Nowadays with the advent of home theatre and digital audio, considerable ink
has been expended in audiophile press as to the ideal in equipment to better
enjoy music. I have discovered that audiophile aficionados are obsessive in hair
splitting technical jargon that makes Snoop's shizzle dizzle comprehensible in
comparison. Discussions, ardent and fervent, rage at audiophile sites on
persnickety audio gear comparisons.

The fact is when analog turned digital, most
modern gear now deliver outstanding performance at a reasonable price and when
all is said and done as Oscar Peterson put it: 'It's the music that matters.'
Which brings us to the fundamental crux of this article: what exactly is audio
equipment supposed to accomplish?

The glib answer is that the expensive high
fidelity equipment will recreate with utmost precision a concert experience or
recreate movie theatre audio right in your living room. Now with most surround
sound setups, you get a mess of wires running around and under furniture all
over the room and if you mostly listen to music, when was the last time you
attended a concert with the musicians playing the instruments behind you?

Do I
need to hear in high fidelity the subtle concert sounds of spectators screaming
in the back row? Don't get me wrong. A five or six speaker system complete with
sub woofer can sound sublime. But after a digital signal from a dvd/cd has made
its way through thousands of dollars of audio equipment out through an equally
expensive set 5-6 speakers, what then?

Well your living room for starters. Living rooms are a dynamic seldom
considered or discussed in audiophile press. Studio listening rooms and concert
halls are designed with the help of acousticians for optimum re verb and sound
absorption. On the other hand, your average living room is a small half open
enclosure filled with paraphernalia, which may or may not contribute to an
optimum listening experience.

Ceilings and walls reflect sound waves and improperly placed speakers further
degrade the sound. Unless you are prepared to redesign a listening room, your
best bet (and simplest) is to check your speaker box placement and listening
position.

As a rule of thumb, hard bare walls may create 'slap' echoes so consider
hanging some art on your walls preferably of soft materials (furry paintings
anyone? Or check my relief sculpture Figure 1) and/or filled bookshelves. Also
sub woofers (the large low frequency speaker) should at unequal distances to the
room boundaries for 'smooth bass response.

A visit to your local audio store showroom will provide some guidelines. Keep
in mind that there are many subtleties to this and remember to trust your own
ears as to what is best. Sm.

about the author: Steve is a designer and free lance writer, and editor of
Dalani News. www.dalani.com