guidance for 5.1.4 setup

[ravikd]

Hello Friends,

I am finishing my basement and would love some help from you to setup the speaker and tv position for the room.

1. is the rec room dimension of 11ftx18ft sufficient?
2. should i not add the additional room and make the rec room bigger?
3. there is a hallway space, so worried if the speakers would lose effect?
4. is this ideal space to put 4 speakers on the overhead and 5 surround? where should the speakers be?
i have a very rough excel version of the layout with the cells indicating 1ft distance, sorry if its not the right format to give the layout.

thanks
R

 

[shadyJ]

Your plans look good to me. You just need to use the appropriate speakers and be able to set them up correctly.

 

[Wardog555]

Let's try this. 8 feet square for the atmos speakers and main listening position in the middle of them.
For the 5.1 Center 0 degrees. Fronts 30 degrees.
Surrounds 110-120 degrees.

What's with the grey squares oddly placed especially the front narrow ones?

 

[ravikd]

Let's try this. 8 feet square for the atmos speakers and main listening position in the middle of them.
For the 5.1 Center 0 degrees. Fronts 30 degrees.
Surrounds 110-120 degrees.

What's with the grey squares oddly placed especially the front narrow ones?

Thank you Wardog555!, sure I can try that setup. how far should it be ideally from the wall? sorry, intended to say the grey squares were overhead speakers for a 5.1.4 setup. not sure if its just sufficient with surround floor speakers or overhead speakers provide additional effects.

 

[ravikd]

Your plans look good to me. You just need to use the appropriate speakers and be able to set them up correctly.

Thank you ShadyJ!, I have Harmon Kardon hkts 16bq and yamaha rx-v681 receiver. What kind of overhead speakers can go with this setup? Also, should i add a door to the hallway side, or its okay to be open?

 

[shadyJ]

Thank you ShadyJ!, I have Harmon Kardon hkts 16bq and yamaha rx-v681 receiver. What kind of overhead speakers can go with this setup? Also, should i add a door to the hallway side, or its okay to be open?

If you want a better acoustic balance, than yes, you can add a door. The more physical symmetry you can get for the speaker system with the room, the more balanced it will sound from left to right.

As for overhead speakers, a lot of people seem to like the RSL C34se.

 

[}Fear_Inoculum{]

Your room is almost exactly the same size as mine (10.5 × 18.5 × 7.5) I wouldn't make the room longer to be honest. With the low ceiling, there isn't much point IMO, it just puts you further back from the TV/screen.

Speaking of the TV, have you considered a projector instead? 85" is a good size TV, but it really doesn't compare to a 100"+ projector screen (mine is 110"). A good quality 4K projector with an acoustically transparent screen is a game changer. And with that extra room behind where you plan to put the TV, you could build a recessed area for the LCR to be housed behind an ATS.

I'm running a 9.2.4 set up. LCR, 2 front wides, 2 side surround, 2 rear surround, 2 subs (practically a must) and 4 Atmos speakers. It's truly amazing. And I'll second what @shadyJ said about the RSL C34E MKII Speakers. They're awesome for Atmos applications.

And yes, a door where that hallway connects to the room is the best bet. You want to keep the sound in the room as much as possible, and not let the sound "escape" so to say.

 

[ravikd]

If you want a better acoustic balance, than yes, you can add a door. The more physical symmetry you can get for the speaker system with the room, the more balanced it will sound from left to right.

As for overhead speakers, a lot of people seem to like the RSL C34se.

Thank you ShadyJ! Sure let me explore the RSL speakers, i saw in another post, Yamaha RX-V681 only supports 5.1.2 setup, so i can add 4 overhead speakers now because i am doing the wiring now. A good idea?

 

[ravikd]

Your room is almost exactly the same size as mine (10.5 × 18.5 × 7.5) I wouldn't make the room longer to be honest. With the low ceiling, there isn't much point IMO, it just puts you further back from the TV/screen.

Speaking of the TV, have you considered a projector instead? 85" is a good size TV, but it really doesn't compare to a 100"+ projector screen (mine is 110"). A good quality 4K projector with an acoustically transparent screen is a game changer. And with that extra room behind where you plan to put the TV, you could build a recessed area for the LCR to be housed behind an ATS.

I'm running a 9.2.4 set up. LCR, 2 front wides, 2 side surround, 2 rear surround, 2 subs (practically a must) and 4 Atmos speakers. It's truly amazing. And I'll second what @shadyJ said about the RSL C34E MKII Speakers. They're awesome for Atmos applications.

And yes, a door where that hallway connects to the room is the best bet. You want to keep the sound in the room as much as possible, and not let the sound "escape" so to say.

wow, this would be a wonderful setup. shame, have invested on the budget receiver and speakers. you think its good idea to get the projector and ATS for Harmon Kardon hkts 16bq and yamaha rx-v681 and add 2 RSL atmos ceiling speakers?

 

[Wardog555]

this for the atmos speakers.
for 45 degrees elevation from ear level. its 1.27 feet from the side walls assuming you are seated in the middle of the front wall. for 50 degrees elevation its 1.96 feet from the side walls.
if your surrounds are above ear level ill suggest going to 50 degrees elevation.

I wouldn't sit any further than 10 feet. more like 8 feet or so from the screen. even if it was a projector screen! unless it was huge!

enjoy!

 

[shadyJ]

Thank you ShadyJ! Sure let me explore the RSL speakers, i saw in another post, Yamaha RX-V681 only supports 5.1.2 setup, so i can add 4 overhead speakers now because i am doing the wiring now. A good idea?

You can wire the room up for 4 Atmos speakers in the future. That will make it easy to install them if you ever decide to upgrade.

 

[diwit]

Hello Friends,

I am finishing my basement and would love some help from you to setup the speaker and tv position for the room.

1. is the rec room dimension of 11ftx18ft sufficient?
2. should i not add the additional room and make the rec room bigger?
3. there is a hallway space, so worried if the speakers would lose effect?
4. is this ideal space to put 4 speakers on the overhead and 5 surround? where should the speakers be?
i have a very rough excel version of the layout with the cells indicating 1ft distance between audio & video services, sorry if its not the right format to give the layout.

thanks
R

1. The dimensions of 11ftx18ft for the rec room can be considered sufficient for a basement space. It allows for comfortable seating arrangements and provides enough room for various activities.
2. Whether to add an additional room or make the rec room bigger depends on your specific needs and preferences. Consider what you plan to use the space for and if having an additional room would enhance your overall basement layout and functionality. It could be a separate area for a home office, storage, or any other purpose you have in mind.
3. The hallway space may impact the sound dispersion and acoustics in the room, but it can be mitigated with proper speaker placement and room setup. Placing the speakers strategically and utilizing acoustic treatments can help minimize any negative effects on the sound quality.
4. The ideal placement of speakers for a surround sound setup depends on the specific speaker system you have and the layout of the room. Generally, for a 5.1 surround sound setup, the front left, front right, and center speakers should be positioned in front of the viewing area, while the surround left and surround right speakers should be placed to the sides or slightly behind the viewing area. The subwoofer can be positioned anywhere in the room to optimize bass response.

For overhead speakers, if you're referring to ceiling-mounted speakers for an immersive audio experience like Dolby Atmos, their placement should follow guidelines specific to the speaker manufacturer and the recommended Dolby guidelines. Generally, overhead speakers are positioned above the seating area or slightly in front and above the viewer for optimal sound effects.
To provide more specific guidance and suggestions, it would be helpful to see the layout you have in mind. If you can provide a visual representation or a detailed description of the layout, I can offer further assistance in terms of speaker placement and TV positioning within the space.