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My Front Speakers - Placement ideas/suggestions (1 Viewer)

Chris Hovanic

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Jan 3, 2003
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I am in the beginning stages of setting up my Home Theater/Family Room (no dedicated theater for me:frowning: )

I have a built in cubby for my future RPTV. The cubby measures about 60" wide and has built-in book cases on either side. At the top of each book case the builder had pre-wired for speakers. Please check out the pictures

I will be purchasing a 57" Toshiba Cinema Series 57HDX82 and moving all my gear into a small closet at the rear of the family room. (see floor plan)

Rear speakers are prewired near the ceiling at the rear of the room. The room is open to a breakfast nook and the kitchen.

I am looking at a set of Energy Take 5 speakers and plan to upgrade down the road. I was wondering where I should place the front left and right speakers?

1st Option:
If dimensions work out (with the 57HDX82)I could place the left and right speakers on a stand or shelf in the cubby on either side of the TV at the desired height. Is this too close to the TV?

2nd Option:
I could use speaker stands in-between the cubby and the built in book cases at the desired height. This of course will intrude some into the room

3rd Option:
Place speakers on top shelf of each built-in book case. I believe that front left and right speakers placed that high would not be ideal.

I would love to hear some comments on my speaker placement choices.

I only have two pictures right now. A cleaned up floorplan and a straight on shot of the front wall.

My Home Theater Pics

Thanks
 
Joined
Aug 19, 2002
Messages
23
I would probably go with option 2 and put the speakers in that space between the opening and the bookshelves. The other consideration would be to block part of the bookshelves by putting them all the way over to the sides. I would see which one sounds better, but you may find the wider placement will have a better theater sound to it. I don't think you want them on the top shelf and if you're getting a 57" TV, your mains won't fit in the opening along with the TV.
 

Chris Hovanic

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Messages
545
Dan thanks for the reply. I was leaning to Option 2 and since posting checked the dimensions of the speakers and the 57HDX82. Just not enough room to squeze them in.

I think having the ability to move the speakers around on stands makes the most sense. Gives me lots of room to tweak to get that perfect sound.

Thanks again
 

Rich Malloy

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Apr 9, 2000
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3,998
Stands will sound much, much better than placing them on shelves. And not only in terms of greater mobility, but also because shelving units create resonances (like poorly constructed, unbraced, undamped speakers) that color the sound.

And you definitely need to get the speakers out into the room, well away from the "front wall" if you want them to image correctly. The front of my speakers are 3-1/2 ft out from the front-wall, and this is the absolute minimum distance in my setup before the soundstage starts to get "mushy" and compressed sounding. If moved closer to the wall, I also lose the sense of depth, the three-dimensional space that makes music/sound truly realistic. You may not need to place the smaller Energy speakers quite so far from the wall, but I'd think it'd have to be at least 2 ft out.

Ideally, your speakers should be as far apart from one another as each of them is from your prime listening position (forming an equilateral triangle), however I've noticed that alot of home theater setups tend to scrunch the main speakers in real close to the TV.
 

Chris Hovanic

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Messages
545
Thanks Rich :emoji_thumbsup: Great points.

I have to keep this room a family room as well so I feel I will lose out to the boss when it comes to my final speaker placement :frowning: (dang bosses ;) ) But I can use that iformation to influence the boss as much as I can...

Thanks again
 

GarySI

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May 27, 2002
Messages
113
The fronts seem to be a little too close together. If you are going to sit about 10' from the set the sound will almost be mono. Get the speakers further apart. You can always put them back when not in use. I would also get them further from the rear wall when in use. I agree with the stands option. The worst thing you can do is put them on a bookshelf. The rears hould not be too close to the ceiling. Use stands for them, or mount them on the side walls at least a foot below the ceiling.
Positioning is the most important of all variables in a listening room..
 

Rich Malloy

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Apr 9, 2000
Messages
3,998
A little hint on placement: put them as close to where they should be as the boss will allow, and then inch them forward incrementally over time. I wish I had some time-lapse photography to illustrate the slow migration of my speakers out into the room... the pace was glacial, but entirely unnoticed! :emoji_thumbsup:
 

Chris Hovanic

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Messages
545
**** Edited for Browser / High Severloads (dual post - see post below) Admin Feel free to delete this post ****
 

Chris Hovanic

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Messages
545
Thanks Guys....

Ken, the shelves are built in and would require major demolition (which I love but "The Boss" hates ;) ) so that option is a no go. + that is where I am storing all my DVD's and CD's

Gary, Thanks for the info... I plan on using stands for the front speakers and will have to play with placement to get the best sound. As for my rear speakers they are wired and mounted near the ceiling (not sure how far below the ceiling they are). Because of the "openness" of my room I will have to be happy with their placement.

Once I get the new speakers mounted I will get some pics up on my site.

Thanks again everyone for your ideas and suggestions :emoji_thumbsup:
 

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