For the original Magico A3, begin with the cabinets about 20 inches (0.5 m) from the rear wall. Play the same bass-rich jazz excerpt while moving both speakers forward in 6–8 inch (15–20 cm) steps, and keep the position that gives the clearest, best-proportioned bass. Only after that should you set lateral spacing, equalize the listening distances, and adjust toe-in. Start with the speaker axes crossing 1–2 feet behind your head, then fine-tune by ear. These are starting points from Magico’s A3 Owner Manual, not guarantees that every room will have the same optimum.
What the original A3 placement instructions actually specify
Magico’s official procedure treats placement as an iterative listening process rather than a single measurement. The sequence matters because a rear-wall change alters bass, while lateral spacing and toe-in primarily affect stereo focus and tonal balance. Changing everything at once makes it impossible to tell which move helped.
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The instructions below apply to the original A3 and are based on the Magico A3 Owner Manual. The A3 name can also refer to later model-year versions in current coverage. Check the documentation for your exact revision on Magico’s support page before assuming that every dimension or setup note is unchanged.
| Setting | Magico’s starting point | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Rear-wall distance | About 20 inches (0.5 m) from the back of each speaker | Move forward in 6–8 inch (15–20 cm) increments while listening to the same bass-rich passage |
| Lateral positions | Room width divided by 14; begin at the positions Magico labels 3 and 11, then try 4 and 10 and 5 and 9 | Use female voice and piano to judge image focus, while keeping both speaker-to-ear distances equal |
| Toe-in | Axes aimed to meet about 1–2 feet behind the listener | Reduce toe-in if the result is too bright; add toe-in if it sounds too dull |
| Listening geometry | Listener and speakers form an isosceles triangle | Measure from one fixed seat position to the front of each tweeter |
Identify the A3 and prepare the room
The original A3 is a sealed aluminum floorstander with a 28 mm beryllium tweeter, one 6-inch midrange and two 7-inch woofers. Magico’s launch information lists 88 dB sensitivity and a 4-ohm impedance. Those specifications help distinguish the original model, but they do not tell you where it will sound best in your room; boundaries and listening geometry do.
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Before moving a cabinet, clear the obvious variables. Equipment racks, furniture, wall objects and loosely routed cables can create reflections, catch on a speaker, or limit how far you can move it. Magico lists a tape measure, pen, calculator, string, familiar demo recordings and patience as useful setup tools. A tape measure for speaker placement is optional but practical, especially when you need to reproduce equal distances.
- Choose one listening chair and one repeatable head position. Do not shift the chair between trials.
- Use the same short excerpts for every comparison. Magico suggests roughly 30 seconds to one minute for the bass test.
- Remove anything that can rattle. A buzzing object can make a placement sound worse even when the speaker position is better.
- Keep both cabinets level and oriented consistently. If the floor is uneven, correct the tilt before judging imaging.
- Have a helper move one cabinet while you remain seated, or mark each trial with painter’s tape so you can return to it accurately.
Step 1: find the rear-wall distance with a bass test
Start at approximately 20 inches
Measure from the rear of each A3 to the wall behind it and place both cabinets at approximately 20 inches (about 0.5 m). This is the manual’s starting position, not a universal answer. The distance is a reference from which to begin the listening sequence.
Use one bass-rich recording
Select a well-recorded jazz passage containing clearly audible bass guitar or percussion. Play the same 30-second-to-one-minute excerpt at the same level each time. Listen for bass definition, pitch, attack and proportion relative to voices and instruments. Boomy one-note bass, a hollow lower midrange, or bass that seems detached from the rest of the music are signs that the current boundary relationship may not be ideal.
Move forward in controlled increments
- Move both speakers forward by 6–8 inches (15–20 cm), preserving their left-right symmetry.
- Return to the exact same listening position and replay the excerpt.
- Record whether bass became tighter, more even and better integrated, or less defined and less natural.
- Continue with another 6–8 inch move while the change is improving the result.
