Is 13inches from the back wall enough for Polk R200 speakers ?

[Steve Dallas]

Can also try Focal's smaller front ported speakers. Maybe smaller speakers with less bass will be more suitable.

I tested this theory a few years ago. I found no significant difference in in-room bass response between front ported Revel F206 towers and rear ported Philharmonic BMR large standmounters as long as the BMR's rear ports were farther than 2-3" from the front wall. This is another audiophile myth, I'm afraid.

The actual difference is the greater ability to hear port chuffing and resonances in front ported speakers in some instances.

 

[Seany]

OK so to wrap this up the consensus seems that if I get the R200s with a 13" clearance behind it that I should have no ill affects.

 

[ZolaIII]

There is no consensus! It's told to you to play with placement and see for yourself (empirically).
An example with Elac's.
Post in thread 'Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 Speaker Review' https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...ence-dbr-62-speaker-review.12232/post-1440167
If things ware so simple and it could be done as you wish and they claim no one would spend a good money on room acustics treatment. And of course they that need it and can always do (pretty much any self respectable reference room in; studios, larger manufacturers, enthusiast's...). It definitely isn't a snake oil and if you can't hear the difference or simply don't care that's fine with me.

 

[Seany]

Okay not a consensus, but there was two posts pretty much saying that 13" should be plenty. But ultimately I will do some testing in diff places.