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Question on 7.1 speaker placement

post #1 of 9
8/6/10 at 5:01pm
Thread Starter 
I have a dedicated front projection media room with a 7.1 setup, and I've never been quite happy with the sound coming from the surrounds. I have two rows of recliners, with the side surrounds (Paridigm dipoles) wall-mounted on the side walls slightly in front of the back row of sets. The two back surrounds are also dipoles and are wall mounted on the back wall above and behind the back row. Even though my sound levels are set correctly, the side surrounds don't seem to have much impact, especially in the front row. So it got me thinking. Since there is still so little 7.1 content out there, would I be better off disconnecting the sides and using the back surrounds in a 5.1 setup, at least until 7.1 soundtracks are more commonplace?
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post #2 of 9
8/6/10 at 5:19pm

Do you mean replacing the side surrounds with the back surrounds?  Or adding a second side surround to each side?

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post #3 of 9
8/6/10 at 5:21pm

Here is how Dolby recommends they be setup: http://www.dolby.com/consumer/setup/speaker-setup-guide/index.html If anyone should know the correct way............. right?

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post #4 of 9
8/7/10 at 9:57am
Thread Starter 
I'm basically thinking of disconnecting the sides and using the backs instead for 5.1
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post #5 of 9
8/7/10 at 10:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasStation View Post

I'm basically thinking of disconnecting the sides and using the backs instead for 5.1


Receiver doesn't work that way. For 5.1 you'd disconnect the backs.

If you disconnect the sides, you won't get any sound from the backs at all, unless maybe it's a 7.1 movie.

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post #6 of 9
8/7/10 at 7:43pm
Thread Starter 

Sorry if I didn't clarify myself, but I was actually looking to disconnect my sides, then connect my back surrounds to Surround A on the receiver, thus sending the 5.1 output to the back surrounds, instead of the sides.

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post #7 of 9
8/8/10 at 10:18am

Jim,

 

Only thing you can do is try it.  If the sound is not what you want, you can always put it back.  

 

What receiver do you have?  Some of the newer models have technology in them to 'enhance' the surrounds when played below reference.  Have you tried increasing the trims for the surrounds?

 

It could be your room is not well suited to dipoles.  If your front and back walls have alot of absorption, then dipoles may not work properly.  Direct radiating or bipoles may be better.

 

Experiment until you like it.  There's no law that says you have to put the speakers where everyone suggests.  

 

Good luck.

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post #8 of 9
8/8/10 at 1:57pm
Thread Starter 
Ya, I will go ahead and give it a shot. I have a Denon AVR-3808 receiver. I've spent a lot of long, frustrating months trying to get the sound right using Audyssey, but had a lot of bass problems in there (too much bass in the back and not enough in the front). I finally just calibrated it the old-fashioned way with an SPL meter. It's an enclosed, rectangular-shaped room, about 13" X 19". Nothing special done to the walls...just drywall and insulation. I wonder if direct radiating speakers would've been the better way to go.
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post #9 of 9
8/8/10 at 5:00pm

Take a look at the Audyssey guide in my sig.  You have Dynamic EQ which will increase the surround volume (and bass) when you listen below reference.  Not sure how much you played with this (you have to have MultEQ enabled for it to work).  May be worth a re-visit....

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