- When the next forward position sounds worse than the preceding one, return to the better position and mark the rear-wall distance.
Do not infer that moving farther out is always better. Your room may produce its best balance near the initial distance or several steps beyond it. What matters is the controlled comparison with the same recording and listening seat.
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Step 2: set lateral spacing for a focused stereo image
Calculate the starting width
After choosing the rear-wall position, address the distance between the speakers. The manual says to divide the room’s width by 14 and begin with the positions it labels “3” and “11.” It then asks you to repeat the listening process at “4” and “10,” followed by “5” and “9.” These clock-like labels describe progressively different lateral placements in Magico’s diagram; they are not clock times and should not be treated as a universal inch measurement.
Use your room’s actual usable width for the calculation. If furniture prevents a symmetrical layout, note the limitation rather than pretending the calculated positions are exact. Keep the cabinets level and change only their lateral position during this stage.
Use voice and piano to judge focus
Switch to a recording with a female voice and piano. A centered vocal should appear stable between the speakers, with a clear outline rather than a vague central wash. Piano notes should occupy believable positions without pulling toward the left or right cabinet. Compare the three staged lateral options using the same excerpt and volume.
The best position is the one that gives a stable, focused image without making the tonal balance thin or forcing you to sit in an unnaturally narrow sweet spot. Mark the floor once you have selected it.
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Step 3: verify the listening triangle
The A3s and your listening position should form an isosceles triangle: the distance from your head to the left speaker must equal the distance from your head to the right speaker. Equal spacing is more important than achieving a particular published width because even a small asymmetry can shift the center image.
- Choose one fixed point at the listening seat, approximately where your head normally is.
- Attach or hold one end of a string at that point.
- Measure to the front of the left tweeter, then to the front of the right tweeter.
- Move one speaker in small increments until the two measurements match.
- Recheck that both speakers are the same distance from the rear wall and remain level.
Measure to the tweeters rather than to the cabinet corners, since the tweeters define the acoustic reference you are using. If your chair is off-center relative to the room, prioritize equal distances from the actual seat over visual symmetry with the walls.
Step 4: adjust toe-in by listening
Use the 1–2-foot-behind-the-head starting aim
Begin with each speaker aimed so its acoustic axis would intersect approximately 1–2 feet behind your head. You can estimate this by sighting along the cabinet or by placing a temporary target behind the chair. Make equal angle changes on both sides so the center image stays centered.
Use brightness and dullness as the decision rule
- If the sound is too bright, toe the speakers out slightly. Their axes will cross farther behind you.
- If the sound is too dull, toe them in more. Their axes will cross closer to you.
- Make small, symmetrical changes and listen to the same female-voice and piano passage after each one.
Do not assume that maximum toe-in produces the sharpest or most natural result. Excessive toe-in can narrow the listening area and make treble prominent; too little can soften image focus. The manual’s guidance is intentionally ear-based. Its PDF contains an incorrect metric conversion in this sentence, so use the clear imperial 1–2-foot wording rather than repeating that typo.
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Step 5: return to the bass position and lock in the result
Lateral movement and toe-in can change how bass and lower midrange are perceived from the seat. Once you have chosen the lateral positions and toe-in, replay the original jazz excerpt and recheck the rear-wall distance. If the bass is now less even, repeat the rear-wall comparison in 6–8 inch steps while leaving the lateral spacing and toe-in unchanged.
When both the bass and image are satisfactory, mark the final positions. A small piece of removable tape at each front or rear corner makes it possible to restore the setup after cleaning or moving furniture. Keep a note of the rear-wall distance, tweeter-to-seat distances, lateral spacing and toe-in direction; a written record is more reliable than trying to recreate the angles by eye.
How much room should be behind the A3?
There is no single distance that works in every domestic room. The manufacturer’s repeatable starting method is approximately 20 inches, followed by forward moves and listening. Room dimensions, wall construction, furnishings and the listening seat all change the result.
