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Stereo Speaker Triangle Calculator

Enter the distance between your two speakers and see where to sit for an equilateral triangle, with a diagram, the angle between the speakers and how much to turn each one toward you. Or type your own listening distance.

Listening distance (m)

1.73205

2 m from each speaker · 60° between the speakers · toe-in 30° each · equilateral
Speaker triangle2 m1.732 m

A starting point, not a rule and not a guarantee of the best sound: the room, the speakers and your taste decide.

How it works

  1. Enter the distance between the centres of the two speakers and pick a unit.
  2. Leave the listening distance empty for an equilateral triangle, or type your own.
  3. Read the distance from the line of the speakers to your seat, the angle and the toe-in.
  4. Check the diagram and copy the figures.

What people use it for

  • Setting up speakers on a desk

    With the speakers 1 m apart, sit about 0.87 m back for an equilateral triangle.

  • A living room

    Test what a longer listening distance does to the angle between the speakers.

  • Sharing a setup

    Copy the figures without any plan of your home.

Questions

What are the formulas?
For an equilateral triangle, the seat is at spacing × √3 ÷ 2 from the line between the speakers, and each speaker is the spacing away from you. With another distance d, the angle between the speakers is 2 × atan((spacing ÷ 2) ÷ d) and each speaker turns by atan((spacing ÷ 2) ÷ d).
Is the equilateral triangle the best position?
It is a common starting point, not a rule and not a guarantee of the best sound. The room, the speakers and your taste decide; use your ears to fine tune.
What is toe-in?
How far each speaker is turned inward from pointing straight ahead. In an equilateral triangle, aiming each speaker straight at you means 30°. Many guides suggest starting with less and adjusting by ear; some people prefer speakers aimed at the listener, others slightly outside.
Does the room matter?
Yes, a great deal, especially at low frequencies. The room mode calculator on this site shows where a rectangular room resonates, in an idealised model.