[dmw16]

We are settling on and moving into our first home in a few weeks. I've never had a 5.1 setup because we were moving from apartment to apartment and never wanted to make holes etc.


But now it's our place and if it's possible I'd love to setup a 5.1 setup. Right now I have a 2.1 setup with Rocket RS450 speakers and and all the other assorted electronics.


My question is, is there really any way to setup surround sound speakers given my floor plan. The challenges I see are as follows:


1. The seating arrangement isn't ideal for viewing, but we really don't want to break up the floor plan by running our fairly large couch width wise across the room.


2. The entire first floor (as small as it is) is one open area so I don't have much in the way of walls to mount to. The only real structure to mount the surrounds would be the bulkhead on the ceiling (maybe).


3. The center that matches my RS450's is very tall (RSC200) so I'd probably either need different TV stand (with accommodations for a larger center) or change speakers out to something that is lower profile. I don't have a major objection to either of these options.


4. Maybe not a real "problem" as such, but a clean install is really important for WAF (and for me to be happy really).


Just would love to hear some feedback or suggestions. Or maybe someone to just tell me it isn't possible given our floor plan and to just blow so money on a bigger sub and new "real" floorstanders.


EDIT:

Can't figure out how to upload a pic yet, so in the meantime, here's a link:


EDIT2:

Figured out how to post an image...

 

[PhattyBoomBatty]

Would the plasma fit against the wall directly across from your couch? If so, I think you would have better options for 5.1 speaker placement (as well as better viewing angles) than you would with the plasma in its current location.

 

[dmw16]

My picture kinda sucks, but that doesn't work nearly as well as it looks like it should. They have that setup in the model home, but basically your TV ends up near your dining table. On top of that, I like to sit on the floor right in front of the TV when playing Xbox.


The TV placement I think is ideal for how we use it and where the furniture is, just not ideal for the placement of speakers. I think my only hope would be to convert my 12x12 office into a theater room...or is 12x12 too small?

 

[PhattyBoomBatty]

If you're sticking with the present set up, I would stick one of the surrounds near the point where the left wall and that bulkhead intersect. The other surround I would place on the right wall straight across from the first surround.


Then when you set up your surround receiver, I would sit in your favorite sitting position and adjust the levels of the surround speakers to account for their less-than-optimal positioning.


Regarding the center channel, you should shop around for a while and see if you can find a nice TV stand that could accomodate a large center speaker.

 

[dmw16]



Quote:
Originally Posted by PhattyBoomBatty /forum/post/18200328


If you're sticking with the present set up, I would stick one of the surrounds near the point where the left wall and that bulkhead intersect. The other surround I would place on the right wall straight across from the first surround.


Then when you set up your surround receiver, I would sit in your favorite sitting position and adjust the levels of the surround speakers to account for their less-than-optimal positioning.


Regarding the center channel, you should shop around for a while and see if you can find a nice TV stand that could accomodate a large center speaker.

That's what I was thinking. The long pole in the hole thing will be the center channel I think. So far all of the stands I've seen that can hold something the size of the RSC200 are more expensive then I think the wife will sign off on right now especially considering all of the costs associated w/ moving.

 

[Stew4msu]

OK, no offense to the OP, because I see this often, but here's what I don't get:


How long do you plan on living there? A home is a major investment. Why would you purchase a home that has such a layout for something that's clearly important to you?


You'll probably spend more time in that room (awake) than in any other room in the house (combined). I would want the room I spend a lot of time in to be perfect if I'm making such a major purchase. I certainly wouldn't want to spend the next 5 - 20 years watching TV and Movies in a room that I knew was full of compromises.


It's like being a chef and buying a home with a really cramped kitchen.

 

[dmw16]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Stew4msu /forum/post/18200637


OK, no offense to the OP, because I see this often, but here's what I don't get:


How long do you plan on living there? A home is a major investment. Why would you purchase a home that has such a layout for something that's clearly important to you?


You'll probably spend more time in that room (awake) than in any other room in the house (combined). I would want the room I spend a lot of time in to be perfect if I'm making such a major purchase. I certainly wouldn't want to spend the next 5 - 20 years watching TV and Movies in a room that I knew was full of compromises.


It's like being a chef and buying a home with a really cramped kitchen.

No offense taken as it's a fair point.


I see us living there for about 7 years. It's our first home and I plan for our next house to have a basement to house a theater room.


The living room floor plan not providing for a theater setup was a small concession that had to be made for us to have a house that is otherwise ideal for us.


Worst case there is a 12x12 room that is my den/man-cave/potential mini-home theater room. Maybe the question I should have asked is, can a 12x12 room work as a theater?

 

[Stew4msu]

A 12X12 room can work as a 2 or 3 seat theater.

 

[dmw16]

Would normally be just me and the wife and maybe a few friends crammed in from time to time. I think getting enough gear for a 2nd setup will need to be a slightly longer term idea, but I can always start planning now...


I assume there are plenty of threads on here already that can help with a square room