Surround Sound Layout & Choice Issues (1 Viewer)

[Dave_Olds]

Attached is a layout of my room I am turning into an upstairs theater for typical HDTV, Sports and some movies.

The surrounds really have me stumped....I cant figure out the best way to install them and which ones to choose....I have monopole RTi4's - but I could return them for FXi3's if they are a better choice for my application.

My dilemma is the little "cove on the left side of the room.....Right now, I have the LS on a stand about 1ft from the wall...This puts the surround slightly ahead of the "L" on the sectional.....I would like to keep the tall hutch/divider for placing surrounds in 7.1 format later but if it is a better choice for 5.1 surrounds I will do it....Or I could wall mount them BEHIND the sectional....I would like to make the seating on the left side of the room still viable though.....

I am not looking for a perfect solution - compromise is ok (I have a dedicated theater downstairs)......Mostly concerned with the speaker choice - are monopoles ok? or do I need to swap them for the more expensive di/bi poles FXi3?

But ANY layout opinions are GREATLY appreciated...!!!

 

[Brian L]

Well, in my personal experience, sitting way closer to one surround than the other never worked well for, no matter what you do with level match, speaker type, and delays. I always felt the closer speaker was dominant.

You did say other layout suggestions were OK? Alrighty then.

Move the entire rig (TV and front trio) to the left wall (labeled 14" on the diagram).

Mount both surrounds on the opposite wall (the current RS can stay where it is).

Move the sectional up so that all seating positions are between the two surrounds.

That will put you in a more or less symmetrical arrangement with all speakers.

I would wager you probably can't do that for one reason or another, but I just was never happy with a rig where the seating positions are grossly offset to one side or another.

Best of luck.

BGL

 

[Dave_Olds]

Thanks a million for the response....It is possible to move but that position actually created more problems (at least from what I know about HT layouts - ALOT of problems relating to viewing angles & distances especially....

I could do one of these things to easily offset your concerns.

1. Bring the LS toward the listening area - lined up equal to the cove inset.

2. Mount the surrounds on the sidewalls above the sectional and fire across

3. Mount them on the sidewalls behind the sectional firing at angles

4. Place them on the room divider firing back to the tv or angled.

Which of these would provide the best overall solution for more than the just the reference position which is the end of the sectional at the middle of the room?

 

[Brian L]

Well, I would probably opt for #2, given those choices, but you will still have to deal with being closer to one than the other, depending on where you sit on the sectional.

I do sympathize. Its a truly lucky person to have a room that lends itself to an optimum arrangement. I guess you are a step ahead of some as you have a dedicated theater in the basement.

Best of luck,

BGL

 

[Dave_Olds]

Option #2 would not be a problem distance wise. If I mount the LS to the wall outside the cove (or even option #1)- it would be exactly in line with the Left Main speaker....My drawing is sort of not to scale :b

The cove is almost exactly the same opening as the door it faces....or within a few inches at the very most...