Owner's Manual

MODEL THREE POSITIONING AND ROOM ACOUSTICS
Room acoustics play a huge role in the sound reproduction characteristics of your Model Three loudspeakers. Experimenting
with loudspeaker placement is a necessary step for optimum acoustic performance. Fortunately, the Model Three is very place-
ment-friendly, and there are only a couple of factors that you need to keep in mind:
1. Low frequencies (below 400Hz) are
heavily inuenced by the loudspeaker's
position relative to the boundaries of the
listening room.
2. Mid & High frequencies (above
400Hz) are mostly inuenced by the
reectivity (“live" or “dead” quality) of the
listening room boundaries and the type
of furnishings.
Hard surfaces, such as bare walls
or wood oors, will reect sound,
whereas carpet and upholstered
furniture absorb it. Too dead, and the
listening space will sound dull and
lifeless. But a highly reective room will
result in room reections and echoes,
which result in the room being too bright.
Overly bright listening rooms are
particularly problematic!
The primary goal is for the sound to
predominate from the loudspeaker pair-
with a lesser amount of sound contribut-
ed by the room itself. An ideal listening
space is neutral, meaning a room that
contains characteristics of both a "live"
and "dead" environment. One absorbent
boundary (usually a carpeted oor) is
enough to make the listening space not
"too bright." Therefore, an example of
a good, basic listening room is a room characterized by walls, carpet (with pad), and plush furniture. If the room has wood or tile
oors, it is recommended you utilize a large area rug.
Even rooms with a neutral acoustic behavior can still exhibit differences in the perceived acoustics simply due to the listening
room dimensions and the precise location of the loudspeakers within the space. That is especially true concerning the boundary
condition immediate to the loudspeaker’s position. The less distance to a back wall or proximity to the corner of the listening room
will enhance the low & middle bass characteristics. Keep that in mind during the listening evaluation and positioning of the
loudspeaker. The KLH Model Three loudspeaker is tuned for 6 to 24 inches off the back wall and at least 24 inches from the
corner of the listening room. For an otherwise neutral listening room, this is considered the best starting position when rst setting
up the Model Three's. (See illustration above.)
NOTE: KLH provides the user with the ability to control the loudspeaker’s tonal balance to compliment the room acoustics for a
listening space that may not be ideal.
CAUTION
• Do not place the speakers in direct sunlight or where they will be exposed to intense light.
• Avoid placing the speakers near power ampliers, heat registers or other objects that generate large amounts of heat.
• Do not place speakers in humid or dusty spaces.