Before you spend money on new speakers, try these free tips. Small changes in placement and settings can make a surprisingly big difference.
1. Build an equal triangle
Place your two speakers and your listening position so they form an equal-sided triangle. If the speakers are 1.5 m apart, sit about 1.5 m from each one. This gives the clearest stereo image, with vocals appearing right in the middle.
2. Get them to ear height
Tweeters (the small drivers) are very directional. When you are seated, they should be roughly at the height of your ears. Use stands, a shelf or even a stack of books.
3. Move them away from the wall
Speakers pushed against a wall sound boomy because bass builds up. Try 20–50 cm of space behind them, especially if they have a rear bass port. Move them in small steps and listen.
4. Angle them slightly inward
"Toe-in" means turning each speaker a little towards your listening spot. Start with the speakers pointing just behind your head, then adjust until vocals sound sharp and centred.
5. Decouple them from the desk
Desks and hollow shelves vibrate and muddy the bass. Foam pads, rubber feet or small isolation stands keep the sound tighter.
6. Check your source and settings
- Turn off "bass boost" or "loudness" effects on your phone or PC and start flat.
- Stream at the highest quality your app allows.
- For wired connections, keep your device volume high and control loudness on the speaker, which reduces hiss.
7. Tame room echo
Bare walls and hard floors reflect sound. A rug, curtains, a bookshelf or a sofa all help absorb reflections so music sounds cleaner.
Bonus: use a proper amplifier for passive speakers
If your speakers are passive (no built-in amplifier), a good amplifier makes a big difference to control and clarity.
Summary
Triangle, ear height, space from walls and a little toe-in fix most sound problems for free. Explore more gear in Home Audio & Soundbars and Amplifiers.