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One owner, writing after eight months with the A3, reported the best performance in a medium-sized room with at least about one foot behind the speakers and up to roughly 2.5 feet of clearance. That owner preferred slight toe-in and found that too much toe-in was harmful. This is a useful example of room-dependent behavior, not a prescription for every A3 system. You can read the account at Headphones n’ Stuff’s A3 review.
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Domestic rooms may also make perfect spacing impossible. Hi-Fi+ advises getting as close to the correct geometry as practical and keeping the speakers level. Its room-context discussion is available in the Hi-Fi+ Magico A3 review. If a rack or doorway prevents a symmetrical arrangement, make the smallest compromise you can, then use the string measurement from your seat to equalize the two listening distances.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Placement symptoms and the next move
| What you hear or observe | Likely placement issue | Next test |
|---|---|---|
| Bass is boomy or one-note | The current rear-wall relationship is exciting a room mode or overemphasizing a boundary region | Move both speakers forward 6–8 inches and replay the same bass passage |
| Bass sounds thin after a move | You may have moved past the more balanced position | Return to the previous mark, then compare one intermediate position if necessary |
| Centered vocal pulls left or right | Listening distances are unequal or one speaker is angled differently | Measure from the fixed seat to each tweeter and match the distances |
| Voice is vague and the center image is broad | Lateral spacing or toe-in needs adjustment | Keep the rear-wall distance fixed; test the next lateral pair, then make small equal toe-in changes |
| Treble is bright or aggressive | Toe-in may be excessive, or the speakers may not be aimed symmetrically | Toe both speakers out slightly and replay the same voice-and-piano excerpt |
| Presentation is dull or unfocused | Toe-in may be too shallow | Toe both speakers in slightly, keeping the axes aimed to meet near the original target region |
| Sound changes when you move your head a few inches | The setup may be too narrowly aimed or the seat is not centered | Reduce toe-in slightly and verify equal tweeter-to-seat distances |
| One cabinet appears louder | Unequal distance, asymmetric furnishings or a level problem | Match distances, check that both cabinets are level, and remove an obvious nearby obstruction before changing electronics |
A repeatable worksheet for your final setup
Use a simple log so each change has one purpose. Record the room width used for the manual’s division-by-14 starting calculation, the initial 20-inch rear-wall distance, each 6–8 inch trial, and your bass comments. On the next page of the same note, record the lateral pair tested (3/11, 4/10 or 5/9), the measured distance from the fixed seat to each tweeter, and whether the axes meet behind or in front of the seat.
Only change one variable at a time. During the bass phase, leave lateral spacing and toe-in alone. During the lateral phase, leave the rear-wall distance alone. During toe-in, do not slide the cabinets sideways. This discipline is what turns subjective listening into a repeatable procedure.
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If a wall, rack or passage prevents the full 20-inch starting distance, place the speakers as far forward as the room safely allows and still perform smaller, consistent comparisons. Preserve equal left-right distances from the listening seat even if the cabinets are not perfectly centered between the walls. Keep both speakers level and avoid placing one directly beside a large reflective object while the other has open space.
If you must choose between a visually symmetrical position and equal tweeter-to-seat distances, choose the equal listening distances. If you must choose between a convenient cable route and a safe, unobstructed path, choose the safe path; cables should not pull on a cabinet or create a trip hazard. Recheck the bass after any furniture change because large objects can alter the audible balance.
Do these instructions apply to a newer A3 revision?
Not automatically. The procedure here is explicitly for the original A3 manual. Product names can persist across model-year updates, while enclosure details, drivers or documentation may change. Confirm the exact model and download its current manual from Magico’s support page before applying the original dimensions to a later version.
For an original A3, however, the order is straightforward: establish bass with the rear-wall test, set lateral spacing and image focus, equalize the listening distances, adjust toe-in by ear, then return to the bass test and mark the positions. That sequence gives you a defensible setup without pretending that one room’s measurements can dictate another room’s sound.
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