WILSON AUDIO Watch Surround 2 Series User manual

WATCH Center Series 2 Owner’s Manual

Wilson Audio® is a registered trademark of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
Sophia®, WATT/Puppy®, MAXX®, X-1 Grand SLAMM®, and Alexandria® are regis-
tered trademarks of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
WilsonGloss™, WATCH® Center, WATCH® Surround, and WATCH® Dog are trade-
marks of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc. The Wilson Audio Duette is also a product of
Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
This manual was produced by the Wilson Audio Engineering and the Sales and Mar-
keting Departments. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. Current Revision 3.0. If you are in need of a more recent manual, please
contact your dealer.
The information in this manual is the sole property of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
Any reproduction, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of
Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc., is prohibited. No material contained herein may be
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose,
without the express written permission of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
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Contents
W AT C H C enTer S erieS 2 O Wner’SM AnuAl ���������������������������� 1
SeCTiOn 1 – i nTrOduCTiOn ������������������������������������������������� 9
SeCTiOn 1 � 1 – W AT C H S ySTeM i nTrOduCTiOn �������������������� 11
Design C onsiDerations ������������������������������������������� 11
appliCations ������������������������������������������������������� 12
SeCTiOn 1 � 2 – W AT C H P ACkAge ������������������������������������ 12
W a t C H C enter s eries 2 ���������������������������������������� 12
W a t C H D o g p assive s ubWoofer ������������������������������� 13
W a t C H C ontroller ���������������������������������������������� 13
W a t C H s urrounD s eries 2 ������������������������������������� 14
ConClusion �������������������������������������������������������� 15
SeCTiOn 2 – u nCrATing yOur W AT C H C enTer ����������������������� 17
SeCTiOn 2 � 1 – u nCrATing THe W AT C H C enTer C HAnnel ������� 19
initial C HeCk ������������������������������������������������������ 19
unCrating tHe W a t C H C enter ��������������������������������� 19
SeCTiOn 2 � 2 – C r A T e C OnTenT C HeCkliST ������������������������� 20
Center C Hannel C r a t e ������������������������������������������� 20
Center s t a n D b o x ������������������������������������������������ 21
SeCTiOn 3 – i ny Our r OOM ���������������������������������������������� 23
SeCTiOn 3 � 1 – T H e W ilSOn A udiO S eTuP P rOCedure ������������ 25
final l istening r oom s etup ( v oiCing)������������������������� 25
Zone o f n eutrality: m ain l eft anD r igHt C Hannel ��������� 25
SeCTiOn 3 � 2 – r OOM A COuSTiCS ������������������������������������� 27
slap e CHo���������������������������������������������������������� 27
stanDing W a v e s ��������������������������������������������������� 30
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Comb f ilter e ffeCt����������������������������������������������� 31
SeCTiOn 3 � 3 – r eSOnAnCeS ������������������������������������������ 31
struCtural r esonanCe������������������������������������������� 32
volume r esonanCe ������������������������������������������������ 32
SeCTiOn 3 � 4 – y Our r OOM ������������������������������������������� 33
room s Hapes ������������������������������������������������������ 33
W a t C H C enter C Hannel i n aD eDiCateD H ome t Heater����� 34
speaker p laCement v ersus l istening p osition �������������� 35
speaker o rientation ��������������������������������������������� 35
Center C Hannel ��������������������������������������������������� 36
surrounD C Hannel������������������������������������������������ 37
W a t C H D o g p assive s ubWoofer ������������������������������� 37
SeCTiOn 4 – i niTiAl S eTuP ����������������������������������������������� 39
SeCTiOn 4 � 1 - F inAl S eTuP ������������������������������������������ 41
preparation �������������������������������������������������������� 41
SeCTiOn 4 � 2 - C enTer C HAnnel S PikeS ���������������������������� 41
assembly ����������������������������������������������������������� 42
grill a ssembly ���������������������������������������������������� 43
SeCTiOn 4 � 3 - M eASured l iSTening P OSiTiOn �������������������� 43
propagation D e l a y C orreCtion ��������������������������������� 43
room s etup �������������������������������������������������������� 43
Center C Hannel C onfigurations ������������������������������� 44
SeCTiOn 4 � 4 – S eTuP # 1 C enTer C HAnnel O n F lOOr ������������ 45
SeCTiOn 4 � 5 – S eTuP # 2 C enTer C HAnnel O n S T A n d ������������ 47
SeCTiOn 4 � 6 – S e T u P# 3 C enTer O n C uSTOM S T A n d O r S HelF 4 8
SeCTiOn 4 � 7 – S eTuP # 4 C enTer M OunTed T O C eiling���������� 50
