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Off Center TV, How to I handle the Center Channel

post #1 of 4
5/7/12 at 11:46am
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Hello All,

We are currently building our house and are starting to make decisions on where to place the 5.1 speakers. They do a standard location for teh 5 channels and it woudl be just fine if we didnt go with the fireplace opetion, however with the fireplace we have to hand the TV above it which places it off center by about 3-5 feet. We dont mind the location of it and know its not ideal for 5.1 but we were wondering what the best placment for the center channel would be, in the ceiling in the center of the room (3-5 feet right of the center of TV) or centered on the TV mounted to the fireplace. I attached a picture below.

Red- Sofa (the long part facing the TV is a chaise)/Chairs
Green - TV
Blue - Standard 5 chanel pre-wire speaker locations (Approximate locations in ceiling)


Thanks for your help!
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post #2 of 4
5/7/12 at 12:02pm
The center channel needs to centered either above or below the TV, to anchor the sound to the picture. Otherwise you will experience a disconnect, i.e. the human brain won't like it.

Another option is to run a "phantom" center. No center channel, and the L&R mains carry the center channel.
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post #3 of 4
5/7/12 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by underminded999 View Post

The center channel needs to centered either above or below the TV, to anchor the sound to the picture. Otherwise you will experience a disconnect, i.e. the human brain won't like it.

Another option is to run a "phantom" center. No center channel, and the L&R mains carry the center channel.

That won't help since the phantom will be off the center of the screen too. Fireplaces and TVs are about the worst bedfellows and should by law be banned from coming within 20' of each other.
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post #4 of 4
5/7/12 at 9:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ruledawg View Post

Hello All,

We are currently building our house and are starting to make decisions on where to place the 5.1 speakers. They do a standard location for teh 5 channels and it woudl be just fine if we didnt go with the fireplace opetion, however with the fireplace we have to hand the TV above it which places it off center by about 3-5 feet. We dont mind the location of it and know its not ideal for 5.1 but we were wondering what the best placment for the center channel would be, in the ceiling in the center of the room (3-5 feet right of the center of TV) or centered on the TV mounted to the fireplace. I attached a picture below.

Red- Sofa (the long part facing the TV is a chaise)/Chairs
Green - TV
Blue - Standard 5 chanel pre-wire speaker locations (Approximate locations in ceiling)


Thanks for your help!

If you can make the decisions, tell the builder where to install the wires as well as what kind of wire to use. Don't assume that he will do this right. Your pic is not perfectly clear, but why can't you place a left spkr on the left of the TV, a right on the right side of the TV and a center below the TV on the mantle. Try to keep all tweeters in line with each other and the TV. If you want to mount the spkrs in the ceiling, follow the same advice and keep all three front spkrs in line with each other.
Personally I wouldn't combine heat, ashes, smoke, and fire with delicate electronics. You are also in for a stiff neck after a long movie or football game if you mount the TV above the fireplace.
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