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Center speaker below w/ L&R or above by itself?

post #1 of 8
2/14/08 at 8:09am
Thread Starter 
With my set up I can only fit the L&R speakers below the screen about 20" off the floor. I have room to put the center speaker over the screen as it is of a horizontal configuration. Am I better off with the center by itself above with the L&R below or keep all three below the screen. The screen is a 105" diagonal 16:9.
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post #2 of 8
2/14/08 at 8:17am
I'm in a similar situation and have decided to suspend my center from above the screen - but I will have my floorstanders to the left and right of the screen. What type of left/right speakers do you have (bookshelves, cubes, etc)? I would say as long as the left/rights are equidistant from each other and the center channel isn't too far from them you should be ok.
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post #3 of 8
2/14/08 at 9:55am
The ideal is three identical speakers placed at seated ear height.

The compromise is to keep the center within 24" vertically of the left and right. Be sure to aim all speakers.
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post #4 of 8
2/14/08 at 11:12am
The general concensus has been to place it above the screen when a parallel config is not possible. You have less obstructions (feet, bodies when going with 2 rows), when placing above.
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post #5 of 8
2/14/08 at 4:56pm
Thread Starter 
The speakers are book shelf speakers. The room is 12 feet wide and 7 feet high with 22" bi-fold doors right up the the sides of the screen. The doors are for the sump pump on one side and the water meter on the other. The only way all three speakers will be in line is if they are all below the screen. If I put the center above the screen, (which is what I am leaning toward, it will be 51 inches above the R&L speakers.
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post #6 of 8
2/14/08 at 7:26pm
I have a similar setup to you.

Regardless of what is recommended for the center itself (in terms of front row obstructions, etc) I would argue that it's far more important to keep all three LCRs as vertically even as possible in order to maintain a more coherent soundstage. 20" off the floor isn't that bad when seated; I would definitely keep the center in line with the mains and aim all three slightly upwards rather than putting the center by itself and forcing more than 4 feet of vertical space between it and the side units.
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post #7 of 8
2/15/08 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
snowkarver,

Good point. Like you my ceiling is pretty low at 6'11". I suppose if I don't put the center speaker above the screen I could actually raise the screen several inches which would bring the the speakers under the screen up those inches. Now I would be looking at about 24" - 26" for all three speakers.
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post #8 of 8
2/15/08 at 7:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by agiffey View Post

snowkarver,

Good point. Like you my ceiling is pretty low at 6'11". I suppose if I don't put the center speaker above the screen I could actually raise the screen several inches which would bring the the speakers under the screen up those inches. Now I would be looking at about 24" - 26" for all three speakers.


I find there's really not much point having excess space above the screen when the ceiling is that low - with the image centered at seated eye level, the top of the screen is pretty much at the ceiling anyway.

Definitely move the screen up and reclaim the space for the speakers underneath. In a low headroom build without an acoustically transparent screen, I believe this to be the best configuration.
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