Common Mistakes When Setting Up a Home Theater System

[Paul Scarpelli]

Well, I have a few of those flaws in my room but in my defense I want to say the fireplace mantel is unusually low, only about 40" high so the 70" TV is at a good height. Plus there is absolutely no where else it could go.

I do have a light colored ceiling but I also NEVER watch in a fully darkened room, there has to be a little light so I don't knock over my wine glass. I've never been distracted by reflections off the ceiling. Now that I know to look for it I'll probably be completely distracted.

Somehow I've managed to get by for 30+ years with one subwoofer. Perhaps because it is the size of a small refrigerator (12 cu ft) and has a real subwoofer driver (JBL 18" 2245), I've never felt the need for more subwoofage.

I'll have to do some testing with & without the coffee table, maybe one with a slatted or woven top would help? Maybe we could have an Audioholics test of audiophile quality coffee tables?

Your massive, manly subwoofer certainly has ample output. The advantage of multiple subs isn't just for more output, but it's to smooth out room modes. And hey, maybe you could make a fortune designing a coffee table made out of acoustical treatments!!

 

[Paul Scarpelli]

Speaking of room treatments, am I correct in that some should go "behind" the front towers? This room is a rectangle and our couch and chair is directly across from the display and speakers, against another wall that looks exactly like the one behind the display. I assumed the panels should go on the wall behind us, but was told they should go behind the fronts first.

That's a very, very nice system. The reason for acoustical treatment behind the speakers is to mostly eliminate the bounce off the wall, which causes sonic anomalies. (Weren't they an '80s band?) The reflection, depending upon frequency, cancels or reinforces the sound. The frequencies subject to this are the hemispherical-radiating ones; from the midrange and down. You could order some color-matched panels from GIK Acoustics and place one behind the left and right speakers. There are other great companies, but I've had good results with them. Nice room!

 

[elwaylite]

Thanks. I was considering the GIK panels and doing just that (behind fronts).

 

[FransK]

I you have to use some sort of low table in front of the seats, what would be a good alternative? Is there a type of table or treatment that reduces the reflection? Carpet type surface?

 

[Paul Scarpelli]

I you have to use some sort of low table in front of the seats, what would be a good alternative? Is there a type of table or treatment that reduces the reflection? Carpet type surface?

I have two identical sofas in my theater, with the rear one on a riser, and they each seat three people. I have small wooden tables next to the left and right seating positions, with no table in front of the seating. Having a low table in front of you isn't a deal-breaker, but if you listen with and without it, you'll hear a difference in detail. The table slows the arrival times due to the reflection. Reflected and direct sound reach your ears at slightly different times.

Carpet should have a substantial pad, and wool seems to absorb sound better...as well as wine. There is a "bounce" off the wall behind your LCRs, the wall next to your LCRs, the floor, and, to a lesser extent, the ceiling. The distances from your speakers' woofers (not subwoofer) to the floor, back, and side walls shouldn't all be the same, say two and a half feet. You'll have a peak in your response. If you can randomize these distances a bit, that will smooth out upper bass and lower midrange.

 

[petertagmac]

Great articles - much enjoyed across the pond, here in the UK.
I have managed, more by luck than judgement, to employ most of your advice in my dedicated AV room - which incidentally passes the clap test with flying colours!
However since I use Shahinian Arcs speakers as my main/front L&R, I have never seen them used in American home cinema/AV rooms photos - WHY ? - because they make a brilliant dual purpose speaker (pure 2 channel or combined in a multi channel set-up). Also their low height enable them to be positioned below a projector screen instead of either side!! No neck ache either. The sound stage appears to come from the screen, especially so when watching live music concerts video/discs. Admittedly they love bucket loads of power (to sound at their best) but hey don`t we all!!

 

[Paul Scarpelli]

Great articles - much enjoyed across the pond, here in the UK.
I have managed, more by luck than judgement, to employ most of your advice in my dedicated AV room - which incidentally passes the clap test with flying colours!
However since I use Shahinian Arcs speakers as my main/front L&R, I have never seen them used in American home cinema/AV rooms photos - WHY ? - because they make a brilliant dual purpose speaker (pure 2 channel or combined in a multi channel set-up). Also their low height enable them to be positioned below a projector screen instead of either side!! No neck ache either. The sound stage appears to come from the screen, especially so when watching live music concerts video/discs. Admittedly they love bucket loads of power (to sound at their best) but hey don`t we all!!

