Heybrook HB2 placement - high on wall - advice please

[BilliumB]

Hello - I'm new to the forum but have had a really good look around over the last few days. My question relates to using my old (80's) Heybrook HB2 speakers as part of a kitchen system (initially spotify premium and internet radio, via ipad, Airport Express, Rega Brio amp (80's) - expect to add a DAC soon).

Due to the layout of the room (approx 4.5m x 3.5m) and the kitchen furniture, I'm planning to put up a very strong/rigid high shelf (approx 1.9m up from the floor, on the 3.5m end of the room) leaving an air gap between the wooden part of the shelf and the wall (size of air gap depending on advice from you all - but probably at least 200mm, possibly as much as 300mm is what I'm thinking about). The shelf will probably be approx 1.8m long. I'm expecting to tilt the speakers forwards (initially using blue tack) - down towards the main listening position which will be approx 3.5m away from the shelf (pointing down the length of the room). Hopefully I've successfully added a diagram of the plan. There is no scope to have the speakers at a more normal stand height.

So, I'd like some advice on the optimum positioning of the HB2's (I've had them in storage for a few years - but they still sound great). I seem to remember that they are best placed away from a wall and angled inwards somewhat - however I can't remember the optimum position (how far from wall and what sort of toe in angle) and once I put up the shelf, all I'll be able to adjust is the separation, toe in, and tilt angle - the length of the shelf and it's distance off the wall (ie the air gap which I'm hoping will go some way to placing the speakers in"free space") will be fixed.

Hopefully I've made my problem clear. Advice please! Many Thanks.

[Shane]

Ideally, obviously, having them at ear level will give you the best performance. All those things like imaging, depth and height will be best served by having them as you described, ie about 18" from the wall, and toed in towards the listening position where you have your favourite arm-chair, a nice single malt, a cigar and a pair of slippers.

That's not what you're trying to achieve though, is it? So a lot of supposedly critical parameters suddenly aren't. The only HB2s I have regular exposure to these days are in my sister-in-law's sitting room where they're on stands about 6" high either side of a table behind the sofa, leaning backwards a bit and about 3" from the wall. As with yourself, in this application they aren't there for "serious" listening but more for good quality background so you can get transported by a Bach cantata while you're peeling the onions, and you know what? They sound brilliant! Because they have such an even phase response the sound they produce in this application is a sort of ephemeral soft-focus wall of sound appearing to hang a couple of feet behind the wall. You can't pin-point instruments, but the sound is coherent, cohesive and very satisfying.

I think in your situation you've got them about the right distance from the wall to allow the port to breath. I wouldn't worry too much about toeing them in for ultimate imaging, because that doesn't matter. It's more important to get even performance across a wider area which you'll get with them pointing straight ahead. Pointing them down a little will improve HF at listening level, so do that, but otherwise I think you'll be surprised how satisfying the sound will be as you've drawn it.

[Greg.]

Shane has given you a very comprehensive reply. One more thought, do you really need to shelf mount them? Have you considered speaker wall brackets? Such brackets could enable you to govern and adjust the distance from the rear wall, allow for variable toe in and the angle down.

I fitted speakers into the bedrooms of both my children in this way before they fled the nest. The sound was excellent in every respect. No shelf required

[BilliumB]

Thanks for the advice. As for wall brackets, I've not come across anything that looks strong or rigid enough to firmly hold the HB2's in position (especially 200-300mm or more away from the wall) and work anything like as well as a speaker stand - can you, or anybody else, recommend any from your experience - I'd be very interested? Thanks, Bill