a ring of keys. If the resulting sound is unintelligible (muffled), and resonating, your room is inclined toward being reflective. In this event, you might want to: Hang up curtains/ lay a carpet or rug / introduce book cases/ other racks. In the event that the resulting sound is too damped your room is inclined toward being absorptive. You might want to remove some of the absorptive material (like those given above).