CCB-8 Placement Questions

[DavidD]

Recently, I've been thinking seriously about replacing my from stage LCR speakers with CCB-8 speakers. After reading through the manual, I have a couple of questions...

In the manual, it explains the recommendation to adjust the speaker toe-in so that the speaker axis from front left and right cross in front of the listening position. This accomplishes two things: It gives the best imaging and also puts the listener about 15% off-axis, which is ideal for these speakers. Later, though, it mentions the "recommended 36" stand", and I'm wondering why that height is recommended. Wouldn't that depend on the height of the seating position, or is there another reason? (When placed on a 36" inch stand, the acoustic center would be about 43 1/2 inches high. Given a typical seating height, this would probably put the listener below axis in the vertical direction.) In any case, how important is stand height for these speakers? Do you have a recommended speaker stand?

My second question is regarding the CCB-8 when used as a center speaker, Since the crossing axis recommendation doesn't apply, is it then recommended to aim the speaker below ear level to insure that the listener is off-axis?

Thanks.

[New Yorker]

I’m sure the recommended 36” stand height is for your typical, average seating height, sitting on a couch. My hunch is that if, for some reason, your seat or couch is lower or higher than average, you could adjust stand height accordingly.

(I should add that I suspect slight differences of a couple of inches in sofa height are, at the end of the day, not really critical. I could be wrong. But think, for a moment, about how you sit during the course of a two hour film; sometimes you’re sitting upright, then you slouch back for awhile, then, something else - with your “ear height” changing along with it. Does the audio quality change each time you do this? Technically, it probably does. But our brains are amazingly elastic and somehow “adjust,” so that we don’t notice slight audio changes when we move. So I wouldn’t obsess over this!)

Regarding the CCB-8 as a center channel, yes, I think having it point a bit below ear level is preferable, and consistent with Hsu’s setup recommendations. The fact that center channel speakers are inevitably not on-axis is a good thing that, for the CCB-8 works, happily, in our favor. Mine is set up that way.

[DavidD]

Are you satisfied with their performance?

[New Yorker]

Yes, I'm quite satisfied with their performance! I'm using them about 80% film / 20% music, and i have no doubt it would be hard for me to top them for movies. (Mind you, I have a smallish living room and 5.1 is all I can do here. Dolby Atmos or 7.1 are not options and, frankly, considering the fact that I'm not real big into fantasy/sci-fi/action flicks, not really necessary for me.)

I'm running three CCB-8s up front, and two HB-1 Mk2s for the rears. It all works very nicely.

For music, I'm impressed with the CCB-8s ability to project a solid 3D sense of things. I get a good sense of the recording space, and with jazz groups or orchestras, I can often "hear" what's in the back of the room and what's up front. And imaging has always been real important to me. The speakers, set up incorrectly, can have an over-emphasis on the highs, but set up correctly, following Hsu's suggestions, they're spot on.