SeCTiOn 4 � 8 - C enTer C HAnnel F inAl S eTuP ��������������������� 53
st a n D o r f loor m ounteD C enter C Hannel ������������������� 54
Ceiling o r o tHer C ustom l oCation ���������������������������� 54
SeCTiOn 4 � 9 - C OnneCTing S PeAker T O A MPliFier ��������������� 56
speaker C ables ��������������������������������������������������� 56
sp a D e l ugs��������������������������������������������������������� 57
ConneCtion o f tHe C enter t o tHe p oWer a mplifier ��������� 57
Center C Hannel s etup C ompleteD ����������������������������� 57
SeCTiOn 5 – T uning And V OiCing ��������������������������������������� 59
SeCTiOn 5 � 1 - F inAl T uning And V OiCing ������������������������ 61
SeCTiOn 5 � 2 - l eFT And r igHT C HAnnelS ������������������������� 61
Determining f ront t o b aCk D istanCe ������������������������� 62
Determining s iDe t o s iDe D istanCe ���������������������������� 63
SeCTiOn 5 � 3 - i nTegrATing THe W AT C H S ySTeM ����������������� 64
integrating tHe W a t C H C enter �������������������������������� 64
image H eigHt������������������������������������������������������� 65
Center r otation �������������������������������������������������� 65
resetting tHe p ropgation D e l a y CorreCtion (pDC) �������� 66
Center C Hannel p olarity ��������������������������������������� 66
integrating tHe W a t C H s urrounD C Hannels ���������������� 67
integrating tHe p assive W a t C H D o g ������������������������� 67
SeCTiOn 6 – C Are O F THe F iniSH ���������������������������������������� 69
SeCTiOn 6 � 1 – C Are O F THe F iniSH ��������������������������������� 71
Dusting tHe W a t C H C enter ������������������������������������ 71
Care o f tHe g rills ����������������������������������������������� 71
break-i n p erioD ��������������������������������������������������� 72
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TAble 5 - F O r O n S T A n d WiTH S Pike And n u T ������������������ 100
TAble 6 - F O r O n S T A n d WiTH d iOde, S Pike, And n u T �������� 101
SeCTiOn 1 1 – C eiling M OunTed b rACkeT ��������������������������� 103
SeCTiOn 1 1 � 1 - C eiling M OunTed C enTer C HAnnel ����������� 105
SeCTiOn 1 2 – W ArrAnTy i nFOrMATiOn �������������������������������� 109
SeCTiOn 1 2 � 1 – W ArrAnTy i nFOrMATiOn ������������������������� 111
limiteD W arranty ����������������������������������������������� 111
ConDitions ������������������������������������������������������� 111
remeDy������������������������������������������������������������ 112
Warranty l imiteD t o o riginal p urCHaser ������������������ 112
Demonstration e quipment ������������������������������������� 113
misCellaneous��������������������������������������������������� 113
SeCTiOn 6 � 2 – e nClOSure T eCHnOlOgy ���������������������������� 72
materials ���������������������������������������������������������� 72
aDHesive ������������������������������������������������������������ 73
SeCTiOn 6 � 3 – d ePTH O F d eSign ������������������������������������ 73
SeCTiOn 7 – T rOubleSHOOTing ������������������������������������������ 75
SeCTiOn 8 - r ePAir P rOCedureS ���������������������������������������� 81
SeCTiOn 8 � 1 - r ePAir P rOCedureS ��������������������������������� 83
replaCing ab loWn r esistor������������������������������������ 83
replaCing ab a D D river ����������������������������������������� 83
SeCTiOn 9 – S PeCiFiCATiOnS ��������������������������������������������� 85
SeCTiOn 9 � 1 - W AT C H C enTer C HAnnel S PeCiFiCATiOnS ������� 87
measurements: ���������������������������������������������������� 87
Dimensions: �������������������������������������������������������� 87
WeigHt u nCrateD:������������������������������������������������� 87
sHipping W eigHt ( approximate): �������������������������������� 87
CenTer S erieS 2 d iMenSiOnS ���������������������������������������� 88
CenTer S erieS 2 M ATCHing S T A n d d iMenSiOnS ������������������� 89
CenTer S erieS 2 O n M ATCHing S T A n d d iMenSiOnS ��������������� 90
CenTer S erieS 2 i MPedAnCe C u r V e ��������������������������������� 91
SeCTiOn 1 0 - T WeeTer A lignMenT T AbleS����������������������������� 93
iniTiAl S Pike C OnFigurATiOn ���������������������������������������� 95
TAble 1 - F O r O n F lOOr WiTH S Pike And n u T �������������������� 96
TAble 2 - F O r O n F lOOr WiTH d iOde, S Pike, And n u T ���������� 97
TAble 3 - F O r O n F lOOr P lACeMenT, O n e S PACer ������������� 98
TAble 4 - F O r O n F lOOr P lACeMenT, T W O S PACerS ������������ 99
W A T C H C enTer C HAnnel S erieS 2 O Wner’SM AnuAl
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Wilson Audio Specialties
Section 1 – Introduction

Section 1.1 – WATCH System Introduction
If your passion is home theater, and you have sought the full sensory experience cre-
ated as your eyes absorb the vision and your skin awakens to the power of the sound, Wil-
son Audio has your answer. Introducing WATCH - Wilson Audio Theater Comes Home.
