We are moving into a new place in less than 2 months and need help with rear speaker placement. Right now I have a 5.1 setup but would like to go to 7.1 setup. I have attached a room diagram with the way I think it will setup ok. The question is, can my surround speaker go up by the ceiling (about 9 ft high) and aim down? The reason is the ceiling steps down about a 1 1/2 at the kitchen for the highhat lights and was thinking it would be a good place for the rear surrounds. Then have the other surrounds same height beside the couch, all of them aiming at the main couch.

The other thing is, when using a 7.1 setup will there be sound from a 5.1 DD movie from all of the speaker in the back or will it be from the side ones only? Meaning the only movies that I will benifit from are 7.1 encoded movies.

List of gear:
Denon 3806 AVR
Denon 2910 DVD
2-- Infinity RS5 front tower
1-- Infinity CC3 center
4-- Infinity RS1 for surround speaker
2-- Infinity BU120 front sub

Anyone??

From looking at your diagram that will work. Why do you want to go in-ceiling? Will on wall speakers not work? Or is it a cosmetic issue?

www.speakercraft.com

I'm pretty sure there are no films encoded with 7.1 (or VERY few).
The rear surround tracks are matrixed using Dolby Digital EX/ Dolby Pro Logic IIx.
So, if your receiver has Dolby Digital EX/ Dolby Pro Logic IIx, you'll get 7.1.
Your layout looks pretty good, but the rear surrounds *might* be a bit close to your seating position. It'll work, but the sounds coming from the rears might be easy to localize. Mounting them a bit further back would yield better results, but how much I don't know.
We're also building a new house, and I haven't decided yet if I'm going to go with 7.1 or 5.1. I have four Mirage Omnisat v2 sats to use for surrounds. I'll be ceiling mounting them. The two sides will be no problem, but the two rears will be on the ceiling in the breakfast nook off the kitchen (the nook is behind the sofa). While the Omnisats are small and mount horizontally when ceiling mounted, and they're white, I'm not sure how I'll like the look even on a 9 foot ceiling.

From looking at your diagram that will work. Why do you want to go in-ceiling? Will on wall speakers not work? Or is it a cosmetic issue?

www.speakercraft.com

They are not in ceiling speakers I'm using. They are the RS1 bookshelf speakers that will be up by the ceiling aiming down toward the listening area. I just have never had speakers up that high before.

I'm pretty sure there are no films encoded with 7.1 (or VERY few).
The rear surround tracks are matrixed using Dolby Digital EX/ Dolby Pro Logic IIx.
So, if your receiver has Dolby Digital EX/ Dolby Pro Logic IIx, you'll get 7.1.
Your layout looks pretty good, but the rear surrounds *might* be a bit close to your seating position. It'll work, but the sounds coming from the rears might be easy to localize. Mounting them a bit further back would yield better results, but how much I don't know.
We're also building a new house, and I haven't decided yet if I'm going to go with 7.1 or 5.1. I have four Mirage Omnisat v2 sats to use for surrounds. I'll be ceiling mounting them. The two sides will be no problem, but the two rears will be on the ceiling in the breakfast nook off the kitchen (the nook is behind the sofa). While the Omnisats are small and mount horizontally when ceiling mounted, and they're white, I'm not sure how I'll like the look even on a 9 foot ceiling.

I.m in the same boat, not sure if I should do the 7.1 setup verse the 5.1 I have now. I already have the reciever and extra matched speakers. The back surround speakers would be about 1 1/2- 2 feet behind the couch and mounted on the ceiling/wall. The side surrounds are about 2-3 feet from the side and mounted ceiling/wall.

I wanted to mount them just above ear hight like now for the 5.1 setup I have, but that will not work.

Here is a picture of the rear wall I want to put the speakers on. 2 speakers on each side of the a/c vent, then the other 1 above the window, then the other one opposite side same height.

They are not in ceiling speakers I'm using. They are the RS1 bookshelf speakers that will be up by the ceiling aiming down toward the listening area. I just have never had speakers up that high before.

I can see no reason why your speakers wouldn't sound good. I would put some kind of acoustic treatment up to help with your room.

Your 7.1 set-up should work fine, in so far as sounds at your sides will be distinct from sounds behind you. The kitchen soffit is a good place for the rear speakers, but I would spread them wider apart than just on either side of the vent. Measure from the prime listening location directly back to the soffit and multiply that distance by 1.2 to get the rear speaker separation.

The side speakers should be placed at your sides, exactly as you have them in your drawing. While it's not critical, you can mount the side speakers at the same height as the rears for consistency in the surround field.

Finally, don't worry about material specifically encoded with 7.1 discrete channels. Everything can benefit from a 7.1-speaker set-up. Sounds that would normally phantom image between the left & right surround speakers will be extracted and sent to the speakers behdind you. This will give you stable rear-vs-side imaging and good wrap-around envelopment in the surround field, irrespective of the number of channels in the source material.

Good Luck,
Sanjay

Your 7.1 set-up should work fine, in so far as sounds at your sides will be distinct from sounds behind you. The kitchen soffit is a good place for the rear speakers, but I would spread them wider apart than just on either side of the vent. Measure from the prime listening location directly back to the soffit and multiply that distance by 1.2 to get the rear speaker separation.

The side speakers should be placed at your sides, exactly as you have them in your drawing. While it's not critical, you can mount the side speakers at the same height as the rears for consistency in the surround field.

Finally, don't worry about material specifically encoded with 7.1 discrete channels. Everything can benefit from a 7.1-speaker set-up. Sounds that would normally phantom image between the left & right surround speakers will be extracted and sent to the speakers behdind you. This will give you stable rear-vs-side imaging and good wrap-around envelopment in the surround field, irrespective of the number of channels in the source material.

