HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Having recently purchased a pair of traded in cubetts,I am struggling to make them work the way I think they can?
The room is small and awkward shape,I've placed them everywhere I can think of and at loads of different heights and so far the best seems to be on the top of my arcams on target stands,unfortunately this brings them up to above waist height and prone to be bumped off, anywhere else and there seems to be little or no base or body other than on my louder cds and vinyls and driving my rega amp much harder. However with the aforementioned cds etc they sound superb so I know? They must be capable. Any advice on placement,stands etc.your experience could really help.

You need to get them up against a wall that is where they are designed to work, on stands or even standing on a cabinet or shelf..

Mine are far from optimaly positioned, on top of a cabinet and above ear height, but give good results. I believe the washing machine anti vibration feet suggested by the Doc help a lot. They are close to a rear wall and window.

It is the wall bass reinforcement that is MOST important. Out in the room in free space they will be thin sharp and horrible, these are not in the room point and squirt normal crap. There are many speakers designed to need a back wall, NVA is far from unique.

Just ordered washing machine feet,unfortunately due to shape of room one will have to be on top of vinyle rack (stud wall) other on stand in front of built in cupboards, but will give it a go.

Sorry, missed that bit. I thought they(worked with the room) and so placement was less important than point and squirt, I have no intention of letting these go as some of what they do is interesting, just like ls1s and scc. In the meantime I'll keep listening.

They work with the room that is why they need the room walls, middle of the room means they are fighting the room, trying to avoid it.

Is that not true of all speakers ,they need boundaries to work ? albeit that some do better than others? P&s seem easier to focus than these,at least in my room, but we'll see.

No it is not true, that is why they use Anechoic chambers to design. Then they pretend the room is not there and just squirt at you.

If you want technical explanations go and read the papers in the AES archives written by Roy Allison.