7.1 Speaker Placement Dilemma

BCA · 03-19-2008, 04:37 PM

I am at a dilemma and would like some input in making a decision regarding the placement of the side speakers.
I am turning my basement into a multi-use rec-room/home theatre that is roughly shaped like a T.
My main area of the room is 12’10” wide x 31’8” long. I plan on a 100” screen on the short wall, with my seating about 13’-15’ feet from the screen. There will be a pool table at the other end of the room so I am limited to maximum of 15’ for my seating spot.
There is a support beam that runs the length of the room with a support pole that is 19’ from the screen. I am going enclose the beam and pole in drywall.

My two choices for mounting the side speakers that I have are:

Position A. Mounting them on the support beam, and possibly pointing them down towards the couch. This would put them in the proper side position, but they would be about 4-5’ above the viewer on either side of the room.

Position B. Mounting them at ear level, one on the support pole and the other on the outside wall, possibly aiming them forward toward the viewers.
This would put them at the proper height, but they would be about 4-5’ behind the viewer.

My two rear channels will be on the back wall which I don’t think should be a problem for the receiver to compensate for distance wise, but I’m not sure about the sides.

Which position of the two would be the lesser of two evils?

I currently have a Denon AVR-3300, but will be replacing it with an AVR-3808CI.

Thanks,
Brent

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MacD · 03-19-2008, 08:47 PM

That does look like a dilema. I've attached Dolby's quick, down and dirty guide to placement on a 7.1 setup for reference. The sides normally are 90 to 110 degrees from the sitting position. Too far back and you'll loose the effect of the rears.

If you have the ability, the absolute best way would be to wire for both positions and then just try them out and see which one you like better. I'm no expert but I would probably opt for the postion along side of the seating rather than behind in order to better enhance rears and the 7.1 effect.

Good luck.

http://www.dolby.com/assets/pdf/cons...ainment/71.pdf

chuckg · 03-20-2008, 09:29 AM

My guess is that having the speakers too high will be less noticeable than having them too far back...Notice that in cinemas, the side speakers are pretty high up on the walls.

BCA · 03-20-2008, 09:56 AM

I was really having a hard time making a decision between the two positions, but it does seem like having them to the sides and high will be the better choice.

Thanks guys.

Brent

joseph westcott · 03-21-2008, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCA

I am at a dilemma and would like some input in making a decision regarding the placement of the side speakers.
I am turning my basement into a multi-use rec-room/home theatre that is roughly shaped like a T.
My main area of the room is 12’10” wide x 31’8” long. I plan on a 100” screen on the short wall, with my seating about 13’-15’ feet from the screen. There will be a pool table at the other end of the room so I am limited to maximum of 15’ for my seating spot.
There is a support beam that runs the length of the room with a support pole that is 19’ from the screen. I am going enclose the beam and pole in drywall.

My two choices for mounting the side speakers that I have are:

Position A. Mounting them on the support beam, and possibly pointing them down towards the couch. This would put them in the proper side position, but they would be about 4-5’ above the viewer on either side of the room.

Position B. Mounting them at ear level, one on the support pole and the other on the outside wall, possibly aiming them forward toward the viewers.
This would put them at the proper height, but they would be about 4-5’ behind the viewer.

My two rear channels will be on the back wall which I don’t think should be a problem for the receiver to compensate for distance wise, but I’m not sure about the sides.

Which position of the two would be the lesser of two evils?

I currently have a Denon AVR-3300, but will be replacing it with an AVR-3808CI.

Thanks,
Brent

Your planned seating distance is too close to the center of the room. This is an audio null area. Not good. Your seating distance should be 2/3 back away from the short wall (which I am glad to see you selected the correct wall for the front speakers).

7.1 is overrated. Not much material is available for rent or purchase that even provides support. My suggestion is stick to a well designed and placed 5.1 system.

It is much more acceptable to use surround speakers at a higher position on the wall. Not so for the front three channels. Rears are for ambient sound.

Any testing to see where the best subwoofer placement is?

BCA · 03-21-2008, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joseph westcott

Your planned seating distance is too close to the center of the room. This is an audio null area. Not good. Your seating distance should be 2/3 back away from the short wall (which I am glad to see you selected the correct wall for the front speakers).

7.1 is overrated. Not much material is available for rent or purchase that even provides support. My suggestion is stick to a well designed and placed 5.1 system.

It is much more acceptable to use surround speakers at a higher position on the wall. Not so for the front three channels. Rears are for ambient sound.

Any testing to see where the best subwoofer placement is?

The 15’ distance is the most I can do, and my thinking was having it there is the side speakers were mounted at the distance of the support pole. I think a more realistic spot will be in the 11’-12’ area.

The planned use of the room will be geared more towards a “family room” than a true “home theatre” with 5 out of the 7 days spent watching television on a traditional RP model. Then using the projector when watching a DVD movie on concealed pull down screen. As much as I would like to build two more walls and make it a dedicated room, my wife would not permit that.
I’m doing all of the building myself but I will probably hire out the drywall part. I have about 50% of the room framed in and I am currently at the wire routing stages.

I haven’t done any sound testing yet, but do to aesthetics; I will probably be limited to corners of the room. My current thinking is to wire for subwoofer placements on either side of the screen, and then one more in the corner of the room near the rear channels.
I could probably get away with having a subwoofer placed anywhere along the long wall as well, if you think that would be better.

Again, most of the home theatre part of the project will be a compromise of sorts; I’m just trying to make the best of what I have to work with without getting a big veto from the wife.

Thanks,
Brent

Kevin Stewart · 03-25-2008, 11:17 PM

You want the sides a few feet above ear level, so option #1 is the right option.

It would be nice if you could move the rears up somehow, but you have to do what you have to do.

As far as 7.1 being overrated, I couldn't disagree more. If you have a good receiver that can do ProLogicIIx, it can matrix any soundtrack into 7.1, so it doesn't matter how few actual titles have 7.1. Once you watch a movie in IIx with a properly set up 7.1 system, you'll never want 5.1 again.

MacD · 03-26-2008, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Stewart

You want the sides a few feet above ear level, so option #1 is the right option.

It would be nice if you could move the rears up somehow, but you have to do what you have to do.

As far as 7.1 being overrated, I couldn't disagree more. If you have a good receiver that can do ProLogicIIx, it can matrix any soundtrack into 7.1, so it doesn't matter how few actual titles have 7.1. Once you watch a movie in IIx with a properly set up 7.1 system, you'll never want 5.1 again.

I have to 2nd Kevin's assessment on the 7.1. For the price of 2 more surrounds, I think it is well worth it. I had 5.1 for the past 5 years in my last home and just started my home theater room in the basement of my new home. I hooked everything up temporarily just to make sure I had the projector and screen set right and I can definitely tell the difference in the sound with the 7.1 set up. If you are only looking for true 7.1 tracks then the 5.1'ers make a valid point about it not being worth it because of the very, very limited #'s out there. However, if you have a large enough room to fill with sound, I think the 7.1 adds enough noticeable affect in the room to go with it and enjoy it.

Good Luck.



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