You would think after all the experimenting I've done, I could make up my mind on where to the put the darned things, but I can't. This is where you, the reader, come in :P

Key facts:

1. Room Size is 12 x 18, with theater oriented the long way.

2. 3 High Backed(38" or so) are about 11 feet off the front wall.

3. Directly to the right of the seating is a double door.

4. Speakers are direct/bipole/dipole Energy RC-Rs.

I've tried mounting them on the sides, but that essentially means they are above the door and window(on the other side). I put them in "bi-pole" mode. It wasn't horrible.. but you miss a lot of sounds... BIG effects come through okay, but subtle details... completely lost.

I tried putting them on stands about 3 feet back of the seating so the doors could both be opened. I put them high enough so the speaker would "clear" the seat back and angled them towards the center spot. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled with it. I think the seat back blocks too much sound. This would be the "ideal" spot if I could make it work as it would leave both doors usable.

I currently am trying them directly to the sides of seated position on stands(blocking one door), with them at ear level. So far I am "happy" with how it sounds. But I notice the rear "phantom" image isn't all that great(probably because of the seat backs?). Also, I think once I get other people in the room and they sit down the nice, tight soundfield I am enjoying will be ruined by their heads blocking the speaker. I also think their enjoyment won't be as great when they have a speaker 2 feet from their ear. So I am not sure this is the best long term solution. The thing is, though, you realize how much sound you are missing when you have them put up too high. There are a lot of subtle details and front to back pans seem smoother.

If this were your room, what would you do?

From what I've read, bi/dipole speakers work best at 90* to the seating. But as you say that places tham above the openings. If you were to angle them down from that high up would help.

Have you tried them monopole, where you had them 3 ft back? Also I would place them higher, at least a foot more.

Ditto what John said. Go with monopoles mounted up on the wall. That way you don't have to worry about chairs or heads blocking them. You could use that above-the-door location if needed. Ever see a movie theater with the rear speakers at ear level?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

I also recommend you try monopole surrounds - they don't have to be "budget breakers", just use any available speakers for the experiment. While dipole/bipole speakers were great in the Dolby Pro days, Dolby now recommends monopole speakers for the typical 5.1/7.1 setup.

I also recommend you try monopole surrounds - they don't have to be "budget breakers", just use any available speakers for the experiment. While dipole/bipole speakers were great in the Dolby Pro days, Dolby now recommends monopole speakers for the typical 5.1/7.1 setup.

I'll give that a shot tonight. They are monopole/dipole/bipole switchable so it won't be too hard to try it. So... about 3 feet back on the sides, high enough to clear the seat backs, angled at the center?

Ditto what John said. Go with monopoles mounted up on the wall. That way you don't have to worry about chairs or heads blocking them. You could use that above-the-door location if needed. Ever see a movie theater with the rear speakers at ear level?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt



Well no, but at the same time movie theater speakers are far enough away that the angle is a little better.

For me, it's just never made sense to take a speaker and put it in a location where the frequency response reaching you is severely compromised. And then if you have any sort of eq solution it tries to correct that response. Always seemed best to just give them the best starting point possible...

My goal is I want the smoothest pans. I want to be able to follow the "movement" on screen.

I've noticed dolby's own recommendation has changed a bit if you go to their site. They now ask you your distance, then give recommendations on that. For height it used to say "a few feet above" and now it says "slightly above." It's all semantics I guess.

I appreciate the suggestions. I think it's probably best to clear the walk path for both doors.. but I know mounting the speaker above the door lead to a loss in a lot of information, even properly balanced.. anything subtle was completely lost.

I'll give that a shot tonight. They are monopole/dipole/bipole switchable so it won't be too hard to try it. So... about 3 feet back on the sides, high enough to clear the seat backs, angled at the center?

At 3 ft back from the seat line, with a room width of 12', the speakers would be @ 116.6* rotated from the centerline. Side surrounds should be between 90~120* so all is good. You can rotate them so the baffles face toward the center point, but its not really necessary.

1. Room Size is 12 x 18, with theater oriented the long way.

2. 3 High Backed(38" or so) are about 11 feet off the front wall.

3. Directly to the right of the seating is a double door. If you turn the room around 180 deg, the double doors will no longer be alongside the seats, so you'll now have a side wall able to hold the surround speakers. Your room is proportioned almost identically to mine, includig the door location. The door dictated which way the seats aimed. Is this an option for you?

If you turn the room around 180 deg, the double doors will no longer be alongside the seats, so you'll now have a side wall able to hold the surround speakers. Your room is proportioned almost identically to mine, includig the door location. The door dictated which way the seats aimed. Is this an option for you?

Roger--

Thanks for the suggestion. We've actually tried that. But what is ommited here is that behind the seating is a patio door. We have heavy curtains covering it. A few months ago we tried this. It definitely helped the surround speaker positions(and even bass response). It was also great to be be able to just walk in the room and not have to walk around the seating. Unfortunately the "back drop" was a bit distracting.

On the one hand it's great to have a room you can dedicate to your home theater. On the other hand the room is an exercise in compromise.

After some experimenting last night I found that putting the surround speakers just past the doors didn't work very well. They were a bit further back than I thought(more like 5 feet) and the surround right speaker suffers. Just didn't sound right, even after running through Audyssey. Just couldn't hear it. Audyssey set the trim at something like plus 9.5 so it wasn't hearing it very well either. I then tried them a few inches back of the seats, but high enough so that each ear can "see" the speakers. I would guess they are at about 100 degree angle. They actually sound pretty good, but of course one of the doors is now rendered useless.

I've essentially come full circle and am right back where I started. I don't know, maybe the answer is to flip it all around. Sure makes the flow of the room better and we never use that patio door.