Listening position facing away from speakers

djmtascam

djmtascam

Active Member
I was told to try listening to my sound system sitting in the sweet spot but facing away from the sound. So the sound arrived at my ears from behind me.
When I did that while listening to music I was familiar with it sounded better and more detailed than actually facing the speakers normally.
For some reason everything was more vibrant and spatial and I was able to discern different sound field placement of certain sounds even better. It was almost as if I was more "sensitive" to the localization of the sounds. It was also a little unnerving....
Is there anything to this in terms of how the ear/brain/skull interact without a visual cue?
In other words is it possible when facing two speakers and having the visual cue in place we acquire an expectation as to the localization of the sound or perhaps we are biologically more sensitive with sound coming from behind us.
After having tried this for myself, even though it seems backwards I'm listening with new enthusiasm now.
:thmbsp:
 
I listen to music facing the space between my speakers with my eyes closed. The speakers quickly disappear into the music. Facing away is interesting, but not something I enjoy for very long.
 
If you were not getting reflection, the channels would be reversed i.e. left channel to right ear.
 
I appreciate that you enjoy what you hear but it may suggest an upgrade in speakers or updating the rooms acoustic treatment may be in order.

You are now listening to the reflected sound that used to be attenuated due to your ears natural tendency to face forward.

These are the ideas(the effects of direct & reflected sound waves) that Dr Bose explored when he was actively designing speakers for his company. You might enjoy a set of Bose 901's or early 601's, maybe even a set of Maggie's or other dipole speaker.
 
Whatever sounds good to you, do it. And best of all what you're doing didn't cost you anything!

Enjoy the music. That's what matters.
 
My take on Bose products is even though many of us (including me) know what "better is" through comparison, that "shimmery sound" is recognized by most unedjumicated ears as pleasant and noticed. With my wife an I being fairly social (her....have to say I fake it some and take breaks) when people ask me to bring "the music"? Bose 301s' get hauled to gatherings for easy setup demands...and where it's not all about me. I still appreciate "the pleasant" right along with.

Food analogies work and guess the 301s' are like a "Filet-o-Fish" for me. A quick grab,rarely eat them.....but don't tell me I can't enjoy them. Crowd pleasers for that sound your talking about for sure.
 
Unless setting very close to the speakers, the difference in direct/reflected sound vs. facing the other way would be very subtle, and only at high frequencies. Enough to affect perception, sure, probably, but much less so than the normal "ear/brain/skull" differences (see HRTF) that let you know the sound is behind you in the first place. What I'm saying is the Bose references are off-base.

I spent two years working all day with a large stereo setup behind me about 15' away. If anything, I would say I perceived less localization, the opposite of the OP, but I dunno... mostly it just sounded like the same thing but from behind. I would think there are evolutionary reasons for some differences in perception of sounds from behind, though. I have a book that I bet has some data on that, I should take a look.
 
dumptruck said:
Unless setting very close to the speakers, the difference in direct/reflected sound vs. facing the other way would be very subtle, and only at high frequencies. Enough to affect perception, sure, probably, but much less so than the normal "ear/brain/skull" differences (see HRTF) that let you know the sound is behind you in the first place. What I'm saying is the Bose references are off-base.

I spent two years working all day with a large stereo setup behind me about 15' away. If anything, I would say I perceived less localization, the opposite of the OP, but I dunno... mostly it just sounded like the same thing but from behind. I would think there are evolutionary reasons for some differences in perception of sounds from behind, though. I have a book that I bet has some data on that, I should take a look.
Click to expand...

you're spot on, I'm pretty sure I read an audiology article that defined/described our hearing and how it's designed to hear things in front of us much, much more precisely then sounds behind us, the very shape of our ears reflects that fact. I have no Idea where I read it now, I think it was a scientific journal, but could be totally off base.

The gist was sounds that came from behind us were much less localized, and much more diffuse, and most location queues were dropped by the brain if the sound was coming from behind us. hell, this might have been a thx paper now that I think about it.
 
You want to experience a mind freak....take your hands and cup your ears, folding the edge of the ears outward, about 90* straight out from the side of your head.
You will be amazed at what you hear....
 
goodolpg said:
You want to experience a mind freak....take your hands and cup your ears, folding the edge of the ears outward, about 90* straight out from the side of your head.
You will be amazed at what you hear....
Click to expand...

I have done that many times too! I think that acts like creating a horn manifold to your eardrum and it seems to enhance the high end. The sound to my ears tends to increase the "crispyness". It also help in locating sound at a distance. I used to do that ear cup thing in reverberant spaces to listen closely to slap back.
When I'm facing away from the speakers (using near field monitors) I am about 2 feet away sitting at the apex of the sweet spot triangle.
It's definitely a fun and interesting experience staring out into the room without any the typical cue points.
The sound going past my ears creates a sound space further out in front of me. No doubt closing your eyes works too while facing the speakers, but I just thought I would share the idea and I know this is nothing new just a different perspective.
Biologically speaking the hair at the back of your neck and your ear lobe shape can be very sensitive for many people coming from behind.
Everyone's ears shape and hearing is of course different for each of us.
YMMV
:music:
 
The reversng back to front ears thing is ok unless you really need to know if Chief Dan George is trying to sneak up behind you.
 
woodj said:
The reversng back to front ears thing is ok unless you really need to know if Chief Dan George is trying to sneak up behind you.
Click to expand...

LOL, exactly!....great scene in that movie! :thmbsp:
I don't know if you've ever read or heard the stories about how long hair has a certain natural ability to enhance a human's sensitivity. It seems cutting ones hair substantially reduces ones awareness and acuity.
Having hair that grows around your ear canal's and the hair from your head over your ears supposedly has certain benefits to sensitivity as hair is actually an extension of our nervous system!
Gives a whole new meaning to long hair music!

:music:
 
Not that I know of, but natural hair growth wherever it is located may be important for all kinds of other reasons....:banana:
Cutting and shaving hair is not natural behavior, it's all social engineering...

I'm picturing Bigfoot now listening to his stereo system out in the woods!
He's still undecided on what headphones to buy!
:D
 
Everyone knows a beard counts for 1/2 of audio engineer qualifications, duh. A ponytail may be substituted, but you lose five points if you go for both.
 
Those are both great indications of what counts in sound propagation. I have large external ear appendages, and I now understand why my beard has enhanced my hearing experiencies.
 
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