While all Wilson speakers are designed to take full advantage of today’s popular
multi-channel formats, WATCH is the first Wilson system designed from the ground up to
excel specifically at home theater performance. Best of all, it comes in a package as small
or as large as you desire.
The fact is, you haven’t truly experienced home theater until you’ve felt the impact,
power, and passion of a film score the way the director intended it, and no company will
deliver this passion like Wilson Audio. That’s why, for nearly twenty years, more block-
buster hits have been mixed, composed, or recorded using Wilson Audio than any other
loudspeaker.
Design Considerations
Your WATCH System has been designed to perform all of the specific functions of
a high performance home theater system. This was a difficult task because of the many
interactions that occur in a home theater environment. Because the WATCH System was
designed in-house and voiced with a variety of Wilson speakers, you can be sure that the
driver blend will be excellent whether your system includes Sophia Series 2 or the X-2
Alexandria Series 2. Wilson Audio loudspeakers have set the standard for performance in
a wide variety of two-channel audio and multi-channel home theater applications. The
WATCH Center Series 2 ensures the most seamless integration with your Wilson Audio
loudspeakers. The WATCH Center is the only center channel designed specifically to match
the inherent quality of the Sophia, WATT/Puppy, MAXX, and, in many instances, the Alex-
andria X-2.
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Applications
One of Wilson Audio’s most important criteria in speaker development is that a
speaker meets the accuracy and dynamic demands of studio monitoring, analytical hard-
ware and software evaluation, and, of course, critical music and theater soundtrack listen-
ing. The WATCH Center Series 2 has been designed to deliver all of the speed, dynamics,
and musical accuracy to satisfy even the most demanding music lovers.
The WATCH Center has been engineered to take full advantage of today’s multi-chan-
nel surround formats, including the latest AC-3 (Dolby Digital) and DTS (Digital Theater
Systems) formats.
It will provide years of satisfaction whether listening to two-channel audio, multi-
channel audio, or to the latest movie sound track.
Section 1.2 – WATCH Package
WATCH Center Series 2
Specifically designed to excel at center channel functions, WATCH Center is ex-
tremely dynamic with high sensitivity and
robust power handling. Unlike most cen-
ter channels, it provides listeners not only
with optimal on-axis response, but also
smooth, linear, off-axis performance. This
is, in part, a result of Wilson PDC (Propa-
gation Delay Correction) technology first
developed for the WAMM®and X-1 Grand
SLAMM®systems and later applied to the
rest of the Wilson Line. PDC allows for op-
timal tuning of a loudspeaker for various
listening distances and heights and gives listeners much greater control over their sound.
The WATCH Center Series 2 was designed from the ground up as a center channel.
It is not merely a standard speaker that was tipped onto its side. The Center channel was
voiced and optimized to truly represent dialogue for movies as well as music and vocals
when used in a multi-channel audio setup.
Of course, the WATCH Center Series 2 lives up to Wilson’s high standards of cutting
edge design, superior build quality, and stunning sonic performance. The WATCH Center
is available with a matching stand.
WATCH Dog Passive Subwoofer
The WATCH Dog passive subwoofer
is the culmination of over twenty years of
experience at Wilson Audio in building
high output, ultra-low distortion woofer
and subwoofer products. It was designed
to further extend and enhance the bottom
octave performance of music and theater
systems without compromising speed, tonal
accuracy, or phase coherency. The WATCH
Dog will seamlessly and coherently inte-
grate with any loudspeaker, whether you
are augmenting a two-channel system or
using the Dog as the LFE channel in a surround system.
WATCH Controller
Like other WATCH products, along with music system applications, the WATCH Dog
was designed to take advantage of today’s multi-channel formats. The unique tuneability
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Figure 1 - WATCH CenTer CHAnnel SerieS 2
Figure 2 - WATCH dOg PASSiVe SubWOOFer
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of the WATCH Dog is
greatly enhanced when
used with the WATCH
Dog Controller active
crossover. The cross-
over’s comprehensive
control allows the
WATCH Dog to be optimized for both music and multi-channel applications, even within
the same system. The crossover adjustments allow critical setup, ensuring the best possible
performance in a wide range of rooms and with a variety of speakers.
