Perception of sound differences - The most important insights for Hi-Fi and music production

In the realm of Hi-Fi and music production, the ability to assess sound differences is crucial. These assessments influence not only purchasing decisions but also fundamental objectives. However, human perception is extremely complex and not intuitively graspable. This often leads to confusion and misconceptions when evaluating and comparing sound quality. This article briefly highlights the key aspects and pitfalls in perceiving sound differences.

Stereo Triangle

Default recommended stereo triangle:
  • Equilateral triangle all sides have the same length and all inner angles are 60°
  • The distance is a variable and should be choosen according to the speaker and room acoustic.
  • Loudspeakers face the listener, so speaker front has a 90° angle to the line of sight.
  • The reference point of the speaker (most of the time the tweeter) is at ear height.
  • The speaker manual might give placement information for your speaker model.
  • There are some variations that can bring better sound quality, e.g., a different horizontal speaker tilt angle.
  • Left and Right speakers should always be placed symmetrically:
    • It is not recommended to use different distances of the speakers to the listener.
    • It is not recommended to use different heights for the speaker placement.
    • It is not recommended to use different tilt angles of the speakers.