Stereo

Last year around this time I went out to Staples and found a set of computer speakers on sale for $19.  The set included a couple of smaller speakers, and a big bass woofer that goes on the floor.  The configuration of my office at the time was such that the best configuration for the speakers was beside me rather than in front.

The sound was so much better than the original equipment speakers that came with my IBM-PC that this all sounded fine to me.

Imagine my surprise today when I decided to rearrange my office (the refuge of the procrastinator) and placed the small speakers on either side of my monitor, about 2 feet to either side: suddenly I understood about stereo in a way I never had.

I had always sort of assumed that all those instructions you read about how to place speakers properly were either propaganda by the speaker industry, or the kind of thing that only true audiofiles would notice.

Obviously I was wrong.

Comments

Alan's picture
Alan on March 16, 2002 - 13:33 Permalink

I have been enjoying the new BBC 6 radio service and have been stretching my speaker cables as far as I can to get the stereo experience as well. What kills me about me is that from time to time I think to myself that for $2.39 at radio shack I could achieve a further 5 feet with an RCA extension but I never get around to it and then I remember the next time I am parked at the computer terminal (“terminal” is what it can feel like some days) the next time that jeeze for just $2.39 at radio shack…

Steven Garrity's picture
Steven Garrity on March 16, 2002 - 15:45 Permalink

I guess you don’t play Half-Life? The stereo in the game will scare you into knocking your keyboard tray off your desk (literally).