WATCH Surround Series 2
WATCH Surround Series 2 is a perfect
example of performance disproportionate to
size. With strong power handling capacity
and low end frequency response reaching
40 Hz, this speaker will take your surround
sound to new heights. Unlike most surround
speakers, WATCH Surround is more than a
noisemaker. It brings accuracy, dynamics,
and emotion to your theater, and with its
gorgeous WilsonGloss™ finish, it looks right
at home on your wall.
The greatest challenge for any wall-
mount loudspeaker is accounting for the
deleterious interaction with the wall and
ceiling, as well as degradation caused by
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Figure 4 - WATCH SurrOund
Figure 3 - WATCH COnTrOller
the mount itself. This causes frequency nonlinearities – accentuating some frequencies and
effectively masking others. WATCH Surround minimizes wall/ceiling resonant interactions
through its advanced mounting system. Using state-of-the-art materials technology first
developed for the X-1 Grand SLAMM, WATCH Surround provides stunning results.
The Surround is mounted to its bracket by strategically located spikes, further reduc-
ing wall interaction and resonance. The Surround can also be rotated towards the listening
position, offering improved integration with the front speakers and better imaging.
Conclusion
Finally, a home theater, designed from the ground up as multi-channel, that is truly
high-end. Combine the structural and design considerations with the superior sonic qual-
ity and finish, and you find what makes Wilson Audio the leader in the industry. Wilson
Audio delivers a product that maintains the strictest structural tolerances, durability and
reliability. You will have consistent, repeatable performance, unaffected by the climatic
conditions, anywhere in the world. You are about to experience multi-channel audio/home
theater like you never thought possible, except from Wilson ....
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SeCTiOn 1 . 2 – W A T C H P ACkAge

Section 2 – Uncrating your WATCH Center
Wilson Audio Specialties

Section 2.1 – Uncrating the WATCH Center Channel
Initial Check
The WATCH Center Channel is shipped in a wooden crate. If you have also purchased
a Center stand, it is shipped in a separate cardboard box. Upon receiving the crate (and
cardboard box), please check their condition. If there is any damage, please report it to the
shipping company immediately for insurance verification.
The following items are recommended for this procedure:
• Suppliedhardwarekit
• Tapemeasure
• Knownlisteningposition
• Electricscrewdriver
• Phillipsheaddrivebit orPhillipsheadscrewdriver
Uncrating the WATCH Center
Gently lift the Center channel out of the crate. Remove the plastic outer bag. Inven-
tory the crate contents. Move the Center channel into the desired location.
Note: Do not cut the bag off of the Center channel. By using scissors or a knife, you
could unintentionally mark the cabinet or damage a driving element. Keep the bag in
case you need to repackage the Center channel. Likewise, save your shipping crates and
all packing materials. They are specifically designed to prevent harm from coming to
your WATCH Center.
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Note: Be careful not to touch the driver elements when you are moving your Center
channel.
Section 2.2 – Crate Content Checklist
Now that you have unpacked your WATCH Center Channel, you can inventory all the
additional items in the crate.
Center Channel Crate
1 – Owner’s Manual
1 – Warranty Registration
1 – Center Midrange Grill
1 – Center Tweeter Grill
8 – Nuts
4 – Spikes
4 – Brass Discs
4 – Spacers
2 – Diodes
1 – 3/16” Allen Wrench (Handle)
1 – 1/2” Nut Driver
1 – 1/8” Allen Wrench
1 – Blue Polishing Cloth
Center Stand Box
If you purchased a Wilson Audio Center Stand on which to mount your WATCH Cen-
ter Channel, you will find the following items in the box with your stand:
4 – 3/8” - 16 x 1 1/2” Socket Head Cap Screws
4 – 3/8” x 7/8” Stainless Steel Flat Washers
1 – 9/16” Wrench
1 – 3/16” Long Arm Allen Wrench
1 – 5/16” Long Arm Allen Wrench
1 - Polishing Cloth-
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SeCTiOn 2 . 2 – C r A T e C OnTenT C HeCkliST
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Section 3 – In Your Room

Section 3.1 – The Wilson Audio Setup Procedure
You are surely excited about setting up your WATCH Center Series 2 and doing some
listening, but before you begin, we would like to discuss some of the important room
acoustical information that will help you set up your loudspeakers properly.
Final Listening Room Setup (Voicing)
For a center channel its size, the WATCH Center is unmatched in its ability to repro-
duce the musical event. It is truly state-of-the-art. However, room acoustics and boundary
interactions affect the sound of a loudspeaker to such a large degree that poor setup can
seriously degrade your enjoyment of even the finest loudspeaker.
