Need help setting up the living room (1 Viewer)

[Mark Vaykhansky]

Hey guys I need your help.

I’ve recently moved to a new flat and I’m currently planning my living room.


When we’ve been working on the design of the house we didn’t take into account the stereo system and hence there’s a little design problem right now.


This is the plan for the living room as viewed from my sitting position on the couch:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img673/4503/UW2CmM.png

this is how it looks now:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img538/6686/Tto0wt.jpg

This is the how the living room is supposed to look from the TV’s stand point looking at the couch:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img673/333/FA0o1U.png

This is how it really looks:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img661/2408/c9Ywz0.jpg


My living room blend with the guest table, the entrance door and the kitchen like so:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img673/205/9LTyBz.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img905/9151/xWOGqv.jpg


I hope you understand a little bit how the entire place looks


As can see in the design of the TV wall the piece of furniture underneath the TV is supposed to be from the left to the right border wall with no gaps.


This places the following questions:

1. Where do I put my front speakers? Should I make a gap for them like so:http://www.hometheater.co.il/files/(3701)_img_2973.jpg or maybe lean them of the funiture like so:http://www.hometheater.co.il/files/35388~img617.jpg
2. My major question is whether I need a subwoofer or not. In case I do, where do I put it? I guess the it should sit as low as possible so I don’t see how I can fit it in the front.

3. Do I need a centre speaker in the front? In case I do, why? I have no clue in audio



A few details that might help:

1. the viewing distance is 3.5m
2. the ceiling hight is 2.5m
3. there are mounts up the wall for the back speakers
4. I will replace all the front and the TV. First I want to plan the sound system.

Thanks a lot!!

 

[schan1269]

If you center the TV a bit better, you got plenty of space for speakers on both sides. What else were you going to put there?

As for rears, can you wall mount? If no, something like the Totem Arro.

 

[Jason Charlton]

2. My major question is whether I need a subwoofer or not. In case I do, where do I put it? I guess the it should sit as low as possible so I don’t see how I can fit it in the front.


3. Do I need a centre speaker in the front? In case I do, why? I have no clue in audio

The answer to 3 is yes, you do need a center channel speaker. The center channel is arguably the most important speaker in a home theater system because it carries most of the dialog. In addition, since modern movie soundtracks often involve lots of sounds panning around the listener, much of what is normally carried by the main Left/Right front speakers often bleeds into the center channel as well.


It's because of this "bleed" that in addition to "needing" a center channel, it's also quite important that the center channel speaker be properly matched (called "timbre matching") to the mains. This is best achieved by purchasing the front three speakers as a set - from the same manufacturer and typically the same product line.


A subwoofer is also an important component, but less so than a center, IMO. Adding a subwoofer to a system gives you the flexibility within the receiver to utilize "bass management" which routes low frequencies to the subwoofer that would otherwise be sent to the main left/right front speakers (this is achieved by setting the crossover in the receiver). Since the production of low frequencies at high volumes consumes a large amount of power, the ability to "offload" this from the receiver to the internal amplifier of a powered subwoofer means there's more power left for the other speakers to focus on the mids and highs. Thus, adding a powered subwoofer to a system not only improves the low frequencies, but actually can improve the overall sound quality as well.


Subwoofer placement really depends on the room geometry and acoustics. Often you don't know the "best" placement until you have the subwoofer and can try it in multiple locations. It certainly doesn't have to be in the front of the room - back corner, along a wall, whatever works best for your listening position and room aesthetics is where it will wind up.


Subwoofers all have a gain (volume) dial, so it's pretty easy to dial it down if you need to keep quiet for the neighbors, or your receiver may have a "midnight" mode or some other mode that limits the dynamic range to make action movies a little more restrained.


Good luck with setting up the new system!

 

[Mark Vaykhansky]

The answer to 3 is yes, you do need a center channel speaker. The center channel is arguably the most important speaker in a home theater system because it carries most of the dialog. In addition, since modern movie soundtracks often involve lots of sounds panning around the listener, much of what is normally carried by the main Left/Right front speakers often bleeds into the center channel as well.


It's because of this "bleed" that in addition to "needing" a center channel, it's also quite important that the center channel speaker be properly matched (called "timbre matching") to the mains. This is best achieved by purchasing the front three speakers as a set - from the same manufacturer and typically the same product line.


A subwoofer is also an important component, but less so than a center, IMO. Adding a subwoofer to a system gives you the flexibility within the receiver to utilize "bass management" which routes low frequencies to the subwoofer that would otherwise be sent to the main left/right front speakers (this is achieved by setting the crossover in the receiver). Since the production of low frequencies at high volumes consumes a large amount of power, the ability to "offload" this from the receiver to the internal amplifier of a powered subwoofer means there's more power left for the other speakers to focus on the mids and highs. Thus, adding a powered subwoofer to a system not only improves the low frequencies, but actually can improve the overall sound quality as well.


Subwoofer placement really depends on the room geometry and acoustics. Often you don't know the "best" placement until you have the subwoofer and can try it in multiple locations. It certainly doesn't have to be in the front of the room - back corner, along a wall, whatever works best for your listening position and room aesthetics is where it will wind up.


Subwoofers all have a gain (volume) dial, so it's pretty easy to dial it down if you need to keep quiet for the neighbors, or your receiver may have a "midnight" mode or some other mode that limits the dynamic range to make action movies a little more restrained.


Good luck with setting up the new system!

Thanks a lot!
Again about the subwoofer, is it a must to put it on the floor to get the best sound quality? Or maybe it's ok to mount it inside the front console.

Or maybe I can dock it somewhere in the front like inside the furniture. (relatively low) If I do then I suppose it should be open, right?
I forgot to mention that the current TV and that little thing it stands on will be replaced. That's why I'm trying to figure out my sound system before to match my furniture.

And I forgot to mention that there are mounts up on the wall for the back speakers.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Putting the subwoofer on the floor isn't so much about maximizing the quality of the sound as it is dealing with vibrations. I would be reluctant to placing a subwoofer inside or on top of anything for fear of it inducing rattling or other disturbances, but it suppose it depends on how well built the cabinets are. It would be worth giving it a try, but don't be shocked if it doesn't work out.