Help with Speaker Setup

[JAW]

I moved house about a year ago and the only place in the new house for speakers, (for domestic harmony)is under an arch. I am using PMC FB1's and in the old house they were slightly away from corners and about half a metre from the wall. They are now in free air with nothing behind them for nearly 7 metres. My problem is that they just sound flat and dead. In the previous room they were engaging and energetic. As the transmission line port is at the front I didn't think that being in free air would have such an affect.
They are approximately 1.7 metres apart and 3.8 metres from the couch, (the same couch they faced in the previous house). Any suggestions for speakers that operate well in free air? I can't move the speakers to where they will have a wall behind them, so I am resigned to finding something that will work in free air.

[Cyndale]

Let's get the photo the right way round, it will help.

[paulb]

Shameless plug...my Zu Audio Druid vi that I am thinking about selling (they would be great in a big space....suffering at the moment in a tiny temple bar apartment living-room)

[Ivor]

What sort of feet are they on? Given it's a hard floor something like Ceraballs would be ideal.
I'd suggest that floor mat needs to be a lot closer to the speakers to deaden the floor

[JAW]

Shameless plug...my Zu Audio Druid vi that I am thinking about selling (they would be great in a big space....suffering at the moment in a tiny temple bar apartment living-room)

I don't think the budget would stretch to those beauties, Paul, although they look interesting and get good reviews.

[JAW]

What sort of feet are they on? Given it's a hard floor something like Ceraballs would be ideal.
At the moment they're bonded with a sort of builders silicon, which I've been assured won't damage the floor. They seem quite solid when I try to rock them.
I'd suggest that floor mat needs to be a lot closer to the speakers to deaden the floor
Good shout about the rug. I'll move it around a bit and see.

[Ivor]

At the moment they're bonded with a sort of builders silicon, which I've been assured won't damage the floor. They seem quite solid when I try to rock them.

Even spikes with "receivers" or coins might be better, I'd even put a a small tile under each spike or a floor tile under all four if it fits. Perhaps the silicon under the tile?

spikes.jpg (50.88 KiB) Viewed 2232 times

[Cyndale]

I definitely think the loudspeakers need something behind them to get them to sing. It's a pity you don't have a wall that they could sit in front of and then you can 'tune' the speakers in the room.

[JAW]

At the moment they're bonded with a sort of builders silicon, which I've been assured won't damage the floor. They seem quite solid when I try to rock them.

Even spikes with "receivers" or coins might be better, I'd even put a a small tile under each spike or a floor tile under all four if it fits. Perhaps the silicon under the tile?

spikes.jpg

I have the original spikes and I'll fashion something as a receiver over the weekend. I have a couple of ornamental smooth concrete tiles which may suit. I'll try them over the weekend. If it works, great, if not, it's nothing lost.

[JAW]

I definitely think the loudspeakers need something behind them to get them to sing. It's a pity you don't have a wall that they could sit in front of and then you can 'tune' the speakers in the room.

That's my thinking too, but if Ivor's idea works I owe him a bottle of wine.