Time to Face the Music?

[tombanjo1]

Do you really need to face the music? In any home theater or audio set up, one naturally sits facing the equipment. But I have top of the line speakers on my deck and it seems kind of silly to sit facing the wall that they are mounted on when there is a spectacular view of trees and flowers looking out the other way. I wonder if there have been any studies on sitting with your back to the sound. I know the ears are shaped to hear better straight on to the sound, but on the other hand, the eyes can distract one's concentration. Looking away from the sound can acentuate the sense of sound because you don't "see" where it's coming from.

I think I have too much idle time.

[Richard]

I think I have too much idle time.

Well thanks for spending it here!

This is easy to answer for yourself by simply using an office chair for your seating position and spinning yourself around. In a properly set up system the answer will be obvious - face the speakers.

In your outdoors application with the right acoustics you could get decent sound and some imaging with them behind you.

[chuckken]

You could always put another set of speakers on the wall with the view and have your recliner facing that way when listening to tunes... ...Fortunately for me my display and front speakers are against the wall with the great view...(maybe a little rearrangment is in order?)...