Astute observations. I usually recommend speakers that are accurate and capable of high output so they don't favor music or movies. A really good speaker should be able to handle both. And let's face it, the speaker has no idea what those sounds are that are coming out of it...explosions or a concert.

Speakers with modest sensitivity (85 dB-87 dB) can still play to robust levels as long as they can handle gobs of power. I am more concerned with what the ultimate output is, rather than how it's achieved, but 105 dB peaks at the money seat is almost a necessity. And power is relatively cheap these days, thanks to some pretty good-sounding Class D and Class H amplifiers. Like I said, it's good to pump more wattage into your cottage...

 

[FransK]

<snip> If you can randomize these distances a bit, that will smooth out upper bass and lower midrange.

Thanks!

 

[Bryan Johnson]

"If you must use a receiver, make sure it’s rated at least down to a 6 ohm load and you should be okay. Not great, but okay. If you have a receiver with pre-outs, consider upgrading the front three channels by going to a separate amp. If you’ve only heard a receiver on your speakers, you’re in for a shock when you add a separate amplifier."

I think this is good advice for many setups but to make it more modernly universal I think it should re-emphasize speaker efficiency as you discussed earlier in the article. With the improved availability of high efficiency LCRs, directing a person toward amps has a good chance these days of misguiding folks. A solid matched 5-channel set with 95+ dB sensitivity can be had for $3k. A separate amp might make a person feel good but wouldn't do anything for him.

 

[Photodan]

Good, common sense article. And, elwaylite, that's a nice setup!

I suspect we all buy according to what we can afford, although we do lust after higher-end stuff. I wanted higher-priced Martin Logans but the budget couldn't handle it. When I found my Motion 12s for $400 I jumped on them, actually replacing my Ascend Sierra Ones. My Denon 3313 at $800 was already in place. Buying a complete, turn-key system is great, but how many do it? I suspect not many and certainly no one I know. Chasing the perfect component, be it a TV, an AVR, or whatever, is what the "hobby" is all about.

By the way. As to poorly placed speakers? I see many terrific speakers jammed into tiny spaces between TV stands and side walls, backed up tightly against the front wall. Is there a point to paying $2k to $4k for speakers and essentally destroying their capabilities? If the WAF is such that you can't place a speaker to best advantage IMO buy a cheaper speaker! Stuffed in that corner they won't sound any worse. That goes for "bookcase" speakers too! If you can't stand-mount them don't waste your money.

My room (16'X21') is setup mainly for 2-channel audio, although I love a movie with good surround. My main L/R speakers are Martin-Logan Motion 12s (4 ohms) and, after much minute repositioning, they sit out from the long front wall over five feet, spaced at 100 inches. My wife glares at them every time she sits down to watch a movie, expecially since she never gets the money seat (middle seat of three theater recliners). Oh well, she has her play room and I have the media room. She foolishly agreed to that arrangement when we bought the house. Are the speakers out into the room a lot? You bet, and they spread a soundstage across that wall that is broad and tight (those dipole mids, I suppose) with excellent imaging.

I anguished over removing the coffee table but the theater seats (with cup holders and drop-in trays on the arms) solved that. Heavy carpeting and lots of draperies calm the room down nicely. My Denon 3313 AVR does a good job, overall, but I'm looking for a more powerful amp right now. The Denon does strain a bit at higher levels with these 4 ohm speakers. Replace them with a more eficient speaker? Not a chance! Easier and cheaper to add an amp.

My 70" is on the wall with the screen center at about eye level. A good friend thinks it's too low. His? I argued with him for months to NOT mount his over the fireplace. I lost, so let him sit there getting a stiff neck. I sit 10' from the screen and, IMO, that's about right. Most problems I've seen with flat panels are related to poor calibration. Leave the set in it's default setting and get a horribly bright image that will light up your room with unnatural, smeared colors! My friend's reminds me of the displays in Best Buy - bright and gaudy! He loves it so to each his own. If you can't afford a Pro Calibrator (I couldn't) spend some time with video setup!

As for subwoofers? Mine's an Epik 12" sealed design that goes as low as almost anything I can throw at it. I just don't have the need to go lower. It reminds me of Buddy Rich's response when asked why he didn't use two bass drums like Louis Belson. He replied, "Show me something I can't do with one and I'll get a second one."

