Sound Advice on Positioning Speakers Correctly

How big? How expensive? Where should they stand? The right speakers sitting in the right spot can turn your apartment into a miniature concert hall.

Well-chosen speakers are the quickest, cheapest route to better sound in your apartment. So what, exactly, do you need? If your living room is smaller than 400 square feet, opt for a quality set of bookshelf speakers. Anything larger will compromise sound and overwhelm your space. If you live in a large loft, you can choose the big floor-standers.

If you’re even slightly serious about your music, expect to pay at least $250 for a pair of high-quality bookshelf speakers. If you’re building a moderately priced system from scratch--from $1,000 to $2,000--many pros recommend spending one-third to one-half of your total on the speakers.

Once you’ve brought them home, where should you set them up? Here are some recommendations:

* Create a “sweet spot”: Form an equilateral triangle with the speakers and your favorite listening spot to balance the sound, and angle them toward the spot.

* Avoid corners and bookshelves: Both will muddy the sound.

* Give your speakers breathing room: Move them at least 4 inches out from any wall.

* Put your speakers on speaker stands: Putting speakers on speaker stands will level them with your ears and absorb vibration. If they’re not on stands, keep them level with one another.

* Put something on your walls: It will keep the sound from bouncing everywhere. Rugs, drapes and upholstered furniture also help.

* Keep speakers away from windows, which tend to vibrate.