Built-in speakers in new living room

[BobNO]

I bought a house with some speakers already installed and wired to binding posts. Up till now, I've only set up stereo audio so I'd like to know the best way to designate the built-in speakers for surround sound. The room is about 20.5' front-to-back, 22' side-to-side, and 10' high. We have a sectional sofa and I sit around 6' from the back wall about 2' to the right of center.

Left and Right speakers (vintage Magneplanar MG-I), and Center (Auvio, not hooked up) are obvious. Two small Auvio satellites are mounted on the front wall about 2' from the ceiling and about 6' apart. What kind of channel is this position typically used for? While I'm glad the wires are already in place for the three Auvio speakers, I wonder if these are worth keeping or if I should replace them with something better.

There are also two flush mounted speakers on the centerline (front-to-back) of the ceiling about 8' apart but they are 5' in front of where I sit. Should I use these for the rear surround channel even though they are in front of me? There are no speakers behind where I sit.

I haven't connected my ancient Acoustic Research sub yet and will probably replace it with some kind of powered model. There's a good place for it in the front left corner of the room. If I were going to add a second sub, there's a place for it in the back left corner of the room but there's not an easy clean way to get signal to this location.

Any advice is most welcome.
Bob

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Probably a total wash. Unfortunately, at the locations you describe none of the speakers are useful except for the one designated for the center channel, and it is probably a pitiful match for your Maggies. The front speakers are too high and too close together, and the rear ceiling speakers should not be so far in front of the seating.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Yeah Wayne is right. If that’s to be a serious room, which I will guess is true, I would remove the speakers from the ceiling and patch the holes. Maybe, the ones on the front wall could be used as front height speakers(plIIz not atmos), but with the Maggie’s I doubt they’ll be useful. They may have been used that way before, or possibly rear surrounds. Now that I’m thinking of it, they may have been the left/right fronts,except it sound s like they’re way too high. Who knows what some people do...