Something has to give -- speaker or display height?

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Being well aware of the ideal set-up consisting of all speakers' tweeters at the same height and at ear level, I have an issue.
Displays centered at eye level are the ideal as well.(I'm wall mounting my plasma)

......so which one should I sacrifice?

 

[jonnythan]

I'd sacrifice the idea that the tweeters should all be the same height.

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Well, I should explain that I barely got the o.k. to mount the plasma and will not get the o.k. for wall mounting the speakers. But they are rear firing anyway, so I'd like to be able to get them off the wall for SQ, so stands would allow for that as well.

It would be simpler to have three identical height stands below the plasma with the speakers angled upwards accordingly and the plasma would be tilted downwards accordingly......does this sound acceptable? Or not such a good idea?

 

[Warpdrv]

How about getting 2 Identical Equipment stands, and a 3rd floor stander to replace that feeble center channel.... All under the Plasma... If you put it high enough, and angle it downward...
Unless you are still moving all equipment out of the room, then there is no need for the Equipment Racks, and you could put some beautiful tall plants there inbetween all 3 speakers...


Now you have the ideal layout of speakers on the front wall.... No need to worry about wall mounting the center channel...

Of coarse if you already have WAF issues, this may not fly...

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

I'm actually using three identical vertical speakers for my front stage, no horizontal mtm center for me

I am moving all other gear to the closet.

Unfortunately it is not the WAF, it is worse, the landlord. He nags but he can't reward or payback like a wife.
He gave me the o.k. to wall mount my plasma, but no way speakers as well.

 

[ThA tRiXtA]

Do it anyway and change the locks

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Security deposit is a mug though.
And filling, snading and painting the whole wall to match like it was never done is difficult, time and money consuming too.
Can't wait to own.

 

[MDS]

I second jonnythan. The general rule is that the speakers need to be on the same plane and the center channel tweeter within 2 feet of the mains tweeters. Perfectly aligned is ideal but it won't be a deal breaker if they are not.

 

[jonnythan]

Why not just use taller stands for the L and R speakers..?

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

I can't wall mount the apeakers, not even the center only.

 

[jonnythan]

I can't wall mount the apeakers, not even the center only.

I don't understand the problem.

Put the L and R speakers on stands that put them at desired height.

Put the C speaker on a stand that keeps it under the TV.

Problem solved, right..?

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

That's what I was thinking...three identical height stands, since my speakers are identical and the plasma above it.
Just wanted to make sure I wasn't:
A. Going too low for good sound imaging.
B. Going too low making for a muffled sound.
I was thinking 18" stands which puts the tweeters about 4" below ear level and has the center of my plasma screen at about 10" above eye level, then tilted reont and down....I also recline a fair bit while watching movies or late night t.v.

 

[supervij]

I'm sure I read somewhere that THX says that seated eye level should be at 30% from the screen's bottom. If that's true, then having the centre speaker below the screen (and tilted up) will mean that it's closer to ear level.

cheers,
supervij

 

[MDS]

I'm sure I read somewhere that THX says that seated eye level should be at 30% from the screen's bottom. If that's true, then having the centre speaker below the screen (and tilted up) will mean that it's closer to ear level.

I've also seen recommendations that the center of the screen should be at eye level or just slightly below the top 1/3 of the screen. The problem is you can get way too critical about all this stuff. You want to avoid being a goof like me that calculated that my eyes are roughly 42" off the ground, the height of the screen is this much, the stand elevates it that much, therefore my AV stand can be no taller than this much....

In the end, what I got works for me but man sometimes I wish I could let it go...I've had the center both above and below the screen and in general I'd say it is better above but it's not like having it below (my current situation) just totally ruins the 'experience'.

Do the best you can with what you've got to work with. The real kicker is that you will get used to whatever you have anyway.

 

[Djizasse]

I've seen some TV wall mounts that can take extensions to mount the LR speakers as well as the center. The tv wall mount just has to be strong enough to take all the weight of the extra extensions and speakers.
Omnimount example

 

[supervij]

The problem is you can get way too critical about all this stuff. You want to avoid being a goof like me that calculated that my eyes are roughly 42" off the ground, the height of the screen is this much, the stand elevates it that much, therefore my AV stand can be no taller than this much....

Ouch! That kind of anal retentiveness sounds like me! Back when I was considering buying a new TV, I went through exactly this kind of thinking. Geez, I get an ice cream headache when I think about it now.

cheers,
supervij

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

I wish I could mount the center channel(above) as I would then just get taller stands for L&R.

I'm just afraid that it will look funny with them all lined up and below the plasma.
**I've searched through the net for many hours the last two days and cannot find 'ONE' picture of a set-up like I'm describing.
Almost everyone has a stand and the ones who do wall mount their flat panels typically have the center above and L&R's flanking the display at ~1'-2' below the center ch.

 

[jonnythan]

That's what I was thinking...three identical height stands, since my speakers are identical and the plasma above it.
Just wanted to make sure I wasn't:
A. Going too low for good sound imaging.
B. Going too low making for a muffled sound.
I was thinking 18" stands which puts the tweeters about 4" below ear level and has the center of my plasma screen at about 10" above eye level, then tilted reont and down....I also recline a fair bit while watching movies or late night t.v.

I'm really not understanding why you don't just use higher stands for the L/R and keep the center below the TV.

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Because everywhere I read that for ideal sound imaging the tweeters need to be at the same height.

 

[jonnythan]

Because everywhere I read that for ideal sound imaging the tweeters need to be at the same height.

That's 100% pure ideal.

You have to compromise somewhere. Either put your TV in a very non-ideal place, put all three of your speakers in a non-ideal place, or just put one speaker in a non-idela place.

I know which one I go for.

Put the L/R speakers at the right height, then compromise the display and CC positioning.