Good Luck,
Sanjay

When you say measure the distance, do you mean from the back of the couch to the front of the speaker? Or from the back of the couch to below the speakeras if the speaker was down to couch height?

Yes I was going to put them wider apart jsut said around the air vent to show the area. I just have to becareful because of the fire sprinkler that is there. I just hope the speakers are far enough behind me. I think it will be about 2-3 feet for the rears and 3-4 feet for the sides. I'm just getting excited about the new setup. changes.

I mean put one end of the tape measure where your ears will be and put the other end on the kitchen soffit, roughly where the mid-point between the two rear speakers will be. BTW, none of this has to be exact down to the inch; just get close and you'll be fine.

Sanjay

I mean put one end of the tape measure where your ears will be and put the other end on the kitchen soffit, roughly where the mid-point between the two rear speakers will be. BTW, none of this has to be exact down to the inch; just get close and you'll be fine.

Sanjay


Thats what I thought. Thank you.

I apologize in advance If I am in the wrong forum for this question, however Sdurani's name was quoted at the HSU website about their model HB-1 speaker. I am in a speaker quandary right at this moment.

I've heard enough to know that, I know more about sound then the majority of the retailers and the warm bodies working in those salons.

I am limited to bookshelf (WAF) for my Pioneer Pro-1140HD/ Yamaha RX-V2700/ OPPO 981 DVD. The HSU offers some very attractive pricing, but HOW DOES IT REALLY SOUND???? I am an audiophile first and foremost. This group of equipment IS NOT--WILL NOT ever be my primary audio system. (I own Theil, Bryston, VPI, Kimber, PS audio, Rotel)

It"S simply a TV for the family and the occasional movie or DVD. BUT I want accurate sound reproduction! Many of the bookshelf size speakers I've heard, sound like crap and look like it as well. The Definitive Technolgy line only gets good sounding when you approach the Stratosphere$$$. Under $2k, its tough pickings!!!!

I have strong leanings toward B&W 600 Series, but the matching sub. sucks and is under powered. If I go up the line then I am approaching $2k just for the sub.

ERGO, my interest in the HSU Horn speakers and their VTF-MK3 sub.

So what can you tell me about this combination SDURANI?

Thanks( in a hurry to spend $$$$$$)

ginovino,

I haven't heard the VTF-MK3, so I can't tell you what the combination will sound like. However, the Hsu bookshelf speakers sounded excellent to me. Everyone has particular aspects of speakers that they look for. My particular fetish is imaging. The Hsu speakers really deliver, throwing a terrific soundstage with pinpoint imaging across the front. Detail is crisp, without being trebly. Central imaging maintains itself even off axis, which is important when listeners are spread out around the family room.

Since they are so inexpensive and come with a money-back guarantee, I would suggest ordering a pair and listening for yourself (in the room you plan on using them, if possible). I don't like to buy speakers without listening first. Just because I like the Hsu bookshelves doesn't mean they'll suit your personal tastes. Plus there's good competition around/above that price point (Ascent CBM-170 SE). If you like what you hear with the Hsu bookshelves, order the centre and surrounds.

Sanjay

Agreed!

Isn't imaging what its all about with audio? Realism. depth, width, sound staging.

During this search I have listened to some very pricey systems (ERA, Mirage, Definitive and B&W among them). Most either didn't sound accurate, musical, imaged poorly or beamed the sound(tunnel effect). The exception in this bunch was the B&W 601 & 602.

In my previous post, I stated the B&W matching subs 600 & 675 were totally under powered and distorted quite easily with even modest movies effects. Moving up to the 700 series was a modest improvement and a significant $$$ increase. Then finally the 750 series started sounding like real music and it tops out at $2k!
I choose not to go beyond this level for just TV watching sound!

I suspect the HSU VTF-MK3 sub should easily outperform it for less $$$.

Could you share what other speakers ( brands you were also auditioning in your search?

In the meantime, I called HSU and spoke with someone, who was not particularly knowledgeable (Frankly, over his head) and kept reading me specs from the web site! He took my name & tel #, I expect that the good Dr. Himself may be calling me back!

In the absence of actually listening live, I am looking for a verbal sonic palette description to assess if the HSU HB-1 could satisfy my expectations. (shipping is a killer in these dealings). As things stand now, I'm looking at $2k+ complete with the B&W's if I end my search now... but in my heart, I will never know if the HSU could have been the better choice... See my dilemma?

Isn't imaging what its all about with audio?It's the priority for me, but not everyone feels the same way. Some want a pleasing spectral balance, others look mostly for tonal accuracy, etc. Could you share what other speakers ( brands you were also auditioning in your search?When I heard the Hsu bookshelves, I wasn't actually searching for new speakers. I listened to them on two separate days at an A/V expo (HE2006), and again at the Hsu Research facility (I brought my own CDs this time). As a reference point, I use Kef speakers; they're more laid back in the highs and have a bit more midrange than the Hsu bookshelves. I am looking for a verbal sonic palette description to assess if the HSU HB-1 could satisfy my expectations.Understand that that's like asking someone to describe the taste of chocolate in order to help you decide which flavour ice cream to buy. Difficult to guess someone else's personal taste, hence my suggestion to listen to a pair before buying the whole set-up.

Sanjay

HOT OFF THE PRESSES!

I just received an email response from the good Dr. Poh Hsu, who has advised me to "hold off buying the bookshelf speakers" as they are still refining the sound the sound of their own.

You heard it hear first folks!

Hsu is either introducing a new bookshelf or upgrading the sonic attributes of the current line. In either case it's has to be viewed as good news all around.