Let's talk about what 'nearfield' means

I’d never heard the term until seeing it on here and realize that it’s used in regards to speaker setups on desks and such. let’s discuss the nuances of nearfield, so us noobs can learn about how we can make for better sound around our PC’s and such.

being I know nothing, I’ll wait for M0N to come in and ejumicate all of us! :wink:

Nearfield speaker listening is pretty self explanatory, as you have the speakers very close, and close enough that it mainly directs sound towards you and the sound is louder then the effect of the room. This term is commonly used for studio monitors, as they are typically designed to be used nearfield. Not all speakers sound good in a nearfield setup, but you can always try. There are both ups and downs to nearfield. A benefit is that the room acoustics are less important in a proper nearfield setup. A potential downfall is that some music that was mixed with speakers positioned for listening in a room might sound better with traditional room setups. Another thing as nearfield speakers tend to be tuned towards a more neutral or flat response and prioritize detail, but typically have less consideration for and potentially lower imagining and soundstaging capabilities, because that can be increased by the room acoustics and the room acoustics play a lower part in the sound of nearfield speakers. Another potential downside is that they need to be more accurately placed to acheive a desirable result, where speakers in a room might be more forgiving. That being said, if a speaker was designed for nearfield most of those concerns really aren’t issues

Nearfield can also pertain to a design of a speaker as well

Edit: also man I misread that last sentence when I first saw it

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what did you read it as, M0N?

also, are there any guides our write-ups out there that help you figure out best placement and such? for instance, in another thread you mentioned that some speakers should be about 10" from the wall and no less than 3:". that’s awfully hard to do with a desk, being most are about 2ft in depth and depending on how ‘wide’ the desk is, the speakers would almost be pointing at each other while you’re in the center between them, hopefully.

It really depends on the room, speakers, and setups. I thought that the range I gave was appropriate for his speakers and his room, but I might not recommend that with a different room and speakers. There are some great guides on line that you can find, but every room is different, and each speaker reacts differently to a room, so that’s something to keep in mind. It just takes time after an initial setup and mess around with placement so it works for you. I can’t place someones speakers for them, so I can only give them suggestions

Also I don’t want to comment on what I had thought I had read

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well, more information on what nearfield is will be helpful, period. all the different things that need to be taken into consideration will be done by the individual at the right time. getting a handle on the different terms and concepts involved in a proper / optimal setup is what I hope this thread will accomplish :slight_smile:

Here are some good simple articles without getting too technical imo

https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/studio-monitor-positioning/

Of course these aren’t absolute info, and make sure to adjust for what sounds best for you

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of course, the point is to be a compository of information regarding what nearfield is and means. thank you!

Nearfield to me … Sound Quality Sucks cuz recorded on IPhone

my problem is not with the quality of sound…but that it was country. EWW! :stuck_out_tongue:

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Country doing 80’s Hard Rock…:+1:

I got this…

how do you find the speakers being they’re so close together?

do they have to pointed right where you sit? curious cause it might be hard for me due to a very wide but shallow depth and ultrawide displays.

Speaker placement is more critical at desktop/nearfield. I have mine at ear level but you can set them on the desk angled up up toward you With foam wedges for little stands or something and they could be spread out another couple feet -toed inn. Mine are that close together because that’s about the only spot I had but it sounds pretty good - sounds like it’s coming from the middle of my monitor if I’m watching a video - but I get left to right separation when it’s supposed to be

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well, if I put my desk so that the window is centered behind my monitors, I have space on the wall to mount my YU6 or BeoLab S9’s. buuut, I might be getting another L desk that will let me create a U shape and I’m not sure exactly how I would lay everything out then.

well, this definitely lets you see what recessed / tunnel sound is like, LoL!

Just have to experiment with speaker placement. Alot of guys run desktop set ups on L-shaped desks / just got a find the right spot in the right angle where the sound hits both your ear holes at the same time.

oh, but I know what you thought you read. And i find that funny.

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guess it’s a good thing I don’t have too dirty a mind then, eh? I don’t have the foggiest of what you could be referring to. :stuck_out_tongue:

I am just glad we are all on the same page.

but I’m not…no clue what my title can be mistaken for, :stuck_out_tongue:

well i guess its me and mons little secret. ;p