Is my setup correct?

[NeverSeen]

Hi all! New to posting here but have done plenty of reading on just about everything on the site since getting more serious about my HT setup. After all I've read I'm curious to know if my setup is correct? I've attached a pic of the layout. I am going to wire the room for the speakers the next few days (its a stripped out garage room that's being converted into a dedicated home theater). The room is 14x11x8.5.

I'm read to do an ear level when standing height for the side surrounds. Do the rears matter for height also? I'd like to get them mounted up on the wall on either side of the window to avoid having them firing directly into the back of my head if they are on stands (as they are in the pic). Would this be okay if i did a little toe in on them?

Thanks for the help all!! You can also check out my build in progress on my flickr too. My uncle is the guy in the pics wiring up the electric stuff.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9236850@N04/sets/72157600573079743/

EDIT:
Forgot to give my setup, just in case it is needed.

Hitachi 50VF820
Onkyo TX-SR702
XBOX 360 (games and DVDs for now)
Polk Audio CSi5 center channel
Polk Audio RTi10 Fronts
Polk Audio RTi6 Surrounds
Polk Audio RTi6 Rears
Velodyne DPS-12 Sub
Monster Power HTS-3500
Polk Audio XRt12 XM radio

 

[MDS]

Looks about right to me. I would definitely place the rear surrounds higher - even close to the ceiling if possible - and angled/toed-in slightly depending on what sounds best.

The general rule, per Dolby, is surrounds to be 90-110 degress from the listening position and 2-3 feet above ear level when seated. Of course +/- a small distance is not going to totally wreck everything.

You should definitely do a calibration with an SPL meter and experiment a bit with the position of the rear surrounds before you lock them into place.

 

[NeverSeen]

i *could* mount the rear surrounds above the window, but then it'd be slightly (an inch or two) below the roof line. If i mount them on the sides of the window with toe i can do it on any height. and of course i could always stick them under/in front of the window on stands.

See attached for the 2nd option.

I am currently under construction so i need to set my speaker placement up so i can create mounting points (studs, etc) behind the speakers. After the room is finished i will be able to play with an SPL meter , however, the only adjustments I'll be able to make on any of the 4 rears is toe in via angled mounting blocks.

My only concern on the 2nd option is the 4 rears all being the same height and the rears first reflection point being the side of the surrounds . so i'm guessing the side surrounds would be about 5.5 or 6" off the ground and the rears 6.5-7" off the ground and toed in to prevent this?

 

[MDS]

There are no exact right answers for this stuff but I kind of like the second placement diagram better. Because the rears will be very close to the listening position, having them toed in a bit like in the diagram may be better.

7.1 doesn't necessarily buy you anything if you cannot get the rears a good bit behind the listening position so if you are intent on using them then I personally would go with the second diagram. Just don't put them at ear level - put them up high (at least as high as the side surrounds).

The side surround placement looks to be about perfect per Dolby recommendations as they would be directly to your sides (90 degrees) and a few feet above ear level.

 

[bpape]

Moving your couch forward is something you should consider to get farther away from the wall. This will:

- Give you better bass response
- Give you a better surround experience
- Eliminate the issues with the 4 surrounds being too close together.

Bryan

 

[NeverSeen]

I am really starting to think about mounting the rears sideways above the window to get them more centered. This would put their height at about 7 ft, would i need to angle them down or is this an acceptable height?

my sides would be 5.5 ft off the ground and 3-4 feet from the rear wall. this would give me about 3-4 off the wall for the couch as well and a viewing distance of around 8-9 ft of a 50in screen.

opinions?

 

[AVRat]

The last setup sounds good w/ the rears angled downward firing over the listeners heads. I think placing them about 5'-6' apart would be appropriate.

 

[NeverSeen]

77 views... can another person or two 2nd AVrat's opinion of my lastest layout? I will be wiring the room first thing tomorrow morning.

thanks all!!!

 

[badahab]

THX recomends the rear surrounds be close to each other when useing some of their fancy pancy modes. I think keeping them a little farther apart is more generaly accepted though.

Positioning looks fine for the rears, but I'm not 100% sure about having them downward firing right at your head. Being that close and having them pointed straight at you might make them too easy to localize. You can always play around with angle after getting everything in though, definalty something to experment with.

-Sean

 

[bpape]

In a 7.1 setup, I usually try to put the rear surrounds just even with the outer shoulder of the end seats as long as you're not taking up 90% of the room width with seating. This gives a better surround experience for everyone.

Bryan

 

[NeverSeen]

okay, i'm thinking i will build a shelf for the rears to lay on and have them firing straight out. i can build the shelf wide enough that i can slide them left or right a bit to dial in their placement. or flip them over so the tweeter is to the left or right side of the speaker. then i will play with the angle they fire down at once the room is all together.

so i think i'm good to start wiring . thanks everyone!!!

now to pick out paint, curtians, and carpet heheh. I'm thinking a deep flat red color with a charcoal colored carpet (more gray than black), and whatever looks good for curtains. Heavy i assume?

ohhhhh and then room treatments...

You've got to love the never ending hobbies!