Suspended Speakers (1 Viewer)

[Phil McC]

Don't know if this has been discussed on this forum, but I would like some advice on suspending speakers on retractable poles.

My 20 x 20 games room/bonus room has both RPTV and my son's desk/PC on opposite walls. I need to get speakers to the rear and sides (7.1) of the two couches that sit in the middle of the room facing the TV. I don't want the clutter of using stands and wires across the carpet, so I thought about hanging the speakers from the ceiling using threaded poles and the round enclosures that they screw into. Then I thought rather than have them permanently hanging down just above head height, it would be better if I could make them retractable. I have a spare garage door opener and some pulley blocks that I could modify and place in the attic to move the speakers up and down using a remote. I could even have them disappear into ceiling recesses when they are retracted.

My question is what happens to speakers when you suspend them on the end of 4 foot poles? Would they vibrate and move too much in use? (All four rears are Yamaha 333's). Would I be better having wire cables to eyes in the top of each speaker thereby making the mountings less "rigid"?

Is it even a concern given the output of the "presence" channels?

 

[chris_everett]

Do you have a high ceiling that you need to attach these too? Surround speakers don't need to be at ear level, as long as you have some distance between the listeners and the speakers. You could retract them, but I would use a linear actuater rather than trying to hack a garage door opener. I would not worry about the vibrations, except to say that you want to make sure that the speakers are suspended well. Speakers are heavy, they vibrate (and can vibrate loose) and you don't want one falling on someones head.

 

[Phil McC]

Thanks for the response Chris.

The ceilings are just regular 8 foot ceilings but I was under the impression that the speakers would need to be down around ear level when sitting, as they would be if they were on floor stands. Having four speakers hanging at that level might mean I need to have them disappear when not in use.

If they do not need to be at ear level I could use ceiling or wall brackets and just point them downwards slightly.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

From http://www.dolby.com/consumer/home_e...html#placement

 

[Adam Gregorich]

KEF and Speakercraft both make motorized speakers that lower from the ceiling. The KEFs just lower, and the Speakercraft lower and rotate. I have the KEFs. See pics in the HTF gallery: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/gall...g2_itemId=3129

 

[Phil McC]

I have seen those KEF jobs and they are pretty cool, however I am kinda stuck wth the speakers I already have.

What I had imagined was putting the speakers on the ends of 1" metal poles (steel tube so I can run the speaker wire inside) and drawing these poles up and down though holes in the ceiling to get them up and out of the way when no-one is watching a movie. When watching a movie from the two couches in the center of the room, the speakers could then be lowered to the side and rear of the listener until just above head height.

I am still not sure if they will vibrate on the ends of the tubes, but thanks for the responses.

 

[JawhnM]

Your idea sounds like it will work, but as Jeff said it isn't really necessary. Just put your surrounds on the wall about 3' above ear level. You want a difuse soundfield with the surrounds, so angling them toward your listening position MAY not be best (it will depend on your speakers).