Do people actually use this surround set-up? (1 Viewer)

[Alf S]

I've been looking at some real estate sites lately since we have the bug to move to a bigger house, and came across the following pic:



I've seen this before at stores but do people REALLY put surround speakers on top of their FRONT speakers in their home set ups and think they are getting surround sound?

If so, there are some clueless folks in the world.

I mean when you go to the movies it's pretty obvious the surround sounds come from the BACK of the theater.

Who knows, maybe they put them there since they were moving and didn't want wires all around..

 

[Philip_T]

You mean those aren't the tweeters??????

 

[Henry Gale]

The person who swiped the painting from over the mantle probably moved those surround speakers.

From the looks of that "Home Theater" and furniture, I'd say someone spent well over five or six hundred dollars on that room.

 

[Josh Simpson]

Sadly, there are some people I know who do that. For the most part though, I hope that if people go to the trouble to buy surround sound system, they will want it to actually "surround" them.

Of course, some people have logic that confuses me at times, especially to things pertaining home theater.

 

[Mike Wladyka]

I like the directions that the main speakers are pointing. Talk about wide soundstage.

 

[andrew markworthy]

IMHO, a person who thought that was satisfactory home decorating is more than capable of having a speaker arrangement like that.

Alf, are you sure that picture isn't from a 'how not to decorate' book?

 

[MickeS]

I have my surround speakers up front like that... Of course, that's just because I haven't gotten around to figuring out a good way to install them by the listening position, so when I watch a movie I just carry them out on their stands and position them correctly, then put them back up front again when the movie is over.

Maybe that's what they did in the picture too. Or they could be moving, like you said. Or just plain lazy and don't care.

/Mike

 

[Micheal]

I've seen a setup like this as well, it was a permanent setup.
I commented on it...

 

[Zen Butler]

Looks as if they just moved in, or are on their way out. Looks temporary. Damn, my front room is similar. Twice the size but same retarded fireplace location. I bet you a c-note, that ghetto-ass blue chair is comfortable as all hell.

With that kind of room, he's got a lot more challenges other than surround location.

 

[Shawn C]

Most people I know have similar looking setups. This is why I hate most new homes on the market these days. Fireplaces are almost ALWAYS stuck in a position that ruins your chances to properly place your equipment. OR, they give you that little niche next to the fireplace, 1 foot way from a corner, to put at the most a 27" tv.

 

[ChrisHeflen]

I can count five people I know that do that and I agree, why pay for it if your not gonna use it?

Shawn, it must be our state as it does seem like with all the new construction that the rooms are all chopped up and small and useless. Unless you pay big bucks or design and have it built, you are gonna get sh#@ for a house that is set right on top of your neighbors house. Hey lets have the nieghbors over, ok I'll open the window.

 

[Neil White]

Chris, it's not restricted to your state. Many family rooms in new homes here in sunny TX have the same issue - fireplace in the middle of the only wall capable of taking a TV etc and then a built-in in the wall to the side, in the corner of the room with no way to hook anything up. I was fortunate in my home as the corner of the room was angled and allowed a little more flexibility plus I am lucky enough to have a dedicated media room where no such problem exists. But the design issue is by far alive and well in at least TX. I suppose a fireplace is considered more of a focal point that a TV. However, here is TX, it's kind of obvious what get's more use!

N

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Hey! I didn't give you permission to take my HT pic off my webpage and post it here!



I keed, I keed, I have an SVS subwoofer.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Same in the UK, but builders are beginning to take notice that not everyone needs or wants a fireplace (with central heating, what's the point?). Our current house was new when we bought it and not only was the fireplace an option (we didn't take it) but also in one corner there was a bank of eight electrical sockets (on separate spurs) and an extra phone socket (for satellite and cable connections). Bliss! My parents are (all being well) about to buy a brand new house which is still being built. They've been given the option of having the fireplace excluded (and if they don't want it, they get money back).

Is it just me, or does the room in the photo look like it needs reorganising? Everything looks cramped and pushed into corners. Furthermore, why, as Henry noted, no pictures? With the windows at ground level, you need something to lift the gaze upwards.

 

[Alf S]

Although our house is only 1850 sq ft, I glad they knew how to make living rooms back in 1983.





Fireplace is "correctly" installed on the right side away from the main "entertainment wall instead of smack dab in the middle like many new homes.

 

[BrettB]

Alf, that long skinny table up against the wall, we have one exactly like it. The big coffee table (and possibly the armoire)... is that Fontana? What are those long antennea looking things on top of the armoire?

 

[Alf S]

You got it..Fontana.



Oh those funny lookin things on top of the TV are now GONE thanks to Directv's local channels!

 

[Shane Roach]

The closest I've personally seen to that is five equally sized small speakers in a fan array on top of the cabinet holding the 34" TV and gear. When they came to our house, I think seeing the "decorator" wires for the surrounds (which just happened to match the walls without being painted) inspired them to try to do it right.



I'll echo comments about trouble finding living rooms suited to HT setups. When we were looking at houses, most places had fireplaces or semi-open walls in what would have been the best spots for A/V gear. The place we got had big airy rooms, hardwood floors throughout, and a living room with a fireplace on one of the short walls and nothing on the opposite one. Absolutely perfect. I found it sort of ironic that the best house for HT in our search was built in 1947.