Therefore, we offer the following section, which will present some guidelines on
room acoustics and their interactions with loudspeakers. While we will also outline some
detailed suggestions on the setup of the WATCH Center, we strongly suggest that you have
your local Wilson Audio dealer perform the final speaker “voicing” with you. Wilson deal-
ers are specially trained in setting up Wilson loudspeakers and will ensure that you realize
the full value of your purchase. What follows is an outline of the Wilson Audio Setup Pro-
cedure (WASP). When carefully followed, the process has proven to be the most effective
method for setting up Wilson loudspeakers.
Zone of Neutrality: Main Left and Right Channel
The “Zone of Neutrality” is an area in your room where the speakers will sound most
natural. This location is where the speakers interact the least with adjacent room boundar-
ies. It is important to have a clear working space while determining the Zone of Neutral-
ity.
The following is a simple method to locate the Zone of Neutrality within your listen-
ing environment:
1. Stand against the wall BEHIND the location where you intend to position
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your loudspeakers. Speaking in a moderately loud voice and at a constant
volume, project your voice out into the room. Your voice will have an overly
heavy, “chesty” quality because of your proximity to the rear wall.
2. While speaking, slowly move out into the room, progressing in a direction
parallel to the sidewall. It is helpful to have another listener seated in the
listening position to assist you during this process. Listen to how your voice
“frees up” from the added bass energy imparted by the rear wall boundary.
Also notice that your voice is quite spatially diffuse (to your assistant, your
voice will sound spatially large and difficult to localize) as you begin to ease
away from the rear wall.
3. At some point during your progression forward into the room, you will ob-
serve a sonic transition in your voice; it will sound more tonally correct and
less spatially diffuse (your assistant can now precisely localize the exact ori-
gin of your voice). When you hear this transition, you have entered the inner
edge of the Zone of Neutrality. Place a piece of tape on the floor to mark this
location. Although it will vary from room to room, in most rooms the zone
begins between two and a half to three feet from the rear wall.
4. Continue to walk slowly away from the rear wall. After some distance, usu-
ally one to two feet past the first piece of tape, you will begin to hear your
voice lose focus and appear to reflect (echo) in front of you. This is caused
by the return of the room’s boundary contribution; your voice is now in-
teracting with the opposite wall. At the point where you begin to hear the
reflected sound of your voice, you have reached the inner edge of the Zone
of Neutrality. Place a piece of tape on the floor and mark this location. The
distance between the “inner” and “outer” edge tape marks is usually be-
tween eight inches (for small, interactive rooms) and three feet (for large,
more neutral rooms).
5. Now position yourself against the side wall perpendicular to the intended
speaker location. Stand between the two tape marks. Using the same pro-
cedure as above, begin moving into the room toward the opposite sidewall,
progressing between the two pieces of tape. As above, listen for the point in
the room where your voice transitions from bass-heavy and diffuse to neu-
tral. Mark this point with tape. Continue your progression until there is an
obvious interaction with the opposite wall in front of you and mark this point
with tape. The four pieces of tape now form a rectangle that establishes the
Zone of Neutrality for the loudspeaker located on that side of the room. Us-
ing the four marks as your guide, tape an outline to define the boundaries of
the rectangle.
6. Repeat this process for each speaker location individually. These are your
Zones of Neutrality, one for each channel.
Theoretically, the Zone of Neutrality for any room runs like a path, parallel to the
walls all around the room. Adjacent to very large windows and open doors, the outer
edge of the Zone of Neutrality moves closer to the wall and becomes wider. If you were
to extend the inner and outer boundaries of the Zone for the sidewalls and the front wall
(behind the speakers), they would intersect. After you complete this procedure for the
other loudspeaker, you will now have two rectangles, one on the floor on either side of the
room. This same procedure will be used to locate your Center channel.
Section 3.2 – Room Acoustics
Note: The following section contains general information on room acoustics and loud-
speaker/room interaction. The concepts outlined below are equally relevant when deal-
ing with multi-channel audio or home theater. The careful application of these concepts,
as you evaluate the acoustical characteristics of your own room configuration, will al-
low you to optimize the performance of your WATCH Center channel.
Slap Echo
Probably the most obnoxious form of reflection is called “slap echo.” With slap-echo,
primarily midrange and high frequency sounds reflect off of two parallel hard surfaces. The
sound literally reverberates back and forth until it is finally dissipated over time. You can
test for slap echo in any room by clapping your hands sharply in the middle of the room
and listening for the characteristic sound of the echo in the midrange. Slap echo destroys
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SeCTiOn 3 . 2 – r OOM A COuSTiCS

the sound quality of a stereo system in two ways:
•Itaddsharshnesstotheuppermidrangeandtreblebystoringtime-domain
smearing energy.
• Itdestroysthedelicatephaserelationships,whichhelptoestablishanac-
curate soundstage.