I liked the end line of DellaSala's article. "Do what's right, not what looks hip and trendy." Man! Those are words to live by.

old arkiedan

 

[Paul Scarpelli]

I liked the end line of DellaSala's article. "Do what's right, not what looks hip and trendy." Man! Those are words to live by.

old arkiedan

Gene wrote that line and he contributed quite a bit to the article, but I wrote 95% of the article. I do tend to agree with Gene almost all the time, though, because, well...he's right.

 

[Archimago]

Gotta say, this is one of the best reads I've had in a long time! Thanks for this!

 

[Paul Scarpelli]

"If you must use a receiver, make sure it’s rated at least down to a 6 ohm load and you should be okay. Not great, but okay. If you have a receiver with pre-outs, consider upgrading the front three channels by going to a separate amp. If you’ve only heard a receiver on your speakers, you’re in for a shock when you add a separate amplifier."

I think this is good advice for many setups but to make it more modernly universal I think it should re-emphasize speaker efficiency as you discussed earlier in the article. With the improved availability of high efficiency LCRs, directing a person toward amps has a good chance these days of misguiding folks. A solid matched 5-channel set with 95+ dB sensitivity can be had for $3k. A separate amp might make a person feel good but wouldn't do anything for him.

The speaker systems with an honest sensitivity rating of 95+dB are extremely rare, and many high sensitivity speaker systems sound ragged. Most commercially available speaker systems have an honest (not marketing-driven) sensitivity of a real 85-92 dB. Unless you've chosen Klipsch, your high sensitivity choices are very limited.

Over the past twenty-thirty years, the weakest part of home theater receivers has been the output stages. I cover this in the article. A 100-watt per channel receiver will generally deliver 70 watts, all channels driven, or even less into a 4 ohm load, if it will even drive a four ohm load. I also cover why there are advantages to 4 ohm speakers in the article, but only with a separate amplifier that will deliver 50%-90% more output into 4 ohms. Most receivers are tantamount to designing a car that handles superbly, looks great, but has 140 horsepower. There are a scant few high-end receivers that deliver more power into 4 ohms, but most have current limiting and insufficient power supplies and they just don't deliver below 8 ohms. If you never exceed 95 dB at the money seat, this may not be an issue, but dropping an outboard power amplifier into a receiver-based system makes for an audible improvement most of the time.

 

[Philth]

I kept looking for the "TV TOO HIGH" and there it was!

So many people buy these great TVs and then mount them way up on their walls. They should be at head level. No one likes coming over to see the big game only to have to angle their necks for three hours.

If you got stiffed with a room that has no where to put a TV at head level, then I guess that's your only option, but for how much time I spend in front of my TV and system, it would have me looking for a new house, or finding a way to convert another room to the entertainment center.

 

[varunet]

my friend bought the http://mantelmount.com/ for his fireplace tv.. its expensive, but seems worth it.

 

[gene]

 

[RochRx7]

Fantastic article... I was able to take away some good advice here and there for some friends.

Now, to slap some friends.

 

[Montucky]

Now, to slap some friends.

Haha. Seriously! The next time somebody wants to make these mistakes despite my advice, I should make them watch this video. If they STILL proceed with going against Gene and Hugo's advice, can we please start sending Hugo over to beat them up? That would be wonderful.

 

[RochRx7]

Haha. Seriously! The next time somebody wants to make these mistakes despite my advice, I should make them watch this video. If they STILL proceed with going against Gene and Hugo's advice, can we please start sending Hugo over to beat them up? That would be wonderful.

I don't know if Hugo has a level slap that wouldn't reconstruct a face.

Looks like we're in the same boat.. buddy of mine loves in-ceilings lol. I want to slap myself whenever I think about in-ceiling speakers as the main LCR's. TOWERS PEOPLE, TOWERS!!!!!

 

[JimAShaw]

I loved your article and read it twice.

Because of my situation, I have to have in-ceiling speaker BUT I think I passed one mistake in that all 8 speakers aim to where I sit. Plus two of the eight pull down out of the ceiling and turn to exactly where I sit (used as Wides)

Two of your sentences really intrigued me, If you have a receiver with pre-outs, consider upgrading the front three channels by going to a separate amp. If you’ve only heard a receiver on your speakers, you’re in for a shock when you add a separate amplifier.

I have a Denon 4311 and never have added or even considered a separate amp. Do you really think I would actually notice a difference by added an amp for the fronts? Even in my situation with all in-ceiling?

If so, what difference do you think would be noticeable?

I am ALWAYS trying to improve the sound that I have and have never considered your suggestion.