How to raise speakers to ear level?

[Venkyrenga]

I am really interested in buying Wharfdale Lintons. The height of the tweeter, when the speaker is on the given stand, is about 93 cm. But my ear level when I am sitting on the sofa is about 110 cm. So how do I raise the speakers by about 17 cm?

I have experimented with speaker heights in the past and it makes a lot of difference. I get best results when it is at ear level. I also wonder how this is not talked about on forums because most speaker stands and floor standers put the speakers well below ear level.

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

I am really interested in buying Wharfdale Lintons. The height of the tweeter, when the speaker is on the given stand, is about 93 cm. But my ear level when I am sitting on the sofa is about 110 cm. So how do I raise the speakers by about 17 cm?

I have experimented with speaker heights in the past and it makes a lot of difference. I get best results when it is at ear level. I also wonder how this is not talked about on forums because most speaker stands and floor standers put the speakers well below ear level.

Good choice of speaker, congrats!

You seem to have three theoretical options:

A) Lower your ear height - now that’ll either need you to replace the sofa, or cut its feet - both undesirable options. And you don’t want to crouch either.

B) Increase tweeter height - you’d need to either get a taller stand made, or put raisers under the stand/speaker. The former will be extra cost and latter might affect the sound adversely. And 17 cm is too much to raise.

C) Tilt the speakers a wee bit upwards from the front edge so that the tweeters angle of firing ensures the sound hits you at ear height where you sit. If it’s only a few degrees, this may be the best option.

What’s your height? Because these are British speakers and stands and must have been designed for an average Brit male adult who is tall enough. (Unless I am wrong and they were primarily designed for the shorter Chinese customer). Have you checked if your sofa’s height is extraordinarily large? Like, how do shorter and younger people feel when they sit on it? Do their feet stay comfortably on the floor? If not, then in the long run you could contemplate changing/modifying it.

Also, not all speakers are so sensitive to exact tweeter-ear matching. Perhaps your previous speaker was. The Lintons may or may not be, you can find that out after you place them in the room and listen. Based on my audition memory of it and experience with Castle Knight (from the same manufacturer), the vertical dispersion may be good enough to not make the sweet spot too small.

However, the decision to buy them or not shouldn’t depend on this factor though as you can always go for the option C (immediately) or A (in long run).

 

[keith_correa]

The Linton is designed to sound the best off axis which you will be when seated on your couch and the tweeter below ear level.

 

[Phew]

I am really interested in buying Wharfdale Lintons. The height of the tweeter, when the speaker is on the given stand, is about 93 cm. But my ear level when I am sitting on the sofa is about 110 cm. So how do I raise the speakers by about 17 cm?

I have experimented with speaker heights in the past and it makes a lot of difference. I get best results when it is at ear level. I also wonder how this is not talked about on forums because most speaker stands and floor standers put the speakers well below ear level.

How far do you sit from the speakers? The vertical dispersion till 20deg is good for the speaker looking at online tests, so as long as your ear height is within that 20deg, no need to bother with increasing the speaker height

 

[Naturelover]

How far do you sit from the speakers? The vertical dispersion till 20deg is good for the speaker looking at online tests, so as long as your ear height is within that 20deg, no need to bother with increasing the speaker height

View attachment 86768

From the same page

Stay at tweeter level. If you go even 10° above or below the tweeter level, the timbre of the speaker is noticeably different and worse

 

[Phew]

From the same page

Thanks for pointing out

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I would recommend to raise the height of the stands to get the tweeter either at ear level, or above ear level but within that 20 degrees of vertical dispersion if raising above ear level. When I played around with my speakers height, I preferred having the tweeters above ear height, with the speaker slightly slanted forward. The line joining the ear to the tweeter extended behind the speaker till it meets the rear wall, is where the sound will be perceived to be emitting from. Having the tweeters below ear height will reduce the height of the sound stage.

I listen with my ears in level with the mid range drivers, and I prefer the sense of height this brings. Though this is a very front row presentation, and others might not like it. So you can consider placing something below the stands, like concrete blocks or marble slabs etc. And at the same time, you can try adding some sorbothane pucks between these slabs to isolate the speakers further. There is no one correct way, and one has to experiment with number of pucks and types till he gets his preferred sound.

 

[Naturelover]

You could get the speakers without stands and get stands made separately.

 

[Venkyrenga]

Good choice of speaker, congrats!

You seem to have three theoretical options:

A) Lower your ear height - now that’ll either need you to replace the sofa, or cut its feet - both undesirable options. And you don’t want to crouch either.

B) Increase tweeter height - you’d need to either get a taller stand made, or put raisers under the stand/speaker. The former will be extra cost and latter might affect the sound adversely. And 17 cm is too much to raise.

C) Tilt the speakers a wee bit upwards from the front edge so that the tweeters angle of firing ensures the sound hits you at ear height where you sit. If it’s only a few degrees, this may be the best option.

What’s your height? Because these are British speakers and stands and must have been designed for an average Brit male adult who is tall enough. (Unless I am wrong and they were primarily designed for the shorter Chinese customer). Have you checked if your sofa’s height is extraordinarily large? Like, how do shorter and younger people feel when they sit on it? Do their feet stay comfortably on the floor? If not, then in the long run you could contemplate changing/modifying it.

Also, not all speakers are so sensitive to exact tweeter-ear matching. Perhaps your previous speaker was. The Lintons may or may not be, you can find that out after you place them in the room and listen. Based on my audition memory of it and experience with Castle Knight (from the same manufacturer), the vertical dispersion may be good enough to not make the sweet spot too small.

However, the decision to buy them or not shouldn’t depend on this factor though as you can always go for the option C (immediately) or A (in long run).

How do you tilt the speakers without affecting the stability?

 

[keith_correa]

This discussion is very academic and there will be as many opinions as there are posts. No two speakers are the same because their characteristics are different (so what works for one with their speakers [or for you with other speakers] may/will not work for you with the Lintons) and similarly, no two sets of ears are the same as your preference on sonic presentation will be different from others.
FWIW, I suggest that you listen to them on their stands with you crouched (or whatever) so that the tweeter is at ear level and alternatively at your listening height. Choose your poison appropriately and then decide what works for you with the Lintons.

 

[DB1989]

When I played around with my speakers height, I preferred having the tweeters above ear height, with the speaker slightly slanted forward. The line joining the ear to the tweeter extended behind the speaker till it meets the rear wall, is where the sound will be perceived to be emitting from. Having the tweeters below ear height will reduce the height of the sound stage.

I listen with my ears in level with the mid range drivers, and I prefer the sense of height this brings.

i see where you're getting at but it may not be true for inverted tweeter designs (Mid above tweeter). I've found them to be able to project as good a sense of height as traditional arrangements or better when the tweeter is below the ear - the surest not so secret sauce is to have your ears between the tweeter and mids no matter the arrangement of the drivers so that you don't hear too much or too little of the tweeter or midwoofer.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

i see where you're getting at but it may not be true for inverted tweeter designs (Mid above tweeter). I've found them to be able to project as good a sense of height as traditional arrangements or better when the tweeter is below the ear - the surest not so secret sauce is to have your ears between the tweeter and mids no matter the arrangement of the drivers so that you don't hear too much or too little of the tweeter or midwoofer.

Thanks for sharing that

I've never tried an inverted tweeter arrangement so far, so no experience on that front

Besides, as @keith_correa mentioned, it will depend on speaker components, design and ones taste in the end. Maybe I should have explicitly added that bit to my post