[drew4392]

Was hoping I could get a few extra opinions on a rear speaker setup in this room. Now I dont have a better pic because I forgot to take extra pics when I was there last. We are wrapping up escrow, and looking forward to building the HT in the living room!


The problem is I dont know how/where to mount/stand the rear speakers. I made some marks on the attached pic showing where I think they will go.


My concerns:


If they do have to be mounted above head, I dont think I can get bookshelf speakers as I was planning. Dont they need to at ear level (on stands, for instance) or at least pointing to the listening area? I think the speakers must go way up over head in this particular room.


If that is the case, I would need smaller satellites that I could angle down, right??


I appreciate the help!

 

[gooki]

Can you mount them directly to the left/right of the couch?

 

[hphase]



Quote:
Originally Posted by drew4392 /forum/post/16964385


Was hoping I could get a few extra opinions on a rear speaker setup in this room. Now I dont have a better pic because I forgot to take extra pics when I was there last. We are wrapping up escrow, and looking forward to building the HT in the living room!


The problem is I dont know how/where to mount/stand the rear speakers. I made some marks on the attached pic showing where I think they will go.


My concerns:


If they do have to be mounted above head, I dont think I can get bookshelf speakers as I was planning. Dont they need to at ear level (on stands, for instance) or at least pointing to the listening area? I think the speakers must go way up over head in this particular room.


If that is the case, I would need smaller satellites that I could angle down, right??


I appreciate the help!

That is a very open space. Apart from everyone in the house hearing what you are watching, there are a few options. The speakers need to come down off the ceiling (OK, the soffitt.) The rears can be above ear level, but "voice of God" speakers are not in the 5.1 format. Put them on the rear wall about 6.5 off the floor (so you don't walk into them) and spread them as far apart as you can, pointing them into the listening area. Maybe consider side speakers on the wall near the couch.

 

[Jim Hef]

I would also suggest the rear wall, spread as far apart as possible. Go to the Dolby website and find the layout pattern that is suggested for 5.1 sound. That will show you the intended range of speaker spread in terms of degrees off axis. You probably won't be able to achieve this, but it will explain what they are trying to do to give the best sound and surround effect.

 

[drew4392]



Quote:
Originally Posted by gooki /forum/post/16964586


Can you mount them directly to the left/right of the couch?

i could mount one of them to the wall (above the fireplace), but the other side has a 4ft wall and a rail separating the two levels (living and dining rooms). I could mount the speaker just below the rail, but I think that might be too low?


The room is 21' long... front where the TV will be mounted to the rear wall. I like that suggestion. That seems like it would work. If its not too far from the listening area.


I'll check out the Dolby site and see what I can learn about the dynamics of a 5.1 setup.


Thanks again!

 

[hphase]



Quote:
Originally Posted by drew4392 /forum/post/16965490


i could mount one of them to the wall (above the fireplace), but the other side has a 4ft wall and a rail separating the two levels (living and dining rooms). I could mount the speaker just below the rail, but I think that might be too low?


The room is 21' long... front where the TV will be mounted to the rear wall. I like that suggestion. That seems like it would work. If its not too far from the listening area.


I'll check out the Dolby site and see what I can learn about the dynamics of a 5.1 setup.


Thanks again!

If you want a brutally honest opinion, that room is really not suitable for a home theatre-type setup. Unfortunately, neither are many of the rooms that a lot of people here are searching for opinions about.


Aesthetics, combined with unmoveable elements like windows, fireplaces, stairs, etc, often combine to just make some spaces unsuitable for this purpose.

 

[drew4392]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hphase /forum/post/16965940


If you want a brutally honest opinion, that room is really not suitable for a home theatre-type setup. Unfortunately, neither are many of the rooms that a lot of people here are searching for opinions about.


Aesthetics, combined with unmoveable elements like windows, fireplaces, stairs, etc, often combine to just make some spaces unsuitable for this purpose.

Yep, that is true. But, we gotta do the best we can with what we have.


I will mount the speakers on the rear wall.

 

[Ugly1]

It will be difficult to say the least for even the best speaker placement/room correction algorithm to pull the cieling mounted speakers down and put them where they are supposed to be. I can't imagine evn the best software doing well in that scenario but I don't personally have experience with the best software so maybe I'm wrong.


I've always been of the opinion that it's best to set up my gear and room as close to perfect as I possible can and use the correction algorithms bridge whatever hopefully tiny gaps remain. My experience tells me the algorithm limitations are too easy to find and once outside those bounds you're stuck. IOW your proposed layout looks pretty drastically hard to correct IMO.

 

[hphase]



Quote:
Originally Posted by drew4392 /forum/post/16966152


Yep, that is true. But, we gotta do the best we can with what we have.

But sometimes you have to know when to say no. Having a theatre on a main thoroughfare from the front door to the rest of the house will always be a problem.


Go ahead and move the speakers.

 

[drew4392]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hphase /forum/post/16967138


Go ahead and move the speakers.

I see what you are saying. But where are you suggesting I move them? Overhead instead of back wall?



Thanks

 

[hphase]



Quote:
Originally Posted by drew4392 /forum/post/16967308


I see what you are saying. But where are you suggesting I move them? Overhead instead of back wall?



Thanks

No, no. Put them on the back wall.

 

[gooki]



Quote:
i could mount one of them to the wall (above the fireplace), but the other side has a 4ft wall and a rail separating the two levels (living and dining rooms). I could mount the speaker just below the rail, but I think that might be too low?

In that case, I would mount one above the fireplace, and the other on a stand at the same height.