I am looking into CIH, and want to do a very large screen (155" ish wide). I would like to do acoustically transparent but I cant afford any projector right now that will adequately light up an AT screen, so I think I will go with Dalite HP for now (I have a HP 133" 16:9 screen right now that I am going to replace).

I plan to purchase Klipsch THX ultra II speakers (the model 650 for fronts). All three are the same roughly 1ft square speakers.

Should I place them all across the bottom of the screen and in the same plane, or should the front right and left go on the sides of the screen and the center below? I cant do exactly ear height because I think that would make the screen too high, but I am open to hear suggestions or differing opinions on that.

I came up with that screen width because it keeps my current 65" height that I have and enjoy now, and I zoomed a 2:35 movie to fill that height and loved the immersion... it kept me watching the movies I was testing it with for quite a while...

thanks

Ever consider mounting it above the screen and pointing it at the listening position?

I haven't considered that much, but would. That would put them very high, something like 7 feet. Not sure that would be better than 2 feet off the ground...??

I am certainly open to the idea if its widely agreed that it would be better...

hifi, 7ft is fine if you point them towards the listening positions. IMO, thats better than two ft off the ground and point forward as that would be well below the listening positions more so than 7ft pointed down properly.

I'd ask in the 2.35 forum section. Several of those guys have been through the options in great detail. Know the pro's and cons.

Your seated ear height is only about 3.5 feet off the floor, so if you position them 2 feet up off the floor they'll be a lot closer than if you mounted them 7' up. Plus, mounting them above forces them to be on the walls, doesn't it? You don't want that. Ideally they'll be well into the room, away from boundaries. Your best option, if you have the room to do so without getting them close to the side walls, is to position them on the sides of the screen with the center below (2' off the floor, as you say). Because of the wider L/R placement, the difference in tweeter heights will be less important than if the front array was closer together.

Let's do the math. If your seated eye position is 42" (approx) off the floor and the screen is 65" high, std height (eyes at approx 1/3 up the screen) then the bottom of the screen will be at approx 23" off the floor - not counting frame - so figure 21".

Center of the screen will be at approx 54" off the floor. I don't know how high the ceiling is but the top of the screen (visible) will be at approx 88". In a room with an 8' ceiling, that would leave only 7" above assuming a 2" frame.

Once we know more of the variables, it'll be easier to see. If the ceiling is 8', not sure above is even physically an option no matter if it's closer or not.

Please check my math - tis early and only one cup of coffee...

Bryan

My room is about 16'9"W x 27'4" long and 10'8" at the front. Drops to 9 ft about mid way back.

THe screen itself (not frame) is at 25" high right now.

Oh and by the way, if I do the 2:35 setup with the screen size I want, that only leaves me about 2 feet on each side........ so that may be too close to a side wall to put the speakers on the sides? Maybe I am just being unreasonable on my screen size..

And right now the room is treated with 4 GIK 244s stacked at each front reflection point, and 6 GIK tri traps (two stacked in each front corner, two stacked in the rear left corner (rear right is an open hallway to a basement bathroom)

any more opinions of below the screen vs above?

I will say 155" scope screen? Man that seems unreasonable for most all rooms and seating I have come across.

Oh and by the way, if I do the 2:35 setup with the screen size I want, that only leaves me about 2 feet on each side........ so that may be too close to a side wall to put the speakers on the sides? Maybe I am just being unreasonable on my screen size..

That would be a bit of a squeeze, but it can work. You'll probably get best results if you toe the speakers in, pointed at the listening area, and make sure the walls are well treated with absorptive materials everywhere near the speaker. Taming the early reflections will help make up for the close proximity to the wall. If you can bear to shrink the screen a few inches, you'll gain a little more distance.

That is getting close to the sides but as was stated, we can hit beside them pretty hard and minimize the impact. That's a really big screen for that size room. Hope you have a REALLY good really bright PJ.

As for the center, with that high a ceiling, I'm thinking above is a better option.

Bryan