Slap echo (see Figure 5) is a common acoustical problem in the typical domestic lis-
tening room because most of these rooms have walls with a hard, reflective nature, only
occasionally interrupted by curtains, wall art, or drapes. The best (but least practical)
solution to eliminate slap echo is nonparallel walls. This is because, rather than support
slap-echo, nonparallel walls allow the sound to diffuse. This approach can be accounted
for during the construction process. For existing rooms, slap echo can also be controlled
entirely by the application of absorptive materials to the hard surfaces. These are absorp-
tive materials that can be used to ameliorate slap echo:
•IllbruckSonex®
•Airductboard
•Corkpanels
•Largeceilingtofloordrapes
•Carpetingtowallsurfaces
In many domestic listening environments, heavy stuffed furnishings reduce slap echo
somewhat. Unfortunately, their effectiveness is not predictable. Diffusers are sometimes
also used to very good subjective effect, particularly in quite large rooms. Sound absor-
bent materials such as described above will alter the tonal characteristic of the room by
making it sound “deader,” less “bright and alive,” and “quieter.” These changes usually
make the room more pleasant for conversation, but sometimes render it too dull in the high
frequencies to be musically involving. Soundtrack effects will be more localized. However,
over-damping the room can render reproduced sound that is lacking in musical involve-
ment and “aliveness.”
Diffusers, on the other hand, do not affect the tonal balance characteristic of the
room as much. Placed properly, diffusers create a smoother and more open sound. Some
diffusers, due to their construction, create narrow midrange peaks and suck out the warmth
region. Do not use diffusers on the wall behind the speakers or on the sidewalls directly
beside the speakers. It is our experience that all of these room treatment devices should
be used judiciously.
Figure 5 - COMMOn rOOM reFleCTiOn PrObleMS
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Standing Waves
Another type of reflection phenomenon is “standing waves.” Standing waves cause
the unnatural boosting or accentuation of certain frequencies, typically in the bass, to be
found at certain discreet locations in the room. These locations differ according to room
dimension and size. A room generating severe standing waves creates difficulty in setup. In
these rooms, the speaker will sound radically different as it is moved around. The effects
of standing waves on a loudspeaker’s performance are primarily in the areas listed.
•Tonalbalance
•Resolutionoflow-leveldetail
•Soundstaging
Standing waves are more difficult to correct than slap echo because they tend to oc-
cur at a lower frequency. Absorbent materials, such as Illbruck Sonex®, are ineffective at
controlling reflections in the bass region. Moving speakers about slightly in the room is, for
most people, their only control over standing waves. Sometimes a change of placement of
as little as two or three inches can dramatically alter the tonal balance of a small system.
Fortunately, minor low frequency standing waves are well controlled by positioning
ASC Tube Traps™ in the corners of the room. Very serious low frequency accentuation
usually requires a custom-designed bass trap system.
Low frequency standing waves can be particularly troublesome in rooms constructed
of concrete or brick. These materials trap the bass in the room unless it is allowed to leak
out of the room through windows and doors.
In general, placement of the speaker in a corner will excite the maximal number of
standing waves in a room and is to be avoided for most direct radiator, full-range loud-
speaker systems. Some benefit is achieved by placing the stereo pair of loudspeakers
slightly asymmetrically in the listening room. This is so the standing waves caused by the
distance between one speaker and its adjacent walls and floors are not the same as the
standing wave frequencies excited by the dimensions in the other channel.
Comb Filter Effect
The “comb filter” effect is a special type of standing wave noticeable primarily at
higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths.
Acoustical comb filtering occurs when sound from a single source, such as a loud-
speaker, is directed toward a microphone or listener from a distance. The first sound to
reach the microphone is the direct sound, followed by a delayed, reflected sound. At cer-
tain frequencies, cancellation occurs because the reflected sound lags in phase relative
to the direct sound. This cancellation is most apparent where the two frequencies are 180
degrees out of phase. Further, there is augmentation at other frequencies where the direct
and the reflected sounds arrive in phase. Because it is a function of wavelength, the comb
filter effect will notch out portions of the audio spectrum at linearly spaced intervals. Sub-
jectively, comb filter effect evidences itself as follows:
• Addedroughnesstothesound
• Reductionofharmonicrichness
• Smearingoflateralsoundstageimagefocusandplacement
Comb filter effects are often caused by side wall reflections. They are best controlled
by very careful speaker placement and by the judicious placement of Illbruck Sonex® or
air duct panels applied to that part of the wall where the reflection occurs.
Section 3.3 – Resonances
Resonance in listening rooms is generally caused by two sources:
•Structureswithinthelisteningroom.
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•Thevolumeofairitselfwithinthelisteningroom.
