satellite speakers
page 14
A. HEIGHT (OR ANGLE)
Your M&K Satellites will always deliver sound superior to conventional speakers, regardless of where you locate
them. However, because they are designed for very fast and accurate transient response, they achieve even better
sound quality, and the flattest frequency response when properly oriented relative to your ear.
Ideally, your Satellite speakers' tweeters should be at the same height from the floor as your ears, when you are
sitting in your main listening position. For the S-100B, measure from the floor to the center tweeter, and for the S-1C,
measure from the floor to the space between the two tweeters.
If you have the speakers mounted above or below this height, we recommend that you angle the speakers so that
the tweeters are aimed at your ears when you are in the main listening position.
If you have a helper move the speakers while you sit and listen, you should be able to hear the difference when
the speakers are in the best location by listening for the brightest high frequencies and for the best "focus" of sound,
where you hear the sharpest sonic imaging of voices and instruments.
B. LOCATION AWAY FROM REFLECTING SURFACES
Your Satellites should be located, whenever practical, away from walls, the floor, furniture, or any other reflecting
surfaces. Do the best you can in your room. Objects located close to the speaker will reflect the sound radiated from
the speaker to your ear with a slight time delay compared to the direct sound reaching your ear. This time delay will
blur the sonic imaging and interfere with transient performance.
The delay is very slight, so instead of hearing an echo, you hear a "blurred" sound with less clarity that is not as
sharp and distinct as it should be. This time delay also affects frequency response and sonic imaging.
If the speakers will be sitting on shelves, locate them on the front edge of the shelf, so there is no flat surface directly
in front of them. If the speakers will sit close to walls or other large objects, leave as much space as possible between
the speaker and the object. Ideally, your Satellites will be several feet from the nearest surface, but in most rooms
compromise is necessary.
C. SEPARATION BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT SPEAKERS
Here is a formula for achieving the ideal left to right stereo imaging. Think of a triangle formed by the locations
of the Left and Right speakers and your listening position. Ideally, the subtended angle formed should be between 45
and 50 degrees. Roughly, this means that the Left and Right speakers should be separated by about the same distance
that you are sitting back from the speakers. In other words, if the distance from your listening position to the point directly
between the speakers is 10 feet, place the speakers so their centers are about 10 feet apart. See Figure 6 below.
The length of line A - B should be about the same as the length of line X - Y. (They may not seem to be the same
FIGURE 6
SEPARATION BETWEEN SPEAKERS
LEFT SPEAKER RIGHT SPEAKER
A
X
LINE X - Y SHOULD EQUAL
LINE A - B. (LINE A - B APPEARS
LONGER IN THIS DIAGRAM DUE
TO AN OPTICAL ILLUSION).
B
Y
