Intimacy refers to how close the performing group sounds to the listener. Intimacy is achieved whenever the first reflected sound reaches the listener less than about 10 ms after the direct sound, a condition easily met in small halls. For large halls this can be achieved by placing a reflective canopy above the performers, tilted so as to direct the reflected sound toward the audience. Such a canopy is sometimes used in large cathedrals above the pulpit to achieve intimacy of te speaker's voice to the congregation.

Intimacy can be increased by installing additional reflection surfaces that reduce the initial time delay of the sound.

Baroque Orchestra