Structural Resonance
Structural resonances are familiar to most people as buzzes and rattles, but this type
of resonance usually only occurs at extremely high volume levels and is usually masked by
the music. In many wood frame rooms the most common type of structural resonance prob-
lem is “booming” of walls and floors. You can test for these very easily by tapping the wall
with the palm of your hand or stomping on the floor. Most rooms exhibit mid-bass “boom”
when struck. The loudspeaker playing in the room also excites these resonances. To give
you an idea of what the perfect wall would sound like, imagine rapping your hand against
the side of a mountain. Structural wall resonances generally occur in the low to mid-bass
frequencies and add a false fullness to the tonal balance. They, too, are more prominent
at louder levels, but their contribution to the sound of the speaker is more progressive.
Rattling windows, picture frames, lamp shades, etc., can generally be silenced with small
pieces of caulk or with blocks of felt. However, short of actually adding additional layers
of sheet rock to flimsy walls, there is little that can be done to eliminate wall resonances.
Volume Resonance
The physical dimensions and volume of air in a room will also support standing wave
modes and resonances at frequencies determined by the size of that room. Larger rooms
will resonate at a lower frequency and have more complex (better) modal distributions
than will smaller rooms. Volume resonances, wall panel resonances, and low frequency
standing waves combine to form a low frequency coloration in the sound. At its worst, it is
a grossly exaggerated fullness, which tends to obscure detail and distort the natural tonal
balance of the speaker system.
Occasionally, however, there is just enough resonance to give a little added warmth
to the sound – an addition some listeners prefer. Careful placement of loudspeakers in the
room can dramatically reduce the speakers’ destructive interaction with low frequency
modes. ASC Tube Traps™ are effective in reducing some of this low frequency room col-
oration. Custom designed bass traps, such as perforated Helmholtz resonators, provide the
greatest degree of low frequency control.
Section 3.4 – Your Room
Room Shapes
Standing waves are pressure waves propagated by the interaction of sound and op-
posing parallel walls. This interaction creates patterns of low and high acoustical pressure
zones that accentuate and attenuate particular frequencies. Those frequencies are depen-
dent on room size and dimension.
There are three basic shapes for most rooms: square, rectangular, and L-shaped (see
Figure 6).
A perfectly square room is the most difficult room in which to set up speakers. By vir-
tue of its shape, a square room is the perfect medium for building and sustaining standing
waves. These rooms heavily influence the music played by loudspeakers, greatly diminish-
ing the listening experience.
Long, narrow, rectangular rooms also pose their own special acoustical problems for
speaker setup. They have the ability to create several standing wave nodes, which will have
different standing wave frequency exaggerations depending on where you are sitting. Ad-
ditionally, these long rooms are often quite lean in the bass near the center of the room.
Rectangular rooms are still preferred to square rooms because, by having two sets of dis-
similar length walls, standing waves are not as strongly reinforced and will dissipate more
quickly than in a square room. In these rooms, the preferred speaker position for spatial
placement and midrange resolution would be on the longer walls. Bass response would be
reinforced by speaker placement on the short walls.
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In many cases, L-shaped rooms (see Figure 6) offer the best environment for speaker
setup. Ideally, speakers should be set up along the primary (longest) leg of the room. They
should fire from the end of the leg (short wall) toward the L, or they should be along the
longest wall. In this way, both speakers are firing the same distance to the back wall. The
asymmetry of the walls in L-shaped rooms resists the buildup of standing waves (see Figure
6).
WATCH Center Channel in a Dedicated Home Theater
Home theaters can be organized many different ways. Some use rows of couches.
Others use rows of multiple chairs.
In addition to watching movies, most users want to listen to two-channel music at the
highest quality possible. It is desirable, therefore, to choose a single optimum seating posi-
tion in a home theater and build the rest of the seating positions around this position.
If your optimum position is located on a couch, you should center the loudspeakers
Figure 6 - POSSible lOudSPeAker PlACeMenT WiTHin VAriOuS rOOM SHAPeS
on the middle position of the couch.
If the seating area consists of multiple rows of chairs, the second row should be op-
timized for the best sound quality. Odd numbers of chairs arranged in rows work best as
this will allow a single chair to be positioned in the center. This approach will also provide
the best overall sound for the greatest number of seats.
Speaker Placement Versus Listening Position
The location of your listening position is as important as the careful setup of your
Wilson Audio loudspeakers. The listening position should ideally be no more than 1.1 to
1.25 times the distance between the tweeters on each speaker. Therefore, in a long, rect-
angular room of 12’ x 18’, if the speaker tweeters are going to be 9’ apart, you should be
sitting 9’11’’ to 11’3’’ from the speaker. This would be more than halfway down the long
axis of the room.
Many people place the speakers on one end and sit at the other end of the room.
