Speaker Placement

I have a new place and a new living room to set up...
I have a pair of PhaseTech 745 towers and was wondering how close I can place to my CRT TV, DVD, Amp, etc. without creating picture problems, sound distortions, etc. The speakers are not shielded and the weigh about 55 pounds a piece so the must have some pretty good magnets in them. How close can I go...?

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Originally Posted by Stereomaniac

How close can I go...?

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You will likely need to experiment. I learned of that factor when I got a free pair of vintage KLH speakers for my bedroom TV. Initially, I placed them directly on top of the TV cabinet and got some strange "greening" of the TV image. Initially, I didn't make the connection. I discovered by moving them further away the color distortion disappeared.

So, get them really close and see what happens. Then back them off until that is gone.

rw

I was hoping there would be a general rule of thumb. I knew I would have to give up some distance. I was just wonder if it would have to be two feet, six feet etc.

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Originally Posted by Stereomaniac

I was hoping there would be a general rule of thumb. I knew I would have to give up some distance. I was just wonder if it would have to be two feet, six feet etc.

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Distance alone isn't enough. You need to factor distance from the source of the EMI and placement around or in any cabinetry. I still have the old KLH's on top of the wood entertainment armoir with the TV, but I just moved them back about a foot.

Actually, seeing the visual distortion is kinda interesting looking. It causes no harm.

rw

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Originally Posted by E-Stat

Actually, seeing the visual distortion is kinda interesting looking. It causes no harm.

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True.

While it looks awful and your heart stops, it goes away when you do these steps in the proper sequence.

1) Turn the TV off

2) Move them farther away.

3) Turn the TV on again. A built in "degaussing circuit" should undo any harm caused by the speakers magnetic field.

4) Decision time: Is the distortion gone?
Yes: Goto step 5
No: Goto step 1.

5) Stop, have a brewski and enjoy

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Originally Posted by markw

True.

While it looks awful and your heart stops, it goes away when you do these steps in the proper sequence.

1) Turn the TV off

2) Move them farther away.

3) Turn the TV on again. A built in "degaussing circuit" should undo any harm caused by the speakers magnetic field.

4) Decision time: Is the distortion gone?
Yes: Goto step 1
No: Goto step 5.

5) Stop, have a brewski and enjoy

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Great flow-chart, except I'm caught in this perpetual loop of turning my tv off and moving my speakers further and further away...

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Originally Posted by kexodusc

Great flow-chart, except I'm caught in this perpetual loop of turning my tv off and moving my speakers further and further away...

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but ...but... how did you bypass steps 3 and 4? there ain't no gosub or goto after 2. compiler error?

Good catch. I made the correction via an edit. Where were you when I needed a good tester for my programs?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by markw

True.

While it looks awful and your heart stops, it goes away when you do these steps in the proper sequence.

1) Turn the TV off

2) Move them farther away.

3) Turn the TV on again. A built in "degaussing circuit" should undo any harm caused by the speakers magnetic field.

4) Decision time: Is the distortion gone?
Yes: Goto step 5
No: Goto step 1.

5) Stop, have a brewski and enjoy

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I talked to the folks at Phase Tech and they were talking about three feet! Problem is my living room will not allow three feet. Apparently the speakers (vintage 1987) are not as well shielded as newer speakers. However, when I mentioned that the TV is in an entertainment center with wood panels on left, right, top, and bottom, they said the panels would provide shielding and the speakers could be positioned "much closer". I am not sure how wood acts as a magnetic shield? Any thoughts...

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Originally Posted by Stereomaniac

I am not sure how wood acts as a magnetic shield? Any thoughts...

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It's about effective at blocking magnetic waves as a sieve is at holding water.

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Originally Posted by markw

It's about effective at blocking magnetic waves as a sieve is at holding water.

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I may just sell the 745s and get some new, shielded speakers. Has anyone heard anything good or bad about the Phase Tech V-10 or V-12? How about the Polk Audio monitor 60? I want to stay in the $500 to $700 range for the pair. (Maybe this is a new thread?)

Thanks

meh, i'd say just experiment, i've got some B&W 2-ways, they're like 10 years old, big, heavy and standmounted...

we have it right next to our TV, it just "bends" the image down on that side by like a centimeter...nothing bad at all, i think like a foot or more away would be fine...

I played around with placement and the Phase Tech. rep was right. These speakers start effecting the picture at around three feet. It is not terrible but it does get worse as you move closer. The wood around the TV in the entertainment center did not do much to shield it. I could try bucking magnets?