Off-center placement of center channel speaker (1 Viewer)

Hello everyone. I searched but was unable to find an answer to my question. If it’s out there & I missed it please direct me there & accept my apology. Here goes. I’m looking to install a home theater in our den (approx. 18x19), which is under construction & not yet drywalled. It will have a ceiling mounted projector putting a 120-130 inch image onto the screen. The 3 front speakers will be mounted in the wall behind an acoustic screen. Here’s the issue. A wall stud is directly in the center of the wall (screen center) meaning that the center speaker will need to be installed slightly to one side of that wall stud. Obviously, being behind the screen means that it won’t be noticeable visually but will I be able to hear that it’s slightly off-center? I had an installer out today to run the wires & he said I wouldn’t notice it, but I have to admit that it concerns me a little. It’s very important to me that the screen be in the center of the wall, so shifting it over isn’t an option. All of the other speaker locations fall right into place with this screen location. The center one is the only issue. Any thoughts, ideas, or advice are most welcome. Thanks.

Jeff

That wall stud where the center goes...Have the builder cut that stud and "add a box" there.If the builder or framer gives you a "what does that mean?"...Hope it isn't too late to fire everybody and get new people in there.

You WILL notice it. I have pretty much NEVER seen a contractor that actually understood acoustics, so I'd never go with their recommendation. Do it right the first time or you'll be doing it over.

John Garcia said:

You WILL notice it. I have pretty much NEVER seen a contractor that actually understood acoustics, so I'd never go with their recommendation. Do it right the first time or you'll be doing it over.

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Exactly why I freelance with a few different home builders.You'd think they'd eventually catch on...They don't. I still have to redo orders every now and again. I'll spec some acoustic drywall...and it will be missing on the order...

Why don't you just shift the screen?

Thanks for the responses guys. I really like the "box" idea so I'm going to go with that. That'll put that speaker right in the center where it belongs. My builder is coming over tomorrow morning so I'll go over the specifics with him then. Thanks again.

Don't forget the acoustic drywall for this room. You may want two sheets and green glue.

Mark-P said:

Why don't you just shift the screen?

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I was going to say that as well, but I presumed that would then create an asymmetric arrangement on the wall which could be both visually and acoustically undesirable or there may be fitment/positioning reasons why that might not work. Since the OP asked about the speaker position, it sounds like the location of the screen is a big enough factor that properly positioning the speaker is the better choice.

If it's a load bearing wall, it may be a bad idea to install a box unless it is properly braced. If it's not a load bearing wall, no problem.

One other option is to install a false wall at the front of the room. then you can configure the speakers without worrying about where the current studs reside.

The problem has been taken care of. The center wall stud was removed & replaced by two, separated by 1 foot. That gives plenty of room with no loss of structural integrity. Thanks again.