This approach will not yield the finest sound. Carefully consider your listening position.
Our experience has shown that any listening position that places your head closer than 14”
from a room boundary will diminish the sonic results of your listening.
Speaker Orientation
Speaker placement and orientation are two of the most important considerations in
obtaining superior sound. The first thing you need to do is eliminate the sidewalls as a
sonic influence in your system. Speakers placed too close to the sidewalls will suffer from
a strong primary reflection. This can cause out-of-phase cancellations, or comb filtering,
which will cancel some frequencies and change the tonal balance of the music. The Wilson
Audio Setup Procedure (Section 3.1) is the best method with which to position your loud-
speakers. Start with the speakers about 18” from each wall and, if you need to move them
relative to the side wall, move them away from the wall, not closer.
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A very important aspect of speaker placement is how far from the back wall to place
the speakers. The closer a loudspeaker is to the back wall, the more pronounced the low
bass energy and centering of the image will be. However, this comes at a definite reduction
in stage size and bloom as well as a deterioration of upper bass quality. You must find the
proper balance of these two factors, but remember, if you are partial to bass response or
air and bloom, do not overcompensate your adjustments to maximize these effects. Over-
compensated systems are sometimes pleasing in the short-term, but long-term satisfaction
is always achieved through proper balance.
Center Channel
After determining the general area for the Left and Right channels, determine the best
place for your Center channel. The following center channel configurations are possible:
• Onthefloorwiththespeakerangleduptowardsthelistener.
• Mountedonastandwithnoupwardrotation.
• Mountedonastandwithlongerspikesinthefrontofthestandandshorter
spikes in the back, allowing the stand and speaker to be rotated up toward
the listener.
• Mountedupsidedownontheceilingabovethescreen,angleddownto-
wards the listener.
With the exception of Center channels mounted on the ceiling, each of these op-
tions allow for some fine-tuning of the Center channel placement. If you are mounting the
Center channel on the ceiling, be sure to choose the location carefully as, except for the
tweeter adjustment, you will not be able to easily adjust the Center once it is mounted. A
poor placement of the Center channel will hamper its integration with the rest of the sys-
tem. As a general rule, the distance from the main Left and Right channels, as well as the
Center channel (as measured from the tweeters) should be equal in their relationship to
the listening position. This maintains the time coherence of the three front loudspeakers.
Ultimately, the Center channel phase delay correction will be made via the sliding tweeter
module.
Wilson recommends that the Center channel be positioned as centrally between the
Left and Right speakers as possible. Using the Wilson Audio Setup Procedure, experiment
with the fore to aft placement of the Center channel. This process will help you find the
location that offers the smoothest left, right, and center channel integration.
Surround Channel
Wilson Audio has done everything possible to eliminate the boundary interactions
caused by mounting a speaker onto the wall. The mounting bracket allows for significant
improvements in detail, speed, and clarity. The Surround channels will perform well in al-
most any location in which they are placed. The mounting bracket and the careful design
of the Surround channel have eliminated most of the sonic problems encountered when
placing a standard speaker too close to a boundary. Nevertheless, we have performed ex-
tensive testing on the Surround channel and found that significant improvement on speaker
linearity and integration can be achieved by careful selection of the Surround channel
mounting location.
We realize that the location of the Surround channel is generally set by the archi-
tecture of the room. However, if you have some flexibility in locating your Surrounds, we
suggest that you use WASP to find the Zone of Neutrality. Be sure to listen for room modes
and frequency response peaks or dips.
WATCH Dog Passive Subwoofer
Because the WATCH Dog’s frequency range is limited to the sub-frequency bass
range, its placement requirements are slightly different than for a full frequency speaker.
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The ideal position of the WATCH Dog passive subwoofer is somewhat dependent on its
primary use. In home theaters, where the WATCH Dog is used as the Low Frequency Ef-
fects (LFE) channel, it may be located in a variety of positions, depending on architectural
considerations. In general, the lower frequency range will be reinforced by room boundar-
ies and corners. Since most of the information contained in the LFE channel is in the sub-
frequency bass range, with little information in the mid and upper bass, there are some ad-
vantages to placing the WATCH Dog near the room boundaries or near a corner. Some care
is needed to avoid introducing upper-bass colorations caused by corner placement. While
surround processors provide the low frequency equalized signal for the LFE Channel, it has
been our experience that in some systems it is desirable to use the Low Pass crossover (via
the Wilson Controller) to additionally limit upper bass range. This is particularly important
and useful when the WATCH Dog is placed in the corner. Since all Wilson Audio Speakers
are phase and time coherent, it is very important to time align the WATCH Dog in the room
using the Phase Control on the Controller (see Controller owner’s manual).
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Section